What the crap is she doing?

[Trey]

I was looking at my B. Vagans and she's inside of her hide and it looks like she's spinning a web but there is nothing coming out? I talked to swift earlier and he said that spiders have about 5 different types of silk that they use for different things. Also she might be pregnant so is there any way to tell if she is?

 

[Nitibus]

Maybe she's preparing for an egg sac. You did say she was gravid ...

 

[Trey]

Thats what i'm hoping for because the timeline is matching up but she's been REAL active the last few days and im so new at this I don't know what to expect?

 

[Talkenlate04]

The do have different types of silk they lay..... sometimes its just to lay a trail down for a potiential mate that wanders by that is laces heavly with hormones that the male can pick up on.............

Any way how long has it been since the mating?

 

[Trey]

The first introduction was in early november and off and on for about the next month or so until he bit it.

 

[Talkenlate04]

Well its still a bit earily..... and thats a good thing.... I have found that sacs laid right away within 2 months of a mating are infertile. However with some of my smithis when they have dropped sacs the dropped in later months 4,5,6 months past a mating.

Are you flooding at all?

 

[Trey]

Flooding? No whats that?

 

[Talkenlate04]

Well with my brachys after mating I cool them down for a little bit.... this simulates winter.... that goes on for a few weeks normally I try for 6-8 weeks. Then I raise the temps gradually, and do cage flooding...... this means I take standing room temp water and make it seem like its raining sometimes using a few bottles at a time. Then I let the tank dry out some..... then repeat. I do this till she picks a place to set up shop and seal herself in. After she does that all I do is add a water dish and keep both of them full. The wet periods make it seem like its spring time and with Brachys seems to stimulate sac production.