widow eggsac question

[dragontears]

I did a search and found all sorts of widow eggsac posts, but none to answer my question.....

How long does it take a L. hesperus eggsac to hatch?

 

[buthus]

About a month. Say 3 to 6 weeks depending on many factors including temps and probably things like humidity, genetics, what mommy was eating, etc.

Hesp sacs show maturity quite clearly. When they are getting close, the dark color of the slings will make the sac look gray.

 

[cacoseraph]

also, you can backlight eggsacs and see what is going on, to an extent

typically for the hesp sacs i have produced or found:
- fresh sacs have the bottom third to half of the sac filled with eggs
- older sacs are more than half full.
- sacs about to pop seem to be totally full... i think it is actually that the slings are starting to climb around on the walls and what not

 

[spydrhunter1]

Like Buthus said it depends to an extent on environmental factors. My entomology lab is unbelievably cold (high 60's, low 70's). I've had sacs I had to open to free the slings after the have been setting for a month or month and a half.
This is no longer a problem as the lab has bought me an incubator that I keep at 26 C.

 

[dragontears]

neat! Thanks for the input! I guess I have a couple weeks to figure out how to get the sac away from her, without getting bit. She is currently very defensive about the whole thing...if I pick up her enclosure she'll race over to the sac and put her back two legs on it and face me as if to say: "this is mine, go away"

She's so cute.

 

[8+)]

I was turned on to artist fan brushes. They are wide which helps you control the spider, but they're soft, so they're gentle.

 

[Pulk]

it doesn't hurt if they bite tweezers/scissors.

 

[Canth]

I always fed them then took it when they weren't looking. :}

 

[buthus]

neat! Thanks for the input! I guess I have a couple weeks to figure out how to get the sac away from her, without getting bit. She is currently very defensive about the whole thing...if I pick up her enclosure she'll race over to the sac and put her back two legs on it and face me as if to say: "this is mine, go away"

She's so cute.

Yep, hesperus are the most defensive when it comes to their sacs ...compared to any other specie I have kept.
Just get a good pair of tweezers and grab the sac that way.

 

[cacoseraph]

Yep, hesperus are the most defensive when it comes to their sacs ...compared to any other specie I have kept.
Just get a good pair of tweezers and grab the sac that way.

the only times i am really nervous around hesperus are when they are really skinny and hungry/thirsty or when they are guarding and eggsac

 

[dragontears]

we separated the sac from the female and this morning the sac hatched! I now have about 75 little monsters running around. The sac took 32 days to hatch.

 

[dragontears]

 

[moose35]

widows

hey i need some of the hesps.
let me know



tom

 

[ParabuthusKing]

hey i need some of the hesps.
let me know



tom

Hell.. those things are in droves around here... I'll let you know when the weather warms up if you want some....

 

[buthus]

we separated the sac from the female and this morning the sac hatched! I now have about 75 little monsters running around. The sac took 32 days to hatch.

32 days ...perfect.. right on schedule. :clap:
Have fun!

 

[dragontears]

hey i need some of the hesps.
let me know



tom

I'll keep you posted. Currently I'm planning on not really dealing with them and letting them cull themselves down to a reasonable number. I only want about half a dozen for myself, so I'll let you know when I have some separated out.

 

[moose35]

let me know. your other babies need some red and black beauties around them.


moose

 

[8+)]

32 days ...perfect.. right on schedule. :clap:
Have fun!

I hope L. bishopi sacs take longer to develop, because my oldest are just over a month old now and aren't even dark yet...

 

[Canth]

I hope L. bishopi sacs take longer to develop, because my oldest are just over a month old now and aren't even dark yet...

I have one that sounds like that. I'm not sure if it's a month yet, but it isn't getting darker at all. Hopefully they're good!

 

[dragontears]

my lovely widow just laid another sac tonight! 34 days between sacs...is that normal does anyone know? She is fiercely guarding it. It will be fun to see how many hatch out of this one. :clap: