# My jumping spider won't eat



## HamZ (Mar 3, 2018)

2weeks ago i caught a 0.5cm jumping spider, that i haven't identified yet. It hasn't eaten in a week mainly because i couldn't find anything to feed it and now i have aphids, that it has taken before, it still wont eat. What do i do? Please help.


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## The wolf (Mar 3, 2018)

HamZ said:


> 2weeks ago i caught a 0.5cm jumping spider, that i haven't identified yet. It hasn't eaten in a week mainly because i couldn't find anything to feed it and now i have aphids, that it has taken before, it still wont eat. What do i do? Please help.


I only ever feed my spiders once a week so I expect yours will be fine,I would advise feeding it non wild caught prey like flightless fruit flies or the sort to avoid parasites

Reactions: Like 1 | Helpful 2


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## HamZ (Mar 3, 2018)

The wolf said:


> I only ever feed my spiders once a week so I expect yours will be fine,I would advise feeding it non wild caught prey like flightless fruit flies or the sort to avoid parasites


Thanks, that was very helpful, i heard it it could also be because of stress like having a small enclosure. So how large an enclosure would you recommend?


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## Liquifin (Mar 3, 2018)

If it was a wild caught jumping spider, then it is going to be more of a picky eater. In the wild tiny jumping spiders will eat small insects, and tiny larvae of beetles (ladybug larvae) and termites believe it or not. As a kid I caught many and fed them ants from the wild. It was okay for me and I never worried about parasites as ants was so small that parasites couldn't possibly catch on to them. From observation of wild jumping spiders, they observe on prey more as tiny babies, but they learn how to hunt and what prey is an easy meal for them. I wouldn't really worry about it though, I think it will do fine. I feed mines once a week.

Reactions: Helpful 1


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## The wolf (Mar 3, 2018)

HamZ said:


> Thanks, that was very helpful, i heard it it could also be because of stress like having a small enclosure. So how large an enclosure would you recommend?


It depends on the species you could post a pic of the little guy and/or the enclosure


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## HamZ (Mar 3, 2018)

Liquifin said:


> If it was a wild caught jumping spider, then it is going to be more of a picky eater. In the wild tiny jumping spiders will eat small insects, and tiny larvae of beetles (ladybug larvae) and termites believe it or not. As a kid I caught many and fed them ants from the wild. It was okay for me and I never worried about parasites as ants was so small that parasites couldn't possibly catch on to them. From observation of wild jumping spiders, they observe on prey more as tiny babies, but they learn how to hunt and what prey is an easy meal for them. I wouldn't really worry about it though, I think it will do fine. I feed mines once a week.


Yeah mine is wild caught i feed it aphids and mosquito's.


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## The wolf (Mar 3, 2018)

Liquifin said:


> If it was a wild caught jumping spider, then it is going to be more of a picky eater. In the wild tiny jumping spiders will eat small insects, and tiny larvae of beetles (ladybug larvae) and termites believe it or not. As a kid I caught many and fed them ants from the wild. It was okay for me and I never worried about parasites as ants was so small that parasites couldn't possibly catch on to them. From observation of wild jumping spiders, they observe on prey more as tiny babies, but they learn how to hunt and what prey is an easy meal for them. I wouldn't really worry about it though, I think it will do fine. I feed mines once a week.


I don't know how you can be too small for parisites as most are microscopic


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## Liquifin (Mar 3, 2018)

The wolf said:


> I don't know how you can be too small for parisites as most are microscopic


I personally never had a problem feeding ants and termites to young or little jumping spiders and iv'e done that for a long time now. It just works for me as people criticize that parasites are on all "wild caught feeders". Well here, where I live is mainly famous for its wildlife and regions. If you live where I live, it is an adventure to explore, especially summer.


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## The wolf (Mar 3, 2018)

Liquifin said:


> I personally never had a problem feeding ants and termites to young or little jumping spiders and iv'e done that for a long time now. It just works for me as people criticize that parasites are on all "wild caught feeders". Well here, where I live is mainly famous for its wildlife and regions. If you live where I live, it is an adventure to explore, especially summer.


I agree with the overall statement as I occasionally feed my trues house flies as does @basin79, and he should know

Reactions: Like 1


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## HamZ (Mar 3, 2018)

Terrible quality but here it is

Reactions: Like 1


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## basin79 (Mar 3, 2018)

I fed my jumpers flies although they where captive raised. I bought casters and let them hatch.

Jumpers will take much larger prey then they look like they'd manage.


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## The wolf (Mar 3, 2018)

basin79 said:


> I fed my jumpers flies although they where captive raised. I bought casters and let them hatch.
> 
> Jumpers will take much larger prey then they look like they'd manage.


That makes more sense now


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## Ungoliant (Mar 3, 2018)

Liquifin said:


> As a kid I caught many and fed them ants from the wild. It was okay for me and I never worried about parasites as ants was so small that parasites couldn't possibly catch on to them.


I would avoid ants as feeders, even if you think they are free of parasites. Ants can bite. Some can also sting or spray formic acid. Additionally, most ants contain formic acid, which many predators find unpalatable.



> Foelix, Rainer. _Biology of Spiders_ (p. 132).
> 
> Young jumping spiders (_Phidippus_) seem to learn to avoid ants. At first inexperienced spiderlings tackle ants but are quickly repelled by the ant's defense (bites, stings, formic acid). During later encounters with ants, the spiders always back away, probably because they remember their bad experiences (Edwards and Jackson, 1994).

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Wolfspidurguy (Mar 5, 2018)

HamZ said:


> 2weeks ago i caught a 0.5cm jumping spider, that i haven't identified yet. It hasn't eaten in a week mainly because i couldn't find anything to feed it and now i have aphids, that it has taken before, it still wont eat. What do i do? Please help.


okay well where i live we have these flies that look like craine flies but smaller and my jumper loves those other than that there are many flies and things that crowd lights at night. you could also pick up a flightless fruit fly culture at your local pets mart if it has them if not you can also buy them online


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## Villagecreep (Mar 28, 2018)

HamZ said:


> Thanks, that was very helpful, i heard it it could also be because of stress like having a small enclosure. So how large an enclosure would you recommend?


I tend to use the "smallish" medium plastic terrariums at petco and my jumping spiders love them.


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## a3idbxby (Jan 12, 2021)

Liquifin said:


> I personally never had a problem feeding ants and termites to young or little jumping spiders and iv'e done that for a long time now. It just works for me as people criticize that parasites are on all "wild caught feeders". Well here, where I live is mainly famous for its wildlife and regions. If you live where I live, it is an adventure to explore, especially summer.


hey you look like you know your stuff, so I caught a black jumping spider three days ago and it won't eat, it's smaller than my pinky nail, please help I've tried feeding it everything. ants, flys, moths both alive and dead for each one. but it still won't eat. please help I'm scared it's going to die. ant FYI the ants in new Zealand are really small. and I've even tried putting the spider and the prey in a smaller container so it would be easier for the spider to hunt it down but still nothing


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## Liquifin (Jan 12, 2021)

a3idbxby said:


> hey you look like you know your stuff, so I caught a black jumping spider three days ago and it won't eat, it's smaller than my pinky nail, please help I've tried feeding it everything. ants, flys, moths both alive and dead for each one. but it still won't eat. please help I'm scared it's going to die. ant FYI the ants in new Zealand are really small. and I've even tried putting the spider and the prey in a smaller container so it would be easier for the spider to hunt it down but still nothing


This was a long time ago when I made that post so I disregard and changed my perspectives since then. I stopped trying to feed anything outside to any of my collections just to be extra safe. There are many threads discussing feeding baby jumpers and the most recommended is flightless fruit flies as it always work well even for small baby jumping spiders.


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## a3idbxby (Jan 12, 2021)

Liquifin said:


> This was a long time ago when I made that post so I disregard and changed my perspectives since then. I stopped trying to feed anything outside to any of my collections just to be extra safe. There are many threads discussing feeding baby jumpers and the most recommended is flightless fruit flies as it always work well even for small baby jumping spiders.


so my family won't order things online and in New Zealand there aren't any flightless fruit flies, so I have no access to them, what do I do?


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## Liquifin (Jan 12, 2021)

a3idbxby said:


> so my family won't order things online and in New Zealand there aren't any flightless fruit flies, so I have no access to them, what do I do?


I can't say for sure to be honest. I'm not an expert on jumping spiders and I don't have all the answers. It would be helpful to start a new thread and ask the question as I'm sure there are people on this forums more experienced in this subject than I am. Hopefully they can help with a more proper answer.


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## a3idbxby (Jan 12, 2021)

Liquifin said:


> I can't say for sure to be honest. I'm not an expert on jumping spiders and I don't have all the answers. It would be helpful to start a new thread and ask the question as I'm sure there are people on this forums more experienced in this subject than I am. Hopefully they can help with a more proper aswer.


thank you so much


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## Lightningpaw (Jan 18, 2021)

So my Jumping Spider also won't seem to eat. It's been nearly 1.5 weeks and a cricket has been in the enclosure for nearly 4 days. The enclosure is just a modified beanie baby case that lifts up. Nomatter how many times I try to offer the cricket it won't take it.


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## LadyVonChimp (Jan 19, 2021)

If your Jumpers are WC by you and won't eat in captivity, the best thing is to do IMO is to release them back where you found them. I've read many times of WC Jumpers having a really hard time adapting to captivity and refusing food completely. 

If the spider is still really small, Pinhead crickets or Cricket legs from larger ones can also be offered, Mealworms, Wax Worms, House Flies (not WC), however I usually feed Green Bottle Fly to mine which I buy online sa casters and hatch when needed.


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## LadyVonChimp (Jan 19, 2021)

Also to add: Jumpers really love bright light, so if the place where their enclosure is is too dark then sometimes they won't eat either. Mine have bright LEDs above their enclosures and are thriving.


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## Lightningpaw (Jan 19, 2021)

LadyVonChimp said:


> Also to add: Jumpers really love bright light, so if the place where their enclosure is is too dark then sometimes they won't eat either. Mine have bright LEDs above their enclosures and are thriving.


Actually my Jumping spider is Captive Bred. 1st Captive Bred Generation though. He has made a rather thick web on his enclosure though if that indicates anything. And he won't come out of it.


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## The wolf (Jan 19, 2021)

Lightningpaw said:


> Actually my Jumping spider is Captive Bred. 1st Captive Bred Generation though. He has made a rather thick web on his enclosure though if that indicates anything. And he won't come out of it.


a thick web could indicate the spider is restless and trying to find somewhere else to stay, a picture of the spider on the setup would be very helpful here.


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## Lightningpaw (Jan 19, 2021)

This is how it looks. It has been in this enclosure for nearly 4-5 weeks now perfectly fine. Till recently.


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## The wolf (Jan 19, 2021)

Lightningpaw said:


> This is how it looks. It has been in this enclosure for nearly 4-5 weeks now perfectly fine. Till recently.


has she been staying in her hide while not eating?


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## Lightningpaw (Jan 19, 2021)

He has yes he won't leave the hide even if I present him with prey.


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## The wolf (Jan 19, 2021)

Lightningpaw said:


> He has yes he won't leave the hide even if I present him with prey.


when did he last moult?
chances is hes in premoult and you have nothing to worry about, leave him be and maybe introduce a little bit more humidity, just a spritz every now and again.

(edit bc i realised i used basically every different pronoun i could think of for absolutely 0 reason)


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## Lightningpaw (Jan 19, 2021)

I don't think he has moulted since I got him and he is still somewhat young from what I understand. So yeah that makes sense.


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## MamaTayto (Jul 11, 2022)

Ungoliant said:


> I would avoid ants as feeders, even if you think they are free of parasites. Ants can bite. Some can also sting or spray formic acid. Additionally, most ants contain formic acid, which many predators find unpalatable.


I mean I guess you can avoid wild ants from your property but you can buy entire tubes of safe feeder ants online too. Pm me for details on that if you'd like.

I buy mealworms, flies, crickets, and ants online. And it also turns out all spiders will happily drink from chunks of fruit such as apple and watermelon for an amazing source of hydration.

I caught a wild female zebra yesterday. She has already made a nest but hasn't eaten yet. I will keep trying to feed her, but also thought her home might be a little small. So on pay day here in like 48 hours I'll be broke when I buy her an official oraboreal vertical habitat with a front door, spider dirt, and a few decorations.

Mine is so very curious and actually prefers being caught. I took the lid off and had her out multiple times yesterday after catching and she chose to back into the temporary container and chill at my feet.

I'm happy she is nesting but since she's only my second spider ever I am nervous about her not eating yet. No idea when she did eat last and all.



Update ~♡
My captured female zebra jumper has officially adapted and adjusted to her new outdoor captvie life. She has nested and is eating a fly right now.
	

		
			
		

		
	






Lightningpaw said:


> Actually my Jumping spider is Captive Bred. 1st Captive Bred Generation though. He has made a rather thick web on his enclosure though if that indicates anything. And he won't come out of it.



Probably  molting and they won't eat until that is done

Reactions: Like 1


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