is keeping orb-weavers such a big deal?

JohnDapiaoen · Jul 13, 2012

I've been looking around this site as well as others about housing orb-weavers and everything I've read would usually say they "require" large space. I caught an orb weaver last week
(Neoscona oaxacensis) and kept her in a 32oz deli cup, everything seems fine so far, she makes her webs everyday and eats just fine. can't imagine an unhappy spider feeding and making webs.

Here's a photo of her sitting on her web.

off topic: also heres another specimen I want to share, she has more vivid markings than the usual grey color I find.

John Apple · Jul 13, 2012

Its not really a big deal...neoscona tend to make weaker [tend to be river and swamp spiders] webs than some others like argiope sp and nephila....they can survive anywhere you put them as long as they have ample space to make a web at least 5 times the leg diameter..[just a personal observation]...I have seen A. trifolium webs from adult females at barely 4 inches at times....so after rambling they are not too bad to work with

JohnDapiaoen · Jul 13, 2012

I've seen really neat looking orb spiders but up until now I just observed them in the wild. I was just under the impression that in order to keep orb-weavers I would need to house them in huge tanks or need frames, missed out on keeping a Argiope trifasciata when I encountered one. I'll start keeping them starting now.

madamoisele · Jul 13, 2012

Keep them in those mesh thingies like what people sometimes put chameleons in. Like in this video:

http://youtu.be/q8jZ_-8ER6o

Aviara · Jul 13, 2012

I've often wanted to keep orb weavers, but always hesitated after having read that they require a minimum 6' or so enclosure to make their webs. I'd be interested to know how your captive does in the long run - keep us posted! Hopefully it's good news, I would love to keep these beautiful spiders but I don't have room for what some people have stated they require!

JohnDapiaoen · Jul 14, 2012

Aviara said:
I've often wanted to keep orb weavers, but always hesitated after having read that they require a minimum 6' or so enclosure to make their webs. I'd be interested to know how your captive does in the long run - keep us posted! Hopefully it's good news, I would love to keep these beautiful spiders but I don't have room for what some people have stated they require!

Exactly! I've always wanted to keep them but never wanted to risk it dying on me due to that space issue. right now she took her web down and is resting at the top of her deli-cup. She makes one every morning and takes it down in the afternoon like their daily schedule in the wild. I've wondered why all other species of true spiders could be kept so easily but orb-weavers are the only exception.

8ball · Jul 14, 2012

Gotta love Orb weavers, I've never kept one other than when I was a kid and didn't know much about keeping anything besides they ate bugs. But in the summer I get to see some nice webs

The Snark · Jul 14, 2012

Can't comment on synthetic environments but I've got 4 mini orb weavers living in the environs of the windshield and dash of my jeep. (Down from the several hundred mommy produced and covered the jeep in.) When they get in the way we carefully wad up the excess web near where we suspect they hide out so they can eat it. They seem quite content with the arrangement as the jeep is parked almost directly under the carport light, prividing a lot of food each night.

JohnDapiaoen · Jul 15, 2012

I just fed her, she wrapped the cricket up in 2 second flat, must have been hungry.

The Snark · Jul 15, 2012

You know, with the smaller orb weavers, space isn't that much of an issue. They are quite creative and adaptable.

stussyroyce187 · Jul 15, 2012

What a beauty. We use to fight those to where I came from. That species are among the best fighter spiders around. you can house them on a cage made out of net, about 3ft high and 2 ft wide (or more), so it could freely spin web and air passes freely, and put some plants too.
THe cage looks kina like this:

JohnDapiaoen · Jul 15, 2012

The Snark said:
You know, with the smaller orb weavers, space isn't that much of an issue. They are quite creative and adaptable.

Yeah I was thinking I could keep a Gasteracantha sp. like this with no problem (only saw them for sale once a few years back). I know if I were to try and keep a large orb weaver like a Nephila sp.then I would seriously need to think about investing an a large tank.

Ciphor · Jul 16, 2012

You can keep any spider in pretty much anything, they are hardy and will adapt the best they can. I would only consider some level of cruelty, in keeping a spider that is meant to live in a foot diameter space, in a few inch diameter space. Some spiders do not mind cramped spots and will be at home. I do not think orb weavers are one of those spiders that are cozy in a small space. Just my 2 cents.

Kayota · Jul 17, 2012

Could you get an Argiope and a trellis and let the Argiope make her web on the trellis indoors? It would be a great conversation piece...

Eclectix · Jul 17, 2012

You could, but there's no guarantee that they will stay there unless they are meshed in. Years ago I had a Catfaced spider (Araneus gemmoides) that I kept in my bedroom as a teenager. It built its orb web right above my bed every morning and retired to the corner every night. It stayed there for 2 months, then one day it disappeared; I guess it moved on to better haunts.

Incidentally, I ran across these orb weavers in a Florida swamp. They had webs that were about 10 feet in diameter. I'm not sure of the species or genus, but they were magnificently colored. Would love it if anyone could ID them for me:

Thistles · Jul 17, 2012

Looks like a Nephila clavipes, Eclectix.

Eclectix · Jul 17, 2012

Looks just like it, thanks Thistles! These were beautiful spiders with enormous orb webs stretched between cypress trees.

Thistles · Jul 18, 2012

I'm no expert, but I think they're the only Nephila in North America. They have golden silk! It's so neat!

RobynTRR · Aug 15, 2012

Really a neat species.

is keeping orb-weavers such a big deal?

JohnDapiaoen

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