Black widow eggsac

[kenniey]

Yeah i guess that would be a wise thing to do . Or maybe feed them outside . I dont really want black widows running lose in my room .

 

[chuck]

or have them hatch in a tall smooth container. so when you open it they cant get out

 

[kenniey]

yeah but they tend to stay near the top . Well they make webs from top to bottom . I dont think a the hight has much to do with it . even the mothers wanna stay up at the opening . I have one in a habaitrail . That seems to be the best thing for the bigger ones ! Still have to figure out how to keep the tiny ones caged . Any ideas ?

 

[chuck]

yeah but they tend to stay near the top . Well they make webs from top to bottom . I dont think a the hight has much to do with it . even the mothers wanna stay up at the opening . I have one in a habaitrail . That seems to be the best thing for the bigger ones ! Still have to figure out how to keep the tiny ones caged . Any ideas ?

if the surface is smooth, and the distance btwn the highest twig and the top is more than their leg span, how can they get to the top?
im in the same boat as you. im waiting for my sack to open. hopefully i'll have people wanting some so i dont have to house so many.

 

[kenniey]

well i have them in a smoth jar and they had no problem at all reachin the top of the jar . Thats with no twigs or anything , just the jar . If your idea works let me know I think they can climb anything thou !

 

[chuck]

i was told the adults couldnt, and my juvi doesnt seem to be able to. perhaps they all climb on each others backs and the one on the top makes the web so the others can climb up. how small are these slings? i put 5 pin holes in the top, dont want to find them in bed with me

 

[kenniey]

Hey they probly could fit threw a pinhole they are very small ! Only the bigger females have venom ! The males and babys are harmless . I have mine in mason jars . I poke a hole in the lid and filled it with polly fibers . That will keep them in there until I open it up for the next feeding !

 

[El Johano]

No arachnid ever is, but do you really want to take the off chance of having to visit the hospital?

There's no risk of being bitten if you know how to handle them, they don't bite unless you squeeze them.

Man, there are so many of those in my garage and under my garden hose, I just kill them. And you're trying to hatch them?!

Your lucky
I've raised about 30 of them to adult females and sold about 150 subadults. I also keep L. menavodi, L. mactans, L. variolus and L. geometricus "white", all which I plan to breed once they have reached adulthood.

Man, please, post more photos of your widows, they're so nice!!!

I just returned the camera I borrowed, but there are more pics in this thread.

what are the effects of the widow's venom?

There are some good info here

 

[chuck]

any special instructions as far as the care for a sack is concerned? higher temps? higher humidity? just have it like my other inverts, room temp with humidity swaying day by day

 

[El Johano]

No special requirements, but the higher the temps the sooner it'll hatch....

 

[JPD]

I also keep L. menavodi, L. mactans, L. variolus and L. geometricus

I'll give you my mailing address....

I have about 30 L.hesperus.
Just lost my L.bishopi a few months back. Hope to get more soon.
The babies can be tricky. I always transfer over a black surface so it makes the babies much more visible.
The cannibalism definitely makes it easier.
And as to the comment about them rarely biting.....totally agree. With most spiders, it is all in the approach. I hold my widows on a fairly regular basis (I do educational shows revolving around arachnids) and, although I don't recommend others doing it, I never worry too much about it.
Here are a few of my pics and btw...El Johano.....I would love to buy some of the L.menavodi and geometricus from you. They are pretty darn hearty and I am sure they would survive the mail system!

 

[El Johano]

Awsome pics!!!
That bishopi is very nice, you've got a PM....