Cellar Spider behaviour?

[CloudyClieryx]

Hello, so I have two pet cellars living in the corner of my room. One, a female, recently appeared about a month ago. I've attempted to feed the female several times, but she backs off right away when the male comes. Is she expecting eggs, so she isn't eating? Is it because it's the male's web? Should I be concerned? I don't really want to keep trying, as the male looks like he might combust any moment. How should I get the female to eat?

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Could be pre-molt.? I see them all over the basement always eating.

 

[fcat]

When I had these, the female ate up until she dropped a sac. Make sure the prey items aren't too big

 

[CloudyClieryx]

Could be pre-molt.? I see them all over the basement always eating.

Hmmm, could be, but she doesn't look very pre-molt-ish. Could be just that I'm basing this info on tarantulas, but she looks fairly normal, just not eating.

 

[CloudyClieryx]

When I had these, the female ate up until she dropped a sac. Make sure the prey items aren't too big

I'm feeding them regular black ants, and they're definitely small enough. The male is smaller than the female and has no problem gobbling up her food.

 

[The Snark]

Just to mention as an aside, the roles in pholcids are reversed. The males are the dominant survivalists with a longer life span. The females only live to produce a sac or two. The males make the larger host webs for the females to take residence in. The males are the more active hunters.
(Info from 20+ years observation)

 

[The Snark]

Just to mention as an aside, the roles in pholcids are reversed. The males are the dominant survivalists with a longer life span. The females only live to produce a sac or two. The males make the larger host webs for the females to take residence in. The males are the more active hunters.
(Info from 20+ years observation)

So as it plays out the females get some of their nutrients from left overs of the male captures.

 

[CloudyClieryx]

Oh, alright. Thanks for letting me know. That may explain why the the female always lets the male do his thing. Still isn't eatimg, though...

 

[drurymercy]

Maybe it’s the ants? Lots of species have formic acid as a defense. I just know that’s why we don’t feed our jumpers any ants.

 

[Brewser]

What good are ants, don't even make a decent meal ?
With exception of Aardvarks, Anteaters, Pangolins, and Numbats of course.
On second thought Ants have they're place.
Just not in My House.

 

[CloudyClieryx]

Maybe it’s the ants? Lots of species have formic acid as a defense. I just know that’s why we don’t feed our jumpers any ants.

I read that ants are part of their regular diet, and the male is gobbling them up just fine.

 

[CloudyClieryx]

Update: The male has disappeared and hasn't come back since the morning. Should I be concerned? Don't think he's hunting, he's already close to combusting.

 

[The Snark]

The male has disappeared and hasn't come back since the morning.

Rather curious. Ordinarily if they leave their web they drop to the ground then go in search of a corner or maybe someplace to hide. Eventually, within a day or two they will come out in the open a little more and start a new web. A female may start ranging around in search of another pholcid web to be adjacent to and maybe share some of the peripheral webbing. Males tend to be more independent.

 

[CloudyClieryx]

Hmm. Well, both are now gone from the web and I spotted another female clambering over my door. Don't know where they might be. Any ways to find them?

 

[The Snark]

Don't know where they might be. Any ways to find them?

Start with an inch by inch search of that room. Look under and behind everything with more than a 1/2 inch gap. Or wait until they build new webs which are easier to find but may take a few days out to weeks. And they may decide to park in the oddest places. Almost nothing is out of bounds for them.