Madeira Wolf Spider

Hogna maderiana

True spiderintermediateVenom: Mild

About

An orange-legged wolf spider endemic to Madeira that stalks its prey instead of building a web, which makes it a busy, watchable display spider. Give a terrestrial enclosure with a secure lid and 2-3 inches of a sand and soil mix kept on the drier side, with rocks, bark and hides for cover. Room temperature is fine (about 68-79°F). Aim for 50-70% humidity with light misting, and never let it get waterlogged. Offer a shallow water dish or mist droplets to drink. It grows fast and eats eagerly: crickets, small roaches, locusts or mealworms every 3-5 days, and slings more often; remove uneaten prey after a day. Females live about 2-3 years, males about 1. You may also see it sold as Hogna schmitzi. Keep one per enclosure.

Taxonomy

FamilyLycosidae

GenusHogna

Native regionMadeira, Portugal

TypeTerrestrial

Temperamentfast, active hunter and a keen feeder; not a handling spider

Size & growth

Adult size~2-2.5 in leg span

Growth ratefast

Climate

Temperature68–79 °F

Humidity50–70%

Enclosure

Adult sizeterrestrial enclosure with a secure lid, rocks, bark and hides

Substratesand and soil (or coco fiber) mix, on the drier side

Substrate depth2-3 inches (5-8 cm)

Water dishRequired

Feeding

Feeding modePredator (live prey)

Prey sizesmall locusts, crickets, roaches, mealworms

Sling cadencemore often than adults

Adult cadenceevery 3-5 days

Times kept: 0