My jumping spider can't catch food

[papillon251]

My Phiddipus regius NF reached mature size few weeks ago. He took few meals, but last week and half won't. It dosen't look like he doesn't want to eat but he just can't catch even dead insect. I tried with different insects and different sizes but he always jumps and then misses it. His body got really srinked and I don't know what is the problem. They have led lights above them, so light and temperature is not the problem and the other spider is acting normaly.

I just read somewhere that you could give them honey with water. I tried that with q-tip and he seems to like it.

 

[Nicole C G]

Adult Males sometimes ignore eating, in search of a female

 

[papillon251]

But he is not ignoring it, he just can't catch it, even a dead insect. He always jumps at it but misses it.

 

[Tentacle Toast]

Anecdotal, but I picked one up from a local shop some time back (also a male), & it was about the clumsiest spider I've ever seen in my life. Thing would stalk crickets for the longest time before completely fumbling the take-down & having to start all over. I swear some of those crickets would taunt that poor dumb spider like squirrels taunting a dog. I'd look in a half-hour later, & you could tell he JUST got the things.

Adult Males sometimes ignore eating, in search of a female

Don't we all...

 

[Nicole C G]

But he is not ignoring it, he just can't catch it, even a dead insect. He always jumps at it but misses it.

Hmm. Not sure why.

 

[Tentacle Toast]

...just out of curiosity, how big is its enclosure? I gave mine a much bigger cage than I would have for a T, because I figured it'd appreciate the room to jump. I wondered if that had something to do with it when I had it.

 

[papillon251]

It is 25x25 cm. It was in smaller one till 5th molt. It is just that he was normaly taking food even after molting and then just stopped. Everything stayed the same. I tried to put him on flat surface so he would catch food easier, but that also didn't help. He kinda misses it, then gets scared of it and won't try again till the enxt day.

 

[Tentacle Toast]

Well the general consensus here is that it's not worth being too concerned at this point, & so far, the general consensus here hasn't given me bad advice, so.... maybe give him a solid week or two before trying again, & just enjoy him in the meantime...

Can you post some pics? Folks here LOVE good pics, might yield some higher level insight & opinion...
Best of luck, friend!

 

[JumpingSpiderEnthusiast]

Hope we get the picture soon

 

[papillon251]

This is him

 

[Nicole C G]

This is him

Not an adult yet.

 

[papillon251]

But he had 5 molts? Should he had one more.

 

[Nicole C G]

But he had 5 molts? Should he had one more.

They can molt more than 5 times.

 

[papillon251]

Oh, I didn't know that. This is my first one . So could he be not eating because he will molt soon?

 

[Nicole C G]

Oh, I didn't know that. This is my first one . So could he be not eating because he will molt soon?

Possibly

 

[papillon251]

And how do I know when they had their last molt?

 

[papillon251]

I have an update! . I tried to mesh larve on q-tip and he started eating. Then I gave him the rest of fly larve and he continued to eat it

 

[Nicole C G]

And how do I know when they had their last molt?

When the palps are fully developed

 

[Jonathan6303]

I believe unlike mygalomorphs once most Araneomorphs reach their ultimate molt they will no longer molt.

 

[Nicole C G]

I believe unlike mygalomorphs once most Araneomorphs reach their ultimate molt they will no longer molt.

Elaborate? I am interested in learning more about mygalomorphs.