Questions about care for injured Kukulcania hibernalis?

[ShEru]

Hi! First post. Yesterday when I came home, I stumbled upon (not literally ON, but saw as I walked up to) a poor, kinda mid-sized, crevice spider (female) straggling along while being attacked by many little tiny (what I call) piss ants. In getting the ants off her, she crawled up on my sandal and I shoo’d off the remaining vermin. Thinking I’d provide a little place for her to maybe die without being consumed, I’ve put her in a little carrying cage with some potting soil/bark substrate and she’s in a piece of paper towel that I moistened for her. This morning she is still alive. She’s missing a pedipalp and one leg may be injured, maybe not. It seemed to be yesterday but today I think it might be ok.
Now, I’d love to keep her and help her get better. I’m wondering what should I do? Should I wait to see if she puts down webbing before I see if she will eat something I put in her cage? Should I take out the paper towel and give her something else to hide in? (I’m overthinking it could be harmful but I’m making sure it stays moist). Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Picture is kinda dark, I will get a better one just don’t want to bother her too much.

oh wait!! Now that I look closer at my own picture she may NOT be missing a pedipalp!

Just a piece of her front leg. Ok, last consecutive post. I just found the edit button!

 

[Aquarimax]

I have had one for a couple of years. The good news is that these are hardy apiders. If she is still alive, it is definitely worth a shot to see if you can nurse her back to health. I would try offering her a crevice within an enclosure, surrounded by a flat area so she can make the type of web they make in the wild. If she begins webbing, that is a great sign. In the meantime you might try offering her some drops of water.

 

[ShEru]

I have had one for a couple of years. The good news is that these are hardy apiders. If she is still alive, it is definitely worth a shot to see if you can nurse her back to health. I would try offering her a crevice within an enclosure, surrounded by a flat area so she can make the type of web they make in the wild. If she begins webbing, that is a great sign. In the meantime you might try offering her some drops of water.

Thank you so much! Im not sure if she ate the bugs or if she tried to eat or if she just jumped at them but it was reassuring to see at least she isn’t dead. I do feel like it’s important to make sure she has moisture because I don’t know if she’s getting any and I’m worried that the paper towel is a drying source. She seems to like hiding in it and I’m not wanting to upset or disturb her too much. .
I got flightless drosophila - which seem to be a bit of a pain. Should I just dump some in there and let them crawl about or should I maim a couple and keep seeing if she’ll eat them? How many would be a good number? I would say her abdomen is a bit larger than a typical house fly, maybe 8-10 mm long and 3-4 mm wide.

 

[Aquarimax]

These spiders can go a good while without food. It might be best to see if you can get her buolding a web for a week or two, and then try feeding her again. If she actually will eat some flightless fruit flies without a web, that’s good, but I have no experience feeding one outside of a web. She will definitely feel more secure if she has a crevice and a web. I think that is the key. I have mine in a Cobweb Castle, and while you may not have one, you can check out videos of them, which may give you an idea of how to make the enclosure suitable for the spider.

 

[ShEru]

Ok, thank you! That sounds good.