P. audax age/sexing?

[Percy]

Hi,

Found this jumper in my aunts house, its the middle of winter, so I thought it may be best to keep and house the spider until better weather. But after having it, seeing how simple it is to keep, I'm interested in keeping the spider and potentially keeping more jumpers. It ate for me the same night I obtained it, so it seems healthy despite being ao skinny when I first captured it.

Wondering if anyone may know the age of this spider by size? I'm inclined to believe its a juvie still, the image I'm putting up has the spider on the container. Its a 2 inch long side its sitting on, so its fairly small.



Also providing an image of the underneath of the spider.


Thank you for any help! Its in a mason jar with a mesh top, many sticks and leaves. Hoping it won't build a hammock on the top of the lid lol.

 

[Ratmosphere]

No clue on the sex. But jumpers do tend to web up near the top of the enclosure. Using a 32oz deli cup with small air holes would be ideal for the spider.

 

[RS4guy]

I would guess female, it has a stout body, but I could be wrong. It WILL build a hammock in the top lol, they love it that way.

 

[Percy]

No clue on the sex. But jumpers do tend to web up near the top of the enclosure. Using a 32oz deli cup with small air holes would be ideal for the spider.

I got a glass quart tall mason jar and used a mesh insert for the top, added many sticks and a few leaves. Seems to like it, always exploring when the plant light overhead is on.

I would guess female, it has a stout body, but I could be wrong. It WILL build a hammock in the top lol, they love it that way.

I kind of hope its a female... but lol figures, so far I've ruined a large portion each time I open to give water or drop in food. But I think she's starting to get the message, last time the hammock wasn't anchored exclusively to the top.

 

[Twigmantis]

This is my first reply on Arachnoboards, so if I do something incorrectly I apologize!
Pedipalps are the easiest way to identify less sexually dimorphic species of jumper. The length of the front legs is also telling. Is there a way you could get a photo head-on? If not someone a little more experienced with p. Audax will probably be able to answer your question. I’m strongly suspecting female, but due to my limited experience with this particular species I’m not quite sure on that. I do have some information when it comes to care, however. From my experience caring for p. Regius jumpers, I actually recommend finding some source of heating. It lengthens their life, they eat more readily, and they generally seem more active and “happier”. After all, they do bask in the wild. Why not give them that opportunity in captivity?

 

[BenLeeKing]

I would guess female, it has a stout body, but I could be wrong. It WILL build a hammock in the top lol, they love it that way.

It doesn't seem to be mature yet, so I don't think that would be a safe bet.

This is my first reply on Arachnoboards, so if I do something incorrectly I apologize!
Pedipalps are the easiest way to identify less sexually dimorphic species of jumper. The length of the front legs is also telling. Is there a way you could get a photo head-on? If not someone a little more experienced with p. Audax will probably be able to answer your question. I’m strongly suspecting female, but due to my limited experience with this particular species I’m not quite sure on that. I do have some information when it comes to care, however. From my experience caring for p. Regius jumpers, I actually recommend finding some source of heating. It lengthens their life, they eat more readily, and they generally seem more active and “happier”. After all, they do bask in the wild. Why not give them that opportunity in captivity?

The front limbs don't really become that much longer until like sub adult, and even then it is a bit subtle, so at this stage it isn't a reliable method.

You can sex jumpers juveniles by the colors sometimes if they are species that exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism; but that's audax... so not a good method. Although yours looks like it still has quite a bit of growing to do, the tip of the pedals look quite swollen at the end, so my money is on it being a male.