What to feed a wolf spider???

[Nerri1029]

I was "given" a wolf spider.. yesterday.. Since I alrready have 5 tarantulas.. I thought what the heck .. I'll keep it too..

I got some extra small crix.. ( they were out of pin heads )
placed two in its enclosure ,.. hmm nothing...

yes I'm impatient .. but before I wait any longer I'd like to at least know that these spiders will eat crix..

thanks in advance

 

[Wade]

It should take crickets of the same size you'd offer a tarantula of simmilar size. Pinheads shouldn't be necessary unless it's really small.

Wade

 

[Raindog]

I'm not sure of the species that you are dealing with but the huntsman spiders here will take anything. Keep offering the crickets, if it ignores them for another week I would release it.

 

[Bean]

Take a look at mine: Link

I feed it crickets the same length as it's body, and roachs a tad bigger than it's body. It take's 'em all down!

 

[Malhavoc's]

Agreed the only thing that stops a wolf spider from a meal is a maturing male molt, does it have large palps and a thin abdo?

 

[pandinus]

they loove crickets.

 

[Nerri1029]

I have two crix in the enclosure now. one is close to the body size ot the spider.. the other is smaller..

Could the trama from being moved keep it from eating,.,

here's a pic

I ID'd it as a Wolf Spider but it you guys have another thought let me know..

thanks to those who've answered so far..

 

[jdcarrel]

I feed my carolina wolfs crix.

 

[Alex S.]

The specimen is actually a large fishing spider (Pisauridae), most likely the species Dolomedes tenebrosus, which can get fairly large (around 3” in legspan and 1” in body length). These spiders mainly hunt small fish and small aquatic insects from banks of bodies of water or in floating vegetation. The spider should be housed in a semi-aquatic (half the enclosure terrestrial and the other half a small body of shallow water) set-up and fed small fish as a staple by letting the fish swim freely in the aquatic half of the tank where the spider can then feed on them at will. I find fishing spiders frequently when collecting giant water bugs and other aquatic insects. Very interesting spiders.

Alex S.

 

[Nerri1029]

The specimen is actually a large fishing spider (Pisauridae), most likely the species Dolomedes tenebrosus, which can get fairly large (around 3” in legspan and 1” in body length). These spiders mainly hunt small fish and small aquatic insects from banks of bodies of water or in floating vegetation. The spider should be housed in a semi-aquatic (half the enclosure terrestrial and the other half a small body of shallow water) set-up and fed small fish as a staple by letting the fish swim freely in the aquatic half of the tank where the spider can then feed on them at will. I find fishing spiders frequently when collecting giant water bugs and other aquatic insects. Very interesting spiders.

Alex S.

Hmmm... that's the spider I thought it most resembled as well..
BUT this spider was found in a barn behind some plywood.. no water near.. at least not closer than 1/4 mile..


:worship: I bow to your arachno-knowledge....

http://www.uark.edu/depts/entomolo/museum/dolomede.html

THAT is exactly the spider!!!!!

 

[Wade]

Alex is correct about it being a fishing spider, but as you've already noted they are not always found near water. D. tenebrosus especially seems to turn up far from it as often as not, while annother common species, D. triton is almost always found near water, at least IME.

They will take crickets, and can be kept like a small, arboreal tarantula, OR you can set them up in a semi aquatic tank as Alex suggested. The first way is easier, but the second is more fun

Wade

 

[Tony]

Feeling goofy today - Not one person suggested cricket size sheep for their wolf spiders?!?!?!?

 

[Spaceman_Spiff]

Feeling goofy today - Not one person suggested cricket size sheep for their wolf spiders?!?!?!?

dressing them up like Little Red Riding Hood might help aswell!
(the crickets not the spider)