Wild Caught Steatoda Grossa as Pet

Reptiquatics

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 29, 2016
Messages
23
I got my first T. (A juvenile B. Albo) recently, and I think she/he is just great, but once my mom figured out how long they could live if it is a female (I'm waiting for it to molt to find out, still), she decided I could not get any more T.s. So, I thought I'd look around and see what kind of spiders I could catch and make a pet, I thought about orb spiders and giant house spiders, and some others, but I decided against those. What did seem like a reasonable option, though, was a steatoda grossa, they seem to have shorter lifespans and be pretty easy to care for from what I've searched on here so far, but I'd like to verify some things.

From what I've read, the following are true:

They live 2-3 years
They can live in deli cups (if so what size, ounces, diameter, hieght?)
They can eat crickets (if so, what size and how often)
If they bite, it is sort of like a wasp sting, hurts a bit, ices a bit, goes away after a few days, no biggie.

I'd also like to make sure it'd be okay to just find a wild one and put it in an enclosure.

I live in oregon, so if you have any other ideas on spiders (or other critters) I could find somewhat easily, that'd be great.

If all the above is true, I believe I found one today, so I'd like to have it double checked in terms of identification.

Thank you
 

The wolf

Arachnolord
Joined
May 6, 2017
Messages
600
I have kept steadota bipunctata and i hav done loads of reasearch on this genus

2-3 years is optimistic but possible,1-2 is more realistic

Sling-juvenile would be happy in a large deli cup but they would prefer something abit bigger i kept mine in a 5cm wide 19cm long 15cm high container which was fine alittle smaller would be possible but not advisable any bigger is fine

They will eat in my experience crickets up to twice there size but you MUST crush their heads i lost a spider this way so dont make my mistake any size down to about a fruit fly will be fine

I severely doubt that they can bite but if its anything like a s.nobilis bite abit worse than what you described so no biggie

Wild caught is fine they settle in in about 3days to a week

Giant house spider are the best in my experience what do you have against them their big docile feed well web loads and also make very interesting webs and they are very easy to keep mine layed four eggsacs and i am currently raising her babies
wolf spiders are good most are big active but the only one we have over here bigger than 1cm stays in their burrows all day and night
jumping spiders are meant to be amazing over in America so maybe give them ago
Dont try orb weavers they dont do so well in captivity

In my experience drassodes are incredible pets loads of webbing large and unfussy

Send a pic and i will have a look
 
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Reptiquatics

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 29, 2016
Messages
23
Giant house spider are the best in my experience what do you have against them their big docile feed well web loads and also make very interesting webs and they are very easy to keep mine layed four eggsacs and i am currently raising her babies [/QUOTE said:
My main concern with the giant house spiders was that it would want a big enclosure or a more specific type, but if not then I may reconsider them.

If I end up with a gravid female who lays eggs, and I don't want to raise the young (I might, but I'd like a backup if I decide against it), what would you suggest I do with the eggs? Is it wise/safe/legal to move the eggs outside? Should I euthanize them? Sell/give them to someone?

wolf spiders are good most are big active but the only one we have over here bigger than 1cm stays in their burrows all day and night jumping spiders are meant to be amazing over in America so maybe give them ago Dont try orb weavers they dont do so well in captivity In my experience drassodes are incredible pets loads of webbing large and unfussy [/QUOTE said:
I don't know much about drassodes or wolf spiders, but I'll take a look at them. Jumping spiders are pretty cool, but they are also much more mobile than others and so I think I'll wait till I'm a bit more comfortable with the slower moving fellas who are easier to keep in their enclosures.


All this is good to know, thank you. I'll work on getting a picture now that it's calmed down.
 
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Reptiquatics

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 29, 2016
Messages
23
I don't know what happenedwith the quotes in the last post, but I have a picture

I have pictures of the underside as well, but it's from a further distance, so may not be as helpful. If you need any other angles, let me know. Thank you 20170913_162544-1.jpg
 

Reptiquatics

Arachnopeon
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Dec 29, 2016
Messages
23
Also, would it be fine to use coconut coir fiber as a substrate and cork bark for decor/web building surfaces for the steatoda grossa and the other spiders you listed. Also, how would you recommend I give water to the steatoda grossa (assuming that's what it is)? I have a bottle cap in there and have been misting a small bit every day or couple days.
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
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Mar 7, 2012
Messages
4,096
Additional information about the false black widow (Steatoda grossa) and the giant house spider (Eratigena atrica).


My main concern with the giant house spiders was that it would want a big enclosure or a more specific type, but if not then I may reconsider them
Cobweb spiders and funnel weavers will tolerate a wide range of enclosure styles. They mainly need a place to hide and anchor points for webbing.


If I end up with a gravid female who lays eggs, and I don't want to raise the young (I might, but I'd like a backup if I decide against it), what would you suggest I do with the eggs? Is it wise/safe/legal to move the eggs outside? Should I euthanize them? Sell/give them to someone?
Since it's a native species, you can always release the spiderlings outside. Otherwise, if you want to euthanize them, place the egg sac in the freezer.


Also, would it be fine to use coconut coir fiber as a substrate and cork bark for decor/web building surfaces for the steatoda grossa and the other spiders you listed.
Cobweb spiders and funnel weavers don't really need substrate. If you want to add it for aesthetics, that's fine. Any of the substrates used for tarantulas would be OK.

You can use almost anything you want for anchor points.


Also, how would you recommend I give water to the steatoda grossa (assuming that's what it is)? I have a bottle cap in there and have been misting a small bit every day or couple days.
Drip water onto the web and/or sides of the enclosure.
 

The wolf

Arachnolord
Joined
May 6, 2017
Messages
600
There are many other spiders.if you find something you think looks nice generally you can probably keep it
 

Andee

Arachnobaron
Arachnosupporter
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Jul 1, 2013
Messages
411
I have several captive born that will likely hatch from my wild caughts soon. I have some grey house spiders badumna longinqua which live decently long 1-3 years as females and are very shy, their bites are a bit worse, can make you feel a bit fluish? But they are far more likely to run than bite. Both my females are relatively calm and I feel I could hold one of them without any issue with biting but running is a big possibility. I also have a spotted orb weaver (Neoscona crucifera) who also laid an egg sac but I can't promise it's viable but I think it is. I also have another species K. Arizonica coming in that I will be breeding in captivity these ones live for around 5-7 years or more as females and males I think live up to 3 or more if I am correct. From what I understand they are fairly handlable. But it will likely be at least a year before I can offer them.
 
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