True spiders can't climb glass?

[EulersK]

I just started keeping a true spider, though I plan on obtaining more once summer/spring months come about. Currently, I just have what looks like a tiny wolf spider. I've noticed that it absolutely can't climb the walls of its glass jar enclosure. I'd be able to leave the lid off with no worries at all. Is this the case with all true spiders? I was shocked, as even bulky terrestrial tarantulas don't have too much trouble climbing glass.

 

[windscorpions1]

True spiders can climb glass, but some spiders have more trouble climbing up different materials than others. I'd leave the lid on it's enclosure.

 

[EulersK]

Oh no, I'm certainly leaving it on, my point was that I wouldn't worry if I left it off. It definitely tries climbing, but slides off immediately. It can't even get all 8 legs up.

 

[Ciphor]

Don't think of it as, tarantula vs. true spider. There is a good mix of tarantulas that can climb smooth surfaces, and good mix of true spiders that can too. Both groups have lots that cannot climb as well.

What qualifies a spider to climb something like glass is the setae on the tarsus. Spiders that are heavily arboreal have thick pads of micro-setae (micro-hairs) that allow their feet to create a suction on smooth surfaces.



There are some theories that some tarantulas actually have small silk glands that aid in the spider sticking, but it is widely accepted that micro-setae are the main reason they can climb something like glass.

Just to give you a quick (but definitely not complete) list of spiders that have micro-setae on their tarsus designed to help climb.

Tarantulas
Pterinochilus spp.
Poecilotheria spp.
Brachypelma spp.
Avicularia spp.

True spiders
Salticidae spp.
Clubionidae spp.
Miturgidae spp.
Sparassidae spp.

Wolf spiders absolutely cannot climb smooth surfaces.

 

[EulersK]

That was one of the best replies I've gotten on this site lol Very informative!

Salticidae is the cutest spider I've ever seen O.O And I can't believe I just said that. I want one...

 

[The Snark]

I use the 'can't climb for beans' aspect to tell our sparassids from the lycosids at a glance from a good long distance away. It is kind of weird. A number of them look like each other at a distance but a wolfie can barely cling to a rough stucco wall while the huntsman do some climbing feats that seem in complete defiance of the laws of gravity and physics.
A lot of people ask if a spider is a wolfie. It's easy enough to tell by giving them a location with lots of easily climbable surfaces. If it much prefers solid ground, it probably is but if it treats horizontal and vertical surfaces the same if definitely isn't.