Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,ive recently come back into the insect arachnid hobby and just got a widow. Am I correct that this is a Latrodectus mactans, or eastern black widow? She also has a pattern of three white eye shapes on the top of her abdomen, which i have not seen(two next to each other with one more above them) in any other pics. Also, this is my first web spider, i understand that feeding every week or every other week is correct, but how do i go about the water? Do they get sufficient water from their food, or do i need a water dish or do i need to mist the web?
T.I.A.

Here is a good site for distinguishing between the US black widows : http://www.uvm.edu/~rtbell/Widow.html
Based on your description, the above site, and the pic I'd you have an L. mactans. As for feeding, they don't need much- one or two crickets a week is fine, but they could go with less. As long as the spider's abdomen is full and not shrunken, it is getting enough to eat. You can mist the web lightly once or so a week, but don't keep them very humid. Room temperature will also be fine.

Here is a caresheet for L. mactans : http://www.petbugs.com/caresheets/L-mactans.html

And a site with a good widow page : http://www.hobospider.org

Welcome back to the hobby BTW!

i see that your keeping her on a jar with a posted glass stand how cool man i keep minds on a half big fish tank with tarantula bedding wood dirt n etc. just dont go going catching lots of them as for like meh it gets sloopy keep the range between 1-2 female BW 2 female will do fine if you wont a battle n for feeding i just goh with my instinct i feed her as much as i can dont over feed her cause she'll just webb that sucker n pision them until she drops it without eating or maybe that she's waiting to shed then you could feed her or if not she's horny hehe