# Keeping red back spiders



## Reptiles101 (Dec 31, 2013)

Anyone keep red-back spiders? 
Because I'm interested in keeping one, what's their care like, enclosure, temp, substrate wise? Is spraying the enclosure a good idea for water? I know they eat crickets flys and that stuff. I know their extremely dangerous so I won't be handling it.


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## NickGeee (Dec 31, 2013)

The book Bugs Alive has a page on keeping then.
You can keep then in a colony if ample space is available.
You can keep them in a large jar with absorbent substrate.


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## Netteddragon (Dec 31, 2013)

They don't need lights to stay warm like lizards they could be kept in a big jar and that but I wouldn't recommended keeping them at all


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## Trimeresurus (Dec 31, 2013)

Netteddragon said:


> They don't need lights to stay warm like lizards they could be kept in a big jar and that but I wouldn't recommended keeping them at all



Why wouldn't you recommend them if they're easy to keep, their venom?

To the OP, these things live in sheds ect, can't imagine they need specific heating, just give them some structure and food.


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## Rlpreston (Dec 31, 2013)

Not sure about keeping them but I have been bitten by one when I was 18, on the finger, when I picked up a garden chair by the underside.

Massive pains and nausea for 2 days, felt like my arms and head were exploding and I was 'lucky' as that was only a small envenomation not needing antivenin.

Just in case you wanted a personal account of what to expect from a bite. No more dangerous that keeping any venomous native. Antivenin is readily available. 

Let us know if you do get some, they're very pretty (the ladies at least).


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## Reptiles101 (Dec 31, 2013)

Hey guys and gals! Finally found a lovely looking red-back spider, she's quite big, the size of a pea a little bigger. Decked out a nice little click-clack with some bark and some plants, some sticks so she can build her messy web  I'm using some kritters crumble for substrate as it looks great! 

Ps I'll be adding more stuff soon! And plenty more pics hehe


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## princessparrot (Dec 31, 2013)

Reptiles101 said:


> Hey guys and gals! Finally found a lovely looking red-back spider, she's quite big, the size of a pea a little bigger. Decked out a nice little click-clack with some bark and some plants, some sticks so she can build her messy web  I'm using some kritters crumble for substrate as it looks great!
> 
> Ps I'll be adding more stuff soon! And plenty more pics hehe������


Be careful


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## Reptiles101 (Dec 31, 2013)

I am, still don't trust her not that I ever will.


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## cwtiger (Jan 1, 2014)

Can I ask why a redback. Did you purchase her? As others have said be careful. If you get a decent bite from one of these they can make you very ill sometime causing you to need several vials of anti venoum. Some people have known to have died due to a bite from one of these.


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## mikey_mike (Jan 1, 2014)

cwtiger said:


> Can I ask why a redback. Did you purchase her? As others have said be careful. If you get a decent bite from one of these they can make you very ill sometime causing you to need several vials of anti venoum. Some people have known to have died due to a bite from one of these.



Antivenom is available but doesn't get used much anymore - research shows it doesn't make any difference.

Some unlucky people have prolonged pain after a red back bite, but most people are ok. I'm guessing that the people you speak of that have died did so from anaphylaxis rather than from toxic events of the venom.

Take home message, don't get bitten & don't panic if you do (always a good idea to seek medical review).


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## NickGeee (Jan 1, 2014)

They also make very messy webs so it is reccomemded to make an overhang so when you open the lid to feed her you won't wreck her web.


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## andynic07 (Jan 1, 2014)

My mate was bitten a couple of years ago on the back of the knee and the hospital said that by that time he was suffering the worst of the effects and the antivenin would do nothing.

He suffered nausea and intense pain with a lot of sweating especially local to the bite for two days. He suffered no side effects.

I think that they would be a pretty cool pet and might get one too. The problem that I have is that in Queensland (Brisbane) you don't see many around anymore. Not sure if it is due to the Asian house gecko or not?


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## Trimeresurus (Jan 1, 2014)

I swear some people would tell you not to keep a safety pin because it could stab you. It's a spider people...

And a cool looking one at that!


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## Reptiles101 (Jan 1, 2014)

A few pics of her first feed with me, was really cool to watch, she's so quick!


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## Rogue5861 (Jan 1, 2014)

We used to keep them as kids in big coffee jars upside down, used to live on the fridge were we could see but not touch. Used to feed them big house flys when we caught them. 

With the jar being upside down it kept us from destroying their webs and any poo or food scraps that dropped could be thrown in the bin.

They are a very good looking spider, not one to mess with though.

Now i just keep them outside where they eat all the outside bugs, spiders are great until they get in behind your car mirrors.

Rick


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## Rlpreston (Jan 1, 2014)

Congrats on the new addition! Keep your fingers out of her way and you'll be fine  she's gorgeous (even for a creepy spider lol)




Rogue5861 said:


> Now i just keep them outside where they eat all the outside bugs, spiders are great until they get in behind your car mirrors.
> 
> Rick



Oh god, the mirrors! Our driveway has big bottle brush next to it all full of 'creepy crawlies'. Every time I evict one from behind my mirror another takes it's place (or maybe one persistent one?!). Every so often one gets into the car and I get a face full of web as I get in :/


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## ronhalling (Jan 2, 2014)

As with all Venomous Arachnids if you respect what can happen when a mistake is made you will be ok, if i might make a small suggestion with your housing of the pretty girl it will be alot easier to keep things clean if you cut a lateral slot across the bottom front of the click clack and then make a aluminium tray to slide in and out so that as she rejects the husks of prey to the floor you can slide the tray out and remove it without disturbing her web, also as suggested earlier you need to create an overhang for her web or the web will be broken every time you open the lid, i can tell you from personal experience that everytime you break her web she will sulk for days and sometimes just die from hunger. I have kept Red Backs for up to 18 months so they are not just a short term project, also don't try and keep a colony unless you can offer each 1 at least 1/2 a cubic meter.  ........................Ron


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## viciousred (Jan 2, 2014)

I have kept several over the years. Had 8 at one point all in separate containers. There a lot of fun! Very quick, beautiful and entertaining. I think my favorite spider to keep was a Sydney funnel Web I found at my step dad's when I was in my early teens. Now they are fast and can be nasty. One day I'll convince my other half to let me start keeping them again 

What! You actually have safety pins! Your nuts! Those things can mess you up!


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## Reptiles101 (Jan 2, 2014)

ronhalling said:


> As with all Venomous Arachnids if you respect what can happen when a mistake is made you will be ok, if i might make a small suggestion with your housing of the pretty girl it will be alot easier to keep things clean if you cut a lateral slot across the bottom front of the click clack and then make a aluminium tray to slide in and out so that as she rejects the husks of prey to the floor you can slide the tray out and remove it without disturbing her web, also as suggested earlier you need to create an overhang for her web or the web will be broken every time you open the lid, i can tell you from personal experience that everytime you break her web she will sulk for days and sometimes just die from hunger. I have kept Red Backs for up to 18 months so they are not just a short term project, also don't try and keep a colony unless you can offer each 1 at least 1/2 a cubic meter.  ........................Ron



Cheers, Ron. 
How do I make an over hang?


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## ronhalling (Jan 2, 2014)

I found the best way to create an overhang was to get some nice clean paddle pop sticks and create a barn like structure with some craft glue, you can be as out there as you want with it because it will become an integral part of the structure, you can even incorporate some LED's into it with a separate switch to check on her welfare without breaking the web.  ..........................Ron


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## Unclewo-wo (Jun 21, 2014)

Can any one point me in a direction to find out about the laws of what we can and can not keep(native/nonnative) arachnids in Australia (nsw) and if we need a license or not please and thank you.


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## Senator358 (Jun 21, 2014)

No license needed for native arachnids. Not sure about non natives


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## cement (Jun 21, 2014)

I keep dozens of them and sell them for $50 each!:lol:


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## CrystalMoon (Jun 21, 2014)

I used to keep them in jars as a child, I thought they were beautiful and took my prized pet for show and tell. The other girls ran away screaming and wouldn't play with me lol the boys thought I was cool enough to join their gang lol The Teacher confiscated her till home time with strict instructions *not *to bring any more live critters unless invited :facepalm: I think your Girl is gorgeous


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## Jacknife (Jun 22, 2014)

I'm currently keeping about 100 or so in my garage. Not voluntarily - they're more like squatters really, never pay rent and make a mess, but keep the riff raff out so they can stay...

Also, theres only ever been TWO recorded deaths from Red back bites and that was before anti venom was developed - which was back in 1956, and one of those deaths was an infant.
No reason to let your guard down though...


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## borntobnude (Jun 22, 2014)

cement said:


> I keep dozens of them and sell them for $50 each!:lol:



Bugger I killed about $1000 yesterday , should of read this first . 

I know people want funnel webs also but I just keep taking them to the local hospital where they get shipped to the reptile park !


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## Spiders available (Nov 24, 2017)

want any more pets 

I have 10 in my underground compost. Including some males (I assume they’re males) and 4 egg sacks and I went inside to get the surface spray but couldn’t bring myself to spray them lol (I must sick in the head - says she who will video tape a massive white tail spider crawling up my wall before considering even squatting it with my bare hand (to stun it so I can run and get a tissue lol) 
I’ll know it when I get bitten. I was wondering if there was any spider keepers in Newcastle NSW



borntobnude said:


> Bugger I killed about $1000 yesterday , should of read this first .
> 
> I know people want funnel webs also but I just keep taking them to the local hospital where they get shipped to the reptile park !



Where are you located? I have $500 worth 

The reptile park 100km from me doesn’t want them, they only want funnel web spiders



Jacknife said:


> I'm currently keeping about 100 or so in my garage. Not voluntarily - they're more like squatters really, never pay rent and make a mess, but keep the riff raff out so they can stay...
> 
> Also, theres only ever been TWO recorded deaths from Red back bites and that was before anti venom was developed - which was back in 1956, and one of those deaths was an infant.
> No reason to let your guard down though...




Haha I haven’t had a problem with cockroaches in the compost since the spiders moved in. They are excellent guests


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## Harimoni Proudswift (Apr 26, 2018)

I've heard of people keeping a Wolf spider or a Tarantula as a pet, but I've never heard of anyone keeping a Red-back. Does your new spider friend have a name yet?


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## Flaviemys purvisi (Apr 26, 2018)

I've kept redbacks for a while. Easy to care for. I keep mine in a tall glass jar with a toilet paper roll attached to the side of the jar vertically near the top. The redback builds a nest/web inside the toilet roll tube and lays down it's trip wire webs to the floor of the jar. 

I also keep Toowoomba funnelwebs, South Australian trapdoors and a few Tarantulas from NSW, SA and QLD.


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## Murph_BTK (Apr 29, 2018)

I keep redbacks and they are easy as dark environment and food bingo.. also i am desperately trying to get my hands on a female funnel web.. but am having no luck (as i live on the sunny coast, qld)



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