Orb weaver questions

[charles007]

I have an ornamental orb weaver in a tarantula cribs arboreal enclosure
It made its web system at the very top and spends most of it time in the corner
I ve tried to feed crickets but the crickets won’t go up to the web, I’ve tried sticking them on there myself but I find them on the ground later on
So my question is, are there any feeders that can make it easier or what tips are there so that I can properly feed it

 

[The Snark]

Welcome to the world of arboreal spiders that are only oriented towards flying prey in the wild. Simply put, it's experiment time. And do keep in mind they go dormant around this time of year.

 

[charles007]

Does dormant mean it won’t eat until a certain month of the year?

 

[chanda]

Generally, orb weavers die in the winter, leaving behind egg sacs that will produce the next generation of spiders in the spring, when the weather warms up and prey becomes plentiful (think Charlotte's Web). As they approach the end of their lives, they will lose interest in eating and in maintaining their webs. Keeping them indoors and providing food can prolong their lives somewhat - but they aren't going to be a long-lived pet like a tarantula.

Feeding orb weavers - even when they are young and hungry - can be tricky. Roaches and crickets can easily kick their way free of a web if the spider does not dispatch them pretty quickly after they've been placed in the web. Moths and flies work better, both because they fly around the enclosure, getting into the webs themselves - and because the larger surface area of the wings becomes tangled in the webbing, leaving them unable to free themselves. Of course, moths and flies are not as easy to come by as feeders - and a can be a pain to raise. Crickets, roaches, and mealworms are much easier to obtain or keep - but harder to get into a web, especially if the spider is no longer maintaining the web and repairing holes or gaps. One thing I have found effective is removing the back legs of crickets prior to placing them in the web with tongs. This makes it harder for them to free themselves - though they can still do so if the spider doesn't go for them right away.

 

[Doodlebird]

I find orb weavers can be pretty hit or miss. I've fed mine mosquitos, but wild caught feeders aren't the best option with parasites, and can be hard to find especially in winter.