Nephila sp.

[Pulk]

I'm slightly considering seeing if I can get a Nephila sp. (clavipes or pilipes) golden orb weaver.
How hard/how possible do you think it would be to breed them, and if it's not too hard, what would it entail?

Also, what would you guess the lifespan is?

[Gigas]

In Africa the Nephila we had only lived for one year

[Ganoderma]

pilipes will get to 7-8" leg span, that is not done in one year. but i can't say how long they will live exactly. i have watched what appears to be the same one for 1.5 years since i have been here. same marking so i guess it is. has lived on the same branches since i found it, large 3 meter web to boot.

[Pulk]

Oh! I didn't realize they lived so long. In that case, it'd be much less important to find a male/be able to breed them. (Thanks again, Gano)

But I'd still appreciate it if anyone knows anything about breeding orb weaver-type spiders...

Also, how large would you say an acceptable minimum for web diameter is?

[Ganoderma]

i think getting them to make a web is probably half the battle, not the size. i have seen 5" spiders with 1 meter webs to 4 meter webs. also seen 2" spiders with 2 meter webs.

i have no idea about breeding...i don't think many people know much about that....although claviceps maybe as they are being studied quite a bit.

here are the 2 colours i find here. both of these are 5-6"

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f270/ganoderma/npilipes3-1.jpg
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f270/ganoderma/Npilipes1.jpg
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f270/ganoderma/Npilipes2.jpg

[beetleman]

wow! very impressive:clap: and big!

[Pulk]

I'm 99% sure the last two are pilipes, and I'm guessing the first is too, but I'm not so sure. (Nice photos either way tho.)

Anyway, this is probably just useless speculation, but is there any reason one of these wouldn't build its web on a simple portable thing I make from wood? (A few dowels or panels on a base, acting like two trees or something.)
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^^like this^^

also, YouTube - people handling N. pilipes - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yurHm8D3_6g