Two of my three false widows have laid egg sacs within the past week. My question is should I remove the egg sacs? I know that when they hatch the babies will cannibalize each other but will that harm the mother? One of the egg sacs are out in the open near the top so that one wouldn't be too hard to remove, but the other one is under a leaf below the web. I don't want to cause the spiders too much stress. If the babies won't harm the mother I will probably just leave them in there to hatch and cannibalize each other, I just wanted some other opinions.
Should I remove them?
- Thread starter Eli02
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Referring to Steatoda I presume? You can always remove the egg sacks, carefully. It is really a question as to how many hundreds of escapees you want around your house. Three young fertile moms can fill a house to the rafters with slings. They won't stress the moms until they mature and start getting competitive. Even then, they tend to work out space requirements, and fratricide, on their own.
I personally think everyone who wants to keep these or latros should start with a young inseminated Geo. Sort of a cobweb weaver 101 on reproduction, egg sack management, cannibalism, and major home infestation.
I personally think everyone who wants to keep these or latros should start with a young inseminated Geo. Sort of a cobweb weaver 101 on reproduction, egg sack management, cannibalism, and major home infestation.