Jumping Spider noob seeks advice

[KaliMa]

Hello everyone, I recently got into invertebrates and have now acquired a male adult Phidippus Regius.

He ate 3 house flies and explores his new home at the first day (last tuesday) but after that he made a home behind a decorative piece of his enclosure (a nano exoterra terrarium) and stays mostly there. Today I placed a Bluebottle Fly on the enclosure and it was ignored. He seems interested on staying there only sometimes peeking out or swifting position.

My question is: Is it normal? He did explored momentanly (maybe yesterday or the day before) but thats it.

I have a lamp above his terrarium, I spray the sides of it once a day for water, and temperature remains about 22-25C at the moment. I have had bad luck with a Ghost Mantis and Vampire crabs recently and am a bit traumatised my spider will just stop eating and die... Any advice and input is very welcomed. Thanks in advance!

(Photo from minutes ago)

 

[Nicole C G]

Completely normal. He might just not be hungry yet.

 

[KaliMa]

How often an adult male eats on avarage? every source i find says something different.

 

[Nicole C G]

How often an adult male eats on avarage? every source i find says something different.

It’s not so much how often they eat, it’s more how big their abdomen is. Keep it from being too small, or too large. Usually for males a good size for the abdomen is about the size of the head, but depends on the species.

 

[KaliMa]

It’s not so much how often they eat, it’s more how big their abdomen is. Keep it from being too small, or too large. Usually for males a good size for the abdomen is about the size of the head, but depends on the species.

I see, thank you. Theres a point I should I worry he is too innactive and interfere?

 

[Nicole C G]

I see, thank you. Theres a point I should I worry he is too innactive and interfere?

If it’s okay, elaborate on what you mean by “interfere”?

 

[KaliMa]

If it’s okay, elaborate on what you mean by “interfere”?

I don't even know exactly what I meant, perhaps try changing some things around to see if theres anything off with his environment, which I did. Today I placed the lamp over to the top grip of the enclosure instead of hanging above it a bit from afar.. He left his nest to chill under the light. I think he was cold thats why he was more innactive, my lamp is only 5W though, so I will go get a 25 w tomorrow.

 

[regalpaws]

Yeah, jumpers will go off food/be inactive if its too cold. As long as the light isn't too hot for the enclosure it should be ok. Idk if you necessarily need to get an even stronger light, it is up to you! As long as it is bright enough and your lil dude comes out, you should be golden.

 

[KaliMa]

Yeah, jumpers will go off food/be inactive if its too cold. As long as the light isn't too hot for the enclosure it should be ok. Idk if you necessarily need to get an even stronger light, it is up to you! As long as it is bright enough and your lil dude comes out, you should be golden.

Alright, now i am not too sure... Tomorrow will be a week he arrived and he still only hangs out at half way out his nest. He havent eaten (I tried fruit flies, he ignored it and hid from a bluebottle fly) or drunk (that ive seen) and hides away whenever we get close to his terrarium. I think everything is good as far as lighting, temperature and moisture goes. My guesses are:

1) Something on his terrarium may be toxic? I will attach some photos from different angles... Maybe the mesh separating the stones and the substrate which is meant for plants? Maybe the iceland moss?

2) The terrarium is n
on the living room and our every day movement stresses him out?

Should I move him somewhere else or to another enclosure entirely ? I dont think he will molt, at least ive purchased an adult Phidippus Regius.

 

[Buggylookslikeyou]

You’re spood will be good trust me they lived outside not much can hurt them just make sure it’s properly ventilated. I would move to smaller enclosure they don’t need much space they like to chill. I’ve had all ages I’ve raised slings from one of my wild caught. Might be sub adult or adult older they get all they are interested in mating no much else. The more you feed the less time they live believe that. Wait a week or so between feedings they can live over a month without food. Just mist the enclosure I use an Amazon olive oil mister you see any big water beads paper towel sop it up you only need to spray one side of the enclosure. You can leave a damp cotton ball in there as well if you want. I feed mine as of now I have all different in stars including an adult male that I found yesterday p audax. I use food containers from Walmart or Amazon smallest drill size put a bunch of holes. Gorilla hot glue gun some fake plants and moss from Amazon. Real stuff will mold don’t use it nix the heating lamp put him by a window I keep it 73-74 in the house always. I leave a blue bottle fly pupae or two in each of the bigger spoods enclosures and they either eat the pupae or it’ll hatch in a few days and they get a nice work out catching it. I wait a while between feedings each spider is different don’t let the abdomen get flat but give it a week or two between feedings. Go on the face book group to for more tips heather doyle is like the expert around those parts. Also dollar tree has these clochets or Amazon has the food storage containers it’s fun ass all hell making the enclosures just use fake stuff and watch for mold sometimes the fake flowers will get it but I mist only the side note the flower itself so it’s unlikely to happen! Any questions message me!

0C86D3BC-C9E4-4C05-A570-811D5C99CF6E.jpeg

• Buggylookslikeyou
• Sep 20, 2021

Mother of p audax slings Cinnabon and breaker in of houses !

 

[regalpaws]

His enclosure might be too big, that is an idea. If its too big, they cant find their prey.
He will prob eat eventually, especially as he settles in. That would also explain why he still hasn't built his nest yet. Whenever I have gotten new jumpers, it does take them awhile to get used to their surroundings (and me constantly swooning and looking at them) lol.
If you do use a paper towel or cotton ball for water/humidity, just change it every day/every other day because it can host bacteria over time.

Idk how to tag someone but Buggylookslikesyou, where did you get that cute lil wooden bridge in the first pic?

 

[Buggylookslikeyou]

His enclosure might be too big, that is an idea. If its too big, they cant find their prey.
He will prob eat eventually, especially as he settles in. That would also explain why he still hasn't built his nest yet. Whenever I have gotten new jumpers, it does take them awhile to get used to their surroundings (and me constantly swooning and looking at them) lol.
If you do use a paper towel or cotton ball for water/humidity, just change it every day/every other day because it can host bacteria over time.

Idk how to tag someone but Buggylookslikesyou, where did you get that cute lil wooden bridge in the first pic?

If you look on Amazon it’s actually a fence if you look up fairy garden fence it will come upAnd I use gorilla glue gun and gorilla glue sticks and let them dry for about 24 hours sometimes less because it honestly drives within 20 minutes but to be safe I wait no more than or less than 12 hours

 

[KaliMa]

Thank you all for your input, it has been very helpful. I have a nano Enclosure from exo terra but now i am thinking something far more simple would have done it. Ive put some house fly puppae inside as well. He seems to be fine but is very shy, he hides every time we come close but he's been venturing out the nest which is somewhat reasuring.