Spiders are rather well-known among a specific group of people since they are low-maintenance pets. But spider experts frequently wonder how long can a spider live without food and water.
It is fascinating to watch them construct their own houses and search for insects. This is why getting different spider species as pets is fun.
Spiders don’t follow a regular feeding schedule. After capturing prey, they will eat, but only if they are starving. Many spiders will also briefly abstain from eating and store food in their body.
How Long Do Spiders Live Without Food and Water?
Spiders can survive without food for 30-60 days, depending on species and size. Some tarantulas last up to two years.
Without water, they generally last about three weeks. House spiders can live several months without either. Survival varies greatly among different spider species.
How Many Days Can Baby Spiders Live Without Food Or Water?
Baby spiders can normally go for a few days to a few weeks time without food, depending on their size, species, and environmental circumstances. Their ability to live without water is often reduced.
There is a difference when compared to how long a fully developed spider can go without food, although the difference is not very big. It’s crucial to remember that while spider lings are growing quickly, they have more nutritional needs than adults do.
What Makes Spiders Special?
Nowadays, many people keep spiders as pets rather than being afraid of them. Yes, there are several harmless spider species that may be kept as pets.
The spiders may survive even for two decades if given a favorable habitat to flourish in. Taking care of a spider’s nutrition is important since it is the key component in preserving its health.
Your pet spiders can be kept in a cage in an enclosed space where you can provide them direct food.
What Do Spiders Eat?
The fact that spiders are carnivores, meaning they must hunt their prey in order to exist, must be taken into account when keeping them as pets.
They don’t eat food that is old, dead, or rotting. Insects including flies, moths, crickets, grasshoppers, and mosquitoes make up the majority of their diet, but other animals are also included.
Why Can a Spider Live So Long Without Food Or Water?
Spiders can go for extended periods of time without eating because, although being cold-blooded, their metabolism adapts to their habitat and circumstances when food is scarce.
Spiders are also carnivores, which means that their food provides them with much more energy than a herbivore would. While many spiders produce webs, which requires a lot of energy, others just devour their webs and utilize the protein to make new ones.
Spiders require water much like other living things, however many desert species perish from thirst since their main supply of water is their prey. In spite of the control of metabolism, spiders still require water to thrive and can survive less than five days without water.
Various Spider Species Food And Water Intake
Here is a list of what spiders that you could frequently encounter around your home need to consume-
1. The Black Widow Spider
The deadly bite of black widows, which may cause excruciating pain for several days, is widely recognized. With sleek, black bodies delineated by a vivid, red hourglass form, they are easily identified.
Because they can lower their metabolism to low levels according to the access to food quantity, black widow spiders can live for almost a year without eating.
2. Tarantula
Tarantulas are common household pets in North America, despite seldom being spotted roaming loose. These buried spiders might be as little as a BB or as big as a plate.
The tarantulas who go without food the longest are typically more passive and submissive, which fits the inactivity argument nicely.
The extraordinarily long lifetime of tarantulas also shows the negative impacts of a sedentary way of life. This spider can survive long time without water and months without food.
3. American House Spiders
American house spider are referred to as the Common House Spider, and you may find them in dark, humid areas like basements and stairwells.
They create webs frequently. American House Spiders, in contrast to many other spiders, regularly forsake existing webs in favor of creating new ones.
The American house spider may go four to eight weeks without having access to food. Because they ingest their web, which in turn offers nutrition like protein, house spider are able to live without food for a long time.
4. Wolf Spiders
Wolf spiders are ferocious, hairy, and frightening. These spiders hunt by pursuing their prey rather than making webs. Adult wolf spiders can survive for up to eight weeks without food, and they can survive for one week without water. They are at their breaking point if it takes more than a week.
5. Jumping Spiders
Jumping adult spider can live for months without food, but only a little more than a week without water. In contrast, young Jumping Spiders can survive for fewer than five days without water but roughly five days without food.
6. Daddy Longlegs
Most homeowners don’t give much thought to the fact that these arachnids aren’t truly spiders. They can be found in moist, obscure locations that are out of the way, such basements and under sinks. Depending on the availability of food,
Daddy Longlegs spiders may adjust their metabolism according to food availability. On average, they may go up to two months without food or drink. Only if they have access to water will they be able to go longer without food.
Conclusion
Spiders typically go for a period of time without access to any form of food because they reserve of food within them. The same cannot be true for water, despite the fact that spiders can go for extended periods of time without food. Without water, the majority of spiders cannot endure for very long.
Frequently Asked Question
How long can spiders live in a house?
The lifespan of a wild spiders can range from one to two years on average, which is a considerable amount of time for a spider to be present in your home.
Do spiders die of dehydration?
Always offer water because dehydration is the main cause of spider death in habitats.
What do house spiders eat if there are no bugs?
Spiders will devour other spiders if all household insects are either dead or gone. Furthermore, certain spiders may consume the leaves of indoor plants.
Why do spiders not move for days?
Spider can store food and water. As ambush predators, many spiders. They set a trap and then attack prey that gets caught in it.
What do house spiders do all day?
Home spiders often only emerge at night. Unless they are defending their eggs or young, they will often flee if startled. They frequently seek refuge in their web or in crevices throughout the day.
Hugues Beaufrere is the Exoticpetia’s senior writer and reptile expert. He has been fascinated by reptiles and monkeys since he was a kid and had years of experience in herpetology and primatology. He has cared for various kinds of Monkeys, Lizards and Reptiles and loves to share his knowledge and passion with others.
Dr. Patrick Simon, DVM, is a qualified veterinarian specializing in exotic animals, especially reptiles. He has a master’s degree in zoology and a doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of California, Davis. He has worked with various reptile owners and rescues for over ten years, providing expert care and advice. He is passionate about educating people about the fascinating world of reptiles and their unique needs.