Zosis geniculatus colony for feeding Portia, Lampona, etc?

[Nephila Edulis]

So I really want a Portia fimbriata and there's heaps of Lampona sp crawling around my house. I think they'd make awesome pets, problem is they only eat spiders. Through some research, I've found that the grey house orb weaver Zosis geniculatus is a small, communal orb-weaver that is not very aggressive and breeds quickly. Would these make suitable feeders? Could I use them to feed other inverts like tiny whip spiders and huntsmans?

 

[bunniebie]

zosis geniculatus looks to be the ideal feeder species for fringed jumpers according to this supplier here in aus so i'd say you're set. i can see whip spiders maybe going for them, though they might be a bit small for larger huntsman? might take some experimentation, honestly.

 

[Towerchick]

@Nephila- did you ever end up getting a portia frimbiata? If so, have you ever observed it's hunting techniques in action?!

 

[BenLeeKing]

@Nephila- did you ever end up getting a portia frimbiata? If so, have you ever observed it's hunting techniques in action?!

I've been told when Portia hunt other jumping spiders they have a weird way in gong about it:
As they approach, they will suddenly stay still for a long period of time if they are spotted by its prey until the prey jumping spider looks away. Approaching inch by inch slowly that way.
You can probably find many other studies studying them hunting other prey too. I don't remember the specific paper, but there is one that talks about how a population hunts spitting spiders.

 

[Towerchick]

I've been told when Portia hunt other jumping spiders they have a weird way in gong about it:
As they approach, they will suddenly stay still for a long period of time if they are spotted by its prey until the prey jumping spider looks away. Approaching inch by inch slowly that way.
You can probably find many other studies studying them hunting other prey too. I don't remember the specific paper, but there is one that talks about how a population hunts spitting spiders.

The fringed jumping spider is a stealthy predator that adapts it's hunting techniques. It may wait on the edge of a web and make the vibrations of a "victim" for days on end... And if that doesn't work, they might climb to a branch above their prey and lower themselves down to snatch up their meal. They are highly intelligent and adaptive little spiders! It would be really cool to see this live in action.

 

[Veles]

Lampona spiders are not picky and will hunt pretty much any other spider, you could just as easily try breeding agelanidae species too, there is no big difference as far as feeders go.