New jumping spider trouble

[Iskilsa]

Hello guys! New here. Yesterday, I've received a jumping spider (Phidippus regius) called Loki!

My question is: I've heard jumping spiders are very quick and hyper, but since I've gotten him, he's been very slow in movement. He's made a little trip from one side of the terrarium to another this morning, but has been sitting on one spot for the rest of the day. I've been wondering if he's hungry, thirsty, too cold or just too stressed? I offered him a little fruit fly yesterday, and he (slowly) followed it around but didn't seem to be "able" to catch it or even try, so I figured I'd offer him a cricket instead but he didn't care about it at all. Today, I tried misting the terrarium yet he doesn't seem interested in water either. He hasn't built himself a bed yet (though I've spotted a faint bit of webbing at the top of the terrarium, however it doesn't look like your typical thick jumpers' nest at all)

I live in a colder climate but my room temperature is at around 20-22 degrees.

Is this normal, if not would anyone know what to do? Do I just let him be for a few days, mist his cage every now and again in the meantime?



Any help will be really appreciated!

 

[basin79]

Phidippus regius aren't hyper. They're more steady away.

If you only got Loki yesterday he'll need some time to adjust to his new home and surroundings.

 

[Iskilsa]

Phidippus regius aren't hyper. They're more steady away.

If you only got Loki yesterday he'll need some time to adjust to his new home and surroundings.

Ahhh thanks a bunch! And here I was worrying he's too dehydrated or cold, haha. He seems to be a little more curious now and is wandering around the top of the cage. Though I have another question (forgive me) - he seems to be sticking to the door area of my terrarium and I'm afraid he'll make his bed here. Now, my terrarium isn't ideal for jumping spiders since it's opening is pretty huge, it's a sliding glass door that slides upwards and Loki seems to have his heart set on it. If he beds there, I'd probably destroy his nest each time I open the enclosure. What would you suggest I do in this situation?

For a little context, there's a rough wall on the other side of the opening area, some sticks leaning against it, and a hanging flower/plant ornament that hangs from the ceiling.

Thank you again for your reply!

 

[basin79]

Ahhh thanks a bunch! And here I was worrying he's too dehydrated or cold, haha. He seems to be a little more curious now and is wandering around the top of the cage. Though I have another question (forgive me) - he seems to be sticking to the door area of my terrarium and I'm afraid he'll make his bed here. Now, my terrarium isn't ideal for jumping spiders since it's opening is pretty huge, it's a sliding glass door that slides upwards and Loki seems to have his heart set on it. If he beds there, I'd probably destroy his nest each time I open the enclosure. What would you suggest I do in this situation?

For a little context, there's a rough wall on the other side of the opening area, some sticks leaning against it, and a hanging flower/plant ornament that hangs from the ceiling.

Thank you again for your reply!

I made a video when I kept jumpers years ago.

It worked a treat. Not sure how you'd do it with your enclosure but hopefully it gives you an idea. Maybe glue/stick it to the top of a piece of cork bark and once it's stuck/no flumes place it in at an angle.

 

[Iskilsa]

I made a video when I kept jumpers years ago.

It worked a treat. Not sure how you'd do it with your enclosure but hopefully it gives you an idea. Maybe glue/stick it to the top of a piece of cork bark and once it's stuck/no flumes place it in at an angle.

Oooooh, that's very nice, helpful and informative! Thank you very much, I'll definitely be trying that. I hope you have a wonderful and blessed day.

 

[EnigmaNyx]

Sounds perfectly normal! There's a lot of reasons jumpers just sit, and most times it's nothing to be worried about. We just rehomed our momma, and she's mad at us because now she has to remake a nest, had to get the babies out lol! She's been sitting there staring at us for a couple days now.

If your jumper isn't interested in eating, just remove the food and wait a day or two.

 

[CritterFriendly]

I house two P. Audax, and a juvie P. Regius, among 4 other species of jumpers and this is completely normal. There are times they sit in their hammocks most of the days just lounging about watching the world around them and then randomly will be wandering their homes leaving their little web trails on everything. If I'd say when everyone will be most active as a collective is when the window is open that gets mid day thru evening partially shaded sun, but makes their enclosures naturally bright like in the outside world and they explore pretty solidly. Unless they are feeling lazy and plump from a good feeding.

Also my red faced jumper (Habronattus Ceocatus) made one hammock in a bad spot by the opening that got damaged just a touch a few times, now instead of going back and forth, it now makes a shallow burrow under the substrate and sleeps over night in those. I can see 5 of its little underground dens and one has a solid window. Not sure how normal this is or if any other species do it but if it dissappears at night completely and is back the next day, check for ground dens.

 

[EnigmaNyx]

They’re such interesting little beings. So curious, and so darn cute.

 

[CritterFriendly]

I absolutely love them, and luckily I live in an area apparently abundant with different variety of them. I could watch my spoods all day but my jumpers I have to say captivate me the most, especially the tiny ones at the full grown stages.

 

[Iskilsa]

Hey guys, thank you for the replies! Unfortunately, Loki still has not made his nest OR eaten even after 1 week. I'll let you guys know any updates if he decides to do either of those.

 

[CritterFriendly]

Hmm, possibly in pre molt, about how big is your Regius? Can you upload an image of the jumper?

 

[Iskilsa]

Hmm, possibly in pre molt, about how big is your Regius? Can you upload an image of the jumper?

Sure! The lighting isn't the best right now, so my apologies for the bad photos. These are photos I took right now:

http://imgur.com/a/HtAmbMx

This is how he looked 4 days ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/spiders/comments/jieccm
He's about 1 to 1.5 cm big. I'm not sure about his age, but his previous owner said he believes he's about a year old.
His abdomen appears smaller, because he hasn't eaten in, well, a week. He has 2 (live) crickets in his enclosure right now, and he hasn't touched them since I placed them in this morning - in fact, he seems.. "scared" by them. They're smaller than he is though, and he's apparently been eating them before just fine, as the previous owner says. I'm going to leave them for a few more hours, but I'll remove them if he doesn't eat them.

He has a little bit of a web by the edge of the terrarium, noticed as I took photos right now, but it's barely a hammock at all. It's barely visible.

 

[Iskilsa]

UPDATE: He was very, very thirsty right now. I misted his cage often but I never saw him drink from it. So I figured I'd offer him water on a q-tip. I pressed it against the glass in front of him a few times to create a few water droplets and he BOLTED for it. He drank 3 entire droplets of water, the poor fella. I've caught & removed the crickets, but I think I'll replace them with a fruit fly just in case he's just as hungry.

 

[Iskilsa]

Hmm, possibly in pre molt, about how big is your Regius? Can you upload an image of the jumper?

Hello again! So, he's still not eating and is not active. I left 2 fruitflies inside of his enclosure and he hasn't touched them, and this aftertoon I put in a dead fruit fly right in front of him which he also ignored.
He stands still for the entirety of the day and maybe moves from one side of the wall to the other twice. Is it possible he's in premolt, or is he passing away? If so, what do I do? He still doesn't have a nest (but I do have this transfer cup I got him in that does contain a nest)

 

[basin79]

Loki is a mature male. As in adult. The only thing he has on his mind now is finding a female to mate.

 

[Iskilsa]

Loki is a mature male. As in adult. The only thing he has on his mind now is finding a female to mate.

Even if that's the case, I find it odd he'd refuse even water to the point of dehydration and refuse any food at all even after a full week (luckily he decided to have a drink yesterday after being too weak to hold himself up on the wall). Sadly I cannot breed him, jumping spiders don't live in my country and he alone was very difficult to obtain.

 

[basin79]

Even if that's the case, I find it odd he'd refuse even water to the point of dehydration and refuse any food at all even after a full week (luckily he decided to have a drink yesterday). Sadly I cannot breed him, jumping spiders don't live in my country and he alone was very difficult to obtain.

The drive to mate is overwhelming. He will drink and will eat but not like say an adult female would.

I'm a bit confused why you'd offer fruit flies though. They're used for slings. An adult jumper won't bother with them.

 

[Iskilsa]

Because:
1. He seemed genuienly interested in one on the first day, following it around and attempting to catch it, but the fly was too fast and later escaped (his movement was very slow since day 1)
2. I've heard you're not allowed to leave crickets in overnight and he looks to be "afraid" of them as I've mentioned above. He would avoid them so much, he'd completely abandon the web he's started making on the rough wall to move onto the glass parts of the enclosure where they couldn't reach him.

Obviosuly, I know he's not afraid of the crickets as he's eaten them before with the previous owner, but it's how I can best describe his behaviour.

 

[basin79]

Because:
1. He seemed genuienly interested in one on the first day, following it around and attempting to catch it, but the fly was too fast and later escaped (his movement was very slow since day 1)
2. I've heard you're not allowed to leave crickets in overnight and he looks to be "afraid" of them as I've mentioned above. He would avoid them so much, he'd completely abandon the web he's started making on the rough wall to move onto the glass parts of the enclosure where they couldn't reach him.

Obviosuly, I know he's not afraid of the crickets as he's eaten them before with the previous owner, but it's how I can best describe his behaviour.

Ah right. Yes he won't be afraid of the crickets just not interested in them now.

 

[Iskilsa]

Right, thanks for commenting. I guess I'll just wait then and hope for the best.