Easy DIY Habitat for Huge Spider Intruder

Earlier this week, I found a Fishing Spider that snuck into my home. There's no telling how long it's been living here, but I didn't really want it free roaming... neither did my wife! She found him to begin with. I managed to capture it and decided to design a custom habitat for him since he insisted on living in my home.
EDIT: Unfortunately, I made an error in this video. What I thought was a Wolf Spider is actually a Fishing Spider, likely Dolomedes tenebrosus. I spent hours trying to get a proper ID as I scripted the video and even got other opinions. I believed it was Hogna aspersa, but I got it wrong. Thankfully, this is still an ideal habitat for this species, but I don’t like that I messed that up. Regardless, I'm still happy to have this spider around and am excited to share more in the future.
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[@SerpaDesign]

EDIT: Unfortunately, I made an error in this video. What I thought was a Wolf Spider is actually a Fishing Spider, likely Dolomedes tenebrosus. I spent hours trying to get a proper ID as I scripted the video and even got other opinions. I believed it was Hogna aspersa, but I got it wrong. Thankfully, this is still an ideal habitat for this species, but I don’t like that I messed that up and am sorry. Regardless, I'm still happy to have this spider around and am excited to share more in the future. Earlier this week, I found a Fishing Spider that snuck into my home. There's no telling how long it's been living here, but I didn't really want it free roaming... neither did my wife! She found him to begin with. I managed to capture it and decided to design a custom habitat for him since he insisted on living in my home. Since Toby insisted on living inside, I figured I would allow him to continue doing so within a vivarium. I like how this turned out and have enjoyed him thus far. He also seems to like his new personal forest habitat. What do you think, and what would you have done if you found a spider like this in your home? Have a great weekend SerpaSquad! Also, I just wanted to give a heads-up that I will not be uploading next week because of various things I have going on. I’ll be back the following week with something incredible. See you then.

[@chrisl1873]

You got a nice bathroom homie

[@garmadongg]

The spider is so cute! Thank you for giving it such a lovely home! :-)

[@laeliesnook2242]

could you use redshank moss? your tanks are beutiful btw

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

See you in two weeks! Always worth the wait. Can't wait to see how this turned out! Thanks for being my Saturday morning coffee time video for years, Tanner. An inspiration, a fixture of many of our lives. Keep it up man, anytime we have to wait a little longer for something, it's always well worth it! Now Im gonna have to talk the wife into a pet wolf spider occasionally. We find them more commonly than the wife would like lol mostly out around the house, fortunately only the "glitchy spiders" as my wife calls them, get in, mostly. That's what she calls any jumping spider. She's not a fan of the way they move 😂

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

​@@laeliesnook2242I've never heard of this? Definitely got me curious that be what I look up when this is over haha

[@Jungles_of_Lustria]

Remind me to get lost, cold and hungry in your home, especially as SerpaSquad, I would love my own bioactive terrarium 😂

[@sierrabird3817]

Now I'm imagining a hilarious Serpa Design terrarium for a human and what that would entail

[@hoperules8874]

😂❤ikr? Yess! Can mine have a gaming chair?

[@BunzJackson]

"Easy DIY Habitat for Tall Hairless Ape"

[@oakmaiden2133]

Sits on porch with unblinking huge eyes, multiple eyes...

[@laurenhenry5671]

@oakmaiden2133 we all have 24 eyes, right?

[@shimesu443]

Toby already looks brighter after a couple of good meals. Seems like this little guy is on his way to some fine, healthy living.

[@minxlabrada]

Toby the Wolf Spider. Sounds like a cartoon.

[@tropicalterrarium1742]

Toby is healthier and safer than any spider in the wild. Lets be real Toby is a spoiled brat.

[@StanleySophana]

When they named it Toby, I immediately thought of Tobey Maguire

[@idfkmantisold]

This is actually a fishing spider, not a wolf spider. Very similar looking but if you compare the eye positions for both you'll see at 10:24 that Toby's eyes are positioned like a happy face like a fishing spider, while wolf spiders eyes look like a frowny face, if that makes sense.

[@NoBodyToDanceWithMe]

You might be right, if so id love to see him given a tank fitting his aquatic side!

[@dwaynebrooks6087]

Yeah good catch.

[@rainstorme4400]

@@NoBodyToDanceWithMe based on the chevron pattern on its back it's probably dolomedes tenebrosus (dark fishing spider) which doesn't actually do much with water, instead dwelling in the forest on trees and is often found far from any water source.

[@dunklerrattenkobold1997]

​@@rainstorme4400correct

[@dynamoterror7077]

Definitely a fishing spider

[@anand_kv__]

Bro built a 5-Star Home for the invader 😂

[@ttoctam3]

Homelessness is a real factor in crime. Free housing does statistically tend to help, especially good housing that targets needs and enriches lives.

[@Kreepiscule]

Bro saved the spider from becoming a fully fledged criminal 😂

[@zyraxes23]

this is the big mistake that western countries do with invaders these days

[@salvi1398]

But like how we’re housing immigrants in 5 star hotels…

[@gingersnapcam7334]

🎶California, is nice to the homeless 🎶

[@imjustaboi7735]

Bro, this is like kidnapping a person then giving them a mansion and all the care they need for the rest of their life.

[@epicwalrus7183]

I think I've read a fanfic like that XD

[@Billbeaux]

Being a male spider, he likely won't live too long. If/when he passes, you should definitely get a female Hogsna David-Bowie huntsman spider or some kind of confirmed female tarantula that would enjoy the setup you built for even longer. Just a thought

[@cprn.]

I'm gonna miss Toby. He has a nice, calming presence in the office.

[@esalinardi22]

OMG! The narration and filming at the beginning is so entertaining! “Cooking dinner”, was it chicken pot pie? Then, the discovery and capture of Toby… and finally such a happy ending! Thank you so much for your very interesting, inspirational, and enjoyable videos.

[@jacobmayell8050]

Maybe a fire red millipede scape in the future... Could contrast amazingly with lush plants - a fine addition to the invertebrate area! Loving the recent videos! Keep up the amazing work!

[@pinkspaghetti1]

I cant reccomend keeping a colony of Bess beetles around a nice stump of wood enough. They are so delightful to keep, very personable and sweet, easy to hold, and gorgeous to boot.

[@tattybojangles5420]

I love your compassion for household "pests," they should not be punished for the crime of being small ❤

[@evilrooster9960]

I saw some color morphs for wolf spiders that are completely amazing, great species and so inspirational! Love how you put in so much work and pay attention to every little detail to make the enclosures the best they can be! Thank you for keeping us entertained and inspired!!

[@pumpkinchow]

To bad this is a dark fishing spider but in my opinion they are cooler than wolf spiders and they get quite large way bigger than most wolf spider species and they hunt and eat fish. Like a spider that hunts fish that’s just flippin rad as Clint would say 😂. Hopefully he adds a water feature and some guppies or mosquito fish for it to hunt. Well I wish you all the best and hope you have a great day 🙋‍♂️✌️ when you get a chance look up the different fishing spider species I’m sure you’ll like them if you also enjoy wolf spiders.

[@corvus6779]

A great way to tell wolf spiders apart is that they have these beautiful stripes running down their head and backs, often brown or black and heavily contrasted against the rest of them. Fishing spiders are typically more mottled in appearance with striped legs. And I doubt you'll ever see them outside of Australia, but a huntsman spider is all grey or brown with minimal markings. Oh, and it's flamethrower sized. Hope this helps!

[@jic1]

Huntsman spiders are pretty much global in suitable habitats, including the Gulf Coast, coastal Southern California, and Hawaii in the USA.

[@cashhenson5198]

Fish spiders are everywhere in Indiana. When it floods they all come up into houses

[@MrsJoriBug]

This is lovely and wholesome. You usually shouldn't release critters that find their way into human areas for too long as a lot of native populations of various species have suffered disease outbreaks from unwitting good samaritans so this was a truly excellent option. I do love the care given to one of our most underrated neighbors. Those running agile spiders have a crazy high powered processors and are very smart and attentive creatures. Thank you so much for giving him the best retirement home he could ask for! Thank you for all your good work as a responsible and empathetic shepherd. You are an excellent steward and representative of wholesome animal care! I hope you can continue to shape the next generation of animal caretakers and continue to guide people to a higher path of responsible, ethical and empathetic animal keeping.

[@dynamoterror7077]

Out of all the things to do with a spider in the home, this is by far the coolest and most rewarding option. Any animal that spends the rest of its days in a serpadesign enclosure is a truly lucky creature, even if it gets misidentified by its new owner 😂. Although a male Dark Fishing Spider likely won’t have any interest in burrowing, it’ll definitely appreciate the semi-arboreal aspects of the enclosure.

[@grieve1947]

I have arachnophobia but your vids bring me so much peace and joy that I will face my fears just for this vid.

[@kadoceleritus]

Yes! I've been waiting for an arachnid build so long. These guys are great!

[@migwat]

he did a great jumping spider one a while back, similar home invader story :)

[@ThePH03N1Xx13]

This is awesome! I also kept a fishing spider for awhile that intruded my home, also thought it was a wolf at first. My gf said I couldn’t keep it so I brought it to the shop at my work. The guys loved feeding it. Had to let it go because they added a smaller one that was likely a male and we soon had hundreds of little fishing spiders escaping. So we let them all go near a pond.

[@tubepkn]

Considering that most of your terrariums, paludariums and what not contain springtails, I would say that you have done a lot with invertebrates 😋

[@minxlabrada]

Excellent attack footage! Love spiders! Be interested in seeing a terrarium that houses a golden-orb or a spider that makes a beautiful web.

[@malynke]

you know when you REALLY like a creator, when youll watch their video about a spider.. and you are a serious arachnopobe!

[@spectralan0maly]

Have you ever made a terrarium filled entirely with flora and fauna that are native to your area? Its really fun, especially if you research them before putting them in. i love knowing some of the names of the things around me. makes it feel like home.

[@Laura-ed5kf]

LOVED you did this! I had a Dolomedes wander into my MI-basement almost two years-ago. I saved him from my son & cat and set him up in an enclosure NOWHERE NEAR yours, but he had his final molt after a few months, hooked-out, & we kept him until May-last year when I could release him into the garden. AMAZING spider, & his legs EASILY spread over my palm! We don’t get too many native arachnids THAT large in MI. It was a joy to keep him, then set him free.

[@lindseymercuria3971]

I knew Toby wasn't a wolf spider when I saw his eyes, but you caught that. His enclosure is fantastic! I love the artistry in all of your habitats.

[@jamiehayes9626]

my mum is currently raising around 150 Hogna Carlolinensis babies from her wolfie girl Rosie who laid an eggsac a month or two ago. I will say, my mums setup definitely isnt as glamorous as this one, and definitely not as big, but it was fascinating to watch you put it together

[@glennadams8707]

Your tank designs are truly on another level. I'm glad I found your channel; I love watching your videos!

[@cedb3360]

You should consider tarantulas. They live quite long and some of them can create nice webs that would add much to the decor of the terrarium

[@tomholroyd7519]

This video is actually pretty cool because of the spontaneity ... there's a nice "Harvest Festival" vibe that's in the leaf litter, too.

[@sosadxav]

Absolutely should get yourself a tarantula when Toby passes. I think youd thoroughly enjoy one of the more common terrestrial species. Personally out of the 5 I own I love my LP (Lasiodora Parahybana). His name is Frankie Fingers and hes almost always out in the open, he has a wonderful feeding response and is always fun to watch

[@MrGufalo]

From intruder to captive... Plot twist directly from Hollywood

[@riverrat5865]

It's fun to see you build these set ups. My desert terrarium that I built a few years ago just turned into a perfect home for the spider I just scooped from the house I'll be moving into. Yours is a bit more friendly where as mine is almost the same size but a healthy female black widow. It will take lots of attention to not make a mistake but so far it's been magical to watch such an elusive beauty

[@ienjoymeth]

getting a photo from your wife saying “Help! he’s back!” is very menacing. building an amazing home for the intruder to keep as a pet is twice as menacing.

[@harrywatkins8194]

Thank you for show casing his beauty. A stunning species

[@chris-andrebrissett8014]

What I love about this is it is the ideal enclosure for a fishing spider. Definitely top tier among the ones I’ve seen and the simple nature of it too. I like that the background and drainage layer were similar to what is going on in the dart frog hobby. Only concern is the isopods hurting the molting spider but since this is a true spider it will likely eat them before they can do damage.

[@nat2nathan2005]

Toby lucked out. Gets caught out in the open, looking hungry and bedraggled, gets locked up in a little box, probably terrified and thinking the worst... Next thing he knows, he's being moved into a 5 star all inclusive resort, complete with housekeeping. Little guy's living the good life.

[@97wolffang]

If you liked making a home for this little guy, you should look into building enclosures for some tarantulas! :D Many of them love a rain forest setting, and some of the easier ones would flourish in your style of desert enclosures. :)

[@morneschaap2944]

Wow! Beautiful setup. Truly looks like a slice of the FB forest. Im sure I saw Toby smile while crawling around in there.

[@sharonkaczorowski8690]

We generally leave the spiders in our house alone to live and let live. Our house is older and lots of tiny insects come in. Spiders reduce the numbers. Great enclosure for a lovely arachnid. Lucky Toby!

[@McPilch]

More arachnids!!!!!!! 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥰 Oh, remember to include cross ventilation where appropriate! 🌬🕷😊 Top marks for this build!! DIY substrate looks five star (though I've never had a wolf spider under my care), and scape is gorgeous as always! If you get any Ts, be sure to plan the flora around if they're heavy webbers or not. Plants can get enveloped very quickly! 😂

[@farmdaze9961]

I find this hysterical. Ohhhh a wolf spider!!! I have at least 3 spiders living in my house in the mountains. They run like clockwork. There is one behind my tv in the bedroom. At night when I turn the tv on he comes out from behind it and stationing himself next to the tv and waits for the feast. When I wake up I remove the bodies of unwanted insects. Pretty much I am living in a spider home.😊

[@faultofdaedalus2666]

I got to see a fishing spider when i was doing summer work in ontario, and it was neat because she was MASSIVE, had an egg sac, and was also hidden away in this hollow in a tree surrounded by shelf mushrooms, like the perfect image of a fairy house. That's how we actually found her at first - my coworker said "that looks like the perfect home for something" and, well, it was!

[@lilitharam44]

Thanks for giving him a good home! It's a really pretty set up and he seems like he's enjoying it, plus his meal delivery! Love from Memphis~

[@nathantron]

You should put a 24/7 livestream up of the spider's habitat. That would be interesting.

[@iwoodbustanut7380]

This video has so much “you’re my friend now. We’re gonna get soft taco later” vibes and I love it

[@Liz_Theresa]

Tell me why I’m now picturing having a vivarium in my home for a spider, when I’m terrified of them. Great content as always Tanner!

[@metaldesire4]

I was getting worried after seeing a few of your videos that were on the serious side. But between the "dramatic reenactment" and the reference to The Office, this was great! And since the end of the year is coming, I'm really looking forward to a tour of the new animal room.

[@AsioEntomo]

If you ever feel like doing a tall vertical enclosure, an amblypygi could be very cool! They're arboreal arachnids and they need places where they can hang mostly upside-down (or at least at an angle) in order to molt, which might make for a fun challenge. I have a species called Phrynus whitei, they're really cool little fellas. Just try to find a captive-bred one, of course!

[@thething-217]

Yesss I have a phrynus whitei as well:) sweetest and most fascinating creatures ever imo!

[@sillystring2121]

i don't know why but the statement "while the isopods did laps" made me lose it love this vid!

[@CodRevolution00]

In my line of work I inspect a fair amount of culverts which are home to an ungodly amount of spiders, mostly various orb weavers and the wolfs. I didn’t even know this type of spider existed until I ran into one in these a culvert, very interesting spider

[@343Paladin]

I don’t usually like seeing spiders like that but sense you are making the video it kind of makes me feel better

[@allusernamestakenlol]

My favorite time of the week is waking up to a new video.

[@kjirstenboucher9682]

Beautiful enclosure build! And the spider is beautiful too. Just love this!❤

[@sjldfilms5126]

Only you would come up with a place to keep a spider. And I’m glad you did.

[@debrabolton9372]

Wow, that fishing spider is one lucky guy! What a lush home.

[@bogwife7942]

i absolutely love these guys. ive wanted a pet wolf spider for such a long time. guess i'll just live vicariously through your video. thanks for giving this beautiful little feller a good home

[@KaregoAt]

Those acorn cap water bowls are ADORABLE

[@GlamGoreChaosQueen]

I love so much that you did this!!!! He is GORGEOUS and his home matches.

[@owenschulz9504]

The isopods racing circles around the tank during the Timelapse is pretty great😂

[@randygiles845]

I loved the reenactment!

[@Jamalathon]

I love wolf spiders ❤❤ so smart😮 thank u for making a beautiful enclosure for it

[@pumpkinchow]

Unfortunately this is a dark fishing spider not a wolf spider but they are also giant true spiders and in my opinion cooler because they will hunt and eat fish if given the chance.

[@lindenbug]

Today I finally started my own jar terrarium with some stuff I found in the woods, and turns out I happened to scoop up a wolf spider when I was grabbing dirt. I released him though because at least for now, I’m not looking to take care of something that needs feeding and more specific conditions. What a surprise!

[@OggVorbis]

That time lapse was awesome!

[@stampinturtles]

Your wife is lucky to have you as a husband. Removing the spiders is definitely part of the job description. Lol making a terrarium for it is a whole different level though. 😂🕷️🕸️ That dude got a total upgrade from the radiator. You know it makes me think about how God can take us from a bad situation and turn it around to be the best! ❤Love your videos and all you do to help promote the well being of these tiny creatures and keeping the wife happy too. 😉

[@rickieoakes5267]

So very true! It may be an actual case of what people call... The butterfly 🦋 effect 😅

[@capnskustomworks]

They are fascinating little guys to watch! We have tons here where we live, they’re adorable!!! Looks like a cozy spot for him! (Even without the radiator! Haha!)

[@ericpenrose3649]

Thought I'd share a neat trick from my incubator-making days, as it may have helped here: To add gas exchange without adding a source for contaminants or means of escape, drill holes 1/2 inch in diameter or less, then take polyfill (which can be acquired cheaply by cutting open the cheapest pillow you can find) and pull it through the hole until the fit is tight, then trim excess. It allows for a surprising amount of gas exchange, particularly if you drill a few, and the polyfill can easily be replaced. I'd be willing to bet a snake could push it out and probably anything with lungs would not get enough fresh air, but for most invertebrates it should be ample airflow and secure. As far as how it affects the aesthetic...it depends. As a bonus it seems to do a REALLY good job of excluding airflow from differences in pressure (air from a fan or vent blowing on the opening) or mold spores. The second may not be a consideration here but the first really helps to hold in humidity if that is a concern.

[@peterferguson2344]

A great job and a very happy wolf spider 👍

[@psychedelicybin]

“Since this spider was insistent on living in my house, I decided to make it part of the family” 😂 I could never!

[@hhicks7]

Watching spiders eat is wild! Love it, and glad you made something for this spider! Hopefully he lives longer than anticipated.

[@pk_flvx]

Just got back from duxford finale air show (absolutely amazing) and to this seeps has uploaded absolute joy

[@teasorceryr3633]

Your spider stories are a special treat!

[@stanleyhyde8529]

I feel pretty confident that what you actually have here is a giant house spider. The colors and size are a dead ringer of the giant house spider common in the pacific northwest. They have a reasonably life span for true spiders and are actually pretty chill. Nice find.

[@LukeMcGuireoides]

Spiders rock. I was never interested in keeping spiders until I started watching Dave's Little Beasties. Incredible channel. Dave is a fount of knowledge, and he has some incredible inverts. Oh, and there's Westside Reptiles's shorts lol. So entertaining and downright hilarious sometimes. Toby is a real looker

[@jethawk9941]

Your the primary reason I got into bio active tank and terrariums and I love it

[@lorrainemunoa791]

I gotta say i love your "dramatic reenactments"! I myself just acquired a new eight legged friend this way- a lil jumping spider. Maybe eventually I could build her something cooler to live in, like this.

[@turtlediabetes5391]

Haven’t checked up on ur subscriptions in a while, and man I’ll never get tired of ur videos. I’ve been watching you for a few years now and the ur filming and editing has really made a difference lately, and I love videos like this that focuses on a more everyday species. I also just feel like ur channel has felt more consistent and coherent as a whole lately. I’m not a spider guy either lol

[@ezruarn]

Besides the fact that you are a genius in your field, you are one of the best video editor

[@ArphelC]

“Truthfully im not a spider-man” 😂 Would’ve been perfect 😅

[@Venom-kf6jp]

this turned out really nice. very pleasing to look at. love the plants

[@ESF19791111]

THANK YOU FOR RELOCATING THE BEAUTIFUL SPIDER :) THANK YOU FOR THE BEAUTIFUL HOME YOU DID FOR HER OR HIM :) THANK YOU FOR SHARING :) THANK YOU FROM ISRAEL :)

[@NerdyAsFox]

Dedicated invertebrate area? I'm super excited to see more! Love your work!

[@dirtywhitellama]

He's huge! Gorgeous spider.

[@ColdbloodedCompassion]

Thank you so much Tanner! Great video! I love that you set up a tank for a visitor. I am a huge fan of the study of native species and I can not think of a more beautiful way to study and observe.

[@markrusher8377]

Wow what a setup you created. I save alot of my decore, but it is nothing compared to your leftover wood. The plants set that tank off and I'm intrigued with your cut the tank down to size " very cool ."

[@synthraofficial5366]

I wish I could have had you around when we had wolf spiders in our home 😅 you make catching them look so easy!

[@bobs5596]

i have a wolf spider that lives in my kitchen window above the sink. it has built a large web off tunnels and traps over the past months. while it caught flies on it's own, i do supplement it's food now. it is lightening fast when a bug gets tossed into it's compound. so far it hasn't mated, and it's small size makes me think its a male. i would expect it to travel and look for a mate, but so far it remains always on the shelf.

[@ArcticAirUltraPro]

The dramatic reenactment had me dead 😂 nicely done too.

[@imjustabee]

I truly believe you would enjoy a tarantula. I've been a keeper for a while, currently have 46, and I can think of many species that I think you could make a stunning habitat for!

[@capebarat4961]

Love the inclusion of the mishaps. Amazing vid as always❤

[@CHUD_is_Dead]

I'd love to see you catch up with the Tarantula Collective's Richard to collaborate on a tank for one of his Spooders... or even one for yourself. 😉

[@alpoh]

Omg he's so cute and happy

[@mspeir]

Thank you for not killing him! 👍👍❤

[@trinn4ever]

So cool 💙. This is what I was thinking about lately as I am the one, who is catching spiders in the house when they stick their nose too far and some hooman notices it. These often emerge from the basement. And last time I climbed to the attic, there were huge cobwebs on the sloped ceilings with also quite big entrances to their nests, sadly it was too hot and early to witness 8 legged inhabitants.

[@Lizziguin]

Even though looking at spiders like this makes me sick to my stomach 😅, it was nice to see such a nice setup for it.

[@danriley5848]

I just found one in my home this morning and I'm tempted to make him a setup now.

[@Tinker13ee]

You literally CANNOT look away for even a second. It's like they can tell when youre looking at them, and the moment you look away -BOOM gone.

[@spectralan0maly]

being in this type of hobby is so funny. little creatues get in or near our home, so we name them and make them a beautiful little heaven. i follow someone who found a silverfish in their cereal and just grabbed it and went 'you are my pet now'

[@BLUEGREEN65]

Enclosure turned out great!!! Very nice home for the spider 🕷️

[@tavinprice2310]

OH MY GOD I JUST ASKED IF YOU COULD DO A SPIDER A FEW VIDEOS AGO IM SO HAPPY I love spiders, i think they are natures most misunderstood creatures

[@spiderrico250]

Yes!!!!! I am so happy to see more spider content it's been so long since the jumping spider vivarium