Breeding Wolf Spiders

[padkison]

We've found and kept a couple of wolf spiders M & F of the same species recently here in NC.

Thinking about breeding them to see the whole process from mating through eggsac and hatching.

Anyone go through this process?

We've got them in separate containers now. Readily eating crickets.

 

[darkeye]

Large enclosure with lots of hides... the more natural the better, but YMMV.

Put them together after Mr. Wolf has nice large palps and Mrs. Wolf is well fed.

Enjoy!

Seriously, since they are natives, it should be easy to replicate their natural surroundings. Give it a try... whattya got to lose?

 

[padkison]

Well apparently the female was prego when we found her. Didn't introduce the male and she dug a hole and laid an eggcase last night.

I'll try to get pics later

 

[Malhavoc's]

Ahh then your fortunate you didnt house them Together, congradulations on the sac hope it turns out for the best.

 

[LHP]

Congrats!

Careful what you wish for!

I have a Hogna helluo female that a friend brought me this summer. Found a male...but I didn't get around to introducing him in time. The day I discovered that he had died I checked on her and she had a sac! She had a TON of babies. After some cannibalization and escaping the babies finally got down to a manageable number to separate out. The day after I finished that she made yet another sac. Looks like even more work soon to come. She is a big wolfie but those babies are very very tiny. It gives me a headache just trying to focus my eyes on those fast little dots.

By the way, I've noticed my helluo babies will feed on prekilled slightly squished crickets...that is to say they will eat it BUT no matter how full they are they still seem to perfer to kill and eat each other.

Good luck with them!
Lindsey

 

[padkison]

Dang!

:wall:

She ate her egg case. What gives? She was well fed, was getting a little cricket almost every day.

 

[LHP]

Well, just when I was ready for that second sac from my H. helluo to pop... she ate hers too! Didn't change anything husbandry wise...oh well...guess I can stop worrying about that second group of spiderlings.

Lindsey

 

[padkison]

Re-try

I put the male in with the female the other day. I figured maybe she would breed. As soon as he got in there, he started tapping his front legs and bouncing his butt on the ground. He did this for 10 minutes moving around the 4"x4" enclosure while she stayed in the corner doing nothing.

The male ended up in front of the female and went still. They both stayed this way for about 1 minute. Then she lunged at him. He took off and hit the corner of the enclosure, scrabbling madly at the side trying to get out. She stayed in her corner having got her point across. I pulled him out and put him back in his enclosure.

I should have recorded the whole thing and sent it to Robin Williams for a voice-over.