Wolf Spider care?

Sof

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Apr 29, 2006
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Today I caught some type of wolf spider and I want to keep it for awhile. So I'm wondering how I should setup its home/substrate and does this spider generally eat anything it can get its fangs on?

thanks.
 

Stylopidae

Arachnoking
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Jul 7, 2005
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Same as any terrestrial T. I've found substrate to be not really needed, I don't keep any of my true spiders on substrate and they do just fine.

Lycosids will eat anything they can get their fangs on, I give mine all mealworms.

A beer bottle cap for water will do just fine.

Give it a hide which can be anything from a reciept for redbull rolled like a joint, to a cut paper towel roll depending on size.
 

Icarus

Arachnopeon
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Dec 17, 2005
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hey, i caught a wolf spider about a month back. I used regular dirt from the yard and i also put a piece of tree bark in for a hide an a small plastic cap with water. Ive been feeding mine "tent" caterpillars i found in a tree just hatching out along with some large flies ive swatted down with a fly swatter. Goodluck with your wolf. L8erz
 

Tarangela

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
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I've kept a couple of wolf spiders myself! I like getting the ones w/ the egg sacs and watching them hatch :)

They require just dirt, somewhere to hide, and some water. Just like this thread has said! They are fun to watch, and easy to keep! Wolf spiders, and Jumpers are my favorites!

Good luck!
 

lwbfl

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 2, 2006
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I'm also keeping a wolf spider, and I have some soil from the yard and a few decorations inside. She had several babies when I caught her, but they all escaped through the vents in the container. Now it's been 12 days and she has made a burrow (in a great location that I can see through the side) and is making a large ball of webbing. Could this be another egg sac? She has had no contact with any other wolf spider (fed her a few jumpers) in 12 days. I feed mine moths and grasshoppers that my kids catch out of the yard.
 

Sof

Arachnoknight
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Apr 29, 2006
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Sorry I dont have a pic of it. Its basically all brown, with a tan stripe down the middle and the two front legs are a darker shade of brown, maybe black. I'd say its body length is maybe 3/4" max, but I havent measured. It hasn't eaten yet :? I think I'll add some dirt so maybe it will make a burrow and feel safer? Lastnight it was running from a small pill bug lol.

Theres also a spot I used to go fishing at and I would see wolf spiders alot bigger than the one I have now. I found a molting of one that must have been 1.5" or more body length last summer. Maybe I'll check it out and see if I can find any nice ones.
 

lwbfl

Arachnopeon
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May 2, 2006
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Here is a pic of mine in her "tunnel" with her sack. Sorry about the quality, cheap camera!
 

padkison

Arachnoangel
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We had one that dug a hole and laid a sack. Unfortunately, she ate the sack.
 

Sof

Arachnoknight
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Well the one I was keeping died somehow :? . Yesterday I found this beauty. Never found one like this before, usually the darker brown ones. It even molted lastnight so its fresh :D



But it somehow escaped acouple hours ago, what a let down. Enjoy the pic.
 

lwbfl

Arachnopeon
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May 2, 2006
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My wolfy is now just hanging out in her water cap, egg sack and all! Whats up with that? Anyway I have a few pics to post of her new enclosure and a few of her. The quality is not that great, but I'm having a hard time getting close shots with my cheap equipment :D





 

Sof

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
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204
How is yours feeding? Mine doesn't eat anything I try to give it. I caught a bunch of pill bugs and threw them in hoping it would munch on one of them, but no luck. What should I feed it?
 

lwbfl

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 2, 2006
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Mine LOVES small moths and readily takes grasshoppers (pinhead crickets), small spiders, and anything that moves in her cage. She didn't really get aggressive the first day, but now she's a pig!
 

Sof

Arachnoknight
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I see. I was thinking about catching some moths for it the other night. After I posted that I was BBQ'ing and I found a group of small hairless cateripillers, as soon as I dropped it in, it attacked it. But I'll try moths soon.
 

lwbfl

Arachnopeon
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May 2, 2006
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Yeah, mine will aggressively run down a moth, but usually waits for the other insects to come near her before striking. Maybe they just taste better?
 

Icarus

Arachnopeon
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Dec 17, 2005
Messages
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speaking of wolf spiders, i just recently aquired another...sounds like the same kind as Sof just plain brown with a stripe and such. The other i have has to be of a different kind because its marking are intense. lwbfl i do like your setups especially with the skull.
 

Sof

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Apr 29, 2006
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Nice, checked out your pics. Nice T. Your wolf spider reminds me of a fishing spider because of the white dots, nice find bro.
 
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