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Photo#171880
White-banded Fishing Spider - Dolomedes albineus - female

White-banded Fishing Spider - Dolomedes albineus - Female
Rome, Floyd County, Georgia, USA
A shot showing how large the spider is in comparison to my hand. As a side note, this individual was not skittish at all, as I had been raising it in captivity since birth. As a result, it behaved in a more "tame" manner. However, I still DO NOT recommend handling fishing spiders (or any spiders for that matter), as they are still wild animals and are thus prone to do the unexpected at any time.

Images of this individual: tag all
White-banded Fishing Spider - Dolomedes albineus - female White-banded Fishing Spider - Dolomedes albineus - female White-banded Fishing Spider - Dolomedes albineus - female White-banded Fishing Spider - Dolomedes albineus - female White-banded Fishing Spider - Dolomedes albineus - female White-banded Fishing Spider - Dolomedes albineus - female

thanks
thanks for all the information it's very helpful
however I do have another question: What do you use primarily for thier diet, would a screen provide too much ventilation and what is the diameter of the jar?
thanks again for all the help

 
RE: thanks
I primarily feed my Dolomedes albineus flies. But to add a little more variety to their diet, I also feed them roaches, crickets, moths, and crane flies from time to time. Just make sure that whatever you feed them isn't too big for them to handle. In my experience, I've found that flies and moths are the easiest insects for them to catch. Roaches, on the other hand, seem to be quite skilled at escaping the spiders. Ultimately, variety is the best way to go in order to keep them healthy.

As for ventilation, I've never used a screen of any sort. It seems to me that the container would dry out too quickly, which could result in the spider dying if it tried to molt (if it's not yet an adult). When I choose a jar to raise fishing spiders, I make sure the jar opening/lid is just as big around in diameter (or as close as possible) as the jar itself. I recommend a large glass pickle jar. Plastic jars of the same size work just as well, too. Another word of advice: when making holes in a jar lid, make sure there are lots of them (I usually have around 13 holes in most lids) and that they are evenly spaced apart.

A few more tips:
-Try to water the container about 2-3 times a week. I do this by lightly misting the container with a squirt bottle. Don't overdo it, though!
-Ensure the temperature remains relatively warm. About 68-75 degrees Fahrenheit is best.
-Make sure the container has plenty of vertical room for the spider to move around.

Hope this helps! If you find any different methods that work, please let me know! I'm always open to new ideas and advice. And as always, feel free to ask if you have any questions!

Do you have any pics of the t
Do you have any pics of the teranium?
I've tried before without any luck.

 
RE: Do you have any pics of the teranium?
Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of its container... But it was raised in a large glass jar with a metal lid that had numerous holes punctured in for ventalation. In the center of the jar was a vertically placed 1 1/2 inch thick tree limb, as I have observed this species living mainly on tree trunks in the wild. At the jar's base, surrounding the bottom of the "tree" and helping to hold it in place was a mixture of rocks, sand, soil and leaf matter that was intended to mimic the forest floor and help to conserve moisture in the container. I've been raising various species of Fishing Spiders (Dolomedes) for years, and I admit they are tricky to take care of. The main problem for me has always been in finding a balance between moisture and ventalation. Dolomedes albineus seems, to me, to be the hardiest and least moisture dependent of all the other Dolomedes species I've kept (Which includes Dolomedes tenebrosus, scriptus, vittatus, and triton). It also happens to be my most favorite (and most studied) spider species!

Good luck on raising them, and if you have any questions or need any advice feel free to ask!

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