Purse-web spider (Atypus affinis)

Short answers

Purse-web spider: How big does the enclosure need to be?

A tall enclosure with at least 30–40 cm of substrate they can dig in (e.g. 20×20×40 cm) for the ~30 cm deep burrow tube.

Purse-web spider: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 18–25 °C, basking spot locally warm and sunny (xerothermic site), at night 10–16 °C.

Purse-web spider: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB not essential (lives underground); a sunny position.

Purse-web spider: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: females up to ~7 (–9) years, males 1–2 years.

Purse-web spider: Is it suitable for beginners?

No – better suited to experienced keepers (difficulty: Expert).

Climate

Daytime temperature

18–25 °C

Night temperature

10–16 °C

Basking spot

locally warm and sunny (xerothermic site)

Humidity

50–65 % (dry to moderate, the tube somewhat more humid and cooler)

UVB

UVB not essential (lives underground); a sunny position

Enclosure

Minimum size

a tall enclosure with at least 30–40 cm of substrate they can dig in (e.g. 20×20×40 cm) for the ~30 cm deep burrow tube

Substrate

A deep, loamy, sandy floor they can dig in; the burrow is lined with silk and the catching tube projects about 10 cm

Feeding

Food

Insects that walk over the catching tube (ants, beetles, isopods, millipedes)

Feeding interval

rarely, every 1–2 weeks; a slow metabolism

Key facts

Adult size

females 10–15 mm, males 7–9 mm body length (Mygalomorphae, relatives of the tarantulas)

Life expectancy

females up to ~7 (–9) years, males 1–2 years

Origin

Europe and North Africa to Denmark and southern Sweden; xerothermic dry slopes, heaths, poor grassland

Protection status

Native; German Red List: near-threatened category (long-term decline) - do not collect from the wild; check state-level protection status if applicable.

Brumation

Yes – a cool overwintering (about 2–10 °C) following the annual cycle

Cohabitation

Keep singly. In the wild, several burrows are often close together (loose colonies), but each spider lives solitarily in its own burrow with no contact to conspecifics - so always keep singly in captivity, as contact between animals ends in cannibalism.

Notes

A small tarantula relative (Mygalomorphae) with an underground silk tube and an above-ground catching tube; it lives very hidden and is barely visible; long-lived; a native species in decline. Spider of the Year 2013.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Woodlouse spider (Dysdera crocata) – Intermediate
• Huntsman spider (Heteropoda venatoria) – Beginner
• Brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) – Expert
• David Bowie huntsman spider (Heteropoda davidbowie) – Intermediate
• Tube-web spider (Segestria florentina) – Intermediate
• Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) – Expert
• Segmented spider (Liphistius sp.) – Expert
• Great raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Purse-web spider (Atypus affinis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (a tall enclosure with at least 30–40 cm of substrate they can dig in (e.g. 20×20×40 cm) for the ~30 cm deep burrow tube), substrate (A deep, loamy, sandy floor they can dig in; the burrow is lined with silk and the catching tube projects about 10 cm), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.