Do Spiders see in colour ??

[Clinton Hogben]

Hi All
Just a quick one. I am sorting out some lighting for my Viv purely so I can see spidy as she is in my office at the back of the house with no direct sunlight (north facing) and it can get a bit dark at times

I dont want to go for standard light bulbs because they get to hot, even on a dimmer and will dry out the humidity to much. And I get enough heat from the heatmat

So I was thinking of a couple of bright LED's running from a low voltage PSU as they produce very little heat but i wondered if spiders are more sensitive to different colours / light frequency's
I could run them with a variable timer to give a longer artificial day in the summer and a shorter day in the winter and to turn off at night

I'm sure i read somewhere any light source used in a viv should be red to avoid annoying spidy but I could be mistaken ?

Or can I get a daylight balanced bulb that does not emit much heat thus avoiding any chance of dessication

Another thought do spiders need a certain amount of true daylight to help them absorb some vitamins like mammals do? or does having an exo-skelaton stop this anyway?

Cheers


Clint

[Tracy Sherwood-Farnfield]

I am not sure about the different colours Q, but my spidey too is in a dark corner of a darkish room and I solved the problem using my daylight craft lamp.

I am an avid crafter, making cards, scrapbooking, sewing, crochet - you name it I have probably tried it, and as a result I am very concious of 'bad light'. My Dad bought me a craft lamp a year or two ago which is designed to allow true colour assesment for my various crafts. Anyway that aside, I thought I would give it a go with Ruby.

It is from the daylight company http://uk.daylightcompany.com/ and is a low wattage, low heat lamp which folds away when not in use. I stood this infront of the viv (now I appreciate that Ruby is in a small viv at present and that my set-up would need to be adjusted for other larger environments) and just opened it up (which switches it on), illumination! You could see the inside really clearly and she didn't seem to mind a jot. It means that I can use it now for a quick 'tank cleanliness' inspection or leave it on for a bit for observation while I am in the room, then I can close it away when not in use (and of course move it easily for when I need to craft!). the bulb is very cool and obviously not being inside the tank there is no risk of crispy-spidey! Have a look at their range - it may give you some ideas at least.

[Mark Pajak]

Not sure about colour vision,

but I thought I'd add that my L.parahybana is in a fully lit viv with fish tank style double flourescent light tubes providing full day length and also heat. I have provided lots of shelter in the form of a huge cave and vegitation but her favourote spot is in full light/ heat, right at the point where the substrate is on the verge of drying out. (the rest of the tank is dripping with humidity and is sprayed regularly).

All the signs point to a very happy spider, but then again L.para. are built like tanks and possibly not as susseptable as other species to adverse conditions.

Still she has voted with her 8 feet, and opted for full light and heat.

[Kate Arbon]

I heard that spiders can't see the red end of the spectrum. No idea how true it is, but back home I keep all my T's in a walk-in cupboard and I put a red light bulb in there. I used to have a P. murinus who only ever came out in the dark, I used to keep him in my wardrobe and whenever I opened the door I'd just see a flash of orange as he ran and hid. But when I was back home and kept them all in that cupboard with the red light I would turn the light on and he would stay out. It wasn't a very bright light which no doubt helped, but I guess it does support the idea that they can't see red very well.

[Rich.Harrington]

I asked somethign similar a while back and was told that T's can see all spectrums except for the red one. Though they dont see in detail as such, it is more just shadows.

But then again it can vary from T to T, my Cyriopagopus sp is in a tank in my living room so exposed to full daylight along with an internal low watt striplight, yet happily wanders around with no issues. The same would go for both of the Rosea's, and the Phormictopus atrichromatus. However both the Acanthoscurria Chacoana and Nhandu coloratovilosum will remain in daylight only as long as no movement is detected, then they will dash for saftey.

So if you want to be able to view your T at anytime then obviously the way to go is with a red bulb so the spider can't see it. Otherwise play the game of paitence or like some folk get hold of an infrared webcam and mount it inside the viv.

[Chris Hamilton]

No, most spiders cannot see color. The only known true spiders that see color are the Salticidae (jumping spiders) and Lycosdiae (wolf spiders) (and possibly other "wandering" spiders). They have such specialized vision and eyes, they use them mostly for sexual selection (hence wild colors and patterns and specialized hair tufts on legs of males).
In fact, jumping spiders have some of the best vision in all of the animal kingdom. They can see color and they can also move their lenses to "zoom" in and out on potential prey/predators.
Tarantulas do not see color...their eyes are very poor actually. They see light/dark and motion.
Though saying that...it's never been looked at in tarantulas as to why some of them have such spectacular colors and patterns...more than likely it has to do with it being a signal to potential predators (coming from above) since T's can't look in front of themselves very well.

Chris

[Eric Reynolds]

The ocelli of theraphosids are not capable of discriminating between wavelengths of light. They do not see in color.

Eric

[Clinton Hogben]

Hi Guys n Gals
Many thanks for all your thoughts on this
I will probably aim for lighting from the red end of the spectrum. I did wonder if spiders see in black and white.
All your replies have given me something solid to work with now

All the best

Clint

now where did i put my wire cutters and screwdriver ???

[Rebecca Norris]

but I thought I'd add that my L.parahybana is in a fully lit viv with fish tank style double flourescent light tubes providing full day length and also heat. I have provided lots of shelter in the form of a huge cave and vegitation but her favourote spot is in full light/ heat, right at the point where the substrate is on the verge of drying out. (the rest of the tank is dripping with humidity and is sprayed regularly).

parahybana like to be kept dry .... so it doesn't surprise me she's hanging out in the only dry bit!

[Mark Pajak]

Sorry to bring an old topic back from the grave but does anyone know of any scientific studies on this?

[Ray Hale]

Im currently doing some research on moulting patterns in L.parahybana. I have benn looking at them for about two years and recording the times and dates of moults. Any info on this species you may have would be appreciatted and of course credited fully when I publish.

Im looking for dates, times (of day or night) and period spent moulting.

Ray Hale
BTS
Committee

[Colin D Wilson]

Pm'd, Ray

Colin

[Eric Reynolds]

Hi Mark,

Sorry to bring an old topic back from the grave but does anyone know of any scientific studies on this?

CLICK HERE

Eric

[Mark Pajak]

Hi Mark,



CLICK HERE

Eric

Thanks mate!

[Clinton Hogben]

Im currently doing some research on moulting patterns in L.parahybana. I have benn looking at them for about two years and recording the times and dates of moults. Any info on this species you may have would be appreciatted and of course credited fully when I publish.

Im looking for dates, times (of day or night) and period spent moulting.

Ray Hale
BTS
Committee

Hi Ray
It may be worth starting a new thread for this as it may get overlooked at the tail end of this one.

I have had my L para since August so only a couple of moults so far but here goes
purchased 26/08/07 female at about 4.5 inch and about 1 year old if the shop had the age correct
16/9 went off food
7/10 bald spot darkens
18/10 laid moult web
24/10 shed skin started early morning finished by mid afternoon
after moult body length 3 inch legspan about 6 inches
30/10 starts eating again with a vengance
next cycle
7/12 goes off food
14/12 bald spot darkens
1/1/08 lays moulting web
3/1/08 sheds skin starts early evening finished by morning
after moult body length 3.5 inches legspan about 7-7.5 inches
20/01/08 back to eating again 3x 1inch steak cubes plus 1x box of crickets in 5 days
20/2/08 eating has slowed down a bit but still very active

I will update you as the next moult comes along

All the best

Clint