Argiopes.

[DeathRowDisco]

I caught a banded argiope (Argiope trifasciata) last night, outside of a half-built condiminium, on my walk home. I caught it and stuck it in a small Advil bottle, and brought it home. I wanted to keep it, since they are a fairly uncommon species around here. It's living in a 128fl.oz. glass jar right now, with soil, some sticks for climbing and building a small web on, and a small jar lid for water. I was just wondering, how big of a web will a small (1-2") argiope build, if given the space? I'm planning on sticking some nails in the wall, in a ceiling corner, and setting up a few sticks for her to build her web there, because it wouldn't be nice to keep an argiope in a small jar for *too* long, I just need to know how big of a web she might build, so I can make sure I set it up right, or close, for her. Unfortunately, lettting her live outside of my house isn't an option, because we have cold (sometimes -10, sometimes -45 degree) winters, and all of the spiders outside of the house end up moving in, anyway.
I also caught a small hobo spider (Tegenaria agrestis) in my basement, and gave him a home in my room. He's about 1.5" and extremely fast, and fairly aggressive. How big should the crickets be, that I feed him? I can't say that I've ever kept one in captivity, so I'm not totally sure, but he also has a nice little home. I just need to know how big of a web the argiope will build, and what, exactly, I should be feeding the hobo spider? (I know, crickets and mealworms, but how big, for a 1.5" spider?)

 

[misfitsfiend]

I dunno about the argiope but the hobo should be able to take even full grow crix at 1.5''. they are very fast and powerful spiders.

 

[DeathRowDisco]

Thanks! I was pretty sure the hobo would be able to take down things it's own size, or slightly bigger... and with the argiope, I can throw things into the web, and it'll be easy for her... I just need to know how big of a web she'll build, now. She's starting to build a tiny one between the sticks in her current home, so hopefully I can find out, and move her, before she gets too comfy with the small web, because I *know* she'll build one much bigger, if she has room.

 

[misfitsfiend]

I'd give her about 2'-3' of space. That should be more than enough.