Orb weaver wont eat in her web :( pls help!

[JeromeTabuzo]

i caught a orb weaver female on our backyard and it was an adult , and it makes a straight string and cant complete her web , do i have to feed her when her web is finished? i offer her roaches and mealworms... but it just keeps falling off her web pls help!

 

[Tarantula155]

When did you catch it?

Give it time, if you caught it very recently it doesn't have a full web yet. All web making spiders need some time to make webs.
Yes, wait until the web is finished. I can see you are very excited, but please be patient. Web making isn't easy.

 

[Ciphor]

i caught a orb weaver female on our backyard and it was an adult , and it makes a straight string and cant complete her web , do i have to feed her when her web is finished? i offer her roaches and mealworms... but it just keeps falling off her web pls help!

Yes, the spider must have a full web constructed in order to feel comfortable enough to catch prey. Be patient.

 

[JeromeTabuzo]

i caught him 2 days ago , i just ended up destroying her web lol when i place the mealworm it has destroyed it , ok i will give him time....
heres a pic of her:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61718568@N06/8932612815/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61718568@N06/8919460818/

 

[Smokehound714]

Small insects like flies are the best food for orb weavers.

if the prey is too strong, it will scare the spider. If it's strong enough to destroy the web, it's unsuitable.


Feed prey items that are equal in size to the abdomen, or smaller, and you'll have far less trouble.

 

[JeromeTabuzo]

Small insects like flies are the best food for orb weavers.

if the prey is too strong, it will scare the spider. If it's strong enough to destroy the web, it's unsuitable.


Feed prey items that are equal in size to the abdomen, or smaller, and you'll have far less trouble.

then how do i get flies? and how can i put it in his cage?

 

[Ciphor]

then how do i get flies? and how can i put it in his cage?

Your problem isn't the prey your offering. They will eat anything and are quite capable of catching anything that is not too large. From looking at your images, your issue is the enclosure size. That looks like a large species of Neoscona and they need at minimum over a foot of space to web across.

When the orbweaver has enough space to build a web, it will put sticky glue globs along the lines of silk. You put a meal worm on one of those sticky lines and it isn't going anywhere. She isn't building a web, which is why there is no sticky glue globs to stick to the prey.

 

[JeromeTabuzo]

Your problem isn't the prey your offering. They will eat anything and are quite capable of catching anything that is not too large. From looking at your images, your issue is the enclosure size. That looks like a large species of Neoscona and they need at minimum over a foot of space to web across.

When the orbweaver has enough space to build a web, it will put sticky glue globs along the lines of silk. You put a meal worm on one of those sticky lines and it isn't going anywhere. She isn't building a web, which is why there is no sticky glue globs to stick to the prey.

oh ok so i have a critter keeper here the smallest size and i was thinking if it would be fine? 2.5 gal is the size and do they really need to have some leaves in their tank?

 

[Tarantula155]

oh ok so i have a critter keeper here the smallest size and i was thinking if it would be fine? 2.5 gal is the size and do they really need to have some leaves in their tank?

Bigger than that. I would aim more towards a 10 gallon minimum. Their 'orb webs' are big. Especially the larger species of orb weavers.

 

[JeromeTabuzo]

Bigger than that. I would aim more towards a 10 gallon minimum. Their 'orb webs' are big. Especially the larger species of orb weavers.

do they need substrate or any plant? i can get one 10 galllon opaque tank

 

[Ciphor]

do they need substrate or any plant? i can get one 10 galllon opaque tank

The only thing they need is space. Substrate, leaves and all that jazz is not needed. Orb weavers usually need a wide space. 10 gallon is perfect. Even if its not wide space, they will adjust their web shape to fit the spot. Put some sticks up and down the sides so it can reach the top and all sides easily. The next step is key... be patient! Wait till you see a full formed orb web. Once you got that, just toss any bug on, it will stick and be a meal in just a few seconds.

 

[The Snark]

From observation, it seems to me the orb weaver is more reliant upon it's web than any other spider. In a sense the web is an extension of the animal. It also appears that you can tell the age and health of an orb weaver by the condition of it's web. Young, the webs are smaller, more precise and delicate. Adult, the web is utilitarian. Old age the web isn't always kept clean and in good repair.

 

[JeromeTabuzo]

From observation, it seems to me the orb weaver is more reliant upon it's web than any other spider. In a sense the web is an extension of the animal. It also appears that you can tell the age and health of an orb weaver by the condition of it's web. Young, the webs are smaller, more precise and delicate. Adult, the web is utilitarian. Old age the web isn't always kept clean and in good repair.

i caught him , he has a big web and i snatched him and caged him up , how long does she finish her web? she isnt doing anything just standing , its morning here

 

[Curious jay]

You caught it 2 days ago..... Give it a chance.

 

[The Snark]

If she is in an enclosure a lot smaller than the web you caught her in she may choose to give up and die.

 

[JeromeTabuzo]

If she is in an enclosure a lot smaller than the web you caught her in she may choose to give up and die.

ill transfer her to a 10 gallon box by tomorrow how do i feed her? if i open the container it might destroy her web ( she sticks them to a cover)

 

[KingBaboon85]

I caught the same type of orb weaver and I put it in a large deli cup container and I left it alone for one week
It did some webbing but when ever I leave prey inside it won't touch it... But as soon as I give it a prey with a tweezer it doesn't hesitate to grab it and mummifie it's kill

All in all great pet

Cheers Angelo

 

[JeromeTabuzo]

I caught the same type of orb weaver and I put it in a large deli cup container and I left it alone for one week
It did some webbing but when ever I leave prey inside it won't touch it... But as soon as I give it a prey with a tweezer it doesn't hesitate to grab it and mummifie it's kill

All in all great pet

Cheers Angelo

I tried tweezer feeding her , she ran away and hid under a leaf

 

[Smokehound714]

I would suggest keeping it in an open space. I'd Imagine a big old picture frame would be wonderful and practical to build a web with

If its a cardboard frame, try covering the outer edges with plain scotch tape, the smoothness will discourage the spider from climbing out.


I dont even house my metepeira in a container. I built a "false-tree" with 12" wooden skewers, and toothpicks. All you really need is two long sticks about a foot apart, in a "V" shape. The whole time it was left alone, and webbed up just fine.

if you keep bothering them, they wont build their web.

 

[JeromeTabuzo]

I would suggest keeping it in an open space. I'd Imagine a big old picture frame would be wonderful and practical to build a web with

If its a cardboard frame, try covering the outer edges with plain scotch tape, the smoothness will discourage the spider from climbing out.


I dont even house my metepeira in a container. I built a "false-tree" with 12" wooden skewers, and toothpicks. All you really need is two long sticks about a foot apart, in a "V" shape. The whole time it was left alone, and webbed up just fine.

if you keep bothering them, they wont build their web.

ok thnx i will try to use scotch tape , what if she can still climb out of it?