Phiddipus regius — over 2 years old and refusing to eat.

[remarah1337]

My P. regius female is over 2 years old but I cannot discern whether her lack of appetite is solely due to her aging or … well if her time to leave this world is coming soon. :’(

Her abdomen is becoming a little skinny and flat. I put in her favorite in food for her. (flies lol!) and all I see her do is smack them away and give them threat displays. Like why? The behavior is similar to a jumping spider in premolt. She is active though and has been climbing around the netting on her enclosure all day (encased basically everywhere because she lost her grip) No death curl at all

Is the behavior normal for an old jumper? Should I offer her some sugar water?

 

[CRX]

She may be going thru premolt, but as we know, 2 years is the upper end of the jumper lifespan. All you can really do is wait, try and provide incapacitated prey maybe but still alive.

 

[remarah1337]

She may be going thru premolt, but as we know, 2 years is the upper end of the jumper lifespan. All you can really do is wait, try and provide incapacitated prey maybe but still alive.

Yea she reached maturity a year ago. She stopped molting after that of course. I had her for so long because I got her at 2nd-3rd instar. She was the size of a tiny fruit fly and one of my first spoods but at least I spoiled her lol!!

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Old age not much you can do , atleast this spider lived past adult hood many don’t make it .

 

[zsiciarz]

She's just old. I have a P. regius female that is around 2-2.5 years old and she's slowing down day by day. Provide drinking water and a mashed feeder every couple days (mine refuses food in any form), there's not much more you can do.

 

[remarah1337]

She's just old. I have a P. regius female that is around 2-2.5 years old and she's slowing down day by day. Provide drinking water and a mashed feeder every couple days (mine refuses food in any form), there's not much more you can do.

How would I prepare a mashed feeder?

 

[zsiciarz]

How would I prepare a mashed feeder?

Squish the roach or a mealworm with tongs so that the guts ooze out and place that in front of the spider. You can also search the boards for "roach soup", that's a similar concept.

 

[TheraMygale]

That is a well aged jumping spider. Most are lucky to even reach that age in the wild.

prepare yourself mentaly for what is to come. You managed to keep it alive all this time: your care was appropriate.

nothing else can be done at this point except keeping it well.

 

[Brewser]

Excellent Keeping

 

[remarah1337]

I have another one that is from the same clutch (same age) and she is thriving. I believe it’s because Pumpkin laid infertile egg sacs and maybe it put stress on her body and shortened her lifespan. Just my unsupported hypothesis.

Update: Pumpkin is passing slowly. She put her leg on my finger.

Thank you everyone

 

[remarah1337]

Bless you and your spoods

 

[TheraMygale]

I have another one that is from the same clutch (same age) and she is thriving. I believe it’s because Pumpkin laid infertile egg sacs and maybe it put stress on her body and shortened her lifespan. Just my unsupported hypothesis.

Update: Pumpkin is passing slowly. She put her leg on my finger.

Thank you everyone

Depends. Some tarantulas will spend energy caring for a ghost sac. Dont know how jumping spiders fare in such a case.

they can lay unfertile eggsacs and still thrive.

at this point, any guess if good or bad.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I have another one that is from the same clutch (same age) and she is thriving. I believe it’s because Pumpkin laid infertile egg sacs and maybe it put stress on her body and shortened her lifespan. Just my unsupported hypothesis.

Update: Pumpkin is passing slowly. She put her leg on my finger.

Thank you everyone

Sorry for your loss, I’ve lost spiders after breeding before. Still haven’t had a successful tarantula, egg sack. Won’t be Trying again anytime soon.