Jumping Spider Enclosures

[KrisThatBugGirl]

Hello,
New spood parent here. I've gotten a larger (8X6X14) cross ventilated, acrylic enclosure for my jumping spider and I've been told that's likely to stress them out because it's too big? I just wanted her to have lots of space to roam but I know everyone keeps them in smaller enclsoures..I just didn't think it would stress them out?
Thanks

 

[SpookySpooder]

Who told you that? It won't stress it out. They wander the big wide world without much problem so I doubt a little box would do it much harm.

There have been several people who have kept jumpers "free range" in their house, specifically kitchen and living room, and they did perfectly fine there. Even bred and produced a clutch.

 

[KrisThatBugGirl]

Thanks for your reply. It was someone from a FB jumping spider group. She said captive bred ones aren't used to all the space so it stresses them vs a wild caught one. I've only had my girl (adult) for about a week and she's not really acting stressed that I can tell beyond not building her hammocks right away which I heard was normal so I guess it's all good.

 

[Veno Manus]

I ( my wife mainly) keep my ( our ) adults and subadults all in wider terrarium type enclosures. I'd rather them have space then non. It's in their name to do what they do. Can't jump if you don't got the leg room. It's more impressive to watch them jump distance to catch meals then to pounce acount centimeters. We have treehouse enclosures from Tarantula Cribs and they work perfectly. They will adjust in time and are extremely observant to what's around them. They watch eeevvverything. It will also help them be more comfortable around the space and you so they dont feel cornered. They will also understand to trust you more and actually want to be handled. Imagine a giant creature trying to pull you out of a small cornered space. It's natural to be scared and survive. So the more space the more comfortable. Do some trial and errors to see what you little one likes more and just watch it do its thing. You'll come to enjoy watching what they can do and move.

 

[Ratmosphere]

As long as the jumper has access to food and water, it will be fine!

I do find that simple 32oz deli cups work perfectly.

 

[KrisThatBugGirl]

I ( my wife mainly) keep my ( our ) adults and subadults all in wider terrarium type enclosures. I'd rather them have space then non. It's in their name to do what they do. Can't jump if you don't got the leg room. It's more impressive to watch them jump distance to catch meals then to pounce acount centimeters. We have treehouse enclosures from Tarantula Cribs and they work perfectly. They will adjust in time and are extremely observant to what's around them. They watch eeevvverything. It will also help them be more comfortable around the space and you so they dont feel cornered. They will also understand to trust you more and actually want to be handled. Imagine a giant creature trying to pull you out of a small cornered space. It's natural to be scared and survive. So the more space the more comfortable. Do some trial and errors to see what you little one likes more and just watch it do its thing. You'll come to enjoy watching what they can do and move.

Thanks yeah I'm enjoying them a lot! Having trouble keeping the humidity up in the enclosure so trying to troubleshoot that. I guess I will use a coconut substrate or something like that that hopefully won't grow mold

 

[SpookySpooder]

Thanks yeah I'm enjoying them a lot! Having trouble keeping the humidity up in the enclosure so trying to troubleshoot that. I guess I will use a coconut substrate or something like that that hopefully won't grow mold

Use a bottle cap as a water dish, it will evaporate and act as a humidifier

 

[Smotzer]

They seem to do well in pretty much anything! Big or small or like said free range!

 

[viper69]

I've been told that's likely to stress them out because it's too big?

Whomever told you that has zero critical thinking skills.You need to think very carefully here, what's larger, planet Earth or some box we keep arachnids, jesus christ people!! ?????????????????

 

[SpookySpooder]

FaceBook Logic at work:

- My spider comes from the big open world
- I place my spider in a tiny box
- I think my spider is afraid of the big open world so I believe it's good I have them in a little box.
- I tell others the same thing as if it were facts.



There is some credit to where they're basing their assumption: namely that raising wild animals such as mammals and birds who need to be socialized and taught how to forage or hunt for food. When you remove these animals from the wild and feed them in a sheltered space you condition them in a way that reduces their survival when released in the wild. This is probably where that person is basing their opinion from.

However this does not apply to "lower" order lifeforms, animals that have instinctual programming and do not need to be taught how to survive. Stuff like ants, bees, mantids, spiders, crustaceans, lizards, snakes, etc. etc.

There is stuff that needs to be taught, and stuff that already knows. You cannot condition a spider to forget how to hunt, nor can you alter the spider's desire to roam or jump or burrow by placing it in captivity.

 

[slocoj91]

It stresses some helicopter keepers out, to not be able to see the spider at all times. Spider couldn't care less.

My adults I have allowed to have 'free range' time. Typically setting them on/around my propagation setups for my plants - super busy with leaves and such for them to wander or hide among, and I just keep it in a clear area as well as an eye on where the individual is. Doing this, I've repeatedly had them hunt feeders I left (to the point where I used it as a way to get the mature males to eat at times, because they would be less interested in food generally but seemed to take it more easily like this), but also sit in an incredibly visible and prominent spot - like on top of a wide pothos leaf that sits above all the others - and groom themselves. Even if I was doing stuff nearby or walking about.

I suspect they were reasonably confident they could evade me if they felt it necessary. I mostly ensured none of the resident cellar spiders got any ideas about their next meal, and made sure to avoid hide and seek resulting from the 'free roam' session. Incidentally never happened as a result of those, only ever one occasion when I slightly opened the enclosure to mist and found no spider present upon closing it. Found him later on anyway, sat exactly where I'd expected him on the top shelf of the unit that was near his enclosure, but I'm convinced it was only when he was ready to be found because I'd scoured the area - a white space, black spider - and couldn't trace him earlier!