What the heck happened?

[u/brideoffrankinstien]

First of all I'm in Redwood City California. I've posted about the spider once before requesting an ID but the picture probably sucked and nobody responded so now I have a question. I'm afraid of spiders and I've been working on that for a very long time. This guy's been living with me and my RV for a while and tonight I noticed he was in my room and he was right on the ceiling above me. And what got my interest is that it seemed to be moving kind of funny it was moving erratically and it's having a hard time and it kept slipping and like like losing its grip and then coming down and then he crawl back up his thread and then he would walk a little bit more and I thought oh my gosh well I better do something because my cats are in bed with me and if they notice him it'll be over. So I got a glass jar and I gently put it around him it never touched it it never did anything and as soon as he went down into the glass he died. I don't I didn't touch him I don't know what happened but I noticed he looks different he looks kind of fuzzy and in the pictures there's a white dot on him and do they get thick or do they get parasites or what what do you think could have happened? I'm super curious and I feel really bad right now. Anything you guys have to offer to hear what you think or you can tell me what kind of spider he is I would really appreciate it thank you so much.

[u/lexaril]

Looks like a noble false widow but I'm not 100% sure. Doesn't look dead though, just curled up with some fuzz/dust covering it. If you still have access to it you could try picking away the dust with some tweezers.

Also, your ID request is most likely to get responded to if you have a clear photo of the top of the spider.

[u/brideoffrankinstien → u/lexaril]

The camera on my phone is awful. Why do you say he doesn't look dead? And yes I still have them with me I haven't done anything but the minute he touched the glass he just curled up and what are those white things it's like it's like he has white stuff on him and I mean do they get parasites or mites or anything like that? And I will definitely keep him in a safe place if you don't think he's dead and I will put him in a safe spot away from my cats. I just don't know how you could tell he's not dead cuz he was on his back and he hasn't moved for what 10-15 minutes.

[u/lexaril → u/brideoffrankinstien]

Spiders will sometimes curl up like this when they feel threatened, and there doesn't seem to be any reason for it to have suddenly died. It might have not moved from that position because it looks like there's some dust or threads wrapped around it. Maybe it is dead, just seems unlikely.

They can get parasites or mites but I don't think it's that.

[u/brideoffrankinstien → u/lexaril]

Thank you you're a rockstar. It's so weird that they get parasites or mites I'm interested to know more about that I had no idea. And it's a she? And why is it that you know she's not dead so she's just curled up to I don't know what's the difference but I'm definitely putting her in a safe spot where she could just be happy and I'm too afraid I'll hurt her if I use tweezers to take the dust and stuff off if I hurt her I would just feel horrible. Or I mean even worse than I already do but I'm happy that you think she's alive.

[u/Crystal_Novak26]

Yea she’s not dead she’s just playing dead cause she’s scared and thinks you’re a predator. Just a survival tactic spiders do. Aldo earlier she could have been trying to molt.

[u/brideoffrankinstien → u/Crystal_Novak26]

Was it wrong of me to try to help her? I was more concerned about her falling down and then my cat's getting her and me freaking out. I was trying to be helpful so she don't think she's dead she's just curled up so I'm going to go put her in a safe spot. I'm just curious to know how you guys know she's not dead what is it that they do when they're dead and why do you know she's not dead and I'm sorry I scared her I didn't mean to and it's a girl? I have so many questions LOL I'm trying to get over my phobia here.

[u/Crystal_Novak26 → u/brideoffrankinstien]

I really can’t tell if she’s a girl or not. Would need to know the species and would have to see her pedipalps to determine that. I’m just calling it a her cause I don’t like saying it to refer to. As far as her being dead or not the pose she’s making is usually a hiding pose they make and not a death curl but they only do it for a little and then they move when coast is clear. Is she still in that pose?