# Phidippus Regius help



## Socfroggy (Jan 22, 2017)

Hello everyone! I recently got my first spider ever and I am in love with the little fella! I got him on Thursday and he arrived alive and well. He ate a cricket that day and then another one the day after. I thought it was curious that he held onto the second cricket longer than the first but what has me concerned is that it has build its hide on the lid. Every time I want to completely remove the lid it will get destroyed. I have a fake bamboo/rock decoration in there that offers plenty of spots to hide as well as an up turned 'log-hut' to hide in. Should I try putting the hut in its correct position? He's also been in the same little corner for the past couple of days. I checked him this morning for movement and he's still alive. Should I be concerned? Is he getting ready to molt? Any and all knowledge is welcome!

I have attached a picture of the set-up I have him in.


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## chanda (Jan 23, 2017)

That is a HUGE enclosure for a jumping spider! He (or she) is just trying to find a place where he feels secure - and with jumping spiders, that does seem to be in the highest (and least convenient for the keeper!) spot that they can find. Mine almost always web on the underside of the lid. If he persists in webbing on the lid, you may want to consider a different enclosure - perhaps one that opens from the front or something like this: https://jamiestarantulas.com/arboreal-juvenile-enclosure-kit/ where you can remove the lid without damaging any webbing. You could also try offering different accessories in the cage, such as a small cork round or cholla tube that he can web inside or some small natural twigs or branches.

I wouldn't worry about it staying in the same corner for several days. That's perfectly normal. It is not uncommon for them to make little web "cocoons" and stay inside them for extended periods - particularly if it is a female with an egg sac. Even females who have not mated will still lay eggs and will continue to guard their eggs for weeks. Your spider is most likely fine - and not at all hungry. They don't need to eat every day - once every week or so should be sufficient. When the spider gets hungry enough, it will go out prowling around for food.

Reactions: Helpful 1


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## Ratmosphere (Jan 23, 2017)

The enclosure looks good, just try to find a smaller place to put the spider in. Amac boxes are perfect for jumpers.


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## Socfroggy (Jan 23, 2017)

chanda said:


> That is a HUGE enclosure for a jumping spider! He (or she) is just trying to find a place where he feels secure - and with jumping spiders, that does seem to be in the highest (and least convenient for the keeper!) spot that they can find. Mine almost always web on the underside of the lid. If he persists in webbing on the lid, you may want to consider a different enclosure - perhaps one that opens from the front or something like this: https://jamiestarantulas.com/arboreal-juvenile-enclosure-kit/ where you can remove the lid without damaging any webbing. You could also try offering different accessories in the cage, such as a small cork round or cholla tube that he can web inside or some small natural twigs or branches.
> 
> I wouldn't worry about it staying in the same corner for several days. That's perfectly normal. It is not uncommon for them to make little web "cocoons" and stay inside them for extended periods - particularly if it is a female with an egg sac. Even females who have not mated will still lay eggs and will continue to guard their eggs for weeks. Your spider is most likely fine - and not at all hungry. They don't need to eat every day - once every week or so should be sufficient. When the spider gets hungry enough, it will go out prowling around for food.



Oh, really?? I was under the impression that they needed room to jump and run. I initially looked at the boxes you posted but deemed them too small. Guess they were the right size. While I have this thread active I might as well get some other questions out of the way. 

What should I look for in regards to pre-molt with these guys? 

How should I handle a molt? What do I do?

How do I sex my spider?

What is a suitable creature for the enclosure I provided a picture of? Could it house a small tarantula or some sort of scorpion?


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## pannaking22 (Jan 23, 2017)

Socfroggy said:


> Oh, really?? I was under the impression that they needed room to jump and run. I initially looked at the boxes you posted but deemed them too small. Guess they were the right size. While I have this thread active I might as well get some other questions out of the way.
> 
> *1. *What should I look for in regards to pre-molt with these guys?
> 
> ...


1. Less activity and a lot more web signify either molting or a female laying an egg sac (depends on age of spider)
2. A slight humidity bump and then just leave it alone. Molting is a very stressful time for the spider and the less enclosure bumping the better.
3. It's a bit difficult, but you'll want to keep an eye on the palps. If they swell up as the spider gets older (assuming it isn't an adult), then it'll be male. _P. regius_ is sexually dimorphic, so you'll be able to tell by coloration which gender you have after they reach a certain age.
4. What are the dimensions of the enclosure and what material is the top made of? I think I've seen this type of enclosure before, but I want to make sure before I throw out any ideas.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Socfroggy (Jan 24, 2017)

pannaking22 said:


> 1. Less activity and a lot more web signify either molting or a female laying an egg sac (depends on age of spider)
> 2. A slight humidity bump and then just leave it alone. Molting is a very stressful time for the spider and the less enclosure bumping the better.
> 3. It's a bit difficult, but you'll want to keep an eye on the palps. If they swell up as the spider gets older (assuming it isn't an adult), then it'll be male. _P. regius_ is sexually dimorphic, so you'll be able to tell by coloration which gender you have after they reach a certain age.
> 4. What are the dimensions of the enclosure and what material is the top made of? I think I've seen this type of enclosure before, but I want to make sure before I throw out any ideas.



How much of a humidity bump are we talking about? A twice a week type of thing or more?

The enclosure is 8x7.5 inches wide and 10.5 inches high. The top has a plastic frame with metal mesh. I'm assuming steel. I'm hoping to house perhaps a trapdoor, orbweaver or tailless whip scorpion.


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## pannaking22 (Jan 25, 2017)

Socfroggy said:


> How much of a humidity bump are we talking about? A twice a week type of thing or more?
> 
> The enclosure is 8x7.5 inches wide and 10.5 inches high. The top has a plastic frame with metal mesh. I'm assuming steel. I'm hoping to house perhaps a trapdoor, orbweaver or tailless whip scorpion.


A little extra mist, but if you still see water on the sides of the enclosure the next day you'll want to be careful the next time you water.

Arboreal scorpions or an amblypygid would probably be your best bet. If you go with an amblypygid, you'll want to cover up some of the screen to maintain humidity and it probably wouldn't be a bad idea with an arboreal scorpion or spider. A trapdoor would just be a lot of wasted space since they're pet holes, though an orbweaver could be an interesting pet to keep in there.


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## Socfroggy (Jan 26, 2017)

pannaking22 said:


> A little extra mist, but if you still see water on the sides of the enclosure the next day you'll want to be careful the next time you water.
> 
> Arboreal scorpions or an amblypygid would probably be your best bet. If you go with an amblypygid, you'll want to cover up some of the screen to maintain humidity and it probably wouldn't be a bad idea with an arboreal scorpion or spider. A trapdoor would just be a lot of wasted space since they're pet holes, though an orbweaver could be an interesting pet to keep in there.


I've received news that tarantulas and scorpions are  out of the questions. Maybe


pannaking22 said:


> A little extra mist, but if you still see water on the sides of the enclosure the next day you'll want to be careful the next time you water.
> 
> Arboreal scorpions or an amblypygid would probably be your best bet. If you go with an amblypygid, you'll want to cover up some of the screen to maintain humidity and it probably wouldn't be a bad idea with an arboreal scorpion or spider. A trapdoor would just be a lot of wasted space since they're pet holes, though an orbweaver could be an interesting pet to keep in there.


I just spoke with my mother ans, unfortunately, tarantulas and scorpions are out of the question  Would a large nut container be okay for a trapdoor?? And what orb Weaver would you recommend for this enclosure? How about amblypygids?


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## pannaking22 (Jan 27, 2017)

Socfroggy said:


> I just spoke with my mother ans, unfortunately, tarantulas and scorpions are out of the question  Would a large nut container be okay for a trapdoor?? And what orb Weaver would you recommend for this enclosure? How about amblypygids?


Ah that's too bad since scorps would look good in there, as would assassin bugs now that I think about it. How large is the nut container? It doesn't have to be all that wide, just very deep. I admittedly don't know as much about keeping orb weavers, but you should be fine with pretty much any of the native species, minus _Nephila_ which need ridiculous amounts of space. Pretty much any amblypygid in the US hobby will fit in that enclosure, though if you get something crazy like _Heterophrynus batesii_ it'll need a larger enclosure as it grows. The common ones (_Damon diadema _and _Phrynus marginemaculatus_) will both fit in there without a problem and you can actually fit several _P. marginemaculatus _in there as long as they have plenty of hiding spots. They get along very well communally and are pretty neat little guys. Only one _D. diadema _though since they get quite a bit larger and aren't communal.


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## basin79 (Jan 27, 2017)

I keep my little man in a 7x8x8" tub and he's been in that since I got him as a tiny sling. Jumpers are phenomenal. Here's my little fella.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Socfroggy (Jan 27, 2017)

basin79 said:


> I keep my little man in a 7x8x8" tub and he's been in that since I got him as a tiny sling. Jumpers are phenomenal. Here's my little fella.


He is adorable! I love the color of the Chella. Mine has more of a chrimson hue.


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## Socfroggy (Jan 27, 2017)

pannaking22 said:


> Ah that's too bad since scorps would look good in there, as would assassin bugs now that I think about it. How large is the nut container? It doesn't have to be all that wide, just very deep. I admittedly don't know as much about keeping orb weavers, but you should be fine with pretty much any of the native species, minus _Nephila_ which need ridiculous amounts of space. Pretty much any amblypygid in the US hobby will fit in that enclosure, though if you get something crazy like _Heterophrynus batesii_ it'll need a larger enclosure as it grows. The common ones (_Damon diadema _and _Phrynus marginemaculatus_) will both fit in there without a problem and you can actually fit several _P. marginemaculatus _in there as long as they have plenty of hiding spots. They get along very well communally and are pretty neat little guys. Only one _D. diadema _though since they get quite a bit larger and aren't communal.


I don't have one yet. I'm just planning ahead. Though it will probably be one of the largest and widest Planters but containers. Thanks for the info regarding the tailles whip scorpions. Now my little jumper has decided to stay in her lid cacoon for the week so far. I'm wondering if it is ill-advised to go ahead and lift the lid with her still in the cacoon on it so that I can 1. Put a cork round in there to see if she stops webbing on the lid and 3. So I can get the live and dead cricket out of the enclosure.


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## Spiderbakesale (Jan 28, 2017)

I wouldn't disturb her, especially if she's molting. My girls are from the same hatch and so far they've gone into their cocoons once for a complete shed, and they're doing it again now. Both of them are in 14"x8"x6" acrylic boxes full of natural twigs and such. 

To discourage webbing to the lid, I put little corner pieces of acrylic into the top, where the lid is. It creates extra stability and a place for them to build into a corner that I can't possibly disturb when opening the top for maintenence.

I've also discovered they're huge fans of small mealworms!


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## Socfroggy (Jan 28, 2017)

Do adults still molt?? I've been told she's an adult. I'm waiting to get a good pic of the padipalps too.


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## Ungoliant (Jan 28, 2017)

Socfroggy said:


> Do adults still molt?? I've been told she's an adult. I'm waiting to get a good pic of the padipalps too.


Like most true spiders (araneomorphs), jumping spiders stop molting once they reach maturity.


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## RTTB (Jan 28, 2017)

Jumpers are awesome little beasts that seem to have an intelligence about them.


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## Socfroggy (Jan 28, 2017)

Ungoliant said:


> Like most true spiders (araneomorphs), jumping spiders stop molting once they reach maturity.


Thank you.


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## Socfroggy (Feb 1, 2017)

Update: I found out that the crickets I fed her are a bit large. I fed her two days in a row and she has spent a week and two days in her cacoon on the top corner of the enclosure. Is she just digesting or should I be concerned?


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## basin79 (Feb 1, 2017)

Socfroggy said:


> Update: I found out that the crickets I fed her are a bit large. I fed her two days in a row and she has spent a week and two days in her cacoon on the top corner of the enclosure. Is she just digesting or should I be concerned?


She'll just be full. If she's full she doesn't need to come out and hunt.


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## Socfroggy (Feb 1, 2017)

basin79 said:


> She'll just be full. If she's full she doesn't need to come out and hunt.


Ah okay. Thank you.


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## Socfroggy (Feb 8, 2017)

basin79 said:


> She'll just be full. If she's full she doesn't need to come out and hunt.


So it turns out that she actually molted! I'm kind of worried because I had no idea it would occur, I was told she was an adult and she would notgrow. I gave her one of those crickets yesterday and she finally ate after 3 weeks. Is there anything I should be doing now?? Should I give her another cricket tomorrow? Here she is in her new, orange glory.

Reactions: Like 1


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## basin79 (Feb 8, 2017)

Socfroggy said:


> So it turns out that she actually molted! I'm kind of worried because I had no idea it would occur, I was told she was an adult and she would notgrow. I gave her one of those crickets yesterday and she finally ate after 3 weeks. Is there anything I should be doing now?? Should I give her another cricket tomorrow? Here she is in her new, orange glory.


Fantastic!!! She's stunning.

You could always try her with another cricket. She'll either eat it or ignore it. If she's out and about she's hungry.


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## Socfroggy (Feb 8, 2017)

basin79 said:


> Fantastic!!! She's stunning.
> 
> You could always try her with another cricket. She'll either eat it or ignore it. If she's out and about she's hungry.


Thank you! Just to be clear, she won't be out and about if she's not hungry? No movement for the purpose of exploration or exercise?


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## basin79 (Feb 8, 2017)

Socfroggy said:


> Thank you! Just to be clear, she won't be out and about if she's not hungry? No movement for the purpose of exploration or exercise?


Possibly but females tend to stay in their webs if they're not hungry for the most part.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Socfroggy (Feb 9, 2017)

basin79 said:


> Possibly but females tend to stay in their webs if they're not hungry for the most part.


When misting. Should I spray a wall of the enclosure or substrate?


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## basin79 (Feb 9, 2017)

Socfroggy said:


> When misting. Should I spray a wall of the enclosure or substrate?


Spray both. She'll drink off the side.


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## Socfroggy (Feb 22, 2017)

basin79 said:


> Spray both. She'll drink off the side.


So she has taken to extending her web to the lid once more. It seems like I'll have to invest in a new enclosure....Once I'm sure she isn't laying an egg sack. She's gotten nice and plump since her molt and hasn't shown interest in extending her web until now. Is it okay to move her or is she preparing to lay eggs and should be left undisturbed? In the picture the patch of web closest to the cork is what she was residing in. Everything above that (connecting to the lid) is new.


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## basin79 (Feb 22, 2017)

Socfroggy said:


> So she has taken to extending her web to the lid once more. It seems like I'll have to invest in a new enclosure....Once I'm sure she isn't laying an egg sack. She's gotten nice and plump since her molt and hasn't shown interest in extending her web until now. Is it okay to move her or is she preparing to lay eggs and should be left undisturbed? In the picture the patch of web closest to the cork is what she was residing in. Everything above that (connecting to the lid) is new.


Does that not have a front opening door? Looks like an exo terra.


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## Socfroggy (Feb 22, 2017)

basin79 said:


> Does that not have a front opening door? Looks like an exo terra.


It does not. Just the lid


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## basin79 (Feb 22, 2017)

Socfroggy said:


> It does not. Just the lid


Ah that's a shame.


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## Socfroggy (Feb 22, 2017)

basin79 said:


> Ah that's a shame.


Does it seem like she may lay an egg sack?


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## basin79 (Feb 22, 2017)

Socfroggy said:


> Does it seem like she may lay an egg sack?


I'm unsure to be honest.


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## Socfroggy (Feb 22, 2017)

basin79 said:


> I'm unsure to be honest.


Thank you for your honesty


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## Socfroggy (Feb 22, 2017)

Ungoliant said:


> Like most true spiders (araneomorphs), jumping spiders stop molting once they reach maturity.


I'm unsure how to tag people in posts so I'm responding to this again because I know you are well versed in the realm of true spiders and I would like to know what you think about my recent posts in this thread.


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## Ungoliant (Feb 22, 2017)

Socfroggy said:


> I'm unsure how to tag people in posts so I'm responding to this again because I know you are well versed in the realm of true spiders and I would like to know what you think about my recent posts in this thread.


You can tag people by user name, and depending on their alert settings, they will be notified. For example, @Ungoliant would tag me.




Socfroggy said:


> So she has taken to extending her web to the lid once more. It seems like I'll have to invest in a new enclosure....Once I'm sure she isn't laying an egg sack. She's gotten nice and plump since her molt and hasn't shown interest in extending her web until now. Is it okay to move her or is she preparing to lay eggs and should be left undisturbed?


Has she molted in your care? If so, unless she has mated since her last molt, it is unlikely that she is preparing to make an egg sac, as any sperm that she was storing would be lost during a molt. (Jumping spiders do not molt after maturity, so it would be pretty unusual to have her mate and then molt.)

Note: Sometimes spiders make "dud" egg sacs that are not viable.

Jumping spiders make silken retreats for resting, so reinforcing that is not, in and of itself, a sign that an egg sac is imminent.




Socfroggy said:


> Is it okay to move her or is she preparing to lay eggs and should be left undisturbed?


I don't have experience with keeping jumpers, but I would say that if she needs to be rehoused for her safety or to prevent escape, go ahead and do that. It would be better for her to make the sac (if she is preparing to do that) in her new home.


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## Socfroggy (Feb 22, 2017)

Ungoliant said:


> You can tag people by user name, and depending on their alert settings, they will be notified. For example, @Ungoliant would tag me
> 
> 
> Has she molted in your care? If so, unless she has mated since her last molt, it is unlikely that she is preparing to make an egg sac, as any sperm that she was storing would be lost during a molt. (Jumping spiders do not molt after maturity, so it would be pretty unusual to have her mate and then molt.)
> ...


She has molted once in my care and I believe it was the last one in her life span. I am wanting  to rehouse her so I don't destroy the web whenever I have to remove the lid to remove cricket husks.


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## Socfroggy (Feb 22, 2017)

She has molted once in my care and I believe it was the last one in her life span. I am wanting  to rehouse her so I don't destroy the web whenever I have to remove the lid to remove cricket husks


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## Ungoliant (Feb 23, 2017)

Socfroggy said:


> She has molted once in my care and I believe it was the last one in her life span. I am wanting  to rehouse her so I don't destroy the web whenever I have to remove the lid to remove cricket husks


Then it's probably safe to go ahead and rehouse her, since she won't be making a viable sac.


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## Socfroggy (Feb 23, 2017)

Ungoliant said:


> Then it's probably safe to go ahead and rehouse her, since she won't be making a viable sac.


Alright, thank you for your input. Oh by the way, how do your pronounce your username?


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## Ungoliant (Feb 23, 2017)

Socfroggy said:


> Oh by the way, how do your pronounce your username?


Ungoliant is a primordial spider from Tolkien's _The Silmarillion_, the mother of Shelob from _The Two Towers_. The name is Sindarin (the main Elven language spoken in Middle Earth) for "Dark Spider" and is pronounced oong-GOHL-yant (IPA uŋˈɡoljant).


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## Socfroggy (Feb 23, 2017)

Ungoliant said:


> Ungoliant is a primordial spider from Tolkien's _The Silmarillion_, the mother of Shelob from _The Two Towers_. The name is Sindarin (the main Elven language spoken in Middle Earth) for "Dark Spider" and is pronounced oong-GOHL-yant (IPA uŋˈɡoljant).


I don't really read Tolkien but I have to admit that's a pretty cool name.


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## Socfroggy (Mar 9, 2017)

Alright I'm a bit embarrassed to admit this but May has surprised me again with yet another molt! It happened three days ago. Idk if you can see in the pic but she is black with pinkish spots. She's not taking any food in a few weeks either so I'm hoping she comes out to look for food very soon. Can anyone tell me if she has any molts left in her? She's done it twice since I got her.


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## Socfroggy (Mar 9, 2017)

Here's a better pic. Is she an adult? Is it even a she? Padipalps are way more prominent. She hasn't eaten in a while too. She showed her fangs when I tried to give her a mealworm with the head crushed.


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