New Future Spider Owner Questions!

[DizzyDitz]

Hello all!
I have been wanting to purchase a jumping spider and have been doing a lot of research. However I don't often find much about specific enclosure dimensions. The jumper I am getting will be a sling and I'm having a hard time finding good, front-opening enclosures. I recently purchased the Zilla Micro Habitat (4"L x 4"W x 8"H) As a starter enclosure. Is this too big for a sling who's close to being a Juvenile? It doesn't look like they'd be able to squeeze out of the ventilation or anything, but I want to be safe and see what everyone's opinions are! This won't be his/her final enclosure, I plan to purchase him a bigger one once he or she is older!

Thank you for the help!

 

[Poonjab]

It 100% will. And I repeat WILL escape that zilla enclosure

 

[DizzyDitz]

Any particular part that you know of that it's escaping through? I had some people recommend it to me and say it was a decent one for jumpers and I can't see any part that has a big enough opening for them to squeeze through.

 

[Charliemum]

Any particular part that you know of that it's escaping through? I had some people recommend it to me and say it was a decent one for jumpers and I can't see any part that has a big enough opening for them to squeeze through.

I have seen ppl that have lost tarantula slings out of those, I have a phidippus regius when I first got her she was kept in a mesh top 32oz deli cup the ones you get for fruit fly cultures it's not pretty but you spider will quickly out grow it mine did I have had Button since she was a tiny sling (4 mm) now she is alot bigger ( a full 3/4 of an inch ) and has graduated to a 4x4x7 inch display box I put my own air hole's in . Personally I would air on the side of caution and use the deli for now.

 

[Nicole C G]

Any particular part that you know of that it's escaping through? I had some people recommend it to me and say it was a decent one for jumpers and I can't see any part that has a big enough opening for them to squeeze through.

A sling of any sort will almost certainly escape from Zilla Micros enclosure. Mine did. Many others did. The only ones I’ve heard of that don’t escape from that enclosure is large juveniles/adults of larger species AFTER the owner has carefully sealed all the holes. Even if you seal all the visible holes, there are gaps in the sides and top that it can escape from.

Zilla micro habitats have been gained popularity I think from a couple YouTubers (who usually don’t know what they are talking about and aren’t keepers or breeders themselves) but they are not good enclosures for beginners. For slings and juveniles I recommend a box type enclosure. No door to worry about or gaps in the overall construction. All there is is a vent or two or three depending on how much ventilation is needed. And if it’s really small, it should be in a sling pot or deli cup. It needs to be small enough that they can find the food. 4x4x8 is a great size for most adult jumpers. But a juvenile may have trouble finding food.

what species are you getting? Assuming Phidippus something?

 

[starlight_kitsune]

I have a Zilla arboreal micro that I use for a juvenile tarantula. I would honestly not recommend those enclosures (without modifications) for anything with a carapace size smaller than say, a dime? And that's pushing it. There's a gap between the bottom of the door and cage that is easily slipped through and two holes on either side of the hinge that are also potential escape points. I used some aquarium silicone to fill those gaps in slightly on the one that I have, but its still far from my favorite enclosure and I plan to replace it literally here in the next two weeks.

There was actually another post the other day about someone who's female jumper slipped through one of those, most likely at the door hinge holes.

 

[DizzyDitz]

I don't have my jumper yet, I'm still trying to prepare. I'm so glad I found this forum because it seems like a lot of information on websites differs quite a bit!

I plan to get a Phidippus regius or a Phidippus Audax. Haven't decided which, yet. Do any of you have links to preferred enclosures on etsy or any other trusted site? I've seen some that look nice on etsy but I'm still a bit worried. I want to make sure I have everything I need. Also, what do you feed slings? I've seen a lot of people say they feed wingless fruit flies but I've also seen a lot of people say that wingless fruit flies are a really big pain. Any advice on this? The slings I have been looking at are Regal Jumping Spiders and the breeders I've spoken to all say that they are currently feeding fruit flies.

I can't seem to find a good enclosure specifically for jumping spiders. I have been tempted to go get a pantry storage container from walmart and just put holes and mesh on myself but I don't particularly like the bottom opening. I was really hoping for something with a front opening for easier access.

Thank you guys for all your help! I really appreciate it!

 

[Charliemum]

I am from the UK so unfortunately can't help with that sorry but try typing jumping spider sling enclosure into Google and start there again it's what I did
Infact if you go on YouTube and on to Tom's Big spiders look for his sling enclosure vid it's one of his earlier ones he has a good little arboreal sling set up that would be perfect for a phidippus sling too, he even tells you how to make it I believe. I wish you luck and remember the search bar on this Web site will probably answer any spider questions you have and if it can't one of us usually can.

 

[gorybmovie]

Hello all!
I have been wanting to purchase a jumping spider and have been doing a lot of research. However I don't often find much about specific enclosure dimensions. The jumper I am getting will be a sling and I'm having a hard time finding good, front-opening enclosures. I recently purchased the Zilla Micro Habitat (4"L x 4"W x 8"H) As a starter enclosure. Is this too big for a sling who's close to being a Juvenile? It doesn't look like they'd be able to squeeze out of the ventilation or anything, but I want to be safe and see what everyone's opinions are! This won't be his/her final enclosure, I plan to purchase him a bigger one once he or she is older!

Thank you for the help!

When you plan to upgrade, I recommend Arachanid Shop on Etsy and Tarantula Cribs. They made terrific front opening enclosures. As for the Zilla enclosure you have now, I have the same one. The holes you need to worry about are at the base of the door when it is closed. I have had my jumper in this enclosure since it was a sub-adult and there are no other holes or openings that I think a spider could slip through unless your sling is small enough to fit through the ventilation slats or your enclosure is warped. You can permanently cover the holes at the base of the door without making it impossible to open. The best and easiest solution I have found is putty (I use sensory putty). I put a small amount over the holes at the base of each door. It is easy to remove and replace. That should take care of the issue for you The only other holes are very small ones at the top of the door. If you think they will be an issue, plug those up too when the door is closed. Also, make sure you close and lock the door securely. Here is a pic to give you an idea of what I am talking about and show you which holes to cover. This is a side view of the enclosure. I have had my spider in this home since early January and she has never escaped.

 

[DizzyDitz]

Okay, so since I've posted I actually have looked at Arachnid shop on etsy! I've also seen a LOT of DIY using the pantry containers from walmart. I finally decided I wanted to DIY my own with inspiration from the Arachnid shop's enclosures. I decided to take the pantry container and since I did NOT like bottom opening enclosures, I put a front sliding door on it! It looks a little messy, but the door is flush against the container and there is NO gaps at all it is completely flush and slides really well! I'm going to be adding magnets to the door as well to hold it in place. I have a 1/16" drill bit which i will be using to add ventilation and I added a hanging remote control LED light! I figure the front opening will make feeding a lot easier and if I want to clean the substrate (not shown) I can just pop off the bottom without messing with him and his hammock up top and just dump the substrate. (If needed). The light is remote controlled as well, it is also touch activated if anything happens. I also made him a twine ball hide and decorated a little just for the picture but I still have a bit of work to do on it. Hope you guys like it!

PS: I still have to clean it up a bit and the scratches are front sanding unfortunately. It's not ready yet, I just wanted to show what it looks like. I still have to clean out all the little flecks of plastic from the cutting. I'm not the smoothest cutter when it comes to plastic. I also did this because I plan to buy him a nice bigger enclosure once he/she matures but for now I think this will be good for him in the meantime.

 

[PhidRegNoob]

Hi folks. Another future spider owner here. Sorry to hijack the post and if this has been answered elsewhere I’ll take a link and be on my way likewise if it’s uncouth to jump on someone’s post and I’m to start my own. This is literally day 1 for me.

I’m Planning on getting/hoping to get a p. Regius but really not sure where to begin. Would be grateful for any help please.
I’ve obsessed online and I think I’m getting loads of info but there are a few things there are few details about that I can find.
I get the L1 L2 etc are the stages and ‘molts’ (if I’ve understood correctly) but there are sources that say they mlt every 2-3 weeks, some that say they milt 5-6 times…then the term sub adult is where I get lost.

Am I correct in assuming the tiny sling will become a sub adult when it starts to molt, then after the last molt is a full adult and lives a bit longer after that? Or have I completely misinterpreted that?

ive not been able to find much online explaining the specific stages and before I buy a ‘sub adult’ I would like to know what size that’s likely to be and if it will have started to molt by then

I’d rather be fully prepared with info before I bring one home

thank you in advance, appreciate any help I can get.

im in UK if that makes any difference

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

Moulting is how spiders grow. They moult periodically from hatching through to adulthood, at which point they (typically) stop moulting. A "sling" is a spiderling - it's not a well-defined term, but usually refers to the first couple of moult intervals. "Sub adult" usually refers to the last moult interval before adulthood but again it's not really a well-defined term, so it can mean any older juvenile stage, depending who's talking.

 

[Charliemum]

Hi folks. Another future spider owner here. Sorry to hijack the post and if this has been answered elsewhere I’ll take a link and be on my way likewise if it’s uncouth to jump on someone’s post and I’m to start my own. This is literally day 1 for me.

I’m Planning on getting/hoping to get a p. Regius but really not sure where to begin. Would be grateful for any help please.
I’ve obsessed online and I think I’m getting loads of info but there are a few things there are few details about that I can find.
I get the L1 L2 etc are the stages and ‘molts’ (if I’ve understood correctly) but there are sources that say they mlt every 2-3 weeks, some that say they milt 5-6 times…then the term sub adult is where I get lost.

Am I correct in assuming the tiny sling will become a sub adult when it starts to molt, then after the last molt is a full adult and lives a bit longer after that? Or have I completely misinterpreted that?

ive not been able to find much online explaining the specific stages and before I buy a ‘sub adult’ I would like to know what size that’s likely to be and if it will have started to molt by then

I’d rather be fully prepared with info before I bring one home

thank you in advance, appreciate any help I can get.

im in UK if that makes any difference

Hi its fine to jump on threads infact the mods prefer it as a saves having 100 threads with the same question.
I was told that the order was sling, juvenile, sub adult, and adult .
I also live in the uk and bought my phidippus regius from the praying mantis it was a tiny 1mm sling for £15 if that helps with supplier. Phidippus don't live massively long a year or 2 from what I read depending on sp and sex obviously as females live longer than males and obviously the further on in the spiders life cycle the less time you get to keep it for.
But on the other had they are much larger and less prone to husbandry mistakes at sub adult age so better for beginners that aren't ready for a 1mm sling.

As for what size they hit what stage ie sling 1-5mm, sub adult at 2 cm ect you can always try messaging the seller and asking for more info, if they are a good seller they will help with any info they have within a few days. I hope I have at least answered some questions for you. If you have any more give me a shout I am happy to help if I can

 

[Nicole C G]

Hi folks. Another future spider owner here. Sorry to hijack the post and if this has been answered elsewhere I’ll take a link and be on my way likewise if it’s uncouth to jump on someone’s post and I’m to start my own. This is literally day 1 for me.

I’m Planning on getting/hoping to get a p. Regius but really not sure where to begin. Would be grateful for any help please.
I’ve obsessed online and I think I’m getting loads of info but there are a few things there are few details about that I can find.
I get the L1 L2 etc are the stages and ‘molts’ (if I’ve understood correctly) but there are sources that say they mlt every 2-3 weeks, some that say they milt 5-6 times…then the term sub adult is where I get lost.

Am I correct in assuming the tiny sling will become a sub adult when it starts to molt, then after the last molt is a full adult and lives a bit longer after that? Or have I completely misinterpreted that?

ive not been able to find much online explaining the specific stages and before I buy a ‘sub adult’ I would like to know what size that’s likely to be and if it will have started to molt by then

I’d rather be fully prepared with info before I bring one home

thank you in advance, appreciate any help I can get.

im in UK if that makes any difference

Example (different species have different amounts of molts until adulthood usually more than shown. I just chose 7 instar as an example)

also note that a sling means a young juvenile, and technically penultimate and sub-adults are technically juveniles too. If we take the word juvenile as meaning “not adult”

 

[PhidRegNoob]

Wow thank you all so much for the info!!! So interesting

I’m a former arachnophobebut not overly bothered now. I wouldn’t be friends with the house spiders I get, they’re the size of my hand, but no longer feel the need to chase them outside before I can sleep. a Little while ago I discovered p.Regius cuties and Now I’m obsessed. I have always been far more keen on tarantulas than house spiders (must be the fur) but there’s no way I could care for anything that requires so much specialist equipment. Heard/read p.Regius were a great beginners spider and they’re adorable!!!!

 

[PhidRegNoob]

View attachment 413874
Example (different species have different amounts of molts until adulthood usually more than shown. I just chose 7 instar as an example)

Thanks so much for that!! That’s the one thing missing online

 

[PhidRegNoob]

Hi its fine to jump on threads infact the mods prefer it as a saves having 100 threads with the same question.
I was told that the order was sling, juvenile, sub adult, and adult .
I also live in the uk and bought my phidippus regius from the praying mantis it was a tiny 1mm sling for £15 if that helps with supplier. Phidippus don't live massively long a year or 2 from what I read depending on sp and sex obviously as females live longer than males and obviously the further on in the spiders life cycle the less time you get to keep it for.
But on the other had they are much larger and less prone to husbandry mistakes at sub adult age so better for beginners that aren't ready for a 1mm sling.

As for what size they hit what stage ie sling 1-5mm, sub adult at 2 cm ect you can always try messaging the seller and asking for more info, if they are a good seller they will help with any info they have within a few days. I hope I have at least answered some questions for you. If you have any more give me a shout I am happy to help if I can

Thanks so much for the recommendation and help you definitely have answered and I may well take you up on that and ask more when I think of things

 

[PhidRegNoob]

Moulting is how spiders grow. They moult periodically from hatching through to adulthood, at which point they (typically) stop moulting. A "sling" is a spiderling - it's not a well-defined term, but usually refers to the first couple of moult intervals. "Sub adult" usually refers to the last moult interval before adulthood but again it's not really a well-defined term, so it can mean any older juvenile stage, depending who's talking.

Thanks so much, surprising how little there is o line that explains that, or maybe I’m looking on all the wrong places

 

[Charliemum]

Thanks so much for the recommendation and help you definitely have answered and I may well take you up on that and ask more when I think of things

That's np ask away

 

[Smotzer]

Just an example for the newer folks the kitchen storage containers work very well for Salticidae there’s no need to spend the type of money you’d find on Etsy. I prefer these ultra-clear ones I got from Walmart.

Phidippus Enclosure

• Smotzer
• Mar 24, 2022
• 2
• arachnid enclosure jumper jumping spider phiddipus terrarium vivarium

Something I put together for a Phidippus I collected using Tillandsia usenoides I collected from...