The numbers
Enclosure
10 × 10 × 18 cm
Diet
Crickets, flies, small roaches · 1-2 items weekly
Temperature
24-29°C
Humidity
45-60%
Identity
Order / Family
Araneae
IUCN / CITES
Not CITES-listed; IUCN not assessed
Difficulty
Advanced (experts only)
Commonality
Specialist keepers only
Adult size
Body ~1-1.5 cm female (black, red hourglass)
Lifespan
1-3 years (females)
Growth rate
Medium
Activity & niche
Nocturnal cobweb sit-and-wait ambusher
Temperament
Shy, not aggressive — but venom is dangerous
Venom / defense
Medically significant venom (latrotoxin, latrodectism) – advanced keepers only; NEVER handle
Price (THB)
350-800 (indicative import)
Enclosure and conditions
Temperature
24-29°C
Humidity
45-60%
Min. enclosure
10x10x18 cm (vertical) with web anchors for one adult
Substrate
2-3 cm coco; web-anchor twigs/cork
Hides / decor / water
Twigs/cork for web, water via misting
Diet
Staple food
Crickets, flies, small roaches
Feeding frequency
1-2 items weekly
Supplements
Not required
Behaviour and handling
Handling
Never
Communal
No — solitary/cannibalistic
Defense / stress signs
Drops from web, plays dead, retreats
Reproduction
Reproduction
Oviparous — papery egg sacs with hundreds of spiderlings; not live-bearing
Common health problems
Common health issues
SignsDehydration; bad molt
Red flags / quarantine
SignsEscape-proof labelled enclosure; tools only; verify legality/competence; QT wild-caught
Good to know
- Produces some of the strongest silk of any widow, used to suspend prey much larger than itself
Others in this group
Regal jumping spiderPhidippus regiusTanzanian giant tailless whip spiderDamon diademaGiant vinegaroon / whip scorpionMastigoproctus giganteusWest African tailless whip spiderDamon mediusSouthern black widowLatrodectus mactansBold jumping spiderPhidippus audaxPantropical huntsman spiderHeteropoda venatoriaDwarf / spotted tailless whip spiderPhrynus marginemaculatus