L.Hesperus :water or no? the debate goes on

[nathanel]

I have a bunch of slings, subadults, laying adults, etc.

I have lost a couple of slings, and my boss is saying that I need to spray the slings and the adults to keep humidity up and so that they can drink.....

I disagree saying that the widows (while though coming from humid areas sometimes) perfer it dry and don't need extra water....all fluids coming from their diet.....

I am worried about drowning slings if I spray....

your opinions?

post!

 

[Malhavoc's]

IME I kept slings in mass groupings, splitting on sac into 5 groups or more depending on my need, I would offer house flies or other various smarrler insects to be 'gang'ed upon, between that and cannabilization any extra humidity caused the large amount of fecal matter produced by this species to become stinky and moldy and cussed me more grief then the few lost due to simply not being 'up to que' on competition levels with its siblings.

 

[Bigboy]

I raised five L. hesperus from slings to adults (all female if you can believe my luck) and only ever gave them, in the 8months that took, two drops of water. each. All other water, they've derived from their prey.

 

[JPD]

With slings, I always keep a little paper towel in the container and then periodically ad a drop or two of water to the towel.
I am always reluctant to mist due to the fact that you generally don't have a great deal of ventilation and it is much harder to control the amount of water.
Not to mention the fact that very small slings can become trapped in the smallest bit of moisture.
I have killed a few adults from misting. Keep in mind that if you live in an area where widows are not native, then it is likely that the relative humidity is high to begin with.

 

[Ganoderma]

"With slings, I always keep a little paper towel in the container and then periodically ad a drop or two of water to the towel. "

thats all have ever done. i usually kept a producing female in a 10 gal so that i cold keep all the babies together with the mom. didnt loose too many. throw maybe 4 or 5 large crickets in and let mom kill them, all teh babies would feed on them. it wasnt till they got to be about 1/8 grown that i would seperate them.

i have seen babies on the paper towel sitting there. i assume they were drinking.

 

[JPD]

"With slings, I always keep a little paper towel in the container and then periodically ad a drop or two of water to the towel. "

thats all have ever done. i usually kept a producing female in a 10 gal so that i cold keep all the babies together with the mom. didnt loose too many. throw maybe 4 or 5 large crickets in and let mom kill them, all teh babies would feed on them. it wasnt till they got to be about 1/8 grown that i would seperate them.

i have seen babies on the paper towel sitting there. i assume they were drinking.

Yeah, the slings, if it has been awhile since they have had water, will immediately descend upon the paper towel to drink.

 

[Brian S]

With all the Latros I have raised I never misted nor give them a drop of water and they survived quite well.

 

[Venom]

Also, if you mist you risk the prey remains becoming moldy, and you don't want to have to tweezer prey remains out of a widow web... I find that misting my Theridiids only creates problems and a mess, and besides, its a known fact that L.hesperus is a desert hardy spider, so as long as you feed it hydrated prey, it shouldn't need additional water.

 

[Ganoderma]

i voted no, but if its an easy relativly risk free addition why not?

JPD said -"With slings, I always keep a little paper towel in the container and then periodically ad a drop or two of water to the towel. "

doesnt creat mold, jus doesnt look as pretty. if they want it they can get, options are good in my opinion.