Spider

[abcat1993]

I want a spider as a pet, but I don't want a big one and I don't really want to touch it much, so I think I will just take one that I find around my house and put it in a container with some small holes in the top and some sticks or something for it to spin it's web on.
My question is what I should feed it once (if) it makes a web. Can I feed it moths, flies, freeze dried food, larger/smaller spiders? It would be between 2 and 10 mm (closer to two, including legs).
Please tell me if this sounds stupid and it's just going to die. Also, do they need water? I figure I may as well take it before my parents kill it anyways.

[Stefan-A]

I kept one like that up until a week ago and I've kept them several times in the past. :) It works just fine if you feed it anything living, but I'd avoid insects that could hurt them. Smaller is better, too. I fed mine whatever I could find here in my room, which is small ants and silverfish. I assume that's what it was catching here anyway. Yeah,this place is a dump, but I'll be moving out tomorrow, so what do I care. ;)

[ssssnakeluvr]

small spiders should do fine in containers like that. You would want to feed live insects (dead bugs dry out, leaving nothing edible. the insects need to be alive and have a working circulatory system for the spider venom to circulate and do it's job and liquefy the internal organs for drinking). Make sure the inxects you feed are harmless also, like flies and moths. ants can bite and injure the spider. a lot depends on the type of spider also...some spin tangled webs, sheet webs, and orb (circular) webs. jumping spiders don't spin webs, just jump on their prey. they can be interesting pets....I have raised many in my bedroom window when I was a kid..along with feeding and watching many around the house...and anywhere I could find!!! :D

[abcat1993]

Good advice, thanks.
One problem though, how do you get them to not start their web on the top of the lid? a bigger container?

[ssssnakeluvr]

that's gonna be a hard one...most of the smaller ones can climb glass..... funnel web builders don't climb as much, but the tangled web builders will...kinda hard to stop them.

[Stefan-A]

The ones I've caught couldn't even climb scratched plastic and the species did build tangled webs. On the other hand, I remember them being able to climb glass, which is sort of interesting.

A bigger container might work, or one turned on its side. Depends on where the spider prefers to build its web.

[Gyre]

I always kept garden spiders.. I don't have a particular name really; whatever I found under the log or in the compost. lol They do well in a terrarium, and they make their webs in the dirt so the lid wouldn't be a problem.
I just looked up what I usually find. I guess it's called a woodlouse spider - Dysera crocata.

[adamanteus]

Dysdera crocata doesn't build a web, Hannah. It's a nocturnal hunter.

[Lee]

I've kept many spiders from my area successfully over the spring/summer/fall. Winter they die in the garage -_-;;. Most interesting, was a gyolycosa I found a foot down in the ground. Found 2, the first I accidentally cut its lefts off while digging, and the other was fine. Got babies and juvis of that sp. to, great spiders, but super aggressive. Sun spiders are interesting, caught one and it ended up laying eggs and later dieing, turns out they are hard to breed in captivity and its not common to have eggs laid in captivity. ! Key for spiders I've found, keep it somewhat damp, and keep them out of direct sunlight. Really easy to do.

[ssssnakeluvr]

I currently have 3 tarantulas and 1 black widow. the widow is in one of those plastic containers with the plastic lids...she filled it with her web. I got her as a juvenile....otherwise would be dealing with egg sac after egg sac....don't wanna deal with babies widows all over mycritter room!!!! :eek: