phidippus regius not eating

Spykosaurus

Arachnopeon
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May 25, 2020
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20200521_191212.jpg
very new to spider keeping and only had my phidippus regius just over half a month. She wen't into molt a few days after she arrived and then ate a dubia roach a few days after that. It has been a bit over two weeks and she has not eaten anything again and was wondering if anyone could see anything wrong with the setup? should i keep a water dish or should she just drink from moisture on the walls after light misting? I can answer any other questions about my care that might help.
 

ReignofInvertebrates

Arachnoprince
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Your setup looks fine to me. Is she looking pretty chubby? It’s possible she’s just not hungry. No need for a water dish, they can drink from droplets on the sides but get most of their moisture from their food.
 

Spasshasser

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I've noticed that my P Audax will lose interest when food isn't moving around as much, or there isn't enough room for the food to catch his eye by moving about. You could try hand feeding, or making sure there's open space for the food to transverse.

I know he's hungry when he's moving about the enclosure more. When he's not that interested he'll just hang out at the top near his spooder hammock.

This is just my observations as I'm not highly experienced.
 

ReignofInvertebrates

Arachnoprince
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What @Spasshasser said is especially true if you use dubias, since they tend to stay on the substrate and burrow, out of sight to your spider. Arboreal roaches or crickets are better for jumpers.
 

Spykosaurus

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What @Spasshasser said is especially true if you use dubias, since they tend to stay on the substrate and burrow, out of sight to your spider. Arboreal roaches or crickets are better for jumpers.
i did actually get some 1.2-1.8cm crickets and put those in keeping an eye on her to make sure she didn't go into molt (i understand crickets can be very harmful during a spiders molt). She has not taken any of those either, could it be they are too big? i had seen that jumpers can take prey much larger than them and these are about her size and smaller.
 

Aquarimax

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Many of the Phiddipus breeders swear by flies, and use them as the principal food for their jumpers. Not only are fly spikes readily available from breeders, but flies also seem to be one of the most attractive foods for jumpers.
in my personal experience, Phiddipus regius/P. audax will sometimes take mealworms or crickets once or twice, and then reject them, but readily take flies. No accounting for taste...
 

Spasshasser

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I agree, the prey drive with flies vs crickets is drastically different. I highly suggest getting spikes and keeping them in the fridge.

As a side note, when he hasn't taken food in a bit I make sure to provide water more often. Definitely every two days. When he's eaten more he drinks less, but if he hasn't he'll head straight to droplets on the side of the enclosure.
 

ReignofInvertebrates

Arachnoprince
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I use crickets for my jumpers and it does work, but I keep them in tall vials as opposed to big enclosures. Otherwise the cricket will find a nice cozy place to chill and the odds of the spider noticing it are pretty low.
 

Spykosaurus

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I agree, the prey drive with flies vs crickets is drastically different. I highly suggest getting spikes and keeping them in the fridge.

As a side note, when he hasn't taken food in a bit I make sure to provide water more often. Definitely every two days. When he's eaten more he drinks less, but if he hasn't he'll head straight to droplets on the side of the enclosure.
so fly spikes as in the larvea? i already have some small crickets coming to try but can order some spikes, what about flightless fruit flies ?
 

ReignofInvertebrates

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so fly spikes as in the larvea? i already have some small crickets coming to try but can order some spikes, what about flightless fruit flies ?
Fruit flies are a bit on the small side for an adult, but if you were to go that route go with D. hydei, the larger of the two species.
 

BenLeeKing

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Nov 23, 2017
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Could be in premolt premolt or getting ready to lay in most cases when a jumping spider refuses to eat.
In your case, I see a little black shadow behind it that looks like it could be a molt, so probably it just molted into an adult male(?) In that case give it a few days to rest for now, it will venture out eventually to find food when the time it right.
Having jumping spiders in large enclosures like this is sometimes hard to get them to eat cause feeders like Crickets & Meal worms cause they get lost easily.
Like someone brought up here, flies are one way to go, and that's what I personally use too.
Some people also put the jumping spider in a feeding box to let them eat, then put them back into their enclosure.
I also have an idea that I feel could be put to use more - feeding bowls. Glue a plastic sauce cup in the enclosure where you observer the spider regularly ventures too, and place meal worms or crickets with their jumping legs removed inside.
 

Spykosaurus

Arachnopeon
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May 25, 2020
Messages
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Could be in premolt premolt or getting ready to lay in most cases when a jumping spider refuses to eat.
In your case, I see a little black shadow behind it that looks like it could be a molt, so probably it just molted into an adult male(?) In that case give it a few days to rest for now, it will venture out eventually to find food when the time it right.
Having jumping spiders in large enclosures like this is sometimes hard to get them to eat cause feeders like Crickets & Meal worms cause they get lost easily.
Like someone brought up here, flies are one way to go, and that's what I personally use too.
Some people also put the jumping spider in a feeding box to let them eat, then put them back into their enclosure.
I also have an idea that I feel could be put to use more - feeding bowls. Glue a plastic sauce cup in the enclosure where you observer the spider regularly ventures too, and place meal worms or crickets with their jumping legs removed inside.
i don't think she is in premolt as even though that shed is from a while ago her colours have not began to fade and she has been not eating for a while after that shed. She is also not a he but its not visible from the shadowy picture i guess.
 

BenLeeKing

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i don't think she is in premolt as even though that shed is from a while ago her colours have not began to fade and she has been not eating for a while after that shed. She is also not a he but its not visible from the shadowy picture i guess.
Did you sex it? cause looking at the front limb with the shape and how beefy it looks I am leaning towards thinking it is a male (Although seeing the full spider might change me opinion on that).
 

Spykosaurus

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Did you sex it? cause looking at the front limb with the shape and how beefy it looks I am leaning towards thinking it is a male (Although seeing the full spider might change me opinion on that).
i mean from what i found on google the differences between male P. regius and female P.regius is pretty drastic 20200522_192628.jpg
sorry the photo isn't clearer, best one i had on hand.
 

BenLeeKing

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i mean from what i found on google the differences between male P. regius and female P.regius is pretty drastic sorry the photo isn't clearer, best one i had on hand.
nah that's enough to tell. Ignore what i said before, it's a female.:rofl:
 
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