P. Tepidariorum Care?

[Duriana]

I recently found a Female P. Tepidariorum (common house spider) on the inside of our garage door and she would of been on a stressful roller coaster once we opened that door. I was wondering if anyone has kept these, If so any tips and things I should know? She's currently in one of those large Kritter Keepers turned on its side so its taller, with some branches. She's already webbed a bit in the corner. I also think she's gravid so if there are any notes about what I should do with the eggsacs/spiderlings once they come. Thanks!

 

[pannaking22]

Easy to keep. Give her lots of webbing points and just toss food in once a week or so and she'll be set. An occasional misting wouldn't hurt. If she's an adult she's most likely gravid, so you can put the sacs back out in your garage, freeze them, or wait until you have slings. If you wait until you have slings, expect a lot and you may want to let them cannibalize a bit if you want to keep them. Otherwise you can just release them in your garage/basement/shed/etc.

 

[Duriana]

Easy to keep. Give her lots of webbing points and just toss food in once a week or so and she'll be set. An occasional misting wouldn't hurt. If she's an adult she's most likely gravid, so you can put the sacs back out in your garage, freeze them, or wait until you have slings. If you wait until you have slings, expect a lot and you may want to let them cannibalize a bit if you want to keep them. Otherwise you can just release them in your garage/basement/shed/etc.

Okay, thank you for the help does the female die after the sacs hatch? I know she guards it but just wondering if she does live after they hatch if I should separate them.

 

[Ungoliant]

I have kept a few Parasteatoda tepidariorum (before I got into tarantulas), and I have lots of them living on my porch, in my shed, and about the exterior of the house. They are extremely easy to keep and are not picky about their setup or their food.

Prey that flies or jumps works best if they build their webs higher up in the enclosure. It is fun to watch them subdue a fluttering moth.

A single female may make multiple sacs, often in the same web.

Okay, thank you for the help does the female die after the sacs hatch? I know she guards it but just wondering if she does live after they hatch if I should separate them.

Having observed a number of "wild" ones with egg sacs, the mother usually sticks around to guard the sacs but does not provide any other maternal care. The spiderlings emerge, cluster around the sac for a few days, and disperse on their own.

Females live for about a year after reaching maturity, so they won't necessarily die shortly after making their egg sacs. I've seen the same spider mother have several broods over the course of her lifespan.

The spiderlings are tiny specks when they emerge, and it would be difficult to find sufficiently small food. If you end up with a sac, you could either put the sac outside (I don't think they need mom's help to get out) or wait for the spiderlings to emerge and then release them. The best places to release them are on a porch, in a garage, or protected areas along the exterior of a building or other manmade structure.

 

[Duriana]

I have kept a few Parasteatoda tepidariorum (before I got into tarantulas), and I have lots of them living on my porch, in my shed, and about the exterior of the house. They are extremely easy to keep and are not picky about their setup or their food.

Prey that flies or jumps works best if they build their webs higher up in the enclosure. It is fun to watch them subdue a fluttering moth.

A single female may make multiple sacs, often in the same web.




Having observed a number of "wild" ones with egg sacs, the mother usually sticks around to guard the sacs but does not provide any other maternal care. The spiderlings emerge, cluster around the sac for a few days, and disperse on their own.

Females live for about a year after reaching maturity, so they won't necessarily die shortly after making their egg sacs. I've seen the same spider mother have several broods over the course of her lifespan.

The spiderlings are tiny specks when they emerge, and it would be difficult to find sufficiently small food. If you end up with a sac, you could either put the sac outside (I don't think they need mom's help to get out) or wait for the spiderlings to emerge and then release them. The best places to release them are on a porch, in a garage, or protected areas along the exterior of a building or other manmade structure.

Ok thank you so much for all the info. I cant wait until the eggs come

 

[Duriana]

Oh one thing I forgot, molting care?

 

[Ungoliant]

Oh one thing I forgot, molting care?

They stop molting when they reach maturity. (If she molts in your care, she won't have any slings unless you let her mate with a male.)

 

[Duriana]

They stop molting when they reach maturity. (If she molts in your care, she won't have any slings unless you let her mate with a male.)

Oh okay I'm pretty sure she's matured. Thank you all for the help!

 

[Duriana]

I put in a fly for her on thursday and she didn't seem interested. Even when it was right by her web. So I took it out and today I put in a small moth. It's been right by her and she still doesn't seem interested. Should I put the moth directly in her web?
Edit: she's been turning some white and fuzzy with her mouth and legs and I'm thinking it's an eggsac? It would explain why she hasn't eaten

 

[Ungoliant]

Edit: she's been turning some white and fuzzy with her mouth and legs and I'm thinking it's an eggsac? It would explain why she hasn't eaten

I'm not sure whether they will take food while guarding a sac; many spiders won't.

 

[Duriana]

I'm not sure whether they will take food while guarding a sac; many spiders won't.

Yeah I think that was the reason because she took the moth after she was done. Also do you know how long it takes before the eggsac hatches?

 

[Ungoliant]

Also do you know how long it takes before the eggsac hatches?

I've never timed it, but I would estimate a few weeks for the ones outside.

 

[Duriana]

Hey, I'm back again. I dropped in a live moth last night and this morning I went to check and there was this moth shaped thing below her web:


Has she just sucked out the insides and threw the remains on the floor?

 

[WeightedAbyss75]

Hey, I'm back again. I dropped in a live moth last night and this morning I went to check and there was this moth shaped thing below her web:
View attachment 242590

Has she just sucked out the insides and threw the remains on the floor?

Yep, looks like it! They don't really have a way to eat the outside exoskeleton, so they just leave it or tear it up

 

[Duriana]

Yep, looks like it! They don't really have a way to eat the outside exoskeleton, so they just leave it or tear it up

Okay thank you

 

[benjamin1359]

Hello, I just got a common house spider, and I was wondering if yall had any tips on how to feed it? i just dropped a mealworm in because im a noob in spider/tarantula keeping, and im thinking, what do you feed them? and how big should its enclosure be?

 

[Duriana]

Hello, I just got a common house spider, and I was wondering if yall had any tips on how to feed it? i just dropped a mealworm in because im a noob in spider/tarantula keeping, and im thinking, what do you feed them? and how big should its enclosure be?

Hi there! I had the one that this post was about for around a year. I fed her moths but they arent picky. Most insects readily available should work. I kept her in a large tall plastic jar. Like the size cheeseballs come in. They're pretty simple to care for. You should do fine mine was very rewarding to keep and I loved watching her build her webs.

 

[benjamin1359]

I just found it was a sh, and she laid a egg sac! What do I do with the egg sack? I didnt think about this.

When i put the mealworm in, it just slipped through the web and started digging in the dirt

 

[Duriana]

I just found it was a sh, and she laid a egg sac! What do I do with the egg sack? I didnt think about this.

You can just put it outside. Or I transferred mine to a smaller container and once it hatched I let them disperse outside.

When i put the mealworm in, it just slipped through the web and started digging in the dirt

You might have to put it directly in front of her.

 

[benjamin1359]

would it be a dumb idea to try keeping one or two in a enclosure and raising them?

maybe even try to make it a communal?