Is my female jumping spider molting or laying eggs

[TEAM BUGS]

Hello everyone, my jumping spider have been inside a thicker than normal silk web for 13 days, is she laying eggs or molting. And how long can she stay in there with out any food.

 

[JayDangerVL]

What kind of jumper is she? How mature is she? Do you have photos of the web?

If she's at full maturity, she'd be laying eggs rather than molting. But if she's not quite mature, then she physically wouldn't be able to lay eggs yet and is probably molting.

 

[TEAM BUGS]

Here is a photo

 

[Biollantefan54]

It looks like eggs, molting webs look way different, 90% chance its eggs

 

[TEAM BUGS]

Cool, thanks for looking at it. she is still inside, total about 48 days now

 

[Smokehound714]

definitely a brooding retreat. Notice the thick opaque silk?

 

[Shagg]

definitely a brooding retreat. Notice the thick opaque silk?

opaque silk=brooding huh? can the shape/size of a retreat tell anything? My jumper has spent a few days building a pretty large tube-like one and it's getting really hard to see her in it

 

[TEAM BUGS]

You guys are correct !! They hatched around 10/5/2013 five days ago Total time about 52 days.

 

[Smokehound714]

I'm guessing they're still 1st instars.. Better get the pantyhose/knee-highs ready


BTW, the mothers continue to feed while guarding their eggs, so make sure she has fresh water daily.

 

[TEAM BUGS]

When should i start to feed the spiderlings, and what is the reason for pantyhose/knee-highs ready. During the 52 days the mother did not feed at all, is that normal ?

 

[Lucidd]

I think it is common for mothers not to eat during that time. I offered mine food from time to time and she did not eat until the week they started hatching, and at first she only wanted very easy prey like small flies.

I am not sure when it is recommended to feed spiderlings, but I offered mine food within the first day of hatching. It took most of them about a week to eat for the first time, though a select few ate right away.

Good luck

 

[TEAM BUGS]

I think it is common for mothers not to eat during that time. I offered mine food from time to time and she did not eat until the week they started hatching, and at first she only wanted very easy prey like small flies.

I am not sure when it is recommended to feed spiderlings, but I offered mine food within the first day of hatching. It took most of them about a week to eat for the first time, though a select few ate right away.

Good luck

What about water ? How do you get them to drink since they are so tiny, a water dish would probably drown them, and how often do they molt before becoming adult ?

 

[Silberrücken]

Don't give the slings waterdrops - they will drown. They are not old enough to have their water-resistant setae (hairs). I give my slings water via a wet *not soaking* cottonball, or a few q-tips. Even a dampened papertowel will do. If mom needs more water, she will drink from these as well. Just be sure to place it where the slings will find it. I prefer the q-tips because the cotton is tighter, plus it's easy and has 2 ends for the slings to drink from. Replace with fresh when it gets dry.

 

[TEAM BUGS]

Any other info ?

 

[Lucidd]

What about water ? How do you get them to drink since they are so tiny, a water dish would probably drown them, and how often do they molt before becoming adult ?

I purchased a small mist bottle that sprays a VERY fine mist. I hold the bottle a little more than a foot away and spray their containers. The bottle disperses the water into tiny enough droplets that the spiderlings can walk over them without drowning. When they were really small I also provided them with small pieces of paper towel that they can dry off on if they accidentally get wet. I almost lost a spiderling to a drop of water and had to use a q-tip to help soak up the drop and allow him to dry off. I recommend monitoring them shortly after giving them water for this reason.

I haven't raised one to full maturity yet, but from what I've read, they go through 5-6 molts before reaching adulthood.

 

[TEAM BUGS]

What about the spiderling, how long before they leave their brooding silk web, and when should i starts to seperating them from the mother and each other ??

 

[Lucidd]

What about the spiderling, how long before they leave their brooding silk web, and when should i starts to seperating them from the mother and each other ??

I'm still pretty new to this and I am learning as I go, but I hope this information will be helpful. It took 24 days for spiderlings to emerge from the sac of my Platycryptus undatus, though I'm sure this varies. They continued to emerge for a few weeks following.

I ended up separating the spiderlings as soon as I saw them wandering around the tank. I had tried keeping them together for a few days and giving them fruit flies, but some spiders still opted to partake in cannibalism.

 

[Smokehound714]

While they're tiny, keeping them in small containers will make feeding much easier.

Small pill-containers are what I use for the slings.

 

[Lucidd]

Oh and on the topic of containers... I pick up these small 2-3 inch containers at Dollar Tree w/lids at $1 per 10. They have white lids that I like because I number them and their molt progress on the lids with a sharpie.

 

[TEAM BUGS]

How long can the spiderling live without feeding, the reason why i ask is because they have been inside the brooding web for about 39 days