# black widow eggs question



## chelicera (Jun 10, 2008)

I have been keeping a black widow for about a year now and recently laid eggs. I know some animals can keep the sperm in them for long periods of time and use it when they feel they should, I dont know if black widows do this. So, my question is, could this egg sack be fertile? would I be able to know by looking at it? 
I ask this question because I need to put her back out in the garage if the eggs will hatch so I don't get a house full of baby black widows.


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## spiders4life (Jun 10, 2008)

If the spider has moulted while being in your care, the sack is infertile for sure. 

If it has not moulted well.... Iwe had T´s that were mated and waited 6-8 months to make a cocoon, with little helthy slings as a result, so i know tarantulas are able to preserve the sperm for a long time, and think that "trues" would be able to do the same. But its just a guess, im quite new to keeping "true" spiders, and could be wrong.

Regards Mikael


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## crpy (Jun 10, 2008)

Most true spiders can molt without shedding the spermathecae, so it is possible to get babies again, and again and again. 

Just another difference between "T" and trues


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## ErikWestblom (Jun 11, 2008)

Yeah, but since he has had it for about a year I doubt it was adult and mated when he got it...
My guess is infertile.


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## Widowman10 (Jun 11, 2008)

ErikWestblom said:


> Yeah, but since he has had it for about a year I doubt it was adult and mated when he got it...
> My guess is infertile.


never know. i live in CO and keep my widows cold, they grow slow and i don't think a year would be too hard to imagine. specially if it's a big female. a good way to tell if it's fertile or not is if the eggsack seems half full within a week of laying. if it is, chances are there's tons of babies in there. if you don't see much in the sac, it's probably infertile. the surefire way to tell though is just to leave it alone for about 20-30 days and see if it starts to darken or not. darkening means babies fo'sho.

oh, and PM sent.


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## chelicera (Jun 11, 2008)

Widowman10 said:


> never know. i live in CO and keep my widows cold, they grow slow and i don't think a year would be too hard to imagine. specially if it's a big female. a good way to tell if it's fertile or not is if the eggsack seems half full within a week of laying. if it is, chances are there's tons of babies in there. if you don't see much in the sac, it's probably infertile. the surefire way to tell though is just to leave it alone for about 20-30 days and see if it starts to darken or not. darkening means babies fo'sho.
> 
> oh, and PM sent.


Yes, it was an adult when I found it and did keep it in the garage all winter. The lid has plenty of room for a male to sneak its way in but I didnt see any dead bodies in there come spring time so no mating occurred during captivity unless he escaped. Also she did not shed before laying the eggs. 
What do you mean by the egg sack "half full"? can I see baby spiders in the sack? I have never watched or dealt with a spider sac before so I really dont know what to look for. All new experiance for me. Thanks for the help. Here is a nice picture of her last fall.


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## Widowman10 (Jun 11, 2008)

she was probably already mated when you got her, specially at that size. and females don't typically eat males. i've never had a male eaten before. just wait for the sac to darken to tell.


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## chelicera (Jun 12, 2008)

Widowman10 said:


> she was probably already mated when you got her, specially at that size. and females don't typically eat males. i've never had a male eaten before. just wait for the sac to darken to tell.



How long before the sack noticeably darkens if it is fertile?


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## jpet (Jun 12, 2008)

chelicera said:


> How long before the sack noticeably darkens if it is fertile?


About a month.


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## Widowman10 (Jun 13, 2008)

yes, a month should show some significant blackening of the sac.


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## chelicera (Jun 27, 2008)

If these eggs do hatch, how long will it take? Also, how long is a female black widows life expectancy?


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## buthus (Jun 27, 2008)

Warm up after a period of down time will often stimulate sac production whether fertile or not.  
If you had her as an adult for a year, then odds are that she has produced a dud sac.  ...but never know.

Find a male and introduce him to her.  If she has not mated, good chance she will readily accept the male.


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