Rain Spider Scarborough Cape Town.

[Cecelle]

Hi I have had "Henreitte " in my bathroom for some time. She is rather large and spent a night making her egg sac / ball in the corner. This was on night of 11th Sept 2012. Today is 1st October and as yet no pitter patter of small feet ! Last night the egg sac dropped to about 200mm from the ceiling - I was in a panic, but she walked around and I could see she was busy doing some civil engineering. I think there might be web all along the side of the pelmet. I switched off
the light as I had a feeling she would 'pull it in' or lift it somehow. This morning there she was with the egg sac back under her, but not very secure as she is
now no longer in the corner. Added to which this is right below my shower and Im afraid the steam from the shower might make her and the sac drop down.
Yesterday I caught a large fly and tried to put it on the wall below her - she was very aggressive and turned right around with her back against the sac ready to attack. I just left the fly - which was missing, not sure if it got away or she ate it. Seems like food not needed while on the sac?
From the forum I see they have about 200 babies - lord ! What to do ?!
In two days time this will be 3 weeks since she made the egg sac and guarded it day and night. Never moves from it.

Any ideas ? thanks, Cecelle
Wanted to add my pictures, but not sure how. The Img. is new to me - no "browse" came up so not sure. thanks.

[ColinWa]

That's quite a predicament. Humidity is pretty good for the egg sac, although too much could be a problem. If the steam was a problem she would not have laid her sac there. Not sure what you can do about the babies though, I don't much about rain spiders but generally with Tarantulas when the females are disburbed or stressed they eat the egg sac's sometimes, not sure if this would be applicable to rain spiders. I'm not sure if removing her and the sac would be a good idea or not. You can try leave it there and hopefully most of the babies will wonder off when they start eating and all that.

Keep us posted!
Good Luck!
PS: it's really cool that you have not killed it =)
Cheers,
Colin

[Cecelle]

Never kill spiders !! I handle them - normally without any panic. Will have to use my other shower, mostly bath, so thats not a problem.
I dont have my windows open much, perhaps at night sometimes, not sure what she eats as there really is not much around. Occasionally I put the light on in
the bathroom at night - 4 windows !! So that some moths and other goggas will come in to the light for food for her. But as its been cold and winter rain etc there is not much about. Have to keep windows closed in day or the baboons come in ! Would not think of moving her while she is on her egg sac.
But might catch and move as many little ones once it hatches, perhaps to my green house or outside somewhere. She does not go out when window is open !

[ColinWa]

I don't think she'll eat whilst the egg sac is there. You'd be surprised how long spiders can go without food! I think your green house or a large tree or bush would be perfect for the young ones! =)

Keep us updated i'm very insterested to hear when they hatch!

Cheers,
Colin!

[Cecelle]

Now Wednesday 3rd, so its 3 weeks today. With a light from behind last night I saw lots of little ones inside moving around. She had moved the egg sac from
the last place to another place on the ceiling about a meter away. It dropped down a few cm again yesterday, but she got it back up smartly again.
Expecting the pitter patter of little feet (about 3140 of them ) possibly.
Will keep you posted.
Cecelle.

[ColinWa]

The babies won't be that much, can look at having about 200-300 little ones come from the egg sac. They should hatch soon if it's already on the third week. Does she have any leaves in her egg sac? I've been reading up about them quite a bit now and they seem to build a nursery out of leaves. Most people actaully leave them in their house to breed and live as they remove all unwatned bugs, they even eat lizzards and geckos when they're larger.

Thanks for the update!

[Bushviper]

That is great. I would remove batches of babies and release 5 or 6 per time in various places to "spread the love" around.

[Cecelle]

Hi all,
Colin Wa the reason I said 3140 was 200 x 8 ( feet ) = 3140 ish.

Moving 4 or 5 around would take a while if there are 200 or 300 !! Sure they will move around by themselves, will try once they start hatching - no leaves as its in the bathroom on the ceiling ! Her choice.

She's moved the sac again last night, another meter away. The sac is hanging abour 2 cm off the ceiling and she is hanging onto the sac, no feet touching the ceiling. Always marvel at the strength of their silk. Especially as she is not small.

Will let you know what happens in the next few days.
Cecelle

[ColinWa]

Ah, hehe yeah that makes sense. sorry about that.

[Loretta]

Hi!
Sounds like it could be fun! Just wanted to add, that as far as I know, for a period after hatching, spiders go through an "eggs-with-legs" stage, where they still hang around in the nest and cannot survive on their own yet. So perhaps don't move them as soon as they hatch yet. I may be totally mistaken of course. Hopefully one of the gogga-guru's can help out here...

[ColinWa]

As far as I know, "eggs with legs" are only in the sac itself, unless the sac is cut open prematurely, then they're s'pose to be incubated untill the next molt. So i'm sure mommy will leave the sac untill the little ones are fully developed.

[Cecelle]

Well now 8th Oct and Henriette is still hanging onto her sac ! She does wonder around a bit at night, so guess looking for food, Ive tried leaving the window open and light on some nights for insects to come in but as its still really cold here in Cape Town, not much flying about at night.
So the wait continues ... No wonder the males push off this is a very long wait and if he was pacing up and down a waiting room he would wear out the floor !

[Boskobra]

Post pictures... :):)

[Cecelle]

Well some bad news - night before last she left her egg sac, presumably to look for food, she walked around the ceiling and walls of my bedroom as she often did, then stayed on the one wall. I thought something was wrong when she did not return to her egg sac. Last night I took her down from the wall and placed her
on the window sill, she was hardly moving. Put a live moth next to her, no reaction. By this morning she was dead. The egg sac is still hanging in the bathroom, so guess they might or might not hatch. Im not sure if she opens it to let them out or they cut their way out.
No idea why she died, seem to feel it was because she never ate and got too weak. No poisons etc around as I dont use them.
Sorry I never posted pics, I could not work out how to do it I did try once but could not figure it out. Regards. Cecelle.

[Bushviper]

That is sad. Possibly the eggs will still hatch and then you can let the babies go outside.