Jumping spider eats dead prey

[CRX]

I was feeding my audax today and there was only 1 cricket left the right size. I always take 1 or both legs off crickets so they can't injure my babies. The cricket ended up dying inside the jumping spider enclosure, and I was worried about it rotting. I look back in there at one point, and my little audax has picked up the dead cricket and hoisted it up the wall of the enclosure and is eating it.

I wanted to let you all know this is possible, for them to eat dead prey. They may need to see it moving first even for a tiny bit..

 

[Brewser]

Many Predators are eager to jump on a ' Fresh Kill ' and Scavenge what's left.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Of course, mine do it all the time.

 

[TheraMygale]

I like this. it is good observation.

its often said, by default, that they only hunt live. So such moments are insightful. Thanks for bringing it up.

 

[jennywallace]

Interesting, thanks for sharing.

 

[squibbleee]

Both my P. Audax eat dead crickets i dont purposely feed them dead ones, but they have eaten many dead ones like an hour after the cricket died. But, my spiders are wild caught, mabye that has something to do with it

 

[TheraMygale]

Both my P. Audax eat dead crickets i dont purposely feed them dead ones, but they have eaten many dead ones like an hour after the cricket died. But, my spiders are wild caught, mabye that has something to do with it

thats interesting too.

i am going to test that out this summer when i find some to relocate in my garden.

 

[katamari]

I dont have as much experience as some others, but over the course of a year and raising a few hundred jumpers (primarily audax), mine have shown almost zero interest in anything not actively moving. I wish they would - it would certainly make things easier on me.

 

[squibbleee]

I dont have as much experience as some others, but over the course of a year and raising a few hundred jumpers (primarily audax), mine have shown almost zero interest in anything not actively moving. I wish they would - it would certainly make things easier on me.

Oh thats odd. If i hold a dead cricket with tongs/tweezers near them they will go for it, or even if i just set the cricket on a ledge for them. I thought that most would do that, didnt know it wasn't common!

 

[katamari]

Oh thats odd. If i hold a dead cricket with tongs/tweezers near them they will go for it, or even if i just set the cricket on a ledge for them. I thought that most would do that, didnt know it wasn't common!

That's just my personal experience though, and to be fair I haven't really had any need to explore it other than curiosity and a couple spoods that werent eating normally. I admit I find it more fun watching them actively hunt anyway. Very cool that you and others have had success with it though!

 

[The Snark]

All spiders are necrovores. For that matter, so are humans.
On a related note, a billboard with the caption Farm Fresh! and an image of a cow standing in a field. To which the local college students added a business man in the 3 piece suit on hands and knees sucking on the cows teats.