questions on Phidippus audax

Gillian

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Hi all,
I have a few questions on these little cuties. They are in great abundance around my yard, and in the spring and summer, I catch them, and take care of them inside. However, I have timed this, and it always runs the same. They live for 3-5 months, tops.
Is this normal, or could I be doing something wrong?

Peace,
Gillian
 

Code Monkey

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In a recent thread in the 'Other Arachnids' forum, Alex S put their captive lifespan at a max of 5-6 months, so if you're getting 3-5 consistently for that species it's probably all the longer they live.
 

Gillian

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Originally posted by Code Monkey
In a recent thread in the 'Other Arachnids' forum, Alex S put their captive lifespan at a max of 5-6 months, so if you're getting 3-5 consistently for that species it's probably all the longer they live.
tHANKS cm,
So, they have basically, a little more than a season of life, like a "daddy longlegs". I thought it was something remiss in my care; so, I stopped catching them, thinking I was killing them:)

Peace,
Gillian
 

Alex S.

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Yeah, I kept a juvinile once that lived just a little over 5 months, at least in my experience.

Alex S.
 

Gillian

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Alex,
Good..Like I told CM, I thought I was doing something wrong. Amazing little spiders. Very personable, and the hunting display is so cute. Although, one thing has a higher degree of "cuteness". I placed a smallish 2 week old crick in one of my phidippus' terrariums, and I guess it scared him. He stood on tiptoes, and held his crablike front appedages up.=D
Any hints on care?

Peace,
Gillian
 

Alex S.

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Salticidae

Hey Gillian, yeah, salticids definetely seem to have their own personalities. They are very intelegent spiders. I agree with you, it is pretty funny when they get into their little defensive postures :) . As for care, a medium-size glass jar works great. Of course you will need to poke many, very small holes in the lid. I always put a small piece of vertical cork-bark in the enclosure as well as small fake plants with large leaves. Peat/potting soil mix works good for substrate. I feed the specimen around 3 to 5 small crickets a week and occasionally mist once a week. The spider will drink the drops from the mist, so there is no need for a small water dish. Hope that helped :)

Alex S.
 

Gillian

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Alex,
Yes, you did help. You suggested a few things I wasn't doing, so I'll add those, next time I find one.

Peace,
Gillian
 

Tarantula Lover

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hey Gillian

i just caught myself a Phidippus audax, what can i feed it, it is really small, well pretty big, i need info!!

James
 

Gillian

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Ok,
It needs to be in a weel-ventilated container, with some opportunity to climb. How big is it, compared to your? I fed mine very small 2 week old crickets, and misted the sides of the container for water for it to drink. However, they only live about 5-6 months, tops.


Peace,
Gillian
 

Gillian

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Jeez! Do I need more coffee, or less?! :confused:


Ok. Strike some of the above. It should be well ventilated, instead of weel ventilated, and yours, instead of your.

Peace,
Gillian

I are an Evelyn Wood Speed Typist...
 

bness2

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Re: hey Gillian

Originally posted by Tarantula Lover
i just caught myself a Phidippus audax, what can i feed it, it is really small, well pretty big, i need info!!

James
I feed mine 2-3 week old crickets and moths. I would bet he could even catch larger crickets, but since I have an abundance of that size, that's what he gets.

Bryan
 

Joy

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Originally posted by Code Monkey
In a recent thread in the 'Other Arachnids' forum, Alex S put their captive lifespan at a max of 5-6 months, so if you're getting 3-5 consistently for that species it's probably all the longer they live.
I imagine that's accurate for adult specimens. I have some P. regius who hatched last summer that are still alive and well. I'm very curious to see how much longer they will live. Some of them recently made eggsacs (presumably infertile, as they haven't been mated) and since their mother died soon after they emerged from the eggsac, I suspect their life cycle may be nearly complete.

Joy
 

Alex S.

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Salticid Feeding

I would simply suggest using pinhead crickets or flightless fruit flies. You wont have to worry about speed or the size of the prey as salticids have no problems at all in those areas.

Alex S.
 

ZergFront

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Yay!

I didn't know so many of u kept jumpers! :D

I have a female of a different Phidippus that's on her second egg sac. Probably because I wouldn't let her go hungry guarding the first. I kept sticking a fly or silverfish inside her nest with the tweezers until she bit down and didn't let it go, so she thought she was eating a threat to her eggs. X-D
 

Fyreflye

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I've had my P. audax named 'Parker' since this last november, when i found him on the back of my couch. He had his adult molt soon after, so it's been...just over 6 months now. I hate to think that his lifespan is coming to a close! Say it isn't so! :(
 

Tapahtyn

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In a recent thread in the 'Other Arachnids' forum, Alex S put their captive lifespan at a max of 5-6 months, so if you're getting 3-5 consistently for that species it's probably all the longer they live.
Noooooooooo!! That makes me sad. I don't want my little guys to die :(
 

ZergFront

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awwww...

Can u get him a mate? I hate to think the poor dude might die a virgin.

I found my jumpers late April and I have no idea how old they were when I found them, so it kind of sucks knowing that they could either go tomarrow or in the next few months. Least I managed to keep one of them alive to her second egg sac so far. That's kind of a plus.

That's probably the only downside to jumpers. If they had a much longer lifespan, I would much more prefer a jumper over a T. Only my current house is keeping me from owning a T or a scorp. ^_^

OMG, if they could make a taratula-sized jumper that would be soooo awesome! I think I'd buy as many as I could spare space and money. {D
 

jynxxxedangel

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Ok,
It needs to be in a weel-ventilated container, with some opportunity to climb. How big is it, compared to your? I fed mine very small 2 week old crickets, and misted the sides of the container for water for it to drink. However, they only live about 5-6 months, tops.


Peace,
Gillian
My eldest female is nearly three years old, folks. She has become quite the hermitess, only emerging from her hide when she gets hungry or thirsty, but she still appears to be quite healthy. :)

The fact of the matter is, P. audax can live to be quite old!
 

ZergFront

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Wow...

That's awesome jynx. I hope she gave you her strong legacy of babies. :D

I did read some can live about 1-2 years but that was under the best conditions. No way in the wild. What's your big secret? Haha!
 
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