Trichonephila tips?

[CladeArthropoda]

So, I am keeping a giant orb weaving spider, most likely in the genus Trichonephila. It is wild caught, and I'm keeping it in a box that is 17 inches tall and 22 inches long. The house always has an ambient temperature between 20 and 28 degrees celsius. I feed it two insects a week and lightly spray its web with water every other day.

Is there anything I'm doing wrong, or any additional tips I can get?

 

[8 legged]

One tip springs to mind: no insecticides! I had a fly trap elsewhere in the house (fly is attracted and poisons itself). The thing was a year old and I had forgotten it... It's obvious what happens to a spider that eats a poisoned fly...
I built a frame of wood and the spider built it's web inside. I put it on a window on the north side of our house. That was really great!

DSCN6939.JPG

• 8 legged
• Jun 10, 2021

Trichonephila inaurata madagascariensis - admittedly one of the most entertaining species I...

DSCN6921.JPG

• 8 legged
• Jun 10, 2021

Trichonephila inaurata madagascariensis - so hardworking!
After one night her web already has a...

 

[CladeArthropoda]

One tip springs to mind: no insecticides! I had a fly trap elsewhere in the house (fly is attracted and poisons itself). The thing was a year old and I had forgotten it... It's obvious what happens to a spider that eats a poisoned fly...
I built a frame of wood and the spider built it's web inside. I put it on a window on the north side of our house. That was really great!

DSCN6939.JPG

• 8 legged
• Jun 10, 2021

Trichonephila inaurata madagascariensis - admittedly one of the most entertaining species I...

DSCN6921.JPG

• 8 legged
• Jun 10, 2021

Trichonephila inaurata madagascariensis - so hardworking!
After one night her web already has a...

Well we don't really use insecticides inside the house so this shouldn't be an issue.

 

[The Snark]

no insecticides!

N Clavipes. Keeping her from insecticides can be easy, keeping insecticides from her feeders, not so much.

 

[Biollantefan54]

Personally I think the enclosure looks small. These guys build massive webs stretching more than a few feet across, sometimes over 10 feet if you count the support lines. I’ve had my best success keeping them free range just so they have enough room. If you have a room you could keep them in, I’d just let them go in a corner and come back the next day and check and see if it’s built a web. They have giant orbs with a big cobweb section, pretty much any enclosure doesn’t allow for there full webs.

 

[CladeArthropoda]

Personally I think the enclosure looks small. These guys build massive webs stretching more than a few feet across, sometimes over 10 feet if you count the support lines. I’ve had my best success keeping them free range just so they have enough room. If you have a room you could keep them in, I’d just let them go in a corner and come back the next day and check and see if it’s built a web. They have giant orbs with a big cobweb section, pretty much any enclosure doesn’t allow for there full webs.

Funnily enough, I remember going to butterfly world, specifically in the room where they have tanks for all sorts of spiders, scorpions, roaches, etc. In the corner of the ceiling, they legit had a free range giant orb weaver, probably a Nephila or Trichonephila. Like you could touch it if you jumped high enough.

 

[CladeArthropoda]

I woke up to find her limp, she passed away overnight most likely. Since I already found her a full adult, and have been keeping her for a few months, it's probably due to old age. She was a good spider, but everything has it's time.