# Keeping orb weavers...?



## BlujayOnTheWing (Oct 27, 2010)

Has anyone been successful in keeping an orb-weaving species? I've had several, with several different housing methods, and the only one that built a web and thrived was one that got out of his case and set up camp under a shelf in my room, instead  All others have sat around, done nothing, and eventually were either released back into the wild or died.

I've tried building 'spider frames' with a wood frame closed in by plexiglass walls, I've tried keeping them in tall upright boxes, I've tried covering up the front of an empty shelf on my bookshelf and letting them have that space, all nothing. I'm especially frustrated that the web frame design hasn't worked, because that's the method I've always found instructions for when looking at how to keep orb weavers. Why won't they build a web? Even very small ones with more than enough space won't do it. I've kept spiders from nearly every other family common in my area at some point or another, but I really want an argiope or a cross spider, and so far that just hasn't been possible.

Help?? :\


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## Vespula (Oct 28, 2010)

I've kept an Argiope aurantia in a balsa type wood box with a sliding plastic lid. She did fine in there.


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## Sheepy (Oct 30, 2010)

I think it also depends on what species you have, especially where they are from.

For example, if you have a tropical species, you may need to keep the temperature high and the humidity up.

I keep Nephila in a lab situation (you can see my other thread on what problems I ran into...), but as of now I have quite large acrylic enclosed cages with misters and heat lamps attached to controllers.

Orb weavers from my experience have a much harder time climbing up smooth surfaces, they seem to like how I have mesh inside the acrylic walls.

And of course, try not to keep multiple ones together, I tried and it only took one mess-up on the feeding schedule for them to eat their room mates... They actually can live in the same box without killing each other if you feed them a lot.

As for the framing, smaller orb weavers I've kept liked a football goal type box I built, but the Nephila tends to just build their webs off the mesh walls.

Also, it seems like they like the sun.  Can someone confirm this?


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## orbweaver (Nov 8, 2010)

I have an orb weaver that I just couldn't let stay out in the chill. I was concerned about her even webbing or eating once inside, but she is setting up house in a screen lined aquarium. She has been eating as well and I am very excited about that! The orb weaver has been my favorite spider for many many years and this is my first year in Idaho with more than just a tiny one that shows up for a day or so. Charlotte (duh) stuck around and I have watched her grow over the summer. When I read that they can live a while but the cold usually kills them, I had to bring her in. Now I have a garter snake (spoiled rotten!!), a rat, and a spider calling my office home. I hope that her eating and webbing is a good sign that she is happy. anything else I should know? this is my first attempt at such a thing...
 This is Charlotte enjoying a katydid before it started getting a bit too chilly outside:

dinner time!


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## Dravensmom (Nov 8, 2010)

when I was 11 I found an orb weaver.. it lived in a shoe box with dirt and sticks from outside for 3ish months before getting loose.(not that this would be the best way lol) I remember it was a cross orbweaver because my mother looked it up before she let me keep it. "his" name was chris cross lol


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## orbweaver (Nov 22, 2010)

Okay I have switched to meal worms and she is much more comfortable with those. In fact I got her to eat two last night and she was a very happy weaver! And I was a very happy care taker. I also read large crickets can actually eat spiders?! Yikes! But the small ones escape and I have them all over the place LOL! At least we found a happy medium and Charlotte is webbing and eating and I assume that means she is happy.

Whew!


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## mikee870 (Oct 31, 2019)

BlujayOnTheWing said:


> Has anyone been successful in keeping an orb-weaving species? I've had several, with several different housing methods, and the only one that built a web and thrived was one that got out of his case and set up camp under a shelf in my room, instead  All others have sat around, done nothing, and eventually were either released back into the wild or died.
> 
> I've tried building 'spider frames' with a wood frame closed in by plexiglass walls, I've tried keeping them in tall upright boxes, I've tried covering up the front of an empty shelf on my bookshelf and letting them have that space, all nothing. I'm especially frustrated that the web frame design hasn't worked, because that's the method I've always found instructions for when looking at how to keep orb weavers. Why won't they build a web? Even very small ones with more than enough space won't do it. I've kept spiders from nearly every other family common in my area at some point or another, but I really want an argiope or a cross spider, and so far that just hasn't been possible.
> 
> Help?? :\


Hi I know this thread is 9 years old but I wanna let you know that we can feed the spiders using chopped shrimp that is dipped on water mixed with sugar or honey. Just give it to them using tweezers and they suck right into it. 

Also you can also let them drink mineral water using a piece of cotton. 

Hope this helps

Reactions: Dislike 1 | Clarification Please 1


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## mikee870 (Oct 31, 2019)

I also feed my Tarantula with shrimp, so far she likes it.


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## mikee870 (Oct 31, 2019)

Here's my spiders.

Reactions: Dislike 3 | Sad 1


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## NYAN (Oct 31, 2019)

mikee870 said:


> Here's my spiders.


Why would you ever think that a web building species should be kept like this? 



mikee870 said:


> we can feed the spiders using chopped shrimp that is dipped on water mixed with sugar or honey. Just give it to them using tweezers and they suck right into it.


Just because we can doesn’t mean that we should. Again, why would you do this?

Reactions: Agree 2


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## The Snark (Nov 1, 2019)

NYAN said:


> Why would you ever think that a web building species should be *kept*


Not housed, kept. Disposable display objects.


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## BenLeeKing (Nov 1, 2019)

NYAN said:


> Why would you ever think that a web building species should be kept like this?
> 
> 
> 
> Just because we can doesn’t mean that we should. Again, why would you do this?


My guess is that those spiders are kept for spider fighting, it’s a thing that they do in Philippines. And yes they do eat each other

Reactions: Sad 1


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