Help with P. audax Slings

[PhidippusMamma522]

Hello,
Does anyone have any information or suggestions on what to do if slings were removed from Momma too early?
Also, any information on what best to do do ensure they survive and thrive? I know they need a lot of humidity but what about lighting?
Any information would be very much appreciated! Thanks

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Not sure found this , maybe search similar terms ?

How to raise jumping spider slings

Im no where near an expert but I thought I would write out what I have done after successfully raising my own sings. I've raised several fully into adulthood and thought I would share what has worked for me; I hope this helps anyone starting out with their slings. 😄 The eggsac: Keep an eye on...

arachnoboards.com

 

[PhidippusMamma522]

Thank you for your reply. I've actually already this and it was helpful. However, I will continue to do more research until I feel more positive about the decisions that I have to make. Thanks again!

 

[TheraMygale]

Slings were removed to early? Where are they now? How were they removed?

Humidity and cross ventilation are important. Sunlight as well. These are diurnal. They don’t need to be cooked in the sun though. Indirect bright light will be good.

They only leave the “sac/web hamoc” after atleast 2nd molt. If they left the sac on their own and exploring, that is usualy when people start putting them in seperate containers. They don’t scavange like tarantulas.

They feed on live prey. Like pinhead crickets or fruitfly.

When they stay with the mother, she monitors them. She keeps them herded in the sac. She will also remove bad eggs. Stress, like of food and bad clutch, can lead her to just eat everything.

This is al circmunstancial to your situation. We need more context of the entire series of events.

I had a wild caught mother P audax. After a week, she layed a sac. I kept them there, fed her, misted lightly. I could see the egg sac changing colors. I could see her tending to the sac.

At one point i noticed the eggs hatched. I moved the enclosure outdoors and opened the lid.

She left. Never came back. After a few days, i went in there to check the sac. Some were at little eggs with legs. And some at first instar. I brought them back inside. Ants had already found the lair. I waited until another instar: they were bigger and moving more.

At one point, some started leaving the sac. I carefully inspected the remains of sac and they litteraly all came out.

I put them in bigger enclosure and misted very lighlty. They would not eat any food in there. They were not eating themselves yet.

So i found a place outdoor and left the enclosure there. In less then hours they had left.

What is your objective with the spiderlings?

 

[PhidippusMamma522]

Hello,
Thank you for replying. On 5/17/2024 we found a wild P. audax on our back door knob. It was very underfed and missing a leg. At the time we did not know the sex, the plan was to feed it back up to strength then release. However, as time went by we decided to keep it as it was doing so well (I kept a daily calendar to keep track of feedings, watering, ect.) We realized that it was a she and that she was gravid about 1 1/2weeks to 2 weeks into is having her and were so happy!
However, we thought it odd that she never made a thick webbing structure to nest her babies. We bought her a walnut with a cut out hole that we refer to as the "Nut Hut" and put that in her enclosure on 6/11 and the day after she found and inspected the Nut Hut she quickly went to work on webbing it up. Idk if this is relevant or not, but he last ate a cricket on 6/9 and then on the morning of 6/12 she drank the most water I have ever seen her drink. Later that evening around her usual bedtime she went into the Nut Hut and did not emerge till exactly 3 weeks to the day of her last feed. She ate on 6/30, 7/3 and on 7/7. She FULLY came out of the Nut Hut a handful of times and each time stayed out longer and longer periods. I watched a YouTube video that when the mother fully leaves the nest you can remove the babies. On 7/14 we moved Harriet out of her enclose and into a new one and fed her. Meanwhile, we went to work on removing the babies from the nest. In retro spec I do see it was too early to do so, which I feel terrible about!
We put 2 to 3 babies in separate enclosures and tried to feed them flightless fruit flies but they did not eat.
My main concern is how do I keep the slings alive, especially the smaller ones? We have misted their enclosures, and are making sure the temperature and humidity is high enough. I don't know when I should or if I should try to feed them again? I am not sure if the lighting we are providing, which is the same light for Momma and that is an either a 5,000 or 6,000K LED light( I'd have to ask my bf which of the two it actually is as I'm not sure off hand). I just really, really, want to do what's absolutely best for them to survive and thrive! If I made a mash up of wax and mealworm and dropped the smallest amount in their enclosure would they eat that? Should I not feed them at all and just keep the moisture/humidity up until they get bigger?
Thank you again for replying back and I hope you can provide me with some good what to do and not to do's. I have attached two pictures of two of Harriet's slings. Sorry, they are not the best quality pictures. If you have any more questions, please ask and I'll be happy to answer.

 

[TheraMygale]

It could be a smaller enclosure for now because they are small. Like condiment cups. They dont eat until atleast two molts. If you have flightless fruit flies, pinhead crickets, springtails, they will eat those.

You can put moist moss in there and more anchor points for them to start some little web lines.

they will eat when they are ready too and they do eat prey that is their size sometimes. They don’t scavange like tarantulas. They have excellent eye sight which is how they hunt.

even if you give best care, if it was a weak clutch, they might not make it.

if you notice any eating themselves then you know they are ready to eat. They should be eating before they actualy do that though. They can stay together during atleast 2-3 molts if you consider eggs with legs an instar.

@drurymercy keeps those and raises slings. She might have more to add.

 

[drurymercy]

Hi u got babies k u can put them in a deli cup with holes poked from a needle since they can and will escape. The longer u can keep them together the better they help each other hunt!! It’s so cute. I separate at i5 sometimes i4 if ones being a little more aggressive then the others. When they are this small do melanogaster Ff then when they get bigger u can switch to hydei gf I put paper towel on the bottom which is really the lid since I turn it upside down to not ruin their webs up top I get that very damp daily and mist every other day in the deli cup. They need movement to hunt they are visual hunters they like it warm but can tolerate colder too. I’ll find some info let me go click in I got to unload truck today so give me like 2 hours I’ll come back with pics and guides to help u

 

[drurymercy]

K here’s some helpful guides and u can always ask me I’ll always happily help.

 

[PhidippusMamma522]

@TheraMygalo Thank you VERY much for your insight, suggestions, and tips!
We took little water bottle caps and filled then with sphagnum moss for two purposes... one, if they needed or wanted to get water it's there for them. 2. If they do not want to drink it's good to maintain humidity. We also gave them a wetted paper towel, and as always made sure that it was wet just enough to drink from if they wanted to but not enough where they could drown.
We also put a little bit of excelsior in their little enclosures to help with climbing, spots to web up and hopefully make their own spots where they would feel like Leonardo De Caprion on the front of the boat with arms wide open saying this is what I'm talking about Fabrizio!(ok ignore that last part).
I've actually seen two of my slings, that went right for the wet paper towel to get a drink. It's made me soo happy and much less worried.
They honestly seem to be doing very well and have had very minimal loss for a first timer.
We have one specially one that is so smart and fast already! My boyfriend nicknamed him Captain Marvel ( Capt. For short), but I would have much rather have called him Speedy. As in the old school cartoon of speedy Gonzales. However, I'm still worried about their lighting. I don't want it to cause things to dry out too quickly and make things worse.
I've already started their own daily journal entries in a notebook. I'm sure I'm probably over reacting with the babies... but I an tell when she starts getting stressed and spreading her two front legs out and open so wide, I read that they do that to smell their surroundings. How F-ing cool is that?! Also, please correct me with any and all things that may seem so insignificant to others but not to me.
l know, it's going to be another good amount of time for some of them, not ALL that will make it into adult mini me Harriet's.
Thank you soo much for replying to my post!

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

@TheraMygalo Thank you VERY much for your insight, suggestions, and tips!
We took little water bottle caps and filled then with sphagnum moss for two purposes... one, if they needed or wanted to get water it's there for them. 2. If they do not want to drink it's good to maintain humidity. We also gave them a wetted paper towel, and as always made sure that it was wet just enough to drink from if they wanted to but not enough where they could drown.
We also put a little bit of excelsior in their little enclosures to help with climbing, spots to web up and hopefully make their own spots where they would feel like Leonardo De Caprion on the front of the boat with arms wide open saying this is what I'm talking about Fabrizio!(ok ignore that last part).
I've actually seen two of my slings, that went right for the wet paper towel to get a drink. It's made me soo happy and much less worried.
They honestly seem to be doing very well and have had very minimal loss for a first timer.
We have one specially one that is so smart and fast already! My boyfriend nicknamed him Captain Marvel ( Capt. For short), but I would have much rather have called him Speedy. As in the old school cartoon of speedy Gonzales. However, I'm still worried about their lighting. I don't want it to cause things to dry out too quickly and make things worse.
I've already started their own daily journal entries in a notebook. I'm sure I'm probably over reacting with the babies... but I an tell when she starts getting stressed and spreading her two front legs out and open so wide, I read that they do that to smell their surroundings. How F-ing cool is that?! Also, please correct me with any and all things that may seem so insignificant to others but not to me.
l know, it's going to be another good amount of time for some of them, not ALL that will make it into adult mini me Harriet's.
Thank you soo much for replying to my post!

Must take some patients feeding such tiny slings , even smaller then little 1/4” baby tarantulas . They aren’t eating yet but it’s coming ! ?
Try to get some pics

 

[PhidippusMamma522]

Hi u got babies k u can put them in a deli cup with holes poked from a needle since they can and will escape. The longer u can keep them together the better they help each other hunt!! It’s so cute. I separate at i5 sometimes i4 if ones being a little more aggressive then the others. When they are this small do melanogaster Ff then when they get bigger u can switch to hydei gf I put paper towel on the bottom which is really the lid since I turn it upside down to not ruin their webs up top I get that very damp daily and mist every other day in the deli cup.

K here’s some helpful guides and u can always ask me I’ll always happily help.

Thank you for the charts! I really appreciate your help! Do have any suggestions on what type of lighting the slings should be under? Would it be ok to use the same type of lighting as their Mamma (has which is quite bright) or something more softer?

 

[TheraMygale]

Thank you for the charts! I really appreciate your help! Do have any suggestions on what type of lighting the slings should be under? Would it be ok to use the same type of lighting as their Mamma (has which is quite bright) or something more softer?

For lighting, imagine in nature.

they are in captive settings, so no need to go full out on the specs.

bright, indirect, light.

you are keeping them watered. It wont dry out that quick.

a south window with no shade is too much. I have a south window: i kept my enclosure inside my house plants.

i can tell if it dries to quickly by the color of the soil. Thats how i knew they would be safe there.

these spiders live on trees.

i would like to add an interesting observation: all the jumping spiders i found, including eggsacs, were inside tree trunk cardboard protectors. They were getting no direct light. At most, they were getting shade. And moisture. But the sacs and spiders were ALWAYS, at the top part of the protector, about an inch from it.

 

[Brewser]

Way too complicated imo
Keep it simple.

 

[PhidippusMamma522]

Hi u got babies k u can put them in a deli cup with holes poked from a needle since they can and will escape. The longer u can keep them together the better they help each other hunt!! It’s so cute. I separate at i5 sometimes i4 if ones being a little more aggressive then the others. When they are this small do melanogaster Ff then when they get bigger u can switch to hydei gf I put paper towel on the bottom which is really the lid since I turn it upside down to not ruin their webs up top I get that very damp daily and mist every other day in the deli cup. They need movement to hunt they are visual hunters they like it warm but can tolerate colder too. I’ll find some info let me go click in I got to unload truck today so give me like 2 hours I’ll come back with pics and guides to help u

Hello,
I just thought of a question... do you put anything in their deli cups, other than the paper towel at the bottom lid? T.I.A. I REALLY appreciate all of your guys help!

 

[PhidippusMamma522]

Way too complicated imo
Keep it simple.

But it's soo hard for me ! Aahhh! I'm such a worry wort 🫤 lol.

 

[drurymercy]

I keep them very simple just the paper towel or a pipe cleaner (I prefer just paper towel) when they are little. Then I move up with a bigger cup with a flower but only once I know they can hunt crickets or mini mealworms. Then I’ll put them in tiny AMAC boxes then eventually their forever homes! lol I hope u can understand the order of pics the graveyard is my i5 to i6 home that’s a tiny AMAC box the big ones are adult homes i7 or a big i6. U can see more than 1 baby in those tiny deli cups I leave them basic so they can hunt better! And of course u are going to worry lol my kids (18 and 20 next month) complain I spend so much time taking care of mine but they are my pets same as my dogs and kids I love them like I’m sure u do too

 

[PhidippusMamma522]

Thank you soo much! @drurymercy! Such AMAZING and wonderful pictures! Thank you so much for sharing!! 'Nough said! You have given me confidence that I am going to do right by my baby girl Harriet's babies! BTW, I LOVE the floral enclosure that you built! Harriet would LOVE something like that. She like to explore ALOT and put sooo much butt string around her enclosure, especially the top lol I'm about to go to bed. But when I wake up I can share pics. Thanks again, really.

 

[drurymercy]

Thank you soo much! @drurymercy! Such AMAZING and wonderful pictures! Thank you so much for sharing!! 'Nough said! You have given me confidence that I am going to do right by my baby girl Harriet's babies! BTW, I LOVE the floral enclosure that you built! Harriet would LOVE something like that. She like to explore ALOT and put sooo much butt string around her enclosure, especially the top lol I'm about to go to bed. But when I wake up I can share pics. Thanks again, really.

Hahahaga I love butt string!!! Yes have confidence u sound like u truly care and are learning all you can I feel u will do an amazing job!! I can’t wait to see your pics!! And I would love to see sweet Harriet!!

 

[PhidippusMamma522]

@drurymercy
I am soo sorry I haven't responded to you yet. All is going well, so far with Harriet's babies. We've already named a few(hope that doesn't jinx us prematurely) like Hulk. He was being aggressive toward other spoods so we separated him and he is the biggest of them all and also in a molt. Also, he's in an all green pipe cleaning enclosure, so the name Hulk seemed vwey fitting lol. I will add a Pic but it will be an older one when he was in pre-moult. Now he's full on in molt.
So far all spoods except for one cup that has two needs to be put on its own.
Harriet is doing well nesting her 2nd clutch, and on 7/26 was the last we saw her and she has not been out since. She FINALLY took notice of the new cave stone hideaway and that is where she is now nesting. I will post a Pic of her as well.
However, I need some advice on how to take care of a very, very, small sling that I honestly can't belive has made it this far! She is too small to eat, so we've been makin sure she has adequate clean water. Do you have any suggestions on how to beef up this small one? I'm determined to make sure she lives(of course I don't know any of their actual sexual identity, so I'm just guessing and probably jinxed myself as I've named about 4 of them now) and she is in an all Pink cup and I've named her Poppet. As in the British cute and endearing word for a young girl. I will add a Pic of her as well. If you have any suggestions I'm all ears! I also named another one Charlotte (as in Charlotte's Web) because it the one and only baby spooder that is making these webs that I've never seen a jumper make before.
Thank you for reading this loong post and I hope you can help me in beefing up Poppet. HULK.. he lives to display the carcasses of his enemies to show off Harriet's new nesting hide. the little spood in pink and orange is Eeyore.. long story behind the name lol

 

[PhidippusMamma522]

@drurymercy
I am soo sorry I haven't responded to you yet. All is going well, so far with Harriet's babies. We've already named a few(hope that doesn't jinx us prematurely) like Hulk. He was being aggressive toward other spoods so we separated him and he is the biggest of them all and also in a molt. Also, he's in an all green pipe cleaning enclosure, so the name Hulk seemed vwey fitting lol. I will add a Pic but it will be an older one when he was in pre-moult. Now he's full on in molt.
So far all spoods except for one cup that has two needs to be put on its own.
Harriet is doing well nesting her 2nd clutch, and on 7/26 was the last we saw her and she has not been out since. She FINALLY took notice of the new cave stone hideaway and that is where she is now nesting. I will post a Pic of her as well.
However, I need some advice on how to take care of a very, very, small sling that I honestly can't belive has made it this far! She is too small to eat, so we've been makin sure she has adequate clean water. Do you have any suggestions on how to beef up this small one? I'm determined to make sure she lives(of course I don't know any of their actual sexual identity, so I'm just guessing and probably jinxed myself as I've named about 4 of them now) and she is in an all Pink cup and I've named her Poppet. As in the British cute and endearing word for a young girl. I will add a Pic of her as well. If you have any suggestions I'm all ears! I also named another one Charlotte (as in Charlotte's Web) because it the one and only baby spooder that is making these webs that I've never seen a jumper make before.
Thank you for reading this loong post and I hope you can help me in beefing up Poppet. View attachment 479998 HULK.. he lives to display the carcasses of his enemies to show off View attachment 479999 Harriet's new nesting hide. View attachment 480000 the little spood in pink and orange is Eeyore.. long story behind the name lol

UPDATE- Poppet did not make it despite my(our) best efforts.