Infertile egg sac dock spider

[biggus dickus]

I caught a juvinile dock spider(Dolomedes tenebrosus) while helping an inlaw with their dock this fall. Was 1-1.5 inches. It has shed twice, its now 1.5-2 inches.

Today i saw she is holding a phantom egg sac.

Is it best to let her sit on it for the next few weeks, or remove it? How do i pull the sac if shes holding it in her fangs? will this species just eat it if its infertile? Is she done for after this, or will she live for a while longer?

She has been a joy to keep, eats from tweezers eagerly, always visible.

 

[CRX]

Do not attempt to remove it or bother her at all. Even if it is phantom the stress kills them. If her abdomen starts to look shriveled, you can offer a little spray of water on part of the enclosure where she can easily drink it or some prekilled prey.

One of my jumpers did die a month or so after laying her first clutch. It seems to be a common theme in spiders, when they reproduce they usually die soon after. I know female mygalomorphs are capable of having multiple clutches for years though.

The good thing is fishing spiders are easy to find. You can always get another.

 

[biggus dickus]

okay then ill just give her water and hope for the best then