Will this spider eat meal worms

[Wolfspidurguy]

So I caught a web building spider (I haven't been able to identify it) a little while ago fed her flies because we had a fly infestation and they were always at the ready but we've felt with the infestation and now I font have anything to feed her So I decided to put in a meal worm and see what happens. She webbed it up and bit it a couple of times and now I'm afraid she won't eat it as web builders don't eat Beatles and these guys have the same hard exoskeleton. Will this spider eat meal worms? (Sorry for the poor image quality but my phone camera reacted badly to the enclosure plastic. And I know the meal worm looks big but she takes down flies twice her size so this is nothing to her. Also the liquids on the meal worm are from it's head because I cut off it's mouth piece to prevent injuries to the spider)

 

[Wolfspidurguy]

Nevermind she's having a thanksgiving feast in there!

 

[Ungoliant]

So I caught a web building spider (I haven't been able to identify it)

It looks like some kind of cobweb spider (family Theridiidae).

She webbed it up and bit it a couple of times and now I'm afraid she won't eat it as web builders don't eat Beatles and these guys have the same hard exoskeleton. Will this spider eat meal worms?

Just a quick follow-up, since you already got your answer: many of the web spiders I've fed will not immediately consume prey. Some will bite, wrap a bit, and move away, waiting for the venom and/or digestive fluids to take effect. If you check on them later, they are often feeding on what you gave them.

 

[Wolfspidurguy]

It looks like some kind of cobweb spider (family Theridiidae).




Just a quick follow-up, since you already got your answer: many of the web spiders I've fed will not immediately consume prey. Some will bite, wrap a bit, and move away, waiting for the venom and/or digestive fluids to take effect. If you check on them later, they are often feeding on what you gave them.

Do they over eat because if she eats anymore I'm afraid she might pop lol

 

[Ungoliant]

Do they over eat because if she eats anymore I'm afraid she might pop lol

They are opportunistic predators and rarely refuse food. I guess it's theoretically possible for them to overeat, but since they hang in their webs, the risk of an abdomen-rupturing fall should be slim. (Also keep in mind that many cobwebbers have a round abdomen, which makes them look fatter than they are.)

It's also possible she is a gravid female, and she'll make an egg sac.

 

[RIPley14]

They are opportunistic predators and rarely refuse food. I guess it's theoretically possible for them to overeat, but since they hang in their webs, the risk of an abdomen-rupturing fall should be slim. (Also keep in mind that many cobwebbers have a round abdomen, which makes them look fatter than they are.)

It's also possible she is a gravid female, and she'll make an egg sac.

It's interesting that you ask these questions because it's exactly what I signed up for today. I recently found this poor little spider hiding on a step to the second floor. I watched her for a bit and then decided to rescue her. After all, I said to myself, she won't find anything to eat or drink here and might just get vacuumed up. So about a week or so later she has devoured a half dead fly and a piece of rehydrated mealworm. She's still just a speck but I'm not giving up. I understand that from some sources that slings don't require much, from other sources that they will need food every day and never ever put a water bowl in the enclosure! That's why I'm here. I just keep watching her and try to do what's right.
Carry on Wolf Man!

 

[darkness975]

Do you have smaller meal worms?

 

[Owinlovesfalsewidows]

Do they over eat because if she eats anymore I'm afraid she might pop lol

They won't really refuse prey so,most likely. If you can buy (or trap) and cool some large-ish fruit flies and give those to it every other week,you'll be golden. Anyways,much love from a big therididae (cobweb weaver/false widow) keeper!