Rabid Wolf Spider Rabidosa rabida?

Evilchicken

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 16, 2022
Messages
6
So i caught this spider in the house a few days ago. My family would certainly have killed it if they saw it first. Im considering keeping it provided i can give proper care and housing. If not then back to the wild in my garden it is.
Does anyone have any experience with keeping them? I currently have it in a round 10in or so diameter critter keeper with a simple hide, bowl, fake leaves and soil. It has eaten several crickets and seems to be enjoying the hide after discovering it recently. Very fast and jumps crazy high.
First 2 pics in current enclosure.
. IMG_3919.png IMG_3918.png
Pics below of just after capture. Little blurry sorry.
IMG_3909.jpeg IMG_3908.jpeg IMG_3907.jpeg
If anyone has any options on gender, enclosure size, soil depth, or just in general id love to hear. When researching myself i mostly came across general care for wolf spiders as a whole or the giant wolf spider and not this one specifically. Just thought getting other opinions would benefit the spiders care.
Any recommendations on garden store soil brands safe for spiders and Ts?
 

jbooth

Arachnobaron
Joined
Nov 24, 2022
Messages
495
Looks like it. It's male so it's not going to make the best pet, probably just wander around trying to escape honestly. I'd get a younger one or a female for a pet. Otherwise yeah, just your basic terrestrial with a hide. If you don't have a room full of spiders anything can spread to, I'd say the soil it was standing on, otherwise just topsoil I guess, doesn't really matter.
 

Evilchicken

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 16, 2022
Messages
6
Looks like it. It's male so it's not going to make the best pet, probably just wander around trying to escape honestly. I'd get a younger one or a female for a pet. Otherwise yeah, just your basic terrestrial with a hide. If you don't have a room full of spiders anything can spread to, I'd say the soil it was standing on, otherwise just topsoil I guess, doesn't really matter.
Would a female have shorter legs and a bigger abdomen or is there some other tell tell sign?
Thank you for your response.
 

SpookySpooder

"embiggened"
Joined
Jun 21, 2023
Messages
1,086
It's a mature male. Coloration and shape of pedipalps signals this

Males don't last very long, so I would release it and search around for another one. There are tons of them in wooded grassy areas.
 
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