Jumping spider slings

[Sarah23]

Hey y'all,
So I wild caught a jumping spider and it had Babies, but it hid the egg sack from me so I had no time to research or prepare. I put them in a smallish container with a damp paper towel and I tried to feed them fruit flies but they didn't eat them. They were all so incredibly tiny. I started with 22. 3 disappeared or were cannibalized, 1 committed suicide (it tried to crawl threw a crack that was too small for it and it smooshed it's self ) and 17 died from either being cannibalized or not eating. I tried so hard but they just wouldn't eat the Fruit flies.
I have one baby left, and I'm trying so hard to keep the poor baby alive. I tried cutting up fruit flies (very hard to do by the way, they are so small), I tried just giving it some water,
But nothing seems to be working.
Please help me, I don't know how to feed the poor thing. Is there anything smaller than fruit flies?

 

[Neonblizzard]

You put them on damp paper towels? That's probably what is killing them. Do you have pics of what you are keeping them in?

Edit - if they were eating each other, did you consider maybe putting them in separate enclosures?

 

[Sarah23]

You put them on damp paper towels? That's probably what is killing them. Do you have pics of what you are keeping them in?

Edit - if they were eating each other, did you consider maybe putting them in separate enclosures?

I put them in separate enclosures with smaller groups, I just was told they are supposed to stay with their siblings for a while. The paper towel was to give them water, I heard that you were supposed to do that aswell. I currently have the last one in a little deli cup with a little bawled up damp paper towel and dead cut up fruit flies strewn about.

I put them in separate enclosures with smaller groups, I just was told they are supposed to stay with their siblings for a while. The paper towel was to give them water, I heard that you were supposed to do that aswell. I currently have the last one in a little deli cup with a little bawled up damp paper towel and dead cut up fruit flies strewn about.

This is the deli cup and that was before when I put fruit flies in. I put too many on accident so I took a few out. That's the baby right there so that you can see it's size compared to the fruit flies.

 

[Neonblizzard]

Honestly I'd let them go. They've got a better chance in the wild.

 

[Buggylookslikeyou]

You put them on damp paper towels? That's probably what is killing them. Do you have pics of what you are keeping them in?

Edit - if they were eating each other, did you consider maybe putting them in separate enclosures?

Wait a sec damp paper towels are no good ? that’s news to me can I ask why? I’ve been using damp paper towel for months at the bottom of my slings deli cup I moisten every day or so and I haven’t lost one! Try the Melongastar fruit flies they are smaller they still are bigger than my emerald slings. Your spood will lay more clutches sorry about the loss! Their will be more so you’ll get another shot get deli cups in advance. Poke tons of tiny tiny holes get some fake plants chuck em in and I use two ply paper towel I cut a circle and mist it every other days feed fruit flies every day or every other. Keep a fake flower in your spoods Enclosure and hopefully next time like mine they’ll lay the clutch inside of the fake flower and you could just remove it and in the right side of the picture is a butterfly net you could keep it in because the slings can’t get through I believe me my slings were tiny tiny

Ok so you gotta get a safety pin and poke tons of holes for air and flip it upside down so you won’t disturb webs when opening to feed. As far as I know paper towel at the bottom wet then ring out and should be fine I’ve had 73 from my P audax first clutch and 22 from my emerald jumper and they’ve been fine but I am interested in the reasoning the other person has for not putting in paper towel and you don’t have to cannibalize the slings I separate whenever they come out of the little nest .

I put them in separate enclosures with smaller groups, I just was told they are supposed to stay with their siblings for a while. The paper towel was to give them water, I heard that you were supposed to do that aswell. I currently have the last one in a little deli cup with a little bawled up damp paper towel and dead cut up fruit flies strewn about.


View attachment 399506
This is the deli cup and that was before when I put fruit flies in. I put too many on accident so I took a few out. That's the baby right there so that you can see it's size compared to the fruit flies.

 

[viper69]

Those flies are huge for those little jumpers.

Not sure why you’re dead set on keeping it when it will do better in the wild in terms of eating.

 

[Neonblizzard]

Wait a sec damp paper towels are no good ? that’s news to me can I ask why? I’ve been using damp paper towel for months at the bottom of my slings deli cup I moisten every day or so and I haven’t lost one! Try the Melongastar fruit flies they are smaller they still are bigger than my emerald slings. Your spood will lay more clutches sorry about the loss! Their will be more so you’ll get another shot get deli cups in advance. Poke tons of tiny tiny holes get some fake plants chuck em in and I use two ply paper towel I cut a circle and mist it every other days feed fruit flies every day or every other. Keep a fake flower in your spoods Enclosure and hopefully next time like mine they’ll lay the clutch inside of the fake flower and you could just remove it and in the right side of the picture is a butterfly net you could keep it in because the slings can’t get through I believe me my slings were tiny tiny

You clearly have more experience with them than i do, you've raised many and had success so fair play.

I would have used substrate like with any sling. Usually spiders on wet paper towels is not so good

I would still let them go, that's where they belong; it will most likely die before OP tunes their husbandry

 

[Buggylookslikeyou]

Those flies are huge for those little jumpers.

Not sure why you’re dead set on keeping it when it will do better in the wild in terms of eating.

They are bigger than the sling like I said you live and learn I had to learn by trial and error as well they in my opinion are better in captivity pike tiny holes all over in a separate cup and cut a circle paper towel to fit the cap size and flip it holes at the top and side and it’ll be good if you need help message me !

 

[Malum Argenteum]

Wingless mels are smaller overall than flightless mels, but still likely too large. Springtails are smaller still -- the regular F. candida are likely the right size for those slings, but if you need smaller, Podura are pretty tiny but harder to source.

 

[Nicole C G]

I put them in separate enclosures with smaller groups, I just was told they are supposed to stay with their siblings for a while. The paper towel was to give them water, I heard that you were supposed to do that aswell. I currently have the last one in a little deli cup with a little bawled up damp paper towel and dead cut up fruit flies strewn about.


View attachment 399506
This is the deli cup and that was before when I put fruit flies in. I put too many on accident so I took a few out. That's the baby right there so that you can see it's size compared to the fruit flies.

What you may have heard was that they stay together in the egg sack for a while together. But when they come out, they need to be separated individually or else they will start to cannibalize. Also, depends on how damp the paper towels are. Some people consider “damp” to be a little moisture, while some consider it to be completely full of water but not dripping. If it is the latter, than they could be drowning. Also, you never mentioned the actual size of the slings. 1mm? 3mm? (Body not legspan) its Usually 4mm+ should eat Drosophila Hydei, 3-2mm should eat Drosophila melanogaster, and anything less than that should eat (small) springtails.

 

[Sarah23]

What you may have heard was that they stay together in the egg sack for a while together. But when they come out, they need to be separated individually or else they will start to cannibalize. Also, depends on how damp the paper towels are. Some people consider “damp” to be a little moisture, while some consider it to be completely full of water but not dripping. If it is the latter, than they could be drowning. Also, you never mentioned the actual size of the slings. 1mm? 3mm? (Body not legspan) its Usually 4mm+ should eat Drosophila Hydei, 3-2mm should eat Drosophila melanogaster, and anything less than that should eat (small) springtails.

I squeezed it out so not much moisture. They are under a mm so I'll look into that thank you

They are bigger than the sling like I said you live and learn I had to learn by trial and error as well they in my opinion are better in captivity pike tiny holes all over in a separate cup and cut a circle paper towel to fit the cap size and flip it holes at the top and side and it’ll be good if you need help message me !

Thank you so much, I feel so terrible honestly, but I just wasn't prepared for this

 

[Buggylookslikeyou]

Thank you so much, I feel so terrible honestly, but I just wasn't prepared for this

You literally don’t need to feel horrible trust me in closing the caps I killed two by accident they were fast and snuck right under the lid. We weren’t prepared either but the forum and my wife is on the jumping spider group which you should join helped a ton. She was the first wild caught that actually snuck into our house Cinnabon and we thought she was our other p audax queen b escaped laid three clutches two infertile and now two more we aren’t sure of. Her first clutch she laid over 70 we kept 8 gave 6 to my sister in law abs let the rest go. I poke tons of holes on the top and the side all the way around just in case I keep the deli cup upside down the paper towel circle at the bottom which is actually the top and flip them pull the paper towel out quickly drop some flies in Myst from a far so it’s not to make two big droplets because they can drown because they have book along’s with her on the bottom of the bodies

To the right 14 emerald jumper slings from our wild caught emerald pixie spoodie doodie
Then we have one male emerald jumper black Philip and two p audax females

Those flies are huge for those little jumpers.

Not sure why you’re dead set on keeping it when it will do better in the wild in terms of eating.

Jumpers actually can take down prey triple their size my emerald slings are way smaller than her sling and do just fine believe me and my p audax started around the same size and have molted and thrived. Shower the internet there’s jumpers eating geckos they take down black widows the babies can take harmless fruit flies no matter the size it’s survival they’ll figure it out!

Honestly I'd let them go. They've got a better chance in the wild.

They actually don’t this is t helping her it’s your opinion so it’s valid but when someone’s asking for help talking them <edit> an move on does nothing to help.

 

[Nicole C G]

Honestly I'd let them go. They've got a better chance in the wild.

Was that an insult or just a suggestion?

 

[Buggylookslikeyou]

Was that an insult or just a suggestion?

Thank you Nicole ! I read this earlier everyone getting on this spood noob who simply asked for help and it’s disgraceful. We were all new at this at some point no one was born with a jumper in one ha d and an enclosure in the next like <edit>. We all are part of a group which by the majority of society looks as us as weird for caring for arachnids,bugs, etc and then to see fellow arachnid enthusiasts just be like let them go or they are better off in the wild or they can’t wait for you to hone your husbandry skills cmon now you guys are all better than this!

 

[Malum Argenteum]

But nothing seems to be working.
Please help me, I don't know how to feed the poor thing.

When the thread starter says something along these lines, any suggestion that will save the spiders is a good one. One of the most important skills in good animal husbandry is knowing when you're in over your head, and this sort of -- reasonable, completely reasonable and understandable -- desperation signals being in over ones's head. In my respectful opinion.

 

[Buggylookslikeyou]

You clearly have more experience with them than i do, you've raised many and had success so fair play.

I would have used substrate like with any sling. Usually spiders on wet paper towels is not so good

I would still let them go, that's where they belong; it will most likely die before OP tunes their husbandry

Wet towels or substrate it makes no difference when you put spoods in the icu it’s on a damp paper towel so they get humid and hydrate same theory never wet I should’ve been more specific. How is she going to learn or how would any of us have learned without trying instead of giving up and letting them go. The other reasoning behind the paper towel is it’s white and easier to find the spood and see the dead flies to make sure it’s eating as with substrate you can lose track and they can sneak in between the cup lid and get squashed.

When the thread starter says something along these lines, any suggestion that will save the spiders is a good one. One of the most important skills in good animal husbandry is knowing when you're in over your head, and this sort of -- reasonable, completely reasonable and understandable -- desperation signals being in over ones's head. In my respectful opinion.

Of course but that’s when she asked for help. Telling her to let them go is one option and not a bad one but if your opinion is to let it go you just as easily could’ve typed up how she can help like I Nicole and a few others did.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

Of course but that’s when she asked for help. Telling her to let them go is one option and not a bad one but if your opinion is to let it go you just as easily could’ve typed up how she can help like I Nicole and a few others did.

I think you may be reading the 'let them go' replies as dismissive, or insulting, or scolding. I read them more charitably, as factual claims about how the spiders would fare best. There is nothing -- nothing -- at all "disgraceful" about recommending doing what is best for the animals rather than using them to "hone your husbandry skills" especially when the OP "wasn't prepared for this". Honing skills comes after preparation.

@Sarah23 , whatever you do and however this turns out, you're obviously putting a lot of concern into this and you should be proud of that.

 

[viper69]

Jumpers actually can take down prey triple their size my emerald slings are way smaller than her sling and do just fine believe me and my p audax started around the same size and have molted and thrived. Shower the internet there’s jumpers eating geckos they take down black widows the babies can take harmless fruit flies no matter the size it’s survival they’ll figure it out!

Ive only seen jumpers in the wild. This is interesting. I've never seen them with huge prey. So this is very cool to learn thank you.

 

[Nicole C G]

To clarify, if you feel you aren’t comfortable with raising a bunch of jumping spider slings, there is no shame in letting them go. However, don’t feel pressured to let them go by people recommending it, as I’m assuming they are just suggesting one of the options. If you are willing to do it, do the proper research and you can! If you feel you are unable to invest the time and effort, there is no shame in letting them go.

 

[Neonblizzard]

Was that an insult or just a suggestion?

Just a suggestion. They came from the wild to begin with, it's not like the OP has bought a T from the net now I'm suggesting letting them go.

There was 30, now there's 1. That's not me trying to be snobby and getting one up on somebody, this is me speaking purely on what I'd do and what's best for the animal.

It's ok not knowing stuff to begin with, but the OP was by their own admission taken by surprise, rushed around and did the best they could and it's proven to have not worked out. That's not an attack on OP, this is me saying based on the outcome of the rest of the slings so far it would be more likely the spider will make it out in the wild, where it came from originally.

That's not to say they can't try again with a planned group of spiderlings or T's when they have had time to prepare and done some more research, just talking about this situation and what * i believe * to be best for the animal

If that's not me trying to help then I'm very confused what this forum is about