Wolf Spider Care

[Vlad Tepes]

So, I was alone in my room the other night playing some New Vegas when I just so happened to see a large spiders scurring about my floor next to my console and of course I immediately decided to capture it for observation. I have been keeping it in a cleaned out McCormick spice container for around 3 days now which I have placed a droplet of water and a cricket (used for feeding reptiles and so on) and another small insect which I placed in there alive (somewhat). I would like to keep it as long as I possibly can and take good care of it. Any advice? I've been thinking about creating a small enclosure using a mason jar, any DYI how-to'z? I also have a concern that, in my haste to make the enclosure, I was drilling holes using a manual driller and I think I got some small plastic sharvings on it, is this bad? How could I remove this without harming or touching it? Will it remove this itself? Again, I would like to keep it as long as possible and provide optimal care for it. It looks a lot like this, though perhaps somewhat darker.

Wolf Spider

I would also like to know the species of the spider in the picture provided, it is almost identical to the one I'm talking about. I also live in VA, if that helps for identification.

Edit: moved it to a tupperware container that is 5 1/2 inches width wise and 3 1/2 to 4 inches height wise. Put a small layer of substrate on the bottom of the container, put both insects in the container and a small ball of cotton soaked in water in there as well and then placed it inside.

 

[Ciphor]

So, I was alone in my room the other night playing some New Vegas when I just so happened to see a large spiders scurring about my floor next to my console and of course I immediately decided to capture it for observation. I have been keeping it in a cleaned out McCormick spice container for around 3 days now which I have placed a droplet of water and a cricket (used for feeding reptiles and so on) and another small insect which I placed in there alive (somewhat). I would like to keep it as long as I possibly can and take good care of it. Any advice? I've been thinking about creating a small enclosure using a mason jar, any DYI how-to'z? I also have a concern that, in my haste to make the enclosure, I was drilling holes using a manual driller and I think I got some small plastic sharvings on it, is this bad? How could I remove this without harming or touching it? Will it remove this itself? Again, I would like to keep it as long as possible and provide optimal care for it. It looks a lot like this, though perhaps somewhat darker.

Wolf Spider

I would also like to know the species of the spider in the picture provided, it is almost identical to the one I'm talking about. I also live in VA, if that helps for identification.

Edit: moved it to a tupperware container that is 5 1/2 inches width wise and 3 1/2 to 4 inches height wise. Put a small layer of substrate on the bottom of the container, put both insects in the container and a small ball of cotton soaked in water in there as well and then placed it inside.

First on ID'ing. If your spider looks like the one in the picture above you wont get an accurate ID to the species level, even genus will be tough. Some wolf spiders are easy to ID to a species, most are incredibly tough as they look amazingly similar. However rest assured knowing the genus is not needed for care.

Now about care...

Did you give the spider food right away? That is bad for true spiders. Tarantulas can handle it usually, but true spiders get very stressed when you move them and toss in food right away. I'd remove the food if the spider is not eating it, and give it a week before offering food again. If it ate the food then no worries, obviously the spider is feeling fine or hungry.

If you are looking to keep her awhile, you must avoid over feeding and over heating. I'd say it's a safe assumption, that this spider is an adult. I would do bi-weekly feedings, weekly water (cap full of water works) and keep the spider cold, or as far from heat sources as you can. Remember this spider is native, and I don't think it is particularly warm in VA. Keeping the spider warm and fat will kick the metabolism into high gear like it's summer time all over again. I guarantee it will die in a few short months. Keep it cold and bi-weekly fed, you could get 6-12 months out of a WC adult usually.

 

[Vlad Tepes]

Did you give the spider food right away? That is bad for true spiders. Tarantulas can handle it usually, but true spiders get very stressed when you move them and toss in food right away. I'd remove the food if the spider is not eating it, and give it a week before offering food again. If it ate the food then no worries, obviously the spider is feeling fine or hungry.

No, I gave the lifeless processed cricket (the crickets you get in little containers for reptiles) on the second day. Then on the second day I put in another (more or less) lifeless (albeit smaller) insect though it's leg would slightly twitch here and there. I would remove them though I am afraid I already stressed it enough currently with moving it between containers.

I will remove them though, they weren't jumping or around anything, just insect matter for it to snack on. He (I believe it's male as it seems to have pronounced pedipalps) has already begun to make a web over top of them (or rather before removing them I noticed web strands over top of them that I was hesitant to disturb), so, would it be alright to just leave them be for now? Again, these weren't live jumping around crickets or insects like you would normally feed a spider, one was literally lifeless and the other might as well have been. I assume him creating some web strands over them would indicate he has excepted them somewhat, correct?

If you are looking to keep her awhile, you must avoid over feeding and over heating. I'd say it's a safe assumption, that this spider is an adult. I would do bi-weekly feedings, weekly water (cap full of water works) and keep the spider cold, or as far from heat sources as you can. Remember this spider is native, and I don't think it is particularly warm in VA. Keeping the spider warm and fat will kick the metabolism into high gear like it's summer time all over again. I guarantee it will die in a few short months. Keep it cold and bi-weekly fed, you could get 6-12 months out of a WC adult usually.

I wasn't worried about lighting or heat. Right now it's fairly cold outside however in my apartment it's probably around 70 and my scorp tank without the heating or lamp on is around 70 so, I thought it seemed sufficient unto itself though I the enclosure I made is near my lamp that lights my room but it's nothing crazy or anything, just a small little lightbulb lamp with a dim, softened bulb. Same thing with the lighting situation, I just have been using the lamp when it's regularly on and off when it's regularly off at times when it would be normal for the spider. I was going to get just let him be content with the two insects right now and then perhaps get it a live small cricket in about a week or week and half or so. Preferably I would like to get 6-12 months out of it so I do thank you very much for your responses and tips.

 

[loxoscelesfear]

go w/ Ciphor's advice. I might add (Ciphor touched on it too) wolf spiders love to drink. food isn't so much of an issue as keeping a bottle cap of water in the enclosure. a pic of your spider would be nice if possible.

 

[Vlad Tepes]

go w/ Ciphor's advice. I might add (Ciphor touched on it too) wolf spiders love to drink. food isn't so much of an issue as keeping a bottle cap of water in the enclosure. a pic of your spider would be nice if possible.

I've been dampening balls of paper towels for moisture and water.

As always thanks for the tips gentz.

Edite: here is some pix.

 

[Ciphor]

I've been dampening balls of paper towels for moisture and water.

As always thanks for the tips gentz.

Your in VA? I don't think your spider needs humidity. Ditch the dampened anything, your inviting bad stuff. I never recommend cotton balls, paper towels or anything like that. If your spider needs humidity (yours does not) mist the cage once or twice a week and keep the substrate moist. For this wolf spider just use a soda bottle cap with water in it, change it once a week. Keep your spiders humidity the same as your homes and he/she will do great.

 

[Ciphor]

After checking what types of Lycosa you have in VA I've narrowed it down a little, but still cannot be certain of the genus. A good picture of the spiders venter (the spiders underside) would help immensely in trying to ID the genus.

Some possibilities

Hogna helluo
Hogna aspersa
Maybe Schizocosa crassipes, which I'm actually leaning hardest on, however the PME's look spaced to close together for this genus, which makes me think Hogna sp.

 

[Vlad Tepes]

Your in VA? I don't think your spider needs humidity. Ditch the dampened anything, your inviting bad stuff. I never recommend cotton balls, paper towels or anything like that. If your spider needs humidity (yours does not) mist the cage once or twice a week and keep the substrate moist. For this wolf spider just use a soda bottle cap with water in it, change it once a week. Keep your spiders humidity the same as your homes and he/she will do great.

This isn't for humidity, it's just to provide water in a containable way but I will try to switch over to the bottle caps; how do you mean inviting bad stuff? What? I wanted to opt for the small ball of dampened paper towels because i felt, given the enclosure I have, it'd raise the humidity if I were to use the bottle cap.

I'll try to get a pic of it's underside as soon as possible, thanks for the leads.

 

[catfishrod69]

Has anyone noticed she looks pretty gravid?

 

[Vlad Tepes]

Has anyone noticed she looks pretty gravid?

Are you serious? I thought 'she' was a 'he.'

 

[Ciphor]

A dish or cap of water releases less humidity then dampening something like cotton or paper towel. You are spreading the surface area of the water allowing for more of it to warm up and be released into the air. This is a trick people use to keep humidity up, and it is "cheating" on humidity. If you are doing this just for drinking, then definitely just go with a cap of water. the bad stuff you are inviting is bacteria, infection & mold spread by the food you place in with your spider that also drinks water off that damped paper towel.

If you are using heat lamps, heat pads, etc for your inverts, I would stop If you are comfortable in your room, your spiders are comfortable. If you got tropical spiders, buy a space heater and bring your room temp up.

---------- Post added 02-06-2012 at 08:24 PM ----------

Has anyone noticed she looks pretty gravid?

If it's sexually mature then it is very likely a gravid female. Without knowing the species tho, there is no telling if it is mature or not, and if it's not mature it could very well be a plump male or female. The photo with the hand in it gives us a good reference for size, just need to know more about the spider.

 

[catfishrod69]

I was going by the picture with the finger for size reference. Judging by that picture, it looks to be roughly 1.5" or more, so it is very possible to be a gravid female. Never know.

A dish or cap of water releases less humidity then dampening something like cotton or paper towel. You are spreading the surface area of the water allowing for more of it to warm up and be released into the air. This is a trick people use to keep humidity up, and it is "cheating" on humidity. If you are doing this just for drinking, then definitely just go with a cap of water. the bad stuff you are inviting is bacteria, infection & mold spread by the food you place in with your spider that also drinks water off that damped paper towel.

If you are using heat lamps, heat pads, etc for your inverts, I would stop If you are comfortable in your room, your spiders are comfortable. If you got tropical spiders, buy a space heater and bring your room temp up.

---------- Post added 02-06-2012 at 08:24 PM ----------



If it's sexually mature then it is very likely a gravid female. Without knowing the species tho, there is no telling if it is mature or not, and if it's not mature it could very well be a plump male or female. The photo with the hand in it gives us a good reference for size, just need to know more about the spider.

 

[Vlad Tepes]

I was going by the picture with the finger for size reference. Judging by that picture, it looks to be roughly 1.5" or more, so it is very possible to be a gravid female. Never know.

That's accurate, I don't want to get rid of it as I am inexperinced however can you or anyone give me the low down on how to care for a gravid female? The signs? What to do with the spiderlings? I don't really want the spiderlings so much, more so just this spider in particular, I almost exclusively deal with males for this reason. Any gravid female 101 stuff would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Crel]

Hogna sp. (most lycosids i believe) carry their slings on their backs. They are pretty good parents as far as spiders go. They are very cool to watch! Hopefully it is a gravid female.

 

[catfishrod69]

About the best thing to do, is keep her fed and watered. The slings will be able to climb plastic and glass. All 300 of them! So make sure there is pantyhose or some type of fine mesh over the vent holes. Where are you located? Because if you dont want the slings, you can wait until they climb off her back and start dispersing, then take her enclosure outside with her in it or not. Then crack the lid open a few inches, and leave her there until they are all gone. Make sure not to place it where the sun can hit it, or rain in, and drown them. Good luck

 

[paassatt]

I agree the spider looks gravid. Expect an egg sac soon.

 

[Vlad Tepes]

I agree the spider looks gravid. Expect an egg sac soon.

So, should I expect an egg sac or her just having them and riding her back for awhile? If it's an egg sac, it seems pretty simple, I can just remove it from the enclosure and place it somewhere else if not then I think I'll have to take Catrodfish's advice and probably have to construct an enclosure within an enclosure set up with a mesh surrounding it all and then get rid of them later. How long would be she gravid? What's the typical period for gestation? I've had her for a couple days before the OP until now. I've been maintaining adequate light cycles, humidity, feeding, temp, etc. all that and I really do not want to get rid of her however this is my first gravid female and I don't really want my tiny apartment to be invaded by 300 little slings, so, the better I know this and how to remove the slings as soon as possible the better. Not to mention, my girlfriend is arachnophobic and hates my scorp and spiders as is, so she would flip her wig if there were hundreds of little spiders roaming the apartment, lol. I'd like to gain experience in arachnid keeping/husbandry is why I decided to keep her even though I found out through here she is gravid.

Also, to answer your question Catrodfish, I live in Norfolk, VA.

 

[loxoscelesfear]

Do not remove egg sac. Do not remove baby spiders. Carry on w/ basic care as before. removing egg sacs stresses wolf spiders out immensely. Do not worry about humidity and light cycles. A hide spot, decent substrate, and room temp are key. the less we bother our spiders the happier they are. good luck

 

[Vlad Tepes]

RIP Elizabeth Bathory.

Found her dead this morning.

 

[Pammie]

So, I was alone in my room the other night playing some New Vegas when I just so happened to see a large spiders scurring about my floor next to my console and of course I immediately decided to capture it for observation. I have been keeping it in a cleaned out McCormick spice container for around 3 days now which I have placed a droplet of water and a cricket (used for feeding reptiles and so on) and another small insect which I placed in there alive (somewhat). I would like to keep it as long as I possibly can and take good care of it. Any advice? I've been thinking about creating a small enclosure using a mason jar, any DYI how-to'z? I also have a concern that, in my haste to make the enclosure, I was drilling holes using a manual driller and I think I got some small plastic sharvings on it, is this bad? How could I remove this without harming or touching it? Will it remove this itself? Again, I would like to keep it as long as possible and provide optimal care for it. It looks a lot like this, though perhaps somewhat darker.

Wolf Spider

I would also like to know the species of the spider in the picture provided, it is almost identical to the one I'm talking about. I also live in VA, if that helps for identification.

Edit: moved it to a tupperware container that is 5 1/2 inches width wise and 3 1/2 to 4 inches height wise. Put a small layer of substrate on the bottom of the container, put both insects in the container and a small ball of cotton soaked in water in there as well and then placed it inside.

I rescued a Wolf Spider from my kitchen before our kittycats found her she's totally digging her 5 gallon aquarium (now her terrarium) I got live moss from our yard nice and soft and great for her to lick spring water droplets off of I use a mister spray bottle and she loves her baby crickets from the neighborhood exotic pet store 8 miles from our house hope this helps, my friend