Phiddipus eating prekilled prey

[CRX]

Does anyone have experience with this? From what I know jumpers are purely sight oriented when feeding. My P. audax was eating a cricket just now, and I accidentally nudged its jar (I usually keep it on top of my turtles tank so it has sunlight), and it spooked it and caused it to leave the cricket. The cricket is still hanging from where it was feeding on it, and the spider is looking at it now, but thats it so far.

I feel terrible for causing him to drop his meal. Have yall ever seen a jumper eat dead prey?

 

[PhoenixFyre]

He'll go back to it eventually.

My daughter had found a tiny Phidippus johnsoni recently outside in the snow she brought it to me and it was so small that it could easily fit on the head of a pin. Having tarantulas, I had nothing small enough for it to eat while I was waiting for some pinhead crickets I ordered for it to be delivered. The only thing I could do was cut up a small mealworm and put it into its enclosure. I was surprised when I saw it drinking the ooze that came from the fresh kill.

So with that said, I'd leave it alone and I'm almost positive that it will return to its meal.

 

[Nicole C G]

Yes they do eat it dead prey sometimes, and if it was already eating it it is more likely to come back and finish.

 

[CRX]

Good news guys, he never went back to it, but I bought some new crickets today and he immediately pounced on one! He is feeding now.