# How long does it take for jumping spiders to molt?



## Briiii (May 22, 2021)

My jumping spider has been in his nest for a week now. I’m pretty sure he’s molting because it’s a really thick nest but I can’t see him. Is it normal for molting to take this long?


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## Tarantuland (May 22, 2021)

No way it's molting for a week and still living, but sometimes they stay in a thick web before or after molting

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Poonjab (May 22, 2021)

Leave em in there. It’s fine

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## viper69 (May 22, 2021)

Briiii said:


> My jumping spider has been in his nest for a week now. I’m pretty sure he’s molting because it’s a really thick nest but I can’t see him. Is it normal for molting to take this long?


Physically molting for a week- nope 
Physically molting because you see a dense webbing- not for a week


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## Lightningpaw (May 22, 2021)

Briiii said:


> My jumping spider has been in his nest for a week now. I’m pretty sure he’s molting because it’s a really thick nest but I can’t see him. Is it normal for molting to take this long?


As far as I know thick webbing isn't a problem as that's just like a home I guess but then again I'm new to owning Jumping Spiders myself.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Briiii (May 23, 2021)

So should I be worried if he stays in there too long? He was very active before this and I haven’t had him for very long


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## Tarantuland (May 23, 2021)

How long is too long? Too long for your approval?


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## Jess S (May 23, 2021)

What species of jumping spider is it?

I have an adult female jumper that I've been keeping for a year (that I've not yet managed to identify) that spends most of her time in her nest. She comes out when she's hungry.  She has some brief periods of activity where she's out for a few days. The rest of the time I hardly see her.  So I wouldn't worry about it hiding or assume it's moulting. It may be just be doing its thing.  

As long as the outside of the nest looks neatly maintained I don't worry. Sometimes I open the enclosure, still don't see the spider but notice some new tendrils of web here and there. That's a sign that my girl has been out looking for food. If I put a feeder in, chances are later on that day I'll see her sitting on the bark snacking on it.


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## Briiii (May 23, 2021)

Tarantuland said:


> How long is too long? Too long for your approval?


I’ve never owned a spider before and I just want to make sure he’s okay

Reactions: Like 3


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## Briiii (May 23, 2021)

Jess S said:


> What species of jumping spider is it?
> 
> I have an adult female jumper that I've been keeping for a year (that I've not yet managed to identify) that spends most of her time in her nest. She comes out when she's hungry.  She has some brief periods of activity where she's out for a few days. The rest of the time I hardly see her.  So I wouldn't worry about it hiding or assume it's moulting. It may be just be doing its thing.
> 
> As long as the outside of the nest looks neatly maintained I don't worry. Sometimes I open the enclosure, still don't see the spider but notice some new tendrils of web here and there. That's a sign that my girl has been out looking for food. If I put a feeder in, chances are later on that day I'll see her sitting on the bark snacking on it.


Hes a regal jumping spider. He’s normally pretty active but I’ve only had him for a couple weeks and I’ve never owned a spider before so this is all new for me


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## Jess S (May 23, 2021)

Briiii said:


> Hes a regal jumping spider. He’s normally pretty active but I’ve only had him for a couple weeks and I’ve never owned a spider before so this is all new for me


It is weird for any keeper to have to get used to our first spider hiding away for weeks.  I was just as worried when starting out in the hobby, my tarantula sling burrowed for over a month, even though I knew that would probably happen! 

Just keep refilling the water dish when empty and at the same time add a couple of small drops onto leaves or a wall nearby the nest.  Update this thread when you next see it!


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## Briiii (May 23, 2021)

Jess S said:


> It is weird for any keeper to have to get used to our first spider hiding away for weeks.  I was just as worried when starting out in the hobby, my tarantula sling burrowed for over a month, even though I knew that would probably happen!
> 
> Just keep refilling the water dish when empty and at the same time add a couple of small drops onto leaves or a wall nearby the nest.  Update this thread when you next see it!


Thank you! Should I put a feeder in there for him or should I wait until he comes out? I have mealworms and dubia roaches right now


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## DreadMan (May 23, 2021)

Briiii said:


> Thank you! Should I put a feeder in there for him or should I wait until he comes out? I have mealworms and dubia roaches right now


ah, there is your problem. If you have just been plopping in a mealworm or dubia for it every few days, thats the reason its hiding like that. Dubias and mealworms are horrible feeders for jumpers because of their armor and borrowing habits. Best outcome is you attempt to feed it a pre-killed cricket with tongs or something else. Hopefully I am wrong but your jumper might have already died of starvation, or in a deep hibernation state.


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## Jumper (May 23, 2021)

Briiii said:


> My jumping spider has been in his nest for a week now. I’m pretty sure he’s molting because it’s a really thick nest but I can’t see him. Is it normal for molting to take this long?


To the OP,  depending how old your Phidippus Regius.
If he is reaching maturity he may stay in his hammock 2-3 weeks.
Make sure you mist one side of the enclosure to keep humidity up. 
Once he has molted. He will push out his old exoskeleton out of the hammock, 
he will stay in his hammock for 1-3 days for his final exoskeleton has harden.
He will come out when he is ready, when he does, he will be super hungry and thirsty.

Patience is key as you don't want him to have a bad molt.
I've had some females stay in there hammock's for at least a month.
Sometimes I worry about one our little gals or little fellas, but my wife would reassure me.. nature will take care of herself.
Just be patient!

Since this is your 1st spider. My advice is to research as much as possible since he is in his hammock.
phantasticphids, opheliathemonster, worldofphids: provide awesome literature on jumping spiders.
Or message jumping spider breeders: breddbugs, phantasticphids, opheliathemonster, worldofphids.

I hope this helps!

Jumper


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## Briiii (May 24, 2021)

Jumper said:


> To the OP,  depending how old your Phidippus Regius.
> If he is reaching maturity he may stay in his hammock 2-3 weeks.
> Make sure you mist one side of the enclosure to keep humidity up.
> Once he has molted. He will push out his old exoskeleton out of the hammock,
> ...


That definitely helps, thank you!


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## Briiii (May 24, 2021)

DreadMan said:


> ah, there is your problem. If you have just been plopping in a mealworm or dubia for it every few days, thats the reason its hiding like that. Dubias and mealworms are horrible feeders for jumpers because of their armor and borrowing habits. Best outcome is you attempt to feed it a pre-killed cricket with tongs or something else. Hopefully I am wrong but your jumper might have already died of starvation, or in a deep hibernation state.


I’ve been feeding them to him with tongs so far so I can make sure he’s caught it and so far it’s worked. Should I switch to something else?


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## Lightningpaw (May 24, 2021)

Briiii said:


> Hes a regal jumping spider. He’s normally pretty active but I’ve only had him for a couple weeks and I’ve never owned a spider before so this is all new for me


I have a Regal and he sometimes just hides. He is very shy. I wouldn't worry I've had 2 Regals now both hid a lot. They seem to be somewhat shy.

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## DreadMan (May 24, 2021)

Briiii said:


> I’ve been feeding them to him with tongs so far so I can make sure he’s caught it and so far it’s worked. Should I switch to something else?


Crickets. Jumpers love crickets. They also enjoy other spiders. As a treat I feed mine a small wolf spider every week.


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## Aiden4 (May 25, 2021)

Jumping spiders like to stay in their hammock for a while. You can use a flashlight to get a general image of what’s going on


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## regisregius (May 26, 2021)

Sorry if this response is coming late, but I am also a new jumping spider owner, and I also got so worried the first time my jumper molted. Jumper’s post was very informative.

I think just be patient. They can retreat into a pre-molt web for a number of days before actually molting. I read that during this time you should disturb them as little as possible, not put any feeders in, and continue misting the enclosure daily as humidity can help with the molting process.

My little guy was in his web for about a week before he pushed his old skin out of his web. I was really worried the whole time because I didn’t have any prior experience. It gave me some peace of mind to shine a flashlight inside his web and see him shift around a little, just to know he was still alive. I wouldn’t do it too often just in case it stresses them out.

Another tip is to try giving him some warmth and light. I guess they can retreat  to their web if it’s too cold and dark for too long  If he still doesn’t come out, he’s probably pre-molt/molting.

The photo of the pre-molt web in the link below gave me some peace of mind as well because his web looked exactly the same:








						Jumping Spider Molting Behavior
					

Why do jumping spiders molt? Jumping spiders molt to grow.  They have to shed their exoskeletons in order to get bigger.  Adult jumping spiders do not molt, hence their last molt takes them to maturity. How do I know if my jumping spider is about to molt?  What are the signs of premolt? Before...




					www.phantasticphids.com
				




I hope your little guy is doing well and that he molts soon!

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## Briiii (May 29, 2021)

Thank you all for your help! He came out today and was incredibly hungry so I gave him a mealworm, he’s doing great!

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## jeimijamie (May 29, 2021)

Briiii said:


> My jumping spider has been in his nest for a week now. I’m pretty sure he’s molting because it’s a really thick nest but I can’t see him. Is it normal for molting to take this long?


I have a young Tan Jumping Spider (tiny enough that I can't make out her markings without visual assistance but can see her basic coloring)... She pigged out about a week ago and then went into her usual sleeping hammock for the next 6 days. She didn't bother creating a thick one for molting. I made sure to keep her enclosure humidity up by adding a couple of moistened cotton balls to the usual moistened sphagnum moss (for drinking water) and a daily fine mist spray on the side wall of her enclosure. I worried she might've been in the process of dying since none of the typical things you hear about molting applied (eating within hours of going to settle in for the molt and doing so in the very fine and thin sleeping web). I only knew she was still alive because sometimes she'd reverse her orientation from one day to the next. Yesterday morning she was out and about and there was an exoskeleton in the hammock, which she's since pushed to the edge of it. So, it took her 6 days to molt. I know this is atypical, but it leads me to believe that a week isn't out of the question in terms of jumping spider molting times.

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## PhidRegNoob (May 2, 2022)

Hi folks

Jumping in this thread after a year because I have questions, well one main question.  Do pRegius ‘lie down’ to moult a few times before actually moulting? 
Mine has built 3 hammocks none particularly thick, I can see through them but all very much a hammock. He has lay down on his back for 2-3 days in each but moved without moulting. He’s had been refusing food, humidity is grand I’m misting every day and making sure there’s some by he hammock for him. When he leaves each hammock to build a new one I have offered food but he’s refused each time so I have been assuming he’s in premoult.  Other than that he has been left to get on with it. He seems fine and alert as normal just a bit on the skinny side now. It’s been about 3 weeks now since he has eaten and started his hammocks.

he’s my first spider and I just want to make sure he’s ok, getting everything he needs and I’m not missing something. I’m trying to find a balance, don’t want to be impatient but also don’t want to neglect him

thanks in advance


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## Nicole C G (May 2, 2022)

PhidRegNoob said:


> Hi folks
> 
> Jumping in this thread after a year because I have questions, well one main question.  Do pRegius ‘lie down’ to moult a few times before actually moulting?
> Mine has built 3 hammocks none particularly thick, I can see through them but all very much a hammock. He has lay down on his back for 2-3 days in each but moved without moulting. He’s had been refusing food, humidity is grand I’m misting every day and making sure there’s some by he hammock for him. When he leaves each hammock to build a new one I have offered food but he’s refused each time so I have been assuming he’s in premoult.  Other than that he has been left to get on with it. He seems fine and alert as normal just a bit on the skinny side now. It’s been about 3 weeks now since he has eaten and started his hammocks.
> ...


My sister’s Eris militaris male did this, where he would not eat for a week but end up not molting. He’s perfectly healthy. If it’s been 3 weeks, that sounds like a really long pre-molt. What food have you been giving him?

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## PhidRegNoob (May 2, 2022)

Nicole C G said:


> My sister’s Eris militaris male did this, where he would not eat for a week but end up not molting. He’s perfectly healthy. If it’s been 3 weeks, that sounds like a really long pre-molt. What food have you been giving him?


Oh That’s good news about your sister’s 

I’ve tried a few things to be honest. I’ve only had him just over a month. The breeder said on the listing they’d been feeding well on green bottle flies, But never answered a single one of my queries about how long since he last fed them, what instar he was at or anything else.

 I ordered green bottle feeders from the breeder at the same time but they weren’t hatching, I put 2 casters in the enclosure so he could get them when they did hatch (they never did so I removed them a week or two ago). I went to the pet store and got some meal worms. Little spood didn’t want any. He was still looking plump enough so I didn’t worry too much. Got some fruit flies to be on the safe side. After a few days I put some in the enclosure and he ignored them. I seen every one of them over the next day or two so took them out. Eventually after a week or so, he took down one of the mealworms when I offered it.

about a week later I offered a hatched green bottle but it died inside the enclosure after a few hours as he hadn’t  touched it.It was def dead so I left it there until the following day to see if he’d take it anyway but he wasn’t interested. Tried the fruit flies again but still nothing. Green bottle fly he didn’t go near it but took it from the tweezers. Only had it a short while then left it lying and didn’t go back. Didn’t look like he’d had much out of it. He wasn’t as plump as you’d expect after a good feed. That was 2.5-3 weeks ago and he hasn’t touched anything since.

he has been out and had a few explorations, is happy to be handled and likes to look around. Last week or more he’s been staying in his hammocks though and he is looking very under fed

On the plus side the Robin in my garden thinks all the xmasses have come at once with all the live mealworms it’s getting

photos for size, I wouldn’t say he’s adult yet, he’s not much over 1cm, 1.2cm max

thank you!


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## Nicole C G (May 2, 2022)

PhidRegNoob said:


> Oh That’s good news about your sister’s
> 
> I’ve tried a few things to be honest. I’ve only had him just over a month. The breeder said on the listing they’d been feeding well on green bottle flies, But never answered a single one of my queries about how long since he last fed them, what instar he was at or anything else.
> 
> ...


For most jumpers swollen palps that look like that indicate he is sub-adult. One molt left until he is an adult. 
Unfortunately I can’t judge sizes based on hands because I have somewhat small hands so everything ends up looking tiny compared.
If he was eating the flies well, I suggest continuing to attempt at feeding him those flies. Or you could maybe try dubia roaches?


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## PhidRegNoob (May 2, 2022)

My hands are actually quite small too (a bit swollen though as I’ve had an elbow injury that makes me retain some fluid in that one) but small enough to get away with kids gloves 

thanks for the advice!! I can only go on what was on the listing regarding how well he was eating the flies, but it says that on every one of the listings so who knows. He’s only eaten that one mealworm and had a nibble at a green bottle fly since I’ve had him. would have been handy if there had been any contact from the breeder  I’ll definitely keep trying with the green bottles and see how he goes.

That’s great to know he’s a sub adult with one moult left! That last one usually takes a bit longer anyway doesn’t it? Also longer between meals if I remember correctly? That’s a relief thank you so much

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## LadyShia77 (May 4, 2022)

I have a Regal sling I've had for about a month now. For the first little bit, it would hide behind a tiny flower on its hideaway and would only come out to eat. Just recently, it created a thick nest and stayed inside for about a week. I'm fairly certain that it molted during that time and stayed inside until its new exoskeleton hardened. It's been back outside now for a few days and is definitely bigger than before.

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## PhidRegNoob (May 4, 2022)

LadyShia77 said:


> I have a Regal sling I've had for about a month now. For the first little bit, it would hide behind a tiny flower on its hideaway and would only come out to eat. Just recently, it created a thick nest and stayed inside for about a week. I'm fairly certain that it molted during that time and stayed inside until its new exoskeleton hardened. It's been back outside now for a few days and is definitely bigger than before.



Thank you!  That’s so cute.  

None of his hammocks are particularly thick, but they’re definitely hammocks.
Just Today I put some fruit flies in again and he ate 2 of them (finally!! ) then left his hammock that he’s been in for a few days and went to the other one, fixed it up a bit and has been lying down for a few hours now . We shall see if he gets up again or actually moults this time
I got so bored of waiting for him to do it that I bought a female to entertain me while


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## LadyShia77 (May 4, 2022)

If he's been coming out after being in there for a week, I would say he's done and is just chilling in there. My little guy has made a new hammock/nest on top of his hideaway and has been hanging out here in the evenings not that he's been out.


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## PhidRegNoob (May 4, 2022)

LadyShia77 said:


> If he's been coming out after being in there for a week, I would say he's done and is just chilling in there. My little guy has made a new hammock/nest on top of his hideaway and has been hanging out here in the evenings not that he's been out.


Well he’s been in and out, he’s been lying on his back for a few days then going somewhere else to make/fix a hammock then having a stay in there for a few days. Been doing that for about 3 weeks now.
He’s definitely not moulted, The nests aren’t very thick I can see right through. there’s no discarded exoskeleton. There’s nothing been pushed out onto the floor either and he’s still lying on his back at the minute. He’s certainly due one though and I’ll be glad when he finally gets a move on.


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## LadyShia77 (May 4, 2022)

He may be getting ready to then.

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## PhidRegNoob (May 4, 2022)

LadyShia77 said:


> He may be getting ready to then.


Fingers crossed, I’m too impatient for this. I’ll obviously leave him to it but the waiting is torture for me and my ADHD  huge learning curve and an exercise in finding other things to get on with while I’m waiting

thanks


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## LadyShia77 (May 4, 2022)

It was for me too. My little guy disappeared for about a week and I worried a little. I'm new to owning jumping spiders myself lol. I currently have a wild caught sling (not sure what kind) and it has disappeared inside its enclosure and I can't find it. I'm assuming it's hidden somewhere and molting, but it still worries me lol. Good luck with your little guy.

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## Nicole C G (May 4, 2022)

LadyShia77 said:


> It was for me too. My little guy disappeared for about a week and I worried a little. I'm new to owning jumping spiders myself lol. I currently have a wild caught sling (not sure what kind) and it has disappeared inside its enclosure and I can't find it. I'm assuming it's hidden somewhere and molting, but it still worries me lol. Good luck with your little guy.


If you have photos, I can attempt at identifying the species of your jumper.


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## Postmalone35 (May 4, 2022)

Sometimes they stay in for a very long time.


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## LadyShia77 (May 4, 2022)

Nicole C G said:


> If you have photos, I can attempt at identifying the species of your jumper.


I think you offered before on another thread. I'm still waiting for it to re-emerge. I'll definitely ask for identification once it comes out again. I appreciate the offer.

Reactions: Thanks 1


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## Nicole C G (May 4, 2022)

LadyShia77 said:


> I think you offered before on another thread. I'm still waiting for it to re-emerge. I'll definitely ask for identification once it comes out again. I appreciate the offer.


Ah, yes I remember now! Sorry, I’m bad at remembering people.


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## LadyShia77 (May 4, 2022)

Nicole C G said:


> Ah, yes I remember now! Sorry, I’m bad at remembering people.


You're fine lol. I'm the same way. Don't feel bad.

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