caught a spider!

[IrishLad17]

Ok, so a few days ago under the eaves, right above my dad's door, was a pretty interesting little spider. No web or anything so I just put it into a little jar until I got back home where I put it into a little critter-keeper with some soil, rocks, twigs and leaves. After some stressful searching I finally identified it (a quick side note: at first I thought it was a hobo spider which sorta freaked me out, then I found that they arent in So. Cal. so that was a relief). My dad surprisingly identified it the first time he saw it, Ii guess a decade in the pest elimination field will do that for a guy. Still as my usual self, I didnt believe him until saw it on the net. Apparently it is in the Agelenidae family (grass/funnelweb spiders), not sure the exact species. Either Agelenopsis perta, Hololena curta, or Tegeneria pagana. Now finally to the questions, I put a small cricket in their and it showed no reaction except for when the cricket brushed up against and it ran, then i put in a smaller moth into the cage and the spider showed no reaction until it came in contact with the insect, then it took off running. I also came home to find the cricket dead, but not dried out as if it had been fed upon. So what should I feed it, what should the cage that I keep it in be like, and also, is it ok to just leave it on a dresser since its a local species I'd guess that room temperature would be ok.

 

[looseyfur]

its possible it may not eat for quite some time due to stress or perhaps its male and its only got one thing on its mind right now... and it isnt food, its the other thing that isnt food or beer... ya.... that. I suggest you get a copy of "spiders and their kin" from amazon.com and have a look to see if you can id it ( besides its a great little book )

if it doesnt eat in a few more days I would say start thinking of letting it go.
no sence to have it expire because you cant provide it with what it needs.


take care-

loosey

 

[IrishLad17]

Thanks for responding (normally no one answers my newbish questions), I would have normally just let it roam free, its just that my step mom is sorta neurotic and thinks that all spiders are going to kill her while she sleeps and I figured that life in captivity at my house was better than being a pile of squished spider guts on the bottom of a shoe. :}

 

[looseyfur]

just imagine if you could "save" every spider that was ever on the wrong side of a shoe...

I would just watch its health, and if you have a digi cam snap some shots of it... thats always fun and a great way of "keeping" a spider forever

be well-
looseyfur

 

[IrishLad17]

Well I just set the little guy free. He really wasnt interested in food, no matter what I put in there, crickets, silverfish, moths, earwigs, he just wouldnt have it. Im pretty sure looseyfur was right and it was a male, he was probably just cruisin' for a lady Well I hope he finds one, and I hope I find a interesting little spider to replace him.

 

[Black Hawk]

good luck with your search! don't touch any spiders with a red hourglass on them

 

[IrishLad17]

lol ok from now on ill avoid spiders with red hourglass markings on the abdomen, ill just stick ones that have a violin shaped marking, lol :}

 

[Black Hawk]

sound good, lol, i have so many black widows in my shed out back. prolly enough to send one to all my friends . we have to many black and brown widows out here and u all in UK don't sound like u have any if ur payin money for em! my dad squishs em all the time! (poor little guys )