# Is it cruel to keep a garden spider in captivity?



## xboa (Jun 9, 2010)

There's a huge garden spider (_Araneus diadematus) outside my door and I was wondering wether it'd be okay to bring it inside in an enclosure?

I've fed it a cricket which it went mad for and it's spent the last 3 hours making a big old web.

There's a little instagram video here: LINK
And a photo of it on it's web here: LINK

What's your opinion on keeping wild spiders captive?
http://i.imgur.com/Hd9g5sG.jpg_


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

xboa said:


> There's a huge garden spider (_Araneus diadematus) outside my door and I was wondering wether it'd be okay to bring it inside in an enclosure?
> 
> I've fed it a cricket which it went mad for and it's spent the last 3 hours making a big old web.
> 
> ...


there's no reason why you shouldn't- lots of people here bring spiders indoors & keep them. just as long as you provide a big enough enclosure for her to spin her orb web- & be aware that she may not live long, as garden spiders are seasonal.


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

This time of year she will simply be interested in producing eggsacs and mating, so they are not great in captivity at that life stage.

I've seen people before try and it's hit or miss whether they spin a web. Plus the change in temperature will probably mess them about a bit. 

You'd be better waiting for the eggs to hatch in the spring and starting with a juvenile.


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## xboa (Jun 9, 2010)

Thanks for the replies guys, I'll hang on 'til next time


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## Ben.M (Mar 2, 2008)

If you were questioning the matter of morality. On one hand yes you are taking a spider from the wild and where it is naturally suppose to be. However its not like the sp. is endangered and taking one is going to have no repercussions on the natural ecology.
On the other hand by taking it in it will always be well fed and have no risk of being eaten by a predator.

But yeah now is not the best time, wait until they've bred and get a small one or even a couple. So many are lost at the early stages of their life anyway hence why so many hatch. Quite facinating to see an egg sac of this sp. hatch


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## touchthesky (Jun 13, 2012)

I liked the look of a spider in my garden ages ago. Like..a year ago. I bought it in to take better photos of it and wound up setting it up in a tub with the lid off. It's never left. No lies. It just bides there.


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

That looks like Textrix denticulata. 

Different type of webber - same family as house spiders so doesn't need large open vertical spaces.


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