"Dock Spiders?"Dolomedes sp.

[captainkork]

does anyone here keep Dolomedes sp. ? they are fun spiders to watch. free if you can catch them, large, aggressive, easy to breed, communal, fast and hungry. try it! wont be disapointed.

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

I've always wanted one. Now because I read all this info in this thread about how to keep them....I can go catch some Dolomedes of my own! Thanks captainkork! :liar:

 

[captainkork]

no need to be rude

 

[captainkork]

i just love the internet, it gives people a chance to say anything, anonymously. hope you feel better now, scotty.

 

[ErikWestblom]

does anyone here keep Dolomedes sp. ? they are fun spiders to watch. free if you can catch them, large, aggressive, easy to breed, communal, fast and hungry. try it! wont be disapointed.

I totally agree! Except the communal part.... These spiders are not communal! I've even seen them eat each other in the wild, and not just because they were given too small a space to co-exist on.

And to ScottySalticid: Try searching at the river banks of slow running waters (I haven't found any near running water, but ppl claim that they have), or at the edges of lakes. Swamps and marshes is also a safe bet. Females are extremely easy to find in late summer, when they are guarding their egg sacs. About 1-3 feet above the water, you will see their nursery web, and the female is never far away.

I try to make a setup as close to their natural habitat as possible, so I try to make a partial aquatic setup. A plastic box with Sphagnum moss covering half the bottom of the container has worked well for me, although my setup was a bit small. I will probably try again this year, with a bigger tank, divided at the bottom with a 2" piece of plastic. This way I can have more than just sphagnum at one side, and still not get any mold.

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

no need to be rude

I'm sorry I didn't mean to come off as rude trying to be more of a funny wise guy than a jerk!

 

[GiantVinegaroon]

I totally agree! Except the communal part.... These spiders are not communal! I've even seen them eat each other in the wild, and not just because they were given too small a space to co-exist on.

And to ScottySalticid: Try searching at the river banks of slow running waters (I haven't found any near running water, but ppl claim that they have), or at the edges of lakes. Swamps and marshes is also a safe bet. Females are extremely easy to find in late summer, when they are guarding their egg sacs. About 1-3 feet above the water, you will see their nursery web, and the female is never far away.

I try to make a setup as close to their natural habitat as possible, so I try to make a partial aquatic setup. A plastic box with Sphagnum moss covering half the bottom of the container has worked well for me, although my setup was a bit small. I will probably try again this year, with a bigger tank, divided at the bottom with a 2" piece of plastic. This way I can have more than just sphagnum at one side, and still not get any mold.

I get the giant 6 spotted ones along the shores of the pond by my house. They're always an impressive sight.