Name: Eresus walckenaeri
SKU: 462
Availability: InStock

Easy

Greece

4-5 CM

20-28 °C

Short description Eresus walckenaeri:

The Greek tube spider, also known as Eresus walckenaeri, is an incredibly fascinating and cute animal that is gaining more and more recognition and popularity among spider keepers. This one has a unique web construction and appearance that makes it a special addition to any terrarium.

The females have a rather inconspicuous black-grey ground colour. The males, on the other hand, glow a strong orange, with only their legs and heads being black. Due to their area of origin in Greece, they require a drier and warmer habitat with a temperature of 20-28°C. The flexibility in temperatures makes the Greek tube spider an easy species for beginners and experienced keepers. Whether kept at a cooler 20°C or a warmer 28°C, keeping the animals is no problem. This allows you to concentrate entirely on the design of the terrarium and feeding.

The tube spider gets its liquid requirements mainly from its food animals. However, it is advisable to moisten the floor of their terrarium a little from time to time to guarantee a certain amount of moisture. This should be done sparingly, however, as the tube spider prefers a rather dry habitat.

Eresus walckenaeri is a conditionally communal species that can be kept in groups as long as there is enough space and food. However, it is recommended to separate them after they reach a size of about 1cm.

A special characteristic of the Greek Eresus walckenaeri is that the females often die due to matriphagy after cocoon care and hatching of their young. Therefore, they often build only one cocoon from which many young spiders hatch. Matriphagy is a phenomenon in which the mother is eaten by her offspring after they have given birth or hatched. It occurs in some species of spiders, insects and other animals and can have various reasons, such as optimising resource use or strengthening the offspring with the extra food.

A terrarium measuring 15 x 15 x 20 cm is sufficient for an adult animal. Cork bark and cork tubes are perfect furnishing materials for the Greek tube spider. Eresus walckenaeri likes to use cork tubes as living caves and also builds its tube web on pieces of cork, narrow stone or cork crevices. A river root can also be a great addition and provides additional hiding places for the spider.

Drosophila hydei are suitable as food in the beginning. Later you can switch to larger animals, which should be about as big as the spider itself. The orange tube spider eats such a food animal about once a week, but interrupts eating a few days before and after a moult.

Current size:

Food: Drosophila hydei

Housing: Animals are sent in perforated rearing tins

Essentials for Eresus walckenaeri!

Weight	110 g
Size	FH3, L4/L5