Black Widow Care

[DrGigglez666]

anyone have info on these or tips or a caresheet??

 

[P. Novak]

I would go with Latrodectus spp. instead of black widows. Anyways, there are various types of widows, I'm sure most require the same care. I'm pretty sure you're referrring to L.hesperus or L.mactans because they are the most common of black widows. There care is pretty simple. Keep them in anything for 2.5 gallon tanks to small jars. THis particular species doesn't need any humidity, just feed it once or twice a week so it can get it's moisture from there. Anymore questions and I'll be glad to answer them.

 

[DrGigglez666]

umm

where can u buy deli cups like people ship inverts in like at walmart or wut??

 

[spydrhunter1]

I use 16 ounce deli cups with a small amount of vermiculite for substrate. Add a few sticks and dry leaves for web attachment. I also melt a cricket sized hole in the lid, so I don't tear the web when adding prey. Cover the hole with surgical gauze taped in place.

Coincidentally if you have males in smaller deli cups, the feeding port can be utilized for introducing the male. Just tape his deli cup upside down over the hole.

 

[spydrhunter1]

Forgot to answer your question, I buy my pre-punched deli cups from The Bean from http://www.beanfarm.com/store/agora.cgi. If you only need a couple, most super market deli's will sell them to you.

 

[DrGigglez666]

wut species

wut species of spider is that in ur display pic spyderhunter

 

[spydrhunter1]

That's Latrodectus hesperus (Western black widow). I also keep six additional species including Latrodectus bishopi, geometricus, revivensis, mactans, variolus and sp. Laos.

 

[DrGigglez666]

cool

man y didnt u juss cum and talk 2 me when i wanted 2 buy sum or are any 4 sale looks like u got enough!

 

[P. Novak]

First, where are you located because you might be able to find some yourself.

 

[DrGigglez666]

va

im in virginia we got em but its like really hard 2 find em here even recluses don tu gotta look under rotten wood or wut

 

[P. Novak]

I would look in dark moist places and contact anyone here on these boards that lives in Virgina to see if they can give you some tips and/or locations.

 

[DrGigglez666]

cool

do u kno anyone who has either of these spiders - funnel web spider, mouse spider

 

[P. Novak]

I don't have either nor do I know anyone who does, but you can search through these forums to find out. Also, I don't think common names will help you much though, try to find out the scientific names.

 

[DrGigglez666]

idk

nah that sok i juss looked em up very potent can kill u i dont want none but they look awesome especially the mouse spider looks like a bigger trapdoor species

 

[spydrhunter1]

That's an old picture..I have even more now!

 

[8+)]

That's an old picture..I have even more now!

Funny how that happens!!! If you're wondering how, look at your third and fourth pics ;P

 

[Widowman10]

I use 16 ounce deli cups with a small amount of vermiculite for substrate. Add a few sticks and dry leaves for web attachment. I also melt a cricket sized hole in the lid, so I don't tear the web when adding prey. Cover the hole with surgical gauze taped in place.

Coincidentally if you have males in smaller deli cups, the feeding port can be utilized for introducing the male. Just tape his deli cup upside down over the hole.

nice setup, that's pretty much exactly how i had mine when i had them a hole for food and the same hole for the male, nice job:clap:

 

[Python]

I keep my mactans in one gallon plastic jars from Wal-Mart (Who I hate by the way). I throw in some crossed sticks to give them anchor points for the web and they do great in them. I never have them web to the lid since they can't reach it. They can't climb the plastic unless I am careless and let them drag a web down the side when I put them in. I just keep it screwed down tight with no vent holes at all. I keep some sort of substrate in the bottom because they are quite nasty and the poop really adds up over time. I have successfully kept them this way for quite some time and have never had an escape nor have I ever had a problem with not having vent holes. I love the jars as they are perfectly clear and they appear to give them just the right amount of room. I have some really big females and I'm thinking that even a ten gallon tank might not be too much for some of them!

 

[Irks]

I've seen natural widow webs here in california stretch roughly 2 feet by 3 feet. They'll use almost all the space you give them. I personally keep mine in 1 gallon water jugs that I get at any gas station. 4 teriyaki skewers seems to be perfect, but sticks work just as well, to help them build web. After a week or two in the jug, all the sticks will be held together well enough that you can move it around.
The screw top of the 1 gallon jug allows me to throw spiders that crawl around my house into the jar at my leisure. I've yet to find something the black widow can't take down because of the incredible strength of the web. They'll make eggsacks EVERY time you overfeed them, getting them out of the jars can be a bit tricky sometimes, so I try to feed them a little less. Unfertilized eggsacks are small and orange, fertilized are larger and white. As for airholes... my 1 gallon jug has enough air for about 3 weeks. Past that, they will die , so if you plan on being intermittant about it, put a tiny hole or two in the top.

 

[Python]

I didn't know that about the unfertilized eggsacks, I've never had one turn up before. You're right about them taking anything though, I have fed them hornets before and it goes just as quickly as a cricket or anything else. They are really amazing to watch and it's one of my favorite species of any kind. If I remove the eggsac and not the mother, I just twirl it up on a stick with the surrounding web like spaghetti, then pull it out and stick it in a jug until they hatch, stick and all. I also sometimes move the mother instead. It's a lot easier to do that sometimes. I just love those widows!