# Black Widows in VIV's



## rainforestproj (Dec 2, 2007)

Hi List
I was wondering, I am in Ca and I am getting a lot of black widow spiders in my vivs, had one get into a Tarapoto viv and now there are two missing, I have killed 6 this week in the cochuts they lay in for the terribillis. My frog room is full of garden spiders they seem to be breeding well, I clean them out daily.
Bruce in so cal


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## flyangler18 (Oct 26, 2007)

Um Bruce, was there a question there?


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## Fish_lover0591 (Dec 16, 2006)

Think he is asking for a solution?


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## markpulawski (Nov 19, 2004)

little bugs and spiders go together, get one of those little vacuums and suck them up every time you see them, manual removal is likely the only solution that is safe...

might have a market for black widows however...


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## Roadrunner (Mar 6, 2004)

markpulawski said:


> little bugs and spiders go together, get one of those little vacuums and suck them up every time you see them, manual removal is likely the only solution that is safe...
> 
> might have a market for black widows however...


Exactly, A small hose end to up the suction power and be able to get inbetween and behind things. I miss a week and it`s about 4 hours starit to get the house back. 

I`ve sold black widows before at the Hamburg show. $20 isn`t a bad price to rid yourself of a pest


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## MarcNem (Dec 13, 2008)

Your MIA imis are prob KIA. I have seen many documentarys that show large spiders eating dart frogs. I never had spiders, but I did have a problem with centapedes and giant cockroaches when I lived in NC. I put some moss from outside into my show tank and a few weeks later I had all kinds ish crawling around in my tank. 
I don't know what you should do fix the problem. As long as you feed the frogs, you feed the spiders. I had to remove all my frogs and break down my tank to solve my problem, and my invaders were'nt eating my frogs. Unfortunatelly, those lil critters really thrive in the same environment as our frogs.
I can just share your pain, but maybe someone elese has a lil more valuable input.
GL


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## Jerm (May 20, 2008)

I've heard that if you remove the frogs and place some dry ice into the viv. in a small bowl, that it will kill insects without harming the live plants. It removes the oxygen and suffocates them.


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## jubjub47 (Sep 9, 2008)

It seems odd to me that your having the black widows in the viv. I've alwaya heard that they prefer dry climates. I have family in new mexico and they are everywhere there. We find 50 a night in the backyard. I guess that they are willing to adjust for the extra bugs and possible frog dinner.


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## bug nick (Dec 5, 2008)

talking to someone in the pest control industry i've never heard of a black widow killing something of that size. it will defend itself but not hunt for them. How big is your room? the problem is not the spiders in there but how they are getting in. You can remove them until your face turns blue. They will keep coming. Seal it off! Your viv is actually a perfect place for them a constant food supply with feeding your frogs and totally protected. sealing off the entry points is your best option. I.E screen mesh doorsweep if you know what I mean. And Yes the vacuum is the best way without killing the frogs.


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## Woodsman (Jan 3, 2008)

I have small spiders (all in the Black Widow family) in most of my larger terrariums and have never had any problems (I raise tincs and leucs, not thumbnails). I consider them a great addition to the environment and love watching them take out all the FFs that climb to the top of the tanks. I have never had a problem with overpopulation, though, as others have stated.

Good luck! Richard in Staten Island.


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## bmasar (Dec 13, 2007)

So-called "Daddy Long Legs" eat black widows. As such, I don't clear them out of my frog room. Something to consider...


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## Brian Fischer (Sep 7, 2008)

bug nick said:


> talking to someone in the pest control industry i've never heard of a black widow killing something of that size. it will defend itself but not hunt for them.


Just on a side note, a friend of mine used to keep black widows and feed them pinky mice on occasion. I wouldn't underestimate how large of prey they can, and will, take.


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## kyle1745 (Feb 15, 2004)

The only suggestion I would have it to seal your tanks better. You can do this by silicone the none opening portion of the lid in place. This is cheap and easy to redo if you need to down the road. Then you can even cheat to fill small gaps by using silicone and wax paper to fill gaps around the lid.

Did I mention Silicone is handy?


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## rainforestproj (Dec 2, 2007)

Hi 
Thank you all for your input, I live just north of LA and I have a labratory room full of VIVs only 30 pair, not too big, still a starter collection LOL.
It seems they have ( BW ) had babies to spread out so much in the room, Ive gotten 7 this week. 
I would try the dry ice thing but I doubt that would work unless it stay's full of Carbon monoxide for some time to kill spiders, mites, snails or whatever, The room is constantly full of spiders, like they put out a spider food call LOL
I am building myself a climate controled green house to move my collection , my wife hates it that their food escapes and enjoys the rest of the house LOL.So rather than argue Im building a giant VIV for my collection.
thanks
Bruce


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## TimsViv (Feb 16, 2004)

I would buy some house geckos (nocturnal) and some day geckos (dinural) and let them go in your frog room. Seal the door well and let them hunt down the black widows.

Tim


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## Lucky (Jan 15, 2007)

I have spiders in all of my tanks, no matter how well you think you have sealed it up they always seem to find a way in. I have seen my Mantella Crocea eat pretty good sized spiders before, but have not witnessed any of my other frogs eating them. As to how to get rid of them, I do not know. I have a bug man that sprays my house quarterly (except my frog room), and has for years, when asked what to do about the spiders he did not know, other than putting rubbing alcohol around the openings in the tanks were the spiders might come in. There is nothing that will keep them away indefinitely though.


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## d-prime (Sep 29, 2008)

I know that if you use dry ice and seal the tanks without the frogs in them. ALL animals will die, and your plants will go insane as plants feast on CO2. The trick is to allow the CO2 to push the oxygen out, making it impossible for anything to breath. I have never done this and hopefully wont have to.


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## Brock (Jun 29, 2007)

I think if you do the CO2 thing, you'll keep getting the widows coming in once it's said and done with. That's more of a solution to snails or other critters that have established themselves inside the viv, as opposed to creatures invading the viv from outside.

What you need is to seal your tanks better, and like someone suggested, let some geckos go loose in your frog room. I'd suggest just some house geckos, as they are cheaper and nocturnal (like the spiders).

One to three geckos will inhabit one good spot that has lots of insect activity, and so based on the size of your reptile room, you may need several or a dozen.

A good investment, I'd say. I'm sure you can find some house geckos for 5$-10$ a pop.

And there definitely is a market for them, maybe advertise on an online arachnid board.


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