My little bro was cleaning and found a brown recluse in his room so I caught it, but now I need to know what kind of set up they need, since its spring now I can just keep it outside so I'm not worried about temperature or humidity, I've looked and can't find any care sheets, so anybody got any tips?? thanks
Caught Brown Recluse
- Thread starter 8ball
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Just give it something to hide under and some dirt, and your all ready to go. You can just take some stuff from outside, since they are native to your area.
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I wish we had them in our area, I think they are very interesting. Awesome find@!
They are really easy to care for. I've kept one for several months in a small plastic vial with some sticks and leaf litter. I spray lightly 2x a week and feed it a small cricket or roach 2 - 3 times a month. It seems to have no problem taking down prey about the same size. Just don't get bit.
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yes, very easy. i agree with what novak and others say. fun to own, definitly cool. mine is pretty big but doesn't seem to eat but one big meal once a month. just refuses everything else until it dies. found a study that says many, (more than 60%) prefer dead prey to live. mine didn't start out feeding on live prey, so i gave it a recently killed cricket and it ate right away. just some info if you get another and it acts like mine...
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I keep a few of mine in 2oz plastic cups with a chunk of denim on the bottom and thats it. They web it up nice and take whatever prey I give them as long as its not to big.
They do very well in dry conditions and are known to fill niches that most other spiders would die in. I have read that experiments show that they can survive for over 6 months without food and water ...possibly even double that time.
I have not seen a single bit of evidence of defensive/aggressive behavior. Touch them and they curl up a bit, but no rearing up or other defensive postures. When I first got them I was actually a little apprehensive during feeding and transfers and whatnot, but after having a couple mishaps where they got on me, I have lost the fear. (I havnt lost the respect though
)
They do very well in dry conditions and are known to fill niches that most other spiders would die in. I have read that experiments show that they can survive for over 6 months without food and water ...possibly even double that time.
I have not seen a single bit of evidence of defensive/aggressive behavior. Touch them and they curl up a bit, but no rearing up or other defensive postures. When I first got them I was actually a little apprehensive during feeding and transfers and whatnot, but after having a couple mishaps where they got on me, I have lost the fear. (I havnt lost the respect though
)Every time I find these at my Mom's in middle TN, they're in little colonies. Not touching, but in close proximity. I bet they could be kept in small groups, no problem. Doesn't really go along with their name, though!
I kept one years ago and it did well and was interesting. I just don't want to keep them now, because I haven't seen them in my house and I know that if any got out they would probably do well.
I imagine they are not very aggressive as buthus said, and probably in most home infestations bites never occur. However, their habit of making webs in small crevices like folds of laundry, can lead to accidents if they are loose in the home. If I had an invert room separate from my house, I would be more inclined to keep them.
I agree with Teginaria, I'd much rather be sick as dog for awhile from a Latro bite, than to have a nasty crater or lose an ear. As a musician the thought of getting bitten on a finger is horrifying too me!
I lived in my aunt's basement for awhile and had a water bed. When I moved out I sold it. As I was breaking it down I discovered several recluses living between the mattress and the liner! All those years I slept with them and apparently never got bitten. I say apparently, because I remember reading in "Spiders and Their Kin" that there may be no reaction to a bite at all.
My mom thought one got in the bed with her and bit her in several places on the back. She had many small ulcers with outlaying red areas a quarter in size. My sister diligently cleaned the sores and applied a polysporin ointment several times a day and they healed over without craters or bad scars. I don't how much of her good healing was do to good care of the wounds, but I imagine there is a wide range in degrees of reaction to their bites.
I kept one years ago and it did well and was interesting. I just don't want to keep them now, because I haven't seen them in my house and I know that if any got out they would probably do well.
I imagine they are not very aggressive as buthus said, and probably in most home infestations bites never occur. However, their habit of making webs in small crevices like folds of laundry, can lead to accidents if they are loose in the home. If I had an invert room separate from my house, I would be more inclined to keep them.
I agree with Teginaria, I'd much rather be sick as dog for awhile from a Latro bite, than to have a nasty crater or lose an ear. As a musician the thought of getting bitten on a finger is horrifying too me!
I lived in my aunt's basement for awhile and had a water bed. When I moved out I sold it. As I was breaking it down I discovered several recluses living between the mattress and the liner! All those years I slept with them and apparently never got bitten. I say apparently, because I remember reading in "Spiders and Their Kin" that there may be no reaction to a bite at all.
My mom thought one got in the bed with her and bit her in several places on the back. She had many small ulcers with outlaying red areas a quarter in size. My sister diligently cleaned the sores and applied a polysporin ointment several times a day and they healed over without craters or bad scars. I don't how much of her good healing was do to good care of the wounds, but I imagine there is a wide range in degrees of reaction to their bites.
loxosceles reclusa
If you think reclusa are bad try rearing its South American cousin, Loxosceles laeta(Nicolet), they are more aggressive and the venom is damaging to human skin,also they are the largest of all Loxosceles to date. To keep them alive, A deli container with some cloth,paper towel as mentioned even soil kept dryish not damp,prefers dark warm areas like basements.immatures are fast and escape easily.Species is illegal in Florida by hobbyists,Here in New york City, we only have Loxosceles rufescens (Dufours)in certain areas,mostly due to foreign travel and spider s love dusty boxes to hide in. loxosceles prefers to eat soft bodied prey.
If you think reclusa are bad try rearing its South American cousin, Loxosceles laeta(Nicolet), they are more aggressive and the venom is damaging to human skin,also they are the largest of all Loxosceles to date. To keep them alive, A deli container with some cloth,paper towel as mentioned even soil kept dryish not damp,prefers dark warm areas like basements.immatures are fast and escape easily.Species is illegal in Florida by hobbyists,Here in New york City, we only have Loxosceles rufescens (Dufours)in certain areas,mostly due to foreign travel and spider s love dusty boxes to hide in. loxosceles prefers to eat soft bodied prey.
Cool,I see its a form of recluse:
Three species of recluse spiders have been found in Florida:
Loxosceles reclusa, the brown recluse
Loxosceles rufescens, the Mediterranean recluse
Loxosceles laeta, the Chilean recluse
http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/pi/enpp/ento/images/chilrecluse.f.jpg
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- Apr 24, 2007
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- 241
Damn does that picture ever look like this spider I caught in my room a few months ago. Only thing is I live in western Canada.
recluse bite
I got bit by a brown recluse when I was a kid; would definitely be careful with those guys. The bite was on the back of my leg and the venom quickly began eating a hole through my skin. I don't remember too much about it other than my mother having to soak my leg 8 times a day. Thankfully though, I don't even have a scar.
I got bit by a brown recluse when I was a kid; would definitely be careful with those guys. The bite was on the back of my leg and the venom quickly began eating a hole through my skin. I don't remember too much about it other than my mother having to soak my leg 8 times a day. Thankfully though, I don't even have a scar.