# Good Spider For Beginner? Is Nephila Madagascarensis?



## LittleGremlin (Mar 13, 2017)

Hi there,

I'm interested in keeping a spider, i really have my heart set on the Nephila Pilipes since i saw one in Thailand, i can't find anyone selling them but I have found someone selling Nephila Madagascarensis. I don't want to jump in at the deep end, so are they any good for beginners and if not what would you suggest?

I have & do keep tarantulas, just beginner species of those too. 

Thanks!


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## chanda (Mar 13, 2017)

Nephila sp. are not generally good as pet spiders unless you have a LOT of space for them to web - like just give them one end of the room and a couple of potted ficuses or something. They won't have room to construct an adequate web in a small cage - and without a web to catch their food, will starve. 

Easy spiders to start out with include _Latrodectus_ _sp. _(black and brown widows) _IF_ you are aware of the potentially dangerous venom and keep your fingers out of the enclosure - or if you prefer something without dangerous venom, _Peucetia sp. _(Lynx spiders), Jumping spiders, Huntsman spiders, and Wolf spiders are all pretty easy to keep. (Many tarantulas are also easy to keep, but I assume you're only interested in true spiders?) 

If you have your heart set on an orb-weaver, there are some smaller species that don't require as much space. I've kept _Argiope trifasciata_ and _Argiope argentata_ in captivity (in large screen or mesh sided enclosures with lots of sticks for attachment points and plenty of space to web). They're not terribly difficult to keep - but they can be picky eaters. Mine never liked crickets, probably because the crickets could kick their webs apart too easily, so I had to catch flies and moths for them.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Helpful 2


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## LittleGremlin (Mar 14, 2017)

chanda said:


> Nephila sp. are not generally good as pet spiders unless you have a LOT of space for them to web - like just give them one end of the room and a couple of potted ficuses or something. They won't have room to construct an adequate web in a small cage - and without a web to catch their food, will starve.
> 
> Easy spiders to start out with include _Latrodectus_ _sp. _(black and brown widows) _IF_ you are aware of the potentially dangerous venom and keep your fingers out of the enclosure - or if you prefer something without dangerous venom, _Peucetia sp. _(Lynx spiders), Jumping spiders, Huntsman spiders, and Wolf spiders are all pretty easy to keep. (Many tarantulas are also easy to keep, but I assume you're only interested in true spiders?)
> 
> If you have your heart set on an orb-weaver, there are some smaller species that don't require as much space. I've kept _Argiope trifasciata_ and _Argiope argentata_ in captivity (in large screen or mesh sided enclosures with lots of sticks for attachment points and plenty of space to web). They're not terribly difficult to keep - but they can be picky eaters. Mine never liked crickets, probably because the crickets could kick their webs apart too easily, so I had to catch flies and moths for them.


Yes a true spider. That's a shame but makes complete sense the one i saw in Thailand had the biggest web i had ever seen, truly amazing. I do have a green house it could take over but i live in England UK and the winter time gets very cold and i doubt it would survive.
The Argiope Argentata looks incredible but i can't find any suppliers of that species. Same with Widows, they're not native here and i can't say i've ever seen one for sale.
I have seen a sweet lady bird spider 'Eresus walckenaeri', do you know anything about those?


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## GingerC (Mar 14, 2017)

I've never heard of the spider you mentioned, but I've kept a few different species native to my area and they're all pretty fun. All I have at the moment is a regal jumping spider (_Phidippus regius_) male and he's very easy to keep.

I put him in a tall cookie jar with paper towels on the bottom and sticks to climb; the spider stays in the hidey holes he made on the lid, but these spiders are aggressive feeders that will tackle prey far larger than themselves. Males and females are both really pretty; the male's bold patterns of black and white and vivid blue fangs can be appreciated by anyone, but females look similar to calico cats. The only downside is that they can be hard to obtain unless they live in your area; I bought mine on bugsincyberspace.com in February.

Cellar spiders are common to just about everywhere and look fairly ordinary, but they're a blast to keep. I had about a bajilion of them in second grade, thanks to an accidental breeding, and one pair lived in a tiny dollar store bug cage while the others lived in a giant cardboard box with windows made out of plastic wrap. I've been hoping to obtain some more lately, but since my house is completely spider free it'll be a while.

Anyway, they are hardy and will tackle just about anything you throw into their webs. You can also house them pretty dang easily, as evidenced by my eight year old self.

Small orbweavers are a bit harder to house, since they can't climb many surfaces and they are very picky about where they build their webs, but I've had some sort of orbweaver (it was the size and shape of a bloated tick) in a mason jar and fed it fruit flies before. As long as it builds a web, you can't go wrong with a orbweaver, in my opinion.

Reactions: Helpful 1


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## Ratmosphere (Mar 14, 2017)

Get a jumper! They're really fun.


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## Nephila Edulis (Mar 14, 2017)

You should be able to house smaller orb weavers fairly effectively with a spider frame. You could also keep smaller orb weavers in something like a large mesh cage. As for nephila, you don't have much of a chance unless it goes in your greenhouse.


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## basin79 (Mar 14, 2017)

I keep reading that Nephila need a room but my girl did great in a 2ft exo terra. Sure their webs aren't as big but they're not fussed so long as the web they build captures prey. And they do because you throw the roaches I to the web for her.

Reactions: Thanks 1


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## Ambly (Mar 14, 2017)

These spiders get enormous and build enormous webs.  I've seen geckos in their webs in the wild - adult Phelsuma lineata day geckos.  If you could do a giant enclosure it would be an incredible display.


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## Nephila Edulis (Mar 14, 2017)

basin79 said:


> I keep reading that Nephila need a room but my girl did great in a 2ft exo terra. Sure their webs aren't as big but they're not fussed so long as the web they build captures prey. And they do because you throw the roaches I to the web for her.


That depends on the species of nephila. As far as I know the best way to house them is a spider frame because they're cheap and can be built bigger than most vivariums.


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## Leila (Mar 14, 2017)

GingerC said:


> Cellar spiders are common to just about everywhere and look fairly ordinary, but they're a blast to keep.


I LOVE cellar spiders! At the beginning of this winter, my fiance and I had 3 of them posted up in 3 different corners of our bedroom. They were everywhere. I even found one by my nightstand.  I was so so happy to have them around. I did not attempt to keep them- just let them be..for the most part. One night, I did very verrrrrrryyyyy lightly tap a teensy bit of one's web that was attached to the wall, and it proceeded to gyrate in its cute web. It just spun and spun around like a maniac. I left it alone after that because I felt like a butt for disturbing it. 

I was sad when the cellar spiders left a month later. I loved having them around. (Omg, what I just said would sound so insane to anyone not on this or any other arachnid board...ha!)

Reactions: Like 2


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## basin79 (Mar 15, 2017)

Ambly said:


> These spiders get enormous and build enormous webs.  I've seen geckos in their webs in the wild - adult Phelsuma lineata day geckos.  If you could do a giant enclosure it would be an incredible display.


Whilst all of that is true they only build enormous webs because they have to make sure they catch enough food. In captivity they're guaranteed to catch food.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Nephila Edulis (Mar 15, 2017)

basin79 said:


> Whilst all of that is true they only build enormous webs because they have to make sure they catch enough food. In captivity they're guaranteed to catch food.


I assume that's why they don't bother repairing their webs in captivity. Keeping them a little more hungry keeps their webs more intact and the spider is oftentimes more active

Reactions: Like 1


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## basin79 (Mar 15, 2017)

Nephila Edulis said:


> I assume that's why they don't bother repairing their webs in captivity. Keeping them a little more hungry keeps their webs more intact and the spider is oftentimes more active


Possibly.


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## LittleGremlin (Mar 15, 2017)

basin79 said:


> I keep reading that Nephila need a room but my girl did great in a 2ft exo terra. Sure their webs aren't as big but they're not fussed so long as the web they build captures prey. And they do because you throw the roaches I to the web for her.


Really, what type was she? Also as you're in the UK, where did you manage to find one?


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## basin79 (Mar 15, 2017)

LittleGremlin said:


> Really, what type was she? Also as you're in the UK, where did you manage to find one?


*Nephila madagascarensis : Madagascar*

*Martin French at BugzUK. He's got them in stock now.*

Reactions: Like 1


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## GingerC (Mar 15, 2017)

Leila said:


> I LOVE cellar spiders! At the beginning of this winter, my fiance and I had 3 of them posted up in 3 different corners of our bedroom. They were everywhere. I even found one by my nightstand.  I was so so happy to have them around. I did not attempt to keep them- just let them be..for the most part. One night, I did very verrrrrrryyyyy lightly tap a teensy bit of one's web that was attached to the wall, and it proceeded to gyrate in its cute web. It just spun and spun around like a maniac. I left it alone after that because I felt like a butt for disturbing it.
> 
> I was sad when the cellar spiders left a month later. I loved having them around. (Omg, what I just said would sound so insane to anyone not on this or any other arachnid board...ha!)


Cellar spiders are my absolute favorite spiders, ever! They're just little spindly-legged beans! I can see why people would be creeped out by their legs, but at the same time I just can't relate.

Reactions: Love 1


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## Leila (Mar 15, 2017)

GingerC said:


> Cellar spiders are my absolute favorite spiders, ever! They're just little spindly-legged beans! I can see why people would be creeped out by their legs, but at the same time I just can't relate.


Total sweethearts, those cellar spiders! "Spindly-legged beans" is a very fitting description! Yeee!  
Have you ever seen a spitting spider (scytodidae- might have spelled that incorrectly)?? They are also fantastic. Was my very first pet spider. She produced an egg sac, but I knew too little back then. My husbandry was so poor...  RIP Tyrion (I named her before I was aware of her sex, hence the male name.)


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## Deb60 (Mar 26, 2017)

LittleGremlin said:


> Yes a true spider. That's a shame but makes complete sense the one i saw in Thailand had the biggest web i had ever seen, truly amazing. I do have a green house it could take over but i live in England UK and the winter time gets very cold and i doubt it would survive.
> The Argiope Argentata looks incredible but i can't find any suppliers of that species. Same with Widows, they're not native here and i can't say i've ever seen one for sale.
> I have seen a sweet lady bird spider 'Eresus walckenaeri', do you know anything about those?


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## Deb60 (Mar 26, 2017)

I believe that in the wild in the UK they are very rare . Are their any bred in captivity ?


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## Nephila Edulis (Mar 26, 2017)

Deb60 said:


> I believe that in the wild in the UK they are very rare . Are their any bred in captivity ?


You should be able to get some that were bred in captivity in the U.K.


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## Doc Ebola (Jul 1, 2017)

Although this is an old thread, I thought I would chip in. N. madagascariensis thrive in large net cages. They build beautiful orb webs, and catch their food no problem. You don't need to let them free in your house. There are some very large and cheap net cages out there.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## LittleGremlin (Jul 1, 2017)

Doc Ebola said:


> Although this is an old thread, I thought I would chip in. N. madagascariensis thrive in large net cages. They build beautiful orb webs, and catch their food no problem. You don't need to let them free in your house. There are some very large and cheap net cages out there.


I literally got one today at a entomology society show, i couldn't resist any longer and he said they'd do well in a large net enclosure too; which i have because i have kept atlas moths. 
Here it is, do you know if it is a female or not? I know males don't web but is that true for spiderlings?












My Golden Orb Weaver 'Nephila inaurata madagascariensis'



__ LittleGremlin
__ Jul 1, 2017



						I got this lovely today!


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## Doc Ebola (Jul 1, 2017)

Hi there. Congrats. She looks like a beauty. Males are an all over reddish colour, and much, much smaller from the get-go. Females don't start building proper orbs till 3rd or 4th instar. I'm no expert, I've learned a bit along the way, but would be glad to try and help if you have any questions.

Reactions: Helpful 1


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## LittleGremlin (Jul 1, 2017)

Doc Ebola said:


> Hi there. Congrats. She looks like a beauty. Males are an all over reddish colour, and much, much smaller from the get-go. Females don't start building proper orbs till 3rd or 4th instar. I'm no expert, I've learned a bit along the way, but would be glad to try and help if you have any questions.


Aw yay! I'll be sure to ask when i have questions, i'm sure i'll have some!


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## Doc Ebola (Jul 2, 2017)

LittleGremlin said:


> Aw yay! I'll be sure to ask when i have questions, i'm sure i'll have some!


No probs. Have you got any old pictures of your set-up for your Atlas moths? Just curious .....


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## Doc Ebola (Jul 2, 2017)

By the way, I just put a male in with a female today, so took some photos and a vid just got you so you can compare. I put them on my noob thread.


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## freedomchaser24 (Jan 30, 2021)

Ate there any links to uk bred nephilia? Got nearly awhole room of it to make its web in. Its very welcome amd will ne a well looked after flat mate


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