# Jumping Spider Care?



## Meer (Jun 21, 2008)

I am very interested in keeping jumping spiders, but I'm having a hard time finding detailed information on caring for them.  Specifically hatching eggs and rearing spiderlings.

There is a Phidippus audax with an eggsac near my house.  I am very tempted to collect her and the sac and try to keep them.  But I'm afraid of doing something wrong.  And I'm sure the "right" thing to do would be leave them alone.  But I badly want pet jumping spiders.

Can anyone point me towards some information on keeping jumping spiders.  Like humidity, how often and how much to feed, caring for spiderlings and how much success people have had with wild eggsacs?


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## loxoscelesfear (Jun 21, 2008)

tiny crix for youngins.  adults eat like pigs-- crix, flies, moths, etc.  just keep in simple set up at room temp, water source, and they will be very happy pets.


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## duncan27 (Jun 22, 2008)

I have kept several over the years with no problem.  Like Loxo said, room temp.  Pretty simple.  I just put in some peet moss and climbing twigs and lightly misted once a day, didn't let the substrate get soaked.

I do have a question for those that keep jumpers.  My biggest problem was having to clean the cage about once a week or 2 due to all the drag line that the spiders leave behind.  Do I need a bigger tank or is this just a part of the package when keeping these guys.

I am thinking about going out and getting another Phiddipus johnsoni.  They are all over the place not too far from where I live.


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## Meer (Jun 22, 2008)

Thank you guys.  Although that is pretty much the information I have already managed to clean reading other places.  Things I really want to know are

How much and how often to feed them?

Give them a tiny water dish, a soaked paper towel, or just mist the cage?

Does anyone have any experience raising WC spiderlings from first instar and how well did they survive?


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## crpy (Jun 22, 2008)

Meer said:


> Thank you guys.  Although that is pretty much the information I have already managed to clean reading other places.  Things I really want to know are
> 
> How much and how often to feed them?
> 
> ...


I have raised P. regius, when ready to eat I started feeding spring tails  every other day, 

then fruit flies as much as they will eat every other day,

 then pin heads then 1 gut loaded adult cricket per week

I misted every other day or so.

feeding wasnt always exact, like every thing else. 

regius are hardy though, and little piggies.


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## duncan27 (Jun 23, 2008)

I am a total novice at raising spiders and had no problem raising them.  Mostly fruit flies and pin heads.  They are willing to tackle anything they think they can handle... which is a lot.


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## Moltar (Jun 23, 2008)

Yep. Hard as nails. Keep them in anything that will hold them, feed them anything they can tackle, spritz some water on the walls 2-3 times a week for them to drink and watch the draglines accumulate.

In the enclosure give them some small crevices to squeeze into to make a hide.


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## Meer (Jun 23, 2008)

Thanks!  This gives me some confidence that maybe I can keep them.  If that is I can catch any of the little things when they emerge.

Can the slings be kept together when they are tiny or should I separate them immediately?


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## crpy (Jun 23, 2008)

Meer said:


> Thanks!  This gives me some confidence that maybe I can keep them.  If that is I can catch any of the little things when they emerge.
> 
> Can the slings be kept together when they are tiny or should I separate them immediately?


Its easier to tell who is getting food by separating them, but you can keep them together and let them predate each other then separate the remaining ones


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## troglodyte (Jun 23, 2008)

Will you send me some babies? I want a jumping spider so bad.


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## crpy (Jun 23, 2008)

troglodyte said:


> Will you send me some babies? I want a jumping spider so bad.


Regals should be all over near you, look around horse stables, pole barns, picknic tables etc.


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## duncan27 (Jun 23, 2008)

crpy said:


> Its easier to tell who is getting food by separating them, but you can keep them together and let them predate each other then separate the remaining ones



yep easier, but WAY too much work.  I let mine mingle for about a week or two and let darwinism take root.  They really don't have a problem with cannibalism at first, I was surprised to see.  I ended up letting a bunch go and keeping a handful.  A friend let 5 go in his 10 gallon T (rosie) tank.  They lived there with no problems for a while.  He got them out when they got too big.


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## Meer (Jun 24, 2008)

troglodyte said:


> Will you send me some babies? I want a jumping spider so bad.


I wish I could.  But I don't think I'm confident to ship anything alive just yet.  However if you live in Florida I am jealous.    You have P regius native to your area which is the jumper I'd most like to have.  (not that P audax isn't an awesome close second)

About how long do the slings take to emerge, does anyone know?  Of course knowing that won't help me any in predicting a "due date"  since I have no idea how long the spider has been there with her eggsac before I saw her.


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## Kid Dragon (Jun 28, 2008)

Meer said:


> I wish I could.  But I don't think I'm confident to ship anything alive just yet.  However if you live in Florida I am jealous.    You have P regius native to your area which is the jumper I'd most like to have.  (not that P audax isn't an awesome close second)
> 
> About how long do the slings take to emerge, does anyone know?  Of course knowing that won't help me any in predicting a "due date"  since I have no idea how long the spider has been there with her eggsac before I saw her.


I have P regius as a pet and I highly recommend them. I mist the container twice a week, feed her twice a week, and she has become a fat little 1 inch monster, a great feeder, lightning fast. If you don't live in Florida here is a reliable source: 
www.tarantulaspiders.com

I hope that helps.

 kd


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## Meer (Jul 6, 2008)

Well I have some of the babies now.  They are tiny black specks.  How soon do they start eating?  I think they are too small for fruit flies yet, so I have no idea what to get them.

They will probably all die, but I'm going to give it a go anyway, see what happens.


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## duncan27 (Jul 7, 2008)

just let them canibalize each other for a little bit.  thin the herd a bit and in house food.  After that go for the fruit flies.


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## Meer (Jul 9, 2008)

Well so far as I can tell they are not cannibalizing yet.  But a few of them have died.  I don't know what I could be doing wrong.

I have them in a small plastic container with a paper towel lining the bottom.  I put a drop of water on the towel about once a day for moister.  I have a cloth cover other the container, since they are small enough to fit though screen.  Although they don't seem inclined to crawl way yet.

The ones I left outside are still in the web with the mother and seem to be doing fine.


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