So I've just acquired a European wolf spider with egg sac from the garden outside my apartment block. I believe it's a Ponderosa amentata. (I was actually looking for a jumping spider but found her first.) Her body's about 4mm long and is about 10-15mm toe to toe, so she's rather different from the US wolf spiders which are mostly discussed here.
I'd like to keep her until the eggs hatch in order to get some pictures of the spiderlings. I have her in a basic 15x10x15cm enclosure with a water crystal dish, some sticks, paper towel substrate, etc. Unfortunately, I've had her a week now and she won't eat. I've given her the smallest cricket I can find, which is about 8mm long, but she just ignores it.
I have two questions:
(a) is it worth trying to feed her at this point? Is she ignoring the food because she's carrying the egg sac, or is there a problem because she's stressed / the cricket is too big / other?
(b) if she continues to refuse to eat, how long can I safely keep her before releasing her back into the garden?
Thanks!
I'd like to keep her until the eggs hatch in order to get some pictures of the spiderlings. I have her in a basic 15x10x15cm enclosure with a water crystal dish, some sticks, paper towel substrate, etc. Unfortunately, I've had her a week now and she won't eat. I've given her the smallest cricket I can find, which is about 8mm long, but she just ignores it.
I have two questions:
(a) is it worth trying to feed her at this point? Is she ignoring the food because she's carrying the egg sac, or is there a problem because she's stressed / the cricket is too big / other?
(b) if she continues to refuse to eat, how long can I safely keep her before releasing her back into the garden?
Thanks!