"Pet" Spider (WARNING PHOTOS)

[golsama]

I caught a spider on April 24, 2011. I was able to identify it as a Wolf Spider. From what I can tell my spider is specifically a Lycosidae Pardosa Pullata, commonly known as the "Common Wolf Spider". My spider now resides in a plastic terrarium. The substrate is Eco-Earth. There are fake plants, a cholla log, a clay pot, and dish for water crystals. I feed the spider roach nymphs and mealworms.

One week after the capture of this spider, I discovered that it had a white sac. Turns out it is an egg sac. Therefore, my spider is a female. She carries her egg sac around with her attached to her rear spinnerets. Only Wolf Spiders carry their egg sac. In 2-3 weeks the spiderlings will emerge and crawl onto her back; where, she will continue to carry them until they are large enough to venture out into the world on their own. At the time, I will have one or two additional plastic terrariums set up as they must then be separated. The spiders I don't keep will be released outside.

Here are some pictures of my girl.

And this is her egg sac.

 

[mscichlid]

Aren't those spiders dangerous?

 

[golsama]

Not really. While their bites are venomous (as are all spider bites) they are a very docile spider. It takes a large amount of pestering to get them to become defensive or aggressive. They are a little more aggressive when tending an egg sac. But they are just being moms. From my research their bites are generally no more painful or damaging than a bee sting, so long as you aren't allergic or have a severely compromised immune system. They are also a beneficial species as they predate other insects including more troublesome spiders. I also found forums full of people who keep these amazing spiders. Many of them were children. In fact one of the care videos I watched on youtube was made by a 10 year old.

 

[Tony]

That's really cool. I used to love collecting and keeping insects when I was younger.

How big is she? Leg span?

Still have trouble accepting the fact that you keep roaches for your dragon. The spider doesn't bother me, those suckers.... gnarly.

 

[SubMariner]

She looks Cool and Dangerous! Yeah, how big is she? I mean she looks huge...

 

[golsama]

Including her leg span, she is 2". Her body is only 1/2". Even though she is docile and relatively harmless, I use tongs to feed her or do anything in her enclosure. I never handle her either.

Tony, it took me a while to get used to keeping the roaches. It still seems weird that I feed and water the roaches. By the way my crayfish love roaches.

 

[illpoet]

those spiders are cool! very active! just be careful as a wolf spider bite is no joke. I saw a girl almost lose her arm to an untreated wolf spider bite. It got in her sleeping bag. Even tho she went to the hospital within 24 hours of the bite it still took huge chunks of her arm. I figure its just like anything else tho treat her with the respect she deserves and you should be fine!

 

[golsama]

just be careful as a wolf spider bite is no joke. I saw a girl almost lose her arm to an untreated wolf spider bite.

Most people don't react that severely to wolf spider bites, unless they are allergic or already have a severely compromised immune system. I definitely respect the dangerous potential that Charlotte has (my friend named her ). I definitely don't intend to find out if I'm allergic to spider bites, lol.

treat her with the respect she deserves

I agree 100% with you. Whether keeping a wolf spider, tarantula, snake, scorpion, what have you, you need to respect that it is more or less a wild animal and that it has certain capabilities (venom, fangs, etc).

Its actually a little ironic that I am keeping this spider and intend to keep a couple of her young, since I used to have severe arachnophobia. If someone said there was a spider (even if there wasn't) I would go into a full blown panic attack. I got over it when a real spider was dropped onto my head :confused0068: and I didn't die. Talk about exposure therapy.

 

[mscichlid]

Good for you! I'm allergic to bees, so I'll assume I'm allergic to spiders.

It is amazing that you like and keep the unusual.

 

[illpoet]

Most people don't react that severely to wolf spider bites, unless they are allergic or already have a severely compromised immune system.

Yeah last night at work i as thinking about this thread and realized i was mistaken, the case i mentioned was a brown recluse bite, not a wolf spider bite.

 

[minifoot77]

Yeah last night at work i as thinking about this thread and realized i was mistaken, the case i mentioned was a brown recluse bite, not a wolf spider bite.

those are nasty a marine in so cal (when i was there) got bit in the leg and my uncle got bit when i was a kid... they use what looks like a Mellon baller to remove the flesh that's rotting....

 

[George]

I never heard of anyone having a problem with Wolf Spider bites. Brown Recluse is a very bad bite but not Wolfs. As you noted, they eat roaches and are treated with great respect by folks who know what they are doing who live in Florida. Nice pet. Hard to take for a walk though.

George

 

[DougGosnell]

If the young-ins will eat these stink bugs, they all can move in tomorrow

 

[msjinkzd]

you keep dubia roaches?

 

[golsama]

I'm not sure if they eat stink bugs. My dog does, lol.

No, I keep lobster roaches or scientifically speaking, Nauphoeta cinerea.

 

[George]

Not that they are not also the nicest, but we do have the strangest women in our club. Inverts and bugs sort of make my skin crawl but I like these ladies.

I plan to move to Florida soon. Want me to send you some roaches?

Georeg

 

[golsama]

New Photo Update

After toting around her egg sac for 3.5 weeks the spiderlings have emerged! "Charlotte" now carries all of her babies on her back. She will do so for about a month or so until they are large enough to leave. I plan to keep a couple of the young spiders at the point. The rest will be released outside in the woods.

Without further ado, her she is with her young.

 

[WendyFish]

Neat photo!