What is my BW doing?

[Anonymity82]

I think it's a threat display of some sort. [YOUTUBE]5XysDI6lRv8[/YOUTUBE]

I tried opening the container a little bit so I could get a clearer shot but I couldn't see her very well and she likes to dart to the opening sometimes.

I do need to get her a larger enclosure. Even a 32oz deli cup would be good. She's been eating and even molted in there. She's only started this after she molted.

 

[Oreo]

It's obviously working out, so it'll have the strength and agility to jump on ya the next time you crack its home open!

My widows do the same whenever their webs are torn or disturbed. The flexing is probably a warning and movement would certainly help display its red markings to any trespasser.

 

[Anonymity82]

Cool, thanks. I assumed it was some sort of threat display but I've never seen this before when I research them. Thanks!

 

[catfishrod69]

Its probably mutating and going to break out while you are sleeping and suck out your brains. Haha just kidding bro. Thought i would give you something to think about while your trying to sleep tonight. I havent seen this from any of my widows. Mine pretty much just hold still when im around. Sometimes they will get panicked and run frantically. Thats about it though.

 

[Anonymity82]

Its probably mutating and going to break out while you are sleeping and suck out your brains. Haha just kidding bro. Thought i would give you something to think about while your trying to sleep tonight. I havent seen this from any of my widows. Mine pretty much just hold still when im around. Sometimes they will get panicked and run frantically. Thats about it though.

Haha, I like both of your comments. Definitely funny! I can't believe you've never seen this. Now I'm scared haha. You keep yours in larger containers? She really only does this when I spray in there either before or after she runs around like a nut. I though she was running around trying to scoop up water but she also tries to escape so I don't know. I know they don't need to get sprayed a lot be since she molted I can't even get a good single spray in there without her trying to charge out.

 

[Ciphor]

I heard they do it to help trap or make it more difficult for a predator to get to them. By pulling on their web, they stretch it in and out, making it trickier to navigate. Imagine climbing threw a mess of ropes, then, imagine climbing through a mess of ropes that are bouncing up and down.

 

[catfishrod69]

Yep we cant have you thinking nice thoughts in the wee hours of the night. haha. My widows (all widows) will kick their webbing and some sticky stuff at you, while you are trying to catch them or disturbing them too much. Its the same stuff they use to catch prey. Im unsure of what it really is. Im sure someone will help out.

Haha, I like both of your comments. Definitely funny! I can't believe you've never seen this. Now I'm scared haha. You keep yours in larger containers? She really only does this when I spray in there either before or after she runs around like a nut. I though she was running around trying to scoop up water but she also tries to escape so I don't know. I know they don't need to get sprayed a lot be since she molted I can't even get a good single spray in there without her trying to charge out.

---------- Post added 05-28-2012 at 01:38 PM ----------

This makes alot of sense. Along with what Oreo said about flashing the colors. That would be enough to make some predators avoid them. Kinda like how the Argiopes will "bounce" their webs while being bothered.

I heard they do it to help trap or make it more difficult for a predator to get to them. By pulling on their web, they stretch it in and out, making it trickier to navigate. Imagine climbing threw a mess of ropes, then, imagine climbing through a mess of ropes that are bouncing up and down.

 

[Anonymity82]

Wow Ciphor, that's really interesting. I don't want to upset her too much but it's impossible to spray in there now. I want to get some water in there because I see her drinking it when I do but she freaks out and charges for the opening which is right where my hands are. I'm sure she's probably fine as long as I keep feeding her. Thanks for all your input!

 

[catfishrod69]

You can cut a small square out of the top of the side, or the top of the lid. About 1/2"x1/2". Then spray through it. Make sure to cover it up with tape though. This is how i get fruit flies into my true spider slings.

Oh yeah, and i keep my widows in 32 oz, (2 pound) deli cups.

 

[Ciphor]

Yep we cant have you thinking nice thoughts in the wee hours of the night. haha. My widows (all widows) will kick their webbing and some sticky stuff at you, while you are trying to catch them or disturbing them too much. Its the same stuff they use to catch prey. Im unsure of what it really is. Im sure someone will help out.

---------- Post added 05-28-2012 at 01:38 PM ----------

This makes alot of sense. Along with what Oreo said about flashing the colors. That would be enough to make some predators avoid them. Kinda like how the Argiopes will "bounce" their webs while being bothered.

Argiope spp. actually bounce up and down with a different intention. Black widows very slowly pull the silk, pumping it up and down. Argiope actually swing, no pumping involved. It's also much much faster, to make themselves blurry to predators and difficult to attack because they cannot be seen. This is primarly a defensive against humming birds & Wasps that will fly right up to the web and bite or sting the orb weaver.

Argiope is more similar to cellar spiders that will also swing very fast to make them hard to target.

 

[catfishrod69]

Didnt know that. Pretty cool. Thanks for sharing.

Argiope spp. actually bounce up and down with a different intention. Black widows very slowly pull the silk, pumping it up and down. Argiope actually swing, no pumping involved. It's also much much faster, to make themselves blurry to predators and difficult to attack because they cannot be seen. This is primarly a defensive against humming birds & Wasps that will fly right up to the web and bite or sting the orb weaver.

Argiope is more similar to cellar spiders that will also swing very fast to make them hard to target.

 

[madamoisele]

I recommend getting a syringe and water it that way through the holes, so you have to open the lid less!

Wow Ciphor, that's really interesting. I don't want to upset her too much but it's impossible to spray in there now. I want to get some water in there because I see her drinking it when I do but she freaks out and charges for the opening which is right where my hands are. I'm sure she's probably fine as long as I keep feeding her. Thanks for all your input!

 

[Ciphor]

Ninja just pick up some cheap jars and make sure no sticks get closer then 2 inches to the lid, and make sure you rub your finger around the edge of the glass after you drop her in so no drag lines remain. My widow never gets up to the lid. Very easy to manage Theridiids with jars. I spray all my spiders with water, they all hate it. I try to avoid spraying the spider and just hitting the side of the jar.. unless... the spider needs tuned up, then I turn the mist off and hit it with the stream! (jk)

In all seriousness tho, that setup for a latro seems kinda high risk, assuming you have to lift the lid to access her enclosure, and she has completely webbed it up. I bet its a little uneasy feeding her sometimes.

My jar setups http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?228165-Setups-for-web-spinning-spiders

I buy the sticks from fred meyers for a few bucks, jars from walmart for a few bucks. For around 10 dollars total I get 16 solid setups. The granite I pick up from hardware stores, they have huge granite slabs and I take the chips, they never mind as they just toss them out.

Deli-cups work too, you just cannot let it have anything to get a foothold on within a inch of the lid. (sticks, air holes, etc.)

 

[Venom]

As long as you feed her regularly, you don't really need to spray. She'll get her fluids from prey items.

 

[Ciphor]

As long as you feed her regularly, you don't really need to spray. She'll get her fluids from prey items.

True.

Spiders do not live optimally in the wild however; how you keep a captive can be adapted to help them live optimally. I feed my true spiders bi-weekly, which is why I water weekly, to extend life span. This is my experience though.

 

[Malhavoc's]

I always assumed that behavior was a form of sensing detecting and managing the web, testing for breaks, strengh etc. Also pulling them taught makes for a more efficiant comunication of vibration through the web.

 

[Anonymity82]

I always assumed that behavior was a form of sensing detecting and managing the web, testing for breaks, strengh etc. Also pulling them taught makes for a more efficiant comunication of vibration through the web.

I would agree but I haven't seen her do this unless I disturb her and not just something small like picking it up or throwing a cricket in there but when I spray she flips out. She didn't do this before her molt, granted I only had her for a few weeks before that.

---------- Post added 05-29-2012 at 05:01 PM ----------

Ninja just pick up some cheap jars and make sure no sticks get closer then 2 inches to the lid, and make sure you rub your finger around the edge of the glass after you drop her in so no drag lines remain. My widow never gets up to the lid. Very easy to manage Theridiids with jars. I spray all my spiders with water, they all hate it. I try to avoid spraying the spider and just hitting the side of the jar.. unless... the spider needs tuned up, then I turn the mist off and hit it with the stream! (jk)

In all seriousness tho, that setup for a latro seems kinda high risk, assuming you have to lift the lid to access her enclosure, and she has completely webbed it up. I bet its a little uneasy feeding her sometimes.

My jar setups http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?228165-Setups-for-web-spinning-spiders

I buy the sticks from fred meyers for a few bucks, jars from walmart for a few bucks. For around 10 dollars total I get 16 solid setups. The granite I pick up from hardware stores, they have huge granite slabs and I take the chips, they never mind as they just toss them out.

Deli-cups work too, you just cannot let it have anything to get a foothold on within a inch of the lid. (sticks, air holes, etc.)

Ninja? Me? I like that . Yeah, I'll definitely try and get a jar when I can. I was thinking of using chopsticks because I can get a bunch of those for like a dollar or two from the asian supermarket by my house.

It is a little risky but only when I spray. I can easily lift the lid and throw crickets in there without much trouble, I also never take my eyes off of her but I know this isn't an ideal set up. Until I get my book case I'm also low on space so the smaller container works in my favor. I can also stack it easily. Again, I know this isn't an ideal set up. She's destroyed and remade her webs a few times and probably much more since I can't tell that easily. She made a cool little cacoon hide when she molted and 4 days later her entire webbing was ripped down. So awesome. I'm paying attention to her abdomen size and watching for dehydration or dessication, not sure which is correct when it comes to spiders. So far so good. It's good to know that they don't need to be sprayed but I'd still like to because I've seen her actually drinking the water (she was collecting it on her legs and then bringing her legs to her mouth, very cool). Your setups look ideal! I'll definitely do that when I have more room. And where did you get this guy Callobius severus? Awesome looking spider.

So you raise yours from slings? I read that catfish hooked you up with sacs. Wow, I don't think I could do that!

 

[Ciphor]

dessication IIRC.

I raise most my spiders from egg sac to adult, as I keep detailed journals on lifespans, feeding, breeding, etc. It's easier then you think ^_^

Callobius severus is one of the most common spiders in the NW. One of the largest too. The girl in the picture I linked is very very old and slow like a turtle. I don't know how she stays alive. I feed her once a month, very little food. Mostly I just give her lots of water.

It's looking like I'll be shipping a buncha spiders out in the near future, if you really want one I can send you one for cost of ship. They live pretty long for a true spider.

 

[catfishrod69]

Nope not yet. Just the adult female mactans. Im sure she will hook him up with sacs though lol.

I read that catfish hooked you up with sacs.

 

[Ciphor]

Nope not yet. Just the adult female mactans. Im sure she will hook him up with sacs though lol.

I'm crossing my fingers! Been power feeding her meal worms and beetles but she has not popped one yet, might be out of fertile juice =X