Black Widow Enclosure

[Stormcrow]

No, absolutely not, any species of Latrodectus make fine pets. For example, the Northern Black Widow (L.variolus) to quote from Spider Bob's (AKA arachnologist Dr. Robert Gale Breene III) manual Widow Spiders of North America, "The legs and cephalothorax of female L.variolus are black (with exceptions, as always). Red Spots run down the midline of the dorsal abdomen. Three pairs of white stripes adorn each side of the abdomen, and many have a thin white circle near the front of the dorsal abdomen. The hourglass is incomplete, with a split in the middle." Probably the most beautiful and definitely most colorful Black Widow species in North America though is far less notorious than the Western and Southern Black Widows.

Than you have the Brown Widow (L.geometricus), comes in stunning array of colors based in browns, yellows, and greys. Even specimens with banded legs. And there is the Red Widow (L.bishopi), which I simply consider North America's most dazzling true spider and amongst the world's most beautiful. Every species of Latrodectus stirs genuine interest in me. The North American species have no official subspecies just geographical morphs, both L.hesperus and L.mactans can have similar color traits as L.variolus by way of dorsal markings in adult specimens too. There is no in the know as all species of Widow can pack a wallop of neurotoxins, people do well to respect, and the only remarkable significance is via medical studies in bite cases. Cheers!

 

[Kugellager]

L.hesperus can have quite a bit of variation in its mature female color patterns from solid black with the red hourglass to black with extra red stripes or spots on the dorsal surface to reddish brown with solid colors and stripes or no stripes. Some of my large mature females from New Mexico even get wierd random whitish striping at the front of the dorsal surface...its quite weird looking but not that uncommon from what I have seen.

I keep all on mine in 32oz/.95L Mayonaise jars with a few twigs and some substrate for web holding points. I put a few drops of water in about once a month and feed one cricket every 2-3 weeks. They are very easy to care for.

John

 

[caligulathegod]

Here's my enclosures. I took a plastic case I got from a hobby store, not unlike a Beanie Baby case except that the lid is maybe a couple inches wide, and hotglued a twisty vine/stick I got from the same craft store. She seems to really dig it.She climbed right out of her vial and started making house immediately.

 

[alex]

Very nice tank you have! I keep my widow in a small kritter keeper, but soon I'll build a tank out of glass.

 

[caligulathegod]

Just out of curiosity, anyone know for sure what kind of Widow I have there? It has the broken red hourglass with no spots anywhere else (dorsal or lateral sides). It was collected in New Mexico. I know it's not L mactans, but I'm seeing conflicting info on whether she's a L variolus or L hesperus.

 

[mactans]

It is the Western Black Widow (L.hesperus). L.variolus and L.mactans occurs only as far west as eastern Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Another easier way to identify the North American Black Widow species is through their eggsacs. You definitely have a Western because a migratory specimen representing the other two species would have very miniscule survival rate and likely be deprived of any mating opportunities. Slim chances but not entirely impossible.

 

[Kugellager]

Another note that I forgot to mention in my last post that Stormcrow/mactans reminded me of is that the hourglass can vary to the extent of how much the two triangles touch to make an hourglass or are separated. This varies significantly in different individuals through a species. The best way I know how to differentiate the species with all the black ones is the egg sac method which has already been mentioned.

John
];')

 

[mactans]

Here is a description of North American Black Widow eggsacs,

Southern Black Widow (L.mactans): Gray and nearly spherical. A distinct nipple adorns the top. Egg count ranges between 200-250. But may range from under a 100 to over a 1,000 depending on many factors. The most important is probably nutritional status. Eggsac diameter ranges from 10mm to 13mm. The texture is paper-like and nearly opaque. Infertile eggsacs made by unmated females are often misshapen and translucent.

Western Black Widow (L.hesperus): Often pear-shaped and flat-edged at the top. Occassionally the eggsac has a dull point. They are about 13 to 14mm in height and 10 or 12mm in diameter. Texture is tough and paper-like with a lighter tan or creamy yellow color. The average number of eggs laid per an eggsac is usually right around 200, but variation can be high. Many females may produce well under a hundred eggs at a time, or other times may approach four figures.

Northern Black Widow (L.variolus): Often pear-shaped and usually flat-edged at the top. Eggsacs are light tan, often with a hint of gray. 13 to 14mm in height and 10 or 12mm in diameter. The According to Kaston the main number of eggs laid per an eggsac were 164, but variation is high.

All pertinent information was paraphrased or directly quoted from Widow Spiders of North America, written by arachnologist Dr. Robert Gale Breene III (aka Spider Bob), © Copyright the American Tarantula Society 1997, 2000. Available at the ATS shop here.

 

[caligulathegod]

It had an egg sack but I took it out right away and don't recall what it looked like in detail. Seems like it was spherical, but when she lays her next one I'll take a picture of it.

 

[mactans]

Excellent idea, pleased to see more Widow enthusiasts participating in this forum. They make phenomenal pets, wish more foreign species were available.

The manual guide I quoted from, also has hourglass variations on all three species (adapted from Kaston 1970), not to be used as an identification key of course because these differing markings are quite numerous but to show readers the diversity. I can recall a recent person stating he thought Widows were losing their hourglass due to evolution, nothing can be further from the truth, he simply witnessed how diverse this characteristic trait can be. A great source.

 

[davus]

thanks for the info guys..its very helpfull ....just need to find a live widow now as i thought i had one sorted but the person involved hasn't returned my mails

 

[caligulathegod]

She laid her eggsac. I'd say it is a creamy tan. The descriptions between the differences between the Western and Northern are still pretty obscure, but considering the location...

Anyway, I said I'd post her eggsac.

 

[alex]

Congrats to the eggsac.

 

[giraldo]

whats the best enclusere for slings? They're now about 4mm

 

[alex]

Small plastic jars, like them you get on the pizzeria.

 

[Kugellager]

I used pill vials with a few pin holes in the lid. You don't want the holes to be larger than pin holes or thaty may be able to escape. If you have not seen the sligs yet they are VERY small. Put the egg sac in the vial BEFORE it hatches out.

Pretty easy to raise. I usually let them cannibalize on another until there are 10-15 left then start feeding them pinhead crickets.

John
];')

 

[Tarantula]

I keep all my widows on sand.. I had some trouble whit mould when I used peat but since I changed substrate to sand I havent had any problems..

Now I own 10 of them (four diffrent speices) and I like them alot! Im going to recive 5 tredecimguttatus slings soon to! I cant wait!

Latrodectus hesperus adult female:

 

[alex]

I'm getting a few too.

0.1.0 Latrodectus menavodi
0.0.5 Latrodectus tredecimguttatus

 

[David Plankton]

Hi, new to this forum. Is there a species of widow native to Europe? :?

 

[giraldo]

I have a few L. hasselti slings. There about 2 mm. So still pretty small.