Lazy Chilobrachys

[Bjorn Hultmark]

I keep a 1cm Chilobrachys fimbriatus spiderling in a 10cm high, 7cm wide glass jar which is 3/4 full with substrate and has vent holes in the lid. I've had it for about 3 weeks and I've only seen it once. It spends all of its time in a burrow which I made for it by poking a pen into the substrate. I know this is normal for this species, but I am dissapointed because from what I've heard they can make intricate networks of tunnels and are supposed to be heavy webbers. So far the spiderling has neither expanded on the burrow which I started, nor made much webbing other than a bit of very thin webbing just around the burrow entrance. Poor effort! Any suggestions? Cheers

[R Thomas]

Hi Bjorn,

I tend to find that as the slings getter a bit bigger they tend to web a bit more. I must say that my fimbo webs a lot less than my C. andersoni or C. sp. 'Aladdin' slings do.

I would just let it get on with it and I think as it gets more confident in its surroundings it will start to web and then you will never see it again lol

Richard

[Colin D Wilson]

Just leave it to it, thats the only advice available really.
Three weeks isn't that long really, have had spiders take longer (and shorter obviously) to get settled.

[James Box]

yeah, be a bit more patient and it will reward you with lots of silk!

[Rico Golledge]

I would say it's just getting used to it's surroundings. When I put my king baboon into its new enclosure, it took a moult and about a month to finally start digging, now i only glimpse orange legs :P

[Luke Anthony]

Is it eating well ?

[Bjorn Hultmark]

Is it eating well ?

I have not yet seen either of my slings eat and its been about 6 weeks. I think the frimbriatus may have eaten a couple of crickets that werent there the next day.

[R Thomas]

I have not yet seen either of my slings eat and its been about 6 weeks.

If you are not certain whether your slings are eating then it may be worthwhile placing a piece of cut up cricket in the container instead and save the slings the trouble of trying to capture their food.