Nephila pilipes care

[Leslie Thompson]

Hi there!

I've taken care of tarantulas for years and have decided to break into keeping some other species. Lately I've been trying to keep Nephila pilipes. I have them in 16" x 16" x 20" Reptibreeze screen cages. Temps range from 72 at night to 82 in the heat of the day. Every spider has built a web within 24 hours of introducing it to the enclosure, and a few have even taken a cricket meal. I'm down to 2 out of the 8 that I purchased within a week! Yikes! Any insight on what's going wrong?

Thanks!

 

[chanda]

Are they adults? If so, it is normal for them to be dying around this time of year. Most orb weavers only live a single season, hatching in the spring, mating and laying eggs in the fall, and dying when the weather turns cold. Even when kept in captivity and protected from the temperature change, they seem to know when it's that time.

 

[Leslie Thompson]

They are adult females. I've tried Nephila clavipes with similar results as well.

 

[KevinsWither]

Where you from? I might like some!

 

[Dennis Nedry]

Chances are they’re just dying of old age. Otherwise they’re pretty hardy especially if they’ve established a web

 

[Leslie Thompson]

Where you from? I might like some!

I got them from Todd at tarantulaspiders.com

They're nearing the end of the collection season though.