jumping spider in molt for a month and a little bit

[swarm]

hello i have a juvenile bold jumping spider that went into premolt about a month and a little bit ago, almost a month and a half now. i know they can be in premolt for a long time but im getting worried bc of his strange behavior lately. hes for sure getting hungry, his abdomen is getting small enough i can see the outline of his guts, but hes still not ready to eat. i cant really tell if he wants to eat though because every now and then he will venture out of his hammock and be very active circling his enclosure and watching the substrate. he has red springtails in the substrate, and ive offered him mini mealworms in a cup as well as fruit flies (he successfully has eaten both in the past.) today he was really concerning me. the past 2 days hes spent all day pacing his enclosure and watching the dirt, and today he did the same but this time he was moving way faster and seemed to engage in hunting behavior but backing out and going back to running in circles around his enclosure. should i be concerned? i think im going to make adjustments to his enclosure to retain moisture a little better in hopes that that helps him molt but im getting really concerned by his behavior. he needs to either molt or eat so he can get on with. either eating or molting, u know? is there anything i can do? is over a month too long to be in pre-molt? because the only info i can find is that up to a month or weeks at a time is normal. should i be concerned by his behavior?

 

[fcat]

Pictures please, of him, and his enclosure?

 

[sparticus]

Unless he's a very small instar, springtails may be too small for him to eat enough of to gain weight. He may not be recognizing the mealworms as food. Try a baby cricket on the enclosure floor, just a little smaller than the whole spider minus legs. Mine has done very well with larger prey items when he's hungry. Or you could try leaving a handicapped mealworm (crush the head) on the floor, seems like he's looking for food down there. Mine love houseflies, you can buy larvae online.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Pre-kill a small cricket and put it near the spiders hammock.

 

[katamari]

I wish I had some advice to give, as I've seen this with a few of my Bold jumpers. Ive just continued with care as usual and they usually end up eating and turning it around. A few never did though, and a couple I distinctly remember doing that crazy run-all-over behavior when i misted the enclosure and then just dropping into a death curl.

It has been relatively rare with mine (prob less than 10 slings/juvies out of multiple clutches) but it's happened.

Hopefully yours pulls out of it.

 

[TheraMygale]

Pictures please, of him, and his enclosure?

i think we need to make this a new rule. Pictures. It would go so much faster for the keeper with questions.

if we had pictures by default, we would ask less questions. We would get to the point.

i know in the past we couldnt get pictures easily, but nowadays, kids have more expensive phones then i do.

this is isnt a critique upon the original poster. Its just a current vibe i am getting. What do you think @Arachnopets

we need pictures to help.

 

[swarm]

hello everyone thank you so much for all the input! im so sorry for never responding ive been busy with life and stressed out trying to get my son to eat. the good news is my son has successfully eaten a blue bottle fly maggot! he was a little over-full from it but im just relieved he ate something other than the springtails in his enclosure. im still a little concerned bc hes been seemingly in pre molt for almost 2 months but im hoping now that he has some protein in him, he might molt. ive been trying to keep the enclosure nice and misted and letting him sit in the shower room sometimes for the steam.
this is him and his house right before he ate the maggot, he had been living off of fruit and springtails and refusing fruit flies and meal worms. (i know his easter egg needs a bit of dusting, ive been waiting for him to molt so i can remove him from his enclosure safely and without stressing him out too much.) i love his overly complicated hammock theres many entrances and 2 layers or "floors" to it. i wonder if i mistook him trying to make it warmer for a premolt cocoon? he just seemed to have all the other signs with refusing food and not leaving his hammock barely at all.

 

[Charliemum]

hello everyone thank you so much for all the input! im so sorry for never responding ive been busy with life and stressed out trying to get my son to eat. the good news is my son has successfully eaten a blue bottle fly maggot! he was a little over-full from it but im just relieved he ate something other than the springtails in his enclosure. im still a little concerned bc hes been seemingly in pre molt for almost 2 months but im hoping now that he has some protein in him, he might molt. ive been trying to keep the enclosure nice and misted and letting him sit in the shower room sometimes for the steam.
this is him and his house right before he ate the maggot, he had been living off of fruit and springtails and refusing fruit flies and meal worms. (i know his easter egg needs a bit of dusting, ive been waiting for him to molt so i can remove him from his enclosure safely and without stressing him out too much.) i love his overly complicated hammock theres many entrances and 2 layers or "floors" to it. i wonder if i mistook him trying to make it warmer for a premolt cocoon? he just seemed to have all the other signs with refusing food and not leaving his hammock barely at all.

First off am so glad your little one ate that's a great sign .
Secondly you must remember these jumpers come from North America they will naturally slow down and hide over winter. Your little one hiding for a bit over the cold months is normal behaviour and if little one is eating its probably that rather then premoult. In premoult they tend to totally shut off and don't eat. Try not to panic, now you have appropriate food size your jumper baby should be fine .

 

[Brewser]

Welcome to the Neighborhood,
I'm glad Jumper is making a 'House a Home'
Seems to be adapting to the New Surroundings quite well.
Congrats,