Peucetia viridans

[darkness975]

I received a couple Latrodectus mactans slings to add to my collection of L. hesperus and the always awesome vendor they came from sent a freebie and some pinhead crickets "just in case."

The freebie is a Peucetia viridans.

I have not cared for one of these before and am going to start scouring the boards here.

In the meantime does anyone have any tips on setup?

 

[Edan bandoot]

Search using the common name (lynx spider) and ask your vendor

 

[darkness975]

=/

 

[chanda]

They're pretty easy. I just pop 'em in a large deli cup with one of those ventilated "bug lids" and give them some plant material to climb on, an occasional spritz of water, and of course, bugs to eat every week or so (more often for slings). They tend to hang out at the top of the cup or on the plants. I usually use California buckwheat flowers, just because it's readily available, dries pretty well, and it's what they hang out on when I find them in the wild - but I don't think it's really all that important what kind of plant they're on. I've also found them on rose bushes, green bean vines, and jimsonweed plants. I've kept them both with and without substrate, and it doesn't really seem to matter, because they're usually up at the top anyway. Most of the ones I've kept were locally-caught adults, so they were done molting. If yours is a juvenile/sling, a bit of substrate you can spritz to keep up the moisture levels might be beneficial to aid in molting.

 

[darkness975]

They're pretty easy. I just pop 'em in a large deli cup with one of those ventilated "bug lids" and give them some plant material to climb on, an occasional spritz of water, and of course, bugs to eat every week or so (more often for slings). They tend to hang out at the top of the cup or on the plants. I usually use California buckwheat flowers, just because it's readily available, dries pretty well, and it's what they hang out on when I find them in the wild - but I don't think it's really all that important what kind of plant they're on. I've also found them on rose bushes, green bean vines, and jimsonweed plants. I've kept them both with and without substrate, and it doesn't really seem to matter, because they're usually up at the top anyway. Most of the ones I've kept were locally-caught adults, so they were done molting. If yours is a juvenile/sling, a bit of substrate you can spritz to keep up the moisture levels might be beneficial to aid in molting.

Thank you. It hasn't webbed much yet or even really moved yet.

 

[chanda]

Thank you. It hasn't webbed much yet or even really moved yet.

They aren't big webbers. They're ambush predators that prefer to hang out on/under leaves, flowers, or other plant material, waiting for a passing bug that they can grab and eat. The only time I've really seen them make much webbing is the females making their web sacks. There's usually a bit of webbing around the egg sac, securing it in the plant - and then the mother sits on top of the sac, guarding it, until it's ready to hatch. (She will still hunt/eat while guarding her sac, but she doesn't stray too far from it.)

 

[darkness975]

They aren't big webbers. They're ambush predators that prefer to hang out on/under leaves, flowers, or other plant material, waiting for a passing bug that they can grab and eat. The only time I've really seen them make much webbing is the females making their web sacks. There's usually a bit of webbing around the egg sac, securing it in the plant - and then the mother sits on top of the sac, guarding it, until it's ready to hatch. (She will still hunt/eat while guarding her sac, but she doesn't stray too far from it.)

Awesome.
It's only a sling so I threw a pinhead cricket in there tonight. Will see what happens.