# Jumping Spiders



## Amelia (Feb 20, 2009)

Is there anything special needed when keeping Jumping Spiders? 

Should I keep a supply of crickets on hand at all times in the enclosure, or give them to it at set intervals. I saved one from being squished and have been feeding it crickets. It is eating very well.

It seems to be doing pretty well, but I don't know all that much, so I just wanted to check with the experts to see if there is anything special I should do for the little guy.

Thanks a lot!


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## jsloan (Feb 20, 2009)

Severus said:


> Is there anything special needed when keeping Jumping Spiders?


Make sure they always have some drinking water.  Just a few drops in a lid off a small medicine bottle, or something like that, placed in the bottom of their jar or terrarium will do.   Don't let it dry out.


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## GiantVinegaroon (Feb 20, 2009)

feed once or twice a week and keep water readily available.  al there is to it!


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## Amelia (Feb 21, 2009)

Oh, cool! Thank you! Such a fascinating little guy. These guys think they are big don't they?  Very fiesty. My roommate is less than thrilled about having it in the room, but where else could it be. Loose inside and/or squished, or tossed out in the snow. I don't care. He is freaking fun to watch. Even when he's sitting still.


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## GiantVinegaroon (Feb 22, 2009)

Severus said:


> Oh, cool! Thank you! Such a fascinating little guy. These guys think they are big don't they?  Very fiesty. My roommate is less than thrilled about having it in the room, but where else could it be. Loose inside and/or squished, or tossed out in the snow. I don't care. He is freaking fun to watch. Even when he's sitting still.


what kind is he?


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## Neuroticax (Feb 22, 2009)

I love jumping spiders over T's, to be honest. They are just more active and fun to watch and interact with. I caught a tiny little guy (or gal) myself just a couple days ago. Seriously out of season to be seeing these guys, but the weather has been severely wonky here.

Hope you enjoy your jumper! Never a dull moment.  It's fun to watch them interact with you.


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## Amelia (Feb 22, 2009)

I don't have access to google right now, but it is one of the little, gray, hairy ones with small black stripes. Pretty common, from what I've seen.


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## Amelia (Feb 23, 2009)

My guy is this kind. 






Okay, I am having difficulty truly pinning him. Sorry I am new to this.  Perhaps, this: http://www.cirrusimage.com/spider_jumping_eris.htm

I will say that this is probably one of the cutest things I have ever seen. My roommate would have a heart attack. lol
http://www.cirrusimage.com/spider_jumping_P_mystaceus.htm


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## Godzirra (Feb 23, 2009)

Severus said:


> Okay, I am having difficulty truly pinning him. Sorry I am new to this.  Perhaps, this: http://www.cirrusimage.com/spider_jumping_eris.htm
> 
> I will say that this is probably one of the cutest things I have ever seen. My roommate would have a heart attack. lol
> http://www.cirrusimage.com/spider_jumping_P_mystaceus.htm


Platycryptus undatus


> Platycryptus
> GENUS: Platycryptus
> Typical jumping spiders in the genus Platycryptus are gray with black markings.  Pictured below is a female Platycryptus undatus.  It was about 1/2" long and is common in Kentucky.


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## lhystrix (Feb 23, 2009)

Actually it's a Phidippus. Not sure which species, looks like immature coloration.


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## Godzirra (Feb 23, 2009)

jeff h said:


> Actually it's a Phidippus. Not sure which species, looks like immature coloration.


are you sure, i looked up what jumping spiders they have in kentucky - and Platycryptus were very common there

but looking at his, i just realized that the coloring was inverse


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## Motzo (Feb 23, 2009)

jeff h said:


> Actually it's a Phidippus. Not sure which species, looks like immature coloration.


That is what I was thinking as well. I'm not sure, though.. it just has those three marks (two dots and a triangle) that I find common among Phidippi.


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## lhystrix (Feb 23, 2009)

Yeah, definite. The spot pattern is the key here. The white markings on the abdomen are spots. From front to back is spots 1-4. Spots 1 is the first pair near the head, 2 is the large white one, which is actually a fused pair, 3 and 4 are the line pairs following. That's a common Phid spot pattern, and the spots are an important part of adult descriptions.

The iridescent stripe between spots 2 and the spinnerets is also a common Phid trait.


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## Motzo (Feb 23, 2009)

So now the only question lies with the spider's species..


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## Amelia (Feb 23, 2009)

I shall try to get some pictures of the actual spider soon. You guys rock.


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## Amelia (Mar 1, 2009)

Here are the best pictures I could get of the little one. Looks kind of different than the one from the other picture.


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## GiantVinegaroon (Mar 1, 2009)

That is one fat female.  I think it's some species of _Phidippus_...


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## Amelia (Mar 1, 2009)

So a female? Cool! Out of curiosity, how can you tell?


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## Amelia (Mar 1, 2009)

mystaceus, perhaps? http://bugguide.net/node/view/23004/bgimage?from=24


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## Motzo (Mar 2, 2009)

I don't think anyone can argue with that.
Well done on the self-ID ^_^


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## Amelia (Mar 2, 2009)

Yay for google and a really big hint!


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## Miss Bianca (Mar 2, 2009)

I have been meaning to add one of these to my collection soon... question- how long do these little guys last. They look so interesting with that fat botom and those huge eyes.... I saw some females on sale here for 10bucks, but dont want to get a spider thats going to die in a month or two...  are juvis better to purchase? Thanks in advance..


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## Miss Bianca (Mar 3, 2009)

tortuga00 said:


> I have been meaning to add one of these to my collection soon... question- how long do these little guys last. They look so interesting with that fat botom and those huge eyes.... I saw some females on sale here for 10bucks, but dont want to get a spider thats going to die in a month or two...  are juvis better to purchase? Thanks in advance..



anyone???


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


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## CodeWilster (Mar 3, 2009)

I think it's around 2 years, possibly 3. Of course, without hibernation that is cut down by a few months.


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## Amelia (Mar 4, 2009)

Hah, mines been good for about two weeks now, so that is all I can tell you. 

Well, the darling little gal got a new container. I moved her from the cotton candy tub, to a clear plastic box with a high top to it. She has been busily decorating the top for the last few hours. She stopped once to look at her fresh prey, but decided to continue working on her webbing. Now, at least, I get to observe her without the obstructing nutritional information and balloon design blocking my view. How fun! 







I know this is probably "Spiders 101" but how is the silk produced? Should I make another thread asking this for more answers? Watching her has intrigued me.


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## Amelia (Mar 7, 2009)

Well, I seem to have a much noticeably thinner jumping spider now...













I am not sure I am going to mention this to my roommate.


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## ErikWestblom (Mar 7, 2009)

Severus said:


> Well, I seem to have a much noticeably thinner jumping spider now...
> 
> I am not sure I am going to mention this to my roommate.


Haha! He'd love the thought of a hundred spiders in his apartment!

And congrats on the sack, hope it's fertile!


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## Amelia (Mar 7, 2009)

If it is, what would be best to feed them? I do not know how "big" they are when they hatch (and hopefully I will find out  ).


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## Oasis Inverts (Mar 7, 2009)

*Pic of my jumper..........*


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## centime (Mar 7, 2009)

Congratulations, Severus!  I hope you are blessed with many little ones.  The salticid babies are especially cute.

I just fed mine the smallest gnats I could find, and they did alright with them.  I am sure someone else here will have better advice, though.

Pretty jumper, Oasis Inverts!  Beautiful markings.  Thanks for posting the photo.


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## GiantVinegaroon (Mar 7, 2009)

Severus said:


> So a female? Cool! Out of curiosity, how can you tell?


Well I looked at the pedipalps.  They are slender but VERY fuzzy.  that's how I sexed my _Phidippus audax_.

And males usually have swollen tips or structures on the pedipalps that are only found in males.


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## Amelia (Mar 8, 2009)

Cool! Can you not tell I am wearing my sparkly "Newb" hat and nametag?

Well, my friends think I am wierd, but I get great enjoyment out of watching the spider just sit there, guarding her nest.


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## GiantVinegaroon (Mar 8, 2009)

Severus said:


> Cool! Can you not tell I am wearing my sparkly "Newb" hat and nametag?
> 
> Well, my friends think I am wierd, but I get great enjoyment out of watching the spider just sit there, guarding her nest.


i hear ya on that one!  my buddies think i'm weird for raising roaches, having a centipede named henry, and wanting a giant centipede


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## kathya66 (Mar 8, 2009)

*immature jumper*

Phidipupus comatus I think. My friend just found 1 in Fateyyeville NC. Took hours of searching to locate him


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## Amelia (Mar 8, 2009)

ScottySalticid said:


> i hear ya on that one!  my buddies think i'm weird for raising roaches, having a centipede named henry, and wanting a giant centipede


Haha, yes, I get that a lot too. "Why roaches?" is the main question. My roommate about lost it when we were visited by a mantis last semester in the dorm. I walked it outside through screams of "KILL IT! KILL IT!!" Oh, if she knew my hissers were under my bed, I think she'd change rooms. LOL. Speaking of which, she is gone tonight, I need to check on them. 

Thank you for all of your help!


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## Godzirra (Mar 9, 2009)

Severus said:


> If it is, what would be best to feed them? I do not know how "big" they are when they hatch (and hopefully I will find out  ).


you might want to check 
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=146742

this is how they will look when they hatch






don't do anything for a week, maybe mist lightly once


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## Amelia (Mar 9, 2009)

Oh, I did check that out, and I must say those are very exciting pictures. You said it took about 18 days for them to hatch, correct? In that case, I should be looking for little ones around the 24th.

And thank YOU for the pictures and information!

Will they be able to get through a 1/16 inch opening? I may have to move enclosures or tape a piece of paper or something over the screen.


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## Godzirra (Mar 10, 2009)

They will stay in their group for a while, so you can plan what you'll do to accommodate their size. I currently don't have anything over the holes, but will be soon.

This  is a closeup of them,


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## Amelia (Mar 10, 2009)

Oh my word, those are so incredibly cute! Now I can't wait. I really hope my eggsac is fertile. LOL! 

She is adding to the nest every day. Depending on where I look, I can barely see her in her motherly compartment below the eggsac.

Oh boy, I can't wait. This will be so cool!


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## Amelia (Mar 12, 2009)

If this eggsac is not fertile, I will feel really bad for the spider. I know she won't, in terms of human emotion, but she has been working so hard on this whole web/nest/eggsac thing. I want it to be worth all the effort. And maybe I have just the slightest desire to see a bunch of baby spiders. But mostly for the female, of course!


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## Godzirra (Mar 12, 2009)

That looks fertile to me, has all those yellow eggs in - ready to sprout.

I actually also just had another egg hatch, one that i removed from the mother and place in a diy incubator.
I was so close to  throwing it out yesterday because the eggs looked so damaged and dried, but some eggs hatched
(in an even less time then the ones kept with the mother, these were about 2 weeks)
There is about 15 or so that have hatched so far.


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## Amelia (Mar 24, 2009)

I think I have a few wee ones! Alas, I do not have my camera. I need to go home and get it tomorrow.


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## Amelia (Mar 26, 2009)

Quick question: will she be inclined to eat the babies?


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## Motzo (Mar 27, 2009)

I've never had experience with a spider mother before, but I highly doubt it.
The children would probably be too small for the mother to bother with, and I hear that the mothers care for the slings for a while..


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## Amelia (Mar 27, 2009)

Okay. The reason I asked was there were black spots (babies) and then the next time I checked, they were gone (imagine that, they move. lol) After I posted, they returned. I am starting to see them move now. It is so cool. I do not think I am going to have "hundreds", lol, but there are plenty enough for me. 

Here are my blurry pictures. 







A nice size comparison


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## Motzo (Mar 27, 2009)

That's quite adorable!
Now, when they start getting mobile you might want to start seperating them, as they may cannibalize.


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## Amelia (Mar 27, 2009)

Oh okay. I take it then I need to start feeding them as well. Goodness, if they are as ravenous as the female (who can take down a cricket her size. It was like a lion taking down a big gazelle. A lion with venom...It was intense.) most of my spare time will be in collecting prey. LOL . I've got a plan though.

The female seems to know that they should be hatching now. Occasionally, she goes in the web and "fluffs" the eggsac and then goes back to her usual spot. She goes  right under the eggs and pushes up on them. This is very interesting.


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## Godzirra (Mar 29, 2009)

It's been nearly a month now and they are just freeloading lol
They have gotten bigger, and she wanders more around her cage looking for food - food demand is up.
So you'll be good for a bit with yours.

No one has been eaten yet, which i was actually hoping for.


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## Amelia (Mar 29, 2009)

Lol, that is good. I had to cover up the cricket container. She could see them, and even after eating that monster of a cricket, was pacing back and forth, obviously trying to figure out a way to get to the crickets across the desk. I covered them up and she went back to her hammok under the babies. 

They are starting to move more noticeably now. My roommate still hasn't found out about them, luckily. lol I count about fifteen, right now...


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## GiantVinegaroon (Mar 30, 2009)

So I guess this is the official "All things Salticidae related thread"?  .

I caught two overwintering P. audax a few weeks ago.  The one passed away but the other just molted and seems to be a mature male.  Dropped in a cricket and it went on the wal of the container.  He went after it and nabbed it and was hanging from his thread for a good 20 seconds with his lunch before hauling abdomen back to chow down.  It was an amusing site to see indeed!


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## Godzirra (Mar 30, 2009)

Snap, i had class today, but did not go and i'm  glad i couldn't make it.
All the babies started seperating and making their way out of the holes lol

I just by chance decided to mist everyone tanks and saw them. So i set up a place for them to be. I caught all of them and took the sac with the rest from the mother and put them in their lame setup lol they think they are all grown up.


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## GiantVinegaroon (Mar 31, 2009)

Godzirra said:


> Snap, i had class today, but did not go and i'm  glad i couldn't make it.
> All the babies started seperating and making their way out of the holes lol
> 
> I just by chance decided to mist everyone tanks and saw them. So i set up a place for them to be. I caught all of them and took the sac with the rest from the mother and put them in their lame setup lol they think they are all grown up.


Well the common name is BOLD jumping spider for a reason!


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## Amelia (Mar 31, 2009)

Godzirra, how many do you have right now, do you think? 

Man, people just don't realize how entertaining these little guys are. I am still waiting for my roommate to ask me what I am looking at. LOL


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## GiantVinegaroon (Apr 1, 2009)

Severus said:


> Godzirra, how many do you have right now, do you think?
> 
> Man, people just don't realize how entertaining these little guys are. I am still waiting for my roommate to ask me what I am looking at. LOL


get a big spider and feed it to your jumper and have him watch.


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## Amelia (Apr 1, 2009)

She won't even watch the crickets being eaten. Hah, she has actually gotten close to the cricket cube to watch them, though. I'm slowly desensitizing her. I'll tell her soon, though, because I am itchng to show some people.


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## GiantVinegaroon (Apr 1, 2009)

Severus said:


> She won't even watch the crickets being eaten. Hah, she has actually gotten close to the cricket cube to watch them, though. I'm slowly desensitizing her. I'll tell her soon, though, because I am itchng to show some people.


Wait so does she know you have slings?


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## Amelia (Apr 1, 2009)

No. She knows about the one spider and how "I'm only keeping it until it is warm enough to release her."


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## Amelia (Apr 1, 2009)

Godzirra said:


> Snap, i had class today, but did not go and i'm  glad i couldn't make it.
> All the babies started seperating and making their way out of the holes lol
> 
> I just by chance decided to mist everyone tanks and saw them. So i set up a place for them to be. I caught all of them and took the sac with the rest from the mother and put them in their lame setup lol they think they are all grown up.


My babies are but a week old and already inching close to the edge. One actually has made it out. He is busy hanging out next to mum. I think there will be more tomorrow "out and about"....


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## Amelia (Apr 3, 2009)

They are growing well aren't they.


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## SandyMuffinCakes94 (Apr 6, 2009)

They are so cute , Jumping spiders are my fav insect. Does anyone know of any breeders that sell them during summer?


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## GiantVinegaroon (Apr 6, 2009)

nrokin said:


> They are so cute , Jumping spiders are my fav insect. Does anyone know of any breeders that sell them during summer?


I'm going to assume you mean they are your favorite arachnid and forget you ever made the typo  .

Many users here, myself included, keep P. audax, one of the largest species in the country.  do you get jumpers in alaska?


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## SandyMuffinCakes94 (Apr 6, 2009)

ScottySalticid said:


> I'm going to assume you mean they are your favorite arachnid and forget you ever made the typo  .
> 
> Many users here, myself included, keep P. audax, one of the largest species in the country.  do you get jumpers in alaska?


Yes sorry im still new and i get confused with the whole animal kingdom scientific names and what category they fall in. Yah i asked around last year but it was at the end of summer so they were going to bed for winter. Actually i only been back up here for a year and i did see one and not as big as the ones in california. I miss the big black and white ones though. I had one that we kept around the door to eat all the insects and one time he got into our fridge lol was cool he actually was slow enough to let me catch some pictures before putting him back outside for the 10th time hehe.


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## sjeckert6297 (Apr 10, 2009)

*Where can I get one?*

OK so these are the coolest little guys ever.  I've been reading about them for a few days now and I know that they are all over in the wild.  I've never seen one here in NC, but I've never really looked.  Is there somewhere I can pick one up at?  

Thanks,
Jen


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## GiantVinegaroon (Apr 10, 2009)

sjeckert6297 said:


> OK so these are the coolest little guys ever.  I've been reading about them for a few days now and I know that they are all over in the wild.  I've never seen one here in NC, but I've never really looked.  Is there somewhere I can pick one up at?
> 
> Thanks,
> Jen


I found mine overwintering under bark of old fallen trees.  it's warmer where you are, so i recommend basically checking out wherever you can find flies in large numbers.


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## SandyMuffinCakes94 (Apr 10, 2009)

sjeckert6297 said:


> OK so these are the coolest little guys ever.  I've been reading about them for a few days now and I know that they are all over in the wild.  I've never seen one here in NC, but I've never really looked.  Is there somewhere I can pick one up at?
> 
> Thanks,
> Jen


Try looking around places where theres alot of leaf litter and near bushes or u can keep a light on to attract moths and stuff and they come along and make home near ur door entrances, just be careful i had one that always got inside  and always had to take him outside ..one time  he ended up in the fridge lol. Not a good pic of him but ill try and find the other one!


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## sjeckert6297 (Apr 10, 2009)

Thanks for the advice....don't know if I have the patience to go looking for one but I guess I'll try......   wish me luck.


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## Fyreflye (Apr 10, 2009)

My sister called me last night and said she had a 'surprise' for me- an '_awesome looking'_ spider she found in her yard.  She described it as '_having three spots on its back and big green fangs.'_  I asked if it was kind of fuzzy with lots of large eyes, and she said yes.  Sounds like a P. audax to me!  I'm waiting excitedly to see what she brings over tonight!!!


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## Miss Bianca (Apr 10, 2009)

Severus said:


> Cool! Can you not tell I am wearing my sparkly "Newb" hat and nametag?




LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! cute...

and congrats on the babies!


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## Amelia (Apr 12, 2009)

Look at these guys! Getting so big, and a couple have started seriously venturing out.


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## Amelia (Apr 13, 2009)

I have a problem. I bought a fruit fly culture today for the wee ones. Saw what I was getting when I got it, but now that I have them home... ICK!!! I have a serious problem with worms/maggots/larvae. They freak me the heck out! Eww eww ewwww! I knew I should have bought gloves! The guys will just have to deal for a while.


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## Miss Bianca (Apr 13, 2009)

The same thing happened to me when after a week of having a fruit fly culture, I saw a grand total of TWO adults alive in there, which upset me, and when I mixed the oatmeal media stuff around all these maggots were crawling.   Could not deal with it. Just could not, and got rid of the whole shmeal... LOL...


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## Amelia (Apr 13, 2009)

Well, there are a bunch of grown flies in there... but many more wiggly nasty larvae....  *shudder*.... I'll work it out tomorrow... or the next day.... or the day after.... AH! I'll get to it very soon.


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## GiantVinegaroon (Apr 14, 2009)

Fyreflye said:


> My sister called me last night and said she had a 'surprise' for me- an '_awesome looking'_ spider she found in her yard.  She described it as '_having three spots on its back and big green fangs.'_  I asked if it was kind of fuzzy with lots of large eyes, and she said yes.  Sounds like a P. audax to me!  I'm waiting excitedly to see what she brings over tonight!!!


If it's not a Phidippus audax, I'll eat my hat.


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## Amelia (Apr 16, 2009)

I finally videoed the female catching a cricket. Check it out!  

http://s63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/MokeyBird/Other Animals/?action=view&current=112_4083.flv


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## GiantVinegaroon (Apr 16, 2009)

Severus said:


> I finally videoed the female catching a cricket. Check it out!
> 
> http://s63.photobucket.com/albums/h146/MokeyBird/Other Animals/?action=view&current=112_4083.flv


NICE!  How big is she?  She looks HUGE.


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## Amelia (Apr 16, 2009)

She is roughly 2 cms. The babies are topping out at half a cm. 

I got the babies fed (I'll admit. I used gloves.) The female had two stuffed in her mouth before she realized there were crickets. Not all the babies got a fly but a lot of them did. I might put a few more in there tonight or tomorrow.


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## ZergFront (May 30, 2009)

*Wow!*



Godzirra said:


> They will stay in their group for a while, so you can plan what you'll do to accommodate their size. I currently don't have anything over the holes, but will be soon.
> 
> This  is a closeup of them,



 That's EXACTLY how my slings look even though they're a different Phidippi.
Since the sac had been taken with the mother when Bitsy was found, it was easy to remove the slings from her so she could focus her attention on the second batch. I have them in a little jar covered with a pantyhose cutting and moist paper towel on the bottom.

 Heeeeeere's momma!


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## Jrock (Sep 9, 2016)

Amelia said:


> Hah, mines been good for about two weeks now, so that is all I can tell you.
> 
> Well, the darling little gal got a new container. I moved her from the cotton candy tub, to a clear plastic box with a high top to it. She has been busily decorating the top for the last few hours. She stopped once to look at her fresh prey, but decided to continue working on her webbing. Now, at least, I get to observe her without the obstructing nutritional information and balloon design blocking my view. How fun!
> 
> ...


Hey Amelia, where did you get this container? Looks great.


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## Andrea82 (Sep 9, 2016)

Jrock said:


> Hey Amelia, where did you get this container? Looks great.


Thread is from 2009....the OP is no longer active....


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