MUST WATCH! PHIDIPPUS AUDAX FEEDING QUIRK

[SpookySpooder]

I'm away for another 2 weeks, but my SO sent a video while feeding the other day. I have NEVER observed this behavior in jumpers before so I thought maybe it was uncommon.

It's very cute and funny.

This is a WC Penultimate male. He lost his orange spots during a molt in my care and I assume he has one molt left.

DISCLAIMER: I didn't actually catch him, he wandered into my house after my neighbor decided to tear down his hedges, effectively destroying his habitat. I will be releasing him into a suitable location nearby once I return to home as I have no plans on breeding him.

If you hand a spider a cricket, he will eat normally, if you hand him too many, he will attempt to multi-task in the most adorable way possible

LINK

 

[NMTs]

Technically, he's not laying on his back eating crickets - he's got one foot planted on that water dish, so he's "standing" on the water dish eating crickets... Technically.

 

[SpookySpooder]

My SO said he actually tried juggling them both right side up, but decided this worked better. She didn't get him rolling over but she caught this snippet!

And yeah, he's technically just standing in the little dip between the water dish and the floor.

"Silly humans and their perception of up and down"

Now I'm wondering if anybody's T's have done this.

 

[NMTs]

I've had Xenesthis, Pamphobeteus, and Nhandu slings all end up on their back after taking down prey - they're crazy and clumsy, though, so maybe a little different.

 

[SpookySpooder]

Oh yeah I've seen what you're talking about. They're so prey driven they will tackle and wrestle around with it, often ending up sideways or upside down.

This lil guy contemplated this from what I hear. She said he very lazily turned sideways and then upside down, and that was what prompted the recording... she thought he suddenly just decided to die... like BLEH *keels over*

I'd never seen any spider do this before so I just lost it

 

[The Snark]

"Silly humans and their perception of up and down"

Precisely. Only animals with sophisticated inner ears or other sensory mechanisms relate to up and down. Interestingly, Salticids have developed compensation for this by paying out a web, life line, wherever they go regardless of the surface. Note how salticids commonly move, bursts of speed then a pause. With each pause they affix the lifeline.