keeping Agelenopsis

Pulk

Arachnoprince
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I went out and got a very exciting Agelenopsis sp. today, and made a nice enclosure for it, with a perfect hole in the dirt for a funnel. Of course, it didn't start building the web right away. Because of the nature of their webs where I found this one, and the way I'd like the web to look, I can't put a lid on its tupperware, so I loosely draped saran wrap over the whole thing.
This spider moves very fast. How can I coax it to build its web where I want it to, as fast as possible?

thanks very much
 

Venom

Arachnoprince
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You might want to modify the setup. Agelenopsis are not burrowing species--they build their funnel webs in branches of trees, blades of grass, and in cracks in buildings. I've kept several of these. All you need is a few twigs in a tub, set up so as to support a web strung betwen them. No substrate is necessary, and for water you can just mist the web. And I agree, these are fun spiders :)
 

Pulk

Arachnoprince
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You might want to modify the setup. Agelenopsis are not burrowing species--they build their funnel webs in branches of trees, blades of grass, and in cracks in buildings. I've kept several of these. All you need is a few twigs in a tub, set up so as to support a web strung betwen them. No substrate is necessary, and for water you can just mist the web. And I agree, these are fun spiders :)
If they don't burrow at all, then the ones I saw were all occupying previously made burrows - these were definitely holes in the dirt.
I didn't specify this, but I did put a few large twiggy plant parts on one side of the tupperware. If you don't mind my asking, how exactly did you arrange the twigs? (do have a photo?)

Edit: Also, how long would you expect it to take to begin webbing?

thanks once more
 
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cacoseraph

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i'm not sure if the lidlessness is going to work

though they can't glasswalk and i did have a Agenelopsis named Freerange who lived in a lidless cup and WOULD NOT leave it... they can and will web up the walls and eventually make ramp like thing and escape


these are why Pulk put a hole in the ground

(pictures by Griffin, a fellow SoCA bug person)
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u185/spectreafi/ebaystuff169.jpg
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u185/spectreafi/ebaystuff171.jpg
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u185/spectreafi/ebaystuff173.jpg


it took almost a month for my big Age' to make a funnel type of web that was full and nice looking
 

Pulk

Arachnoprince
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Well, having a lid didn't even work... it escaped last night through a hole I assumed it couldn't/wouldn't get out through. :wall:
Also, those pictures are very similar to the place I found this one.

If it were to start its funnel inside the container, I could cut the new strands every day and it would stay inside, correct?
What do they do with the cricket parts?
 

Pulk

Arachnoprince
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I got another one today. But I believe this one is a male, as its pedipalps are huge.
Spider Pharm says "the males abandon their webs and mate mid-summer". Does this mean I have to find a female or this one isn't going to stay put very long?

(i'm still curious about what they do with cricket parts)
 

Venom

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Arrangement isn't critical--just space them out so they can support a platform. I used Y-shaped twigs, and arranged them in a self supporting spokes-in-a-wheel arrangement--three twigs leaning against each other, with the broad end of the Ys sticking up. This will give you an evenly spaced number of contact points for the spider to suspend a web over.

Agelenopsis are adaptable spiders--the same species can make webs in the grass, up in the trees, or on a house. They don't need any substrate, just something to web on. I have kept several in totally bare tanks, just with twigs. One I kept didn't even have the twigs--is just made a web by running around the side of the tub, and then filling in toward the middle! As for a lid, I don't know why you ( or cacoseraph? ) were even considering keeping this spider without a lid--it definitely needs one. Just put a few sewing needle-sized holes in the lid, and you'll be fine. I'll try to get a pic up later.
 

Pulk

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It's started webbing, but the densest part and where the spider is right now is at the top of the cage... a little bit weird.

Why do they need a lid if they keep the funnel as their home?
 

Venom

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It's started webbing, but the densest part and where the spider is right now is at the top of the cage... a little bit weird.
Right now your spider hasn't "moved in" yet. The webbing around the rim of the cage is from it pacing--simply walking around, not intentionally web building. What it is doing right now is wandering around, probably trying to get out. What you need to do is keep it enclosed long enough that it becomes acclimated and decides to keep its new environment and invest in a web. This is where a lid comes in. Twigs will help convince your spider that the environment you have provided is a suitable spot for setting up camp.


Why do they need a lid if they keep the funnel as their home?
:wall: You always use a lid no matter what the spider's behavior suggests is necessary/ unnecessary. This is just basic caution. You can't rely on it to stay put. What if it decides your tub is a bad place for a web? I believe you said you just lost one, even with a lid, so what reason do you have for thinking the lack of a lid would have better success? Please just take my word on this. Lids are good :)
 

Pulk

Arachnoprince
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Right now your spider hasn't "moved in" yet. The webbing around the rim of the cage is from it pacing--simply walking around, not intentionally web building. What it is doing right now is wandering around, probably trying to get out.
Looking at the webbing, it does look a lot like a spider wandering around looking for the exit. But the concentrated web at the top corner does seem a little suspicious to me.

:wall: You always use a lid no matter what the spider's behavior suggests is necessary/ unnecessary. This is just basic caution. You can't rely on it to stay put. What if it decides your tub is a bad place for a web? I believe you said you just lost one, even with a lid, so what reason do you have for thinking the lack of a lid would have better success? Please just take my word on this. Lids are good :)
Well, the spider's behavior -would- suggest a lid is unnecessary, but if you think it's likely to not stay in its web, I'll keep the lid on. (With the lid off I can have the web the way I'd prefer, with tall twigs.)

Is a 2.5" container too shallow for one of these? It's in a nice 4" right now, but I'm having to use saran wrap for a lid for this one.
 

Pulk

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Amazingly, 8 days after it got out, I found the large female in the bathroom, and it's all healthy. So I have two now.
Their lid is tight saran wrap with a bunch of pin holes poked in it. I'm wondering what's a good way to prevent mold from appearing in a container that doesn't have lots of ventilation? I microwaved and froze both the sand and the sticks inside.
Also, this is purely hypothetical :)p) but how bad for the spider is it to repeatedly (say 2-3 times in one week) mess up its web and make it start over?
 

Pulk

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When the male started making a flat web at the top I was told it was a sperm web. But now the large female has a bunch of web near the upper rime of the cage. She made a perfect funnel at the bottom corner in an empty tupperware within a few hours, but now with sand and sticks, there is no funnel, just a funny-looking tangled pseudo-sheet at the top corner. Is that unusual? (for reference, the little female has a perfectly fine funnel in a set-up that's exactly the same.)
 

cacoseraph

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When the male started making a flat web at the top I was told it was a sperm web. But now the large female has a bunch of web near the upper rime of the cage. She made a perfect funnel at the bottom corner in an empty tupperware within a few hours, but now with sand and sticks, there is no funnel, just a funny-looking tangled pseudo-sheet at the top corner. Is that unusual? (for reference, the little female has a perfectly fine funnel in a set-up that's exactly the same.)

imo, it all depends what they cue off of for building webs. it could be a combo of things that is not 100% easy to always replicate in captivity. they could be getting thrown off by uneven ventilation or something.


also, she might end up with a funny web cuz she tried to adapt an existing funnel to the new structure or something
 

Pulk

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I had to... um... "take care of" the previous funnel. So it's not a replication problem. Anyway, the morning update is that it is now a clear funnel at the freaking top. Who ever heard of a sheet below a funnel? :eek:

small one

big one
 

Pulk

Arachnoprince
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Does anyone know if it's safe to assume an Agelenopsis sp. in north coastal San Diego County is A. aperta?
 

syndicate

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to my understanding its quite tricky to id some of these.i think alot of them are quite similiar looking
 

Pulk

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looks like the big one I have is dying... (it's a -huge- loss, I know)
in the past week it's been out of the funnel, and in other places around the web way too much, and hasn't been adding to the web really at all. also her legs are in an obviously abnormal position, most of the time, curled under her a little bit.
she seemed to drink pretty excitedly when I sprayed the web, but then she stopped doing that too
I know she's not molting, she just did that. And she's well-fed.

they do have dinky lifespans...
but does anyone know if that's what they normally do when they're about to die?
 
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