container for black widow

[strat321]

hello-

Because I have a few Ts, people think I collect true spiders. Just inherited a beautiful female black widow. she is enclosed in a glass jar with plastic and rubber band top.

Soooo....
I want a small safe easy to feed type set up.

suggestions? with a pic would be nice (saves words)

cheers

 

[cacoseraph]

that is exactly the container i've had my only escape by adult black widow take place from.

the really creepy thing is after recapturing her she would drag her legs on the drum-head tight plastic wrap top and make these crazy screeching noises. i thought i had a mutant cricket or something in my room until i actually saw her doing it.

so after that i never used that method to contain black widows again

my normal container is just a regular jar with small holes in the lid
throw a stick or two in there, substrate is not needed. mist every week or three and you are there

just make sure the spider can't make a web touching the top of the jar and it is safe and easy to feed. be aware that they can move suprisingly fast on a web, but are pretty slow and award on the ground

 

[ilovebugs]

cacoseraph is right. you just need some sticks and mist her occasionally. if you feed it a cricket per week, she should do fine, and get really big.

 

[Elizabeth]

I had one spider web right up to the lid on this type of set-up. Turning the jar on its side fixed that problem. Then it webbed to the new "top" and opening the lid to put in more feeders didn't ruin anything anymore. Just some added info. The upright version works for most, I think.

 

[strat321]

thanks for the info.
sticks and mist it is.

 

[cacoseraph]

hehhee i forgot about the best part... feeding

these girls are tough... no, they are double tough

my brother and i once kept a L. hesperus for about 3 years... we'd feed her a cricket or roach every other month, whether she needed it or not

 

[JPD]

Here is a link for some nice containers for widows.....
http://www.beanfarm.com/cgi-bin/sto...rt_id=9762659.11047*VD5yi7&xm=off&ppinc=trans

As far as feeding. Just pop open the lid and toss the meal in. Even if they web-up at the top, they are not going to come flying out at you.
They will sometimes head towards the opening but not for an escape. I attribute this to the motion on their web when you open up the top.
Not aggressive at all.....
If you are truly worried about it though, cut a flap in the side of your container for feeding time and then tape it shut when you are done.

 

[fiveohatch]

i just used kritter keepers when i had mine before. mine always just webbed the whole bottom of the thing. i only had one that webbed the top. she always stayed in the corner so it was easy feeding through the "door" in the center.

i really need to catch the one on the side of my place. she's starting to get big. i'm going to pick up another KK when i get crickets in a few days.

 

[caligulathegod]

I use Beanie Baby type container turned upside down with small holes drilled in the sides. I also put a twisty vine/stick from a craft store.

 

[ScorpDemon]

older jars with the metal hinges work well too.. or baby bottles, or the older clear cookie jars with the plastic seal that acts as a type of plunger when you shove the lid into the opening in the jar.. shadowboxes also work well