Trying to Help Jumping Spider

[Beedrill]

Hey guys,

When I went into work today, a coworker that knows I keep a small invert collection brought in a Jumping Spider from home that she wanted me to see. If my guess is correct, it is a juvenile Phidippus audax. My coworker had placed a "drop" of water in the glass mason jar that she used to transport the little thing in, and it seemed to be too much for the spider to handle. When I received it the spider was not moving and was soaked. It shortly started moving again once I moved it to a dry container, but is now very lethargic and continuously grooming itself. It also seems to drag it's back legs along the ground as it moves, and the very tip of one leg seems to be missing.
Obviously, I know I can't do anything about physical injuries, but is there anything I can do about the other symptoms? It's not acting right at all and I'm hoping to perk it back up and re-release it if I can.

And a note about my coworker: She is not an invert enthusiast and has no knowledge about how to properly prep delicate critters for travel and really no knowledge about the do's and dont's of spiders so it is very possible that the spider was injured and half drowned during travel. So no hate to her plz, I'll let her know what to do differently in the future.

 

[Beedrill]

 

[Beedrill]

 

[LordAnon]

Yeah, you need to be careful with phids. They'll drown in the puddles that cling to glass walls. Not much you could do. For strength I might try to leave a small piece of fruit or drop of sugar water/watered down honey . I've seen breeders save lethargic phids by feeding just sugar water or fruit until they get well enough to hunt (or die). Waxworms work too, since they don't put up much of a fight.

 

[Beedrill]

Yeah, you need to be careful with phids. They'll drown in the puddles that cling to glass walls. Not much you could do. For strength I might try to leave a small piece of fruit or drop of sugar water/watered down honey . I've seen breeders save lethargic phids by feeding just sugar water or fruit until they get well enough to hunt (or die). Waxworms work too, since they don't put up much of a fight.

Wow really? I never would have guessed about the sweet stuff. I usually don't associate obligate carnivores with sweet things XD. Either way, I'll try it out when I get home. He actually looks a little better now that he's had some time to dry out. Any idea how dilute the honey would need to be if I used that?

 

[LordAnon]

Any idea how dilute the honey would need to be if I used that?

I don't think it's anywhere near good enough nutrition wise, but I've seen it. I guess it's not much different than drinking water, but with sugar. I wouldn't know exactly what ratio of water to honey, but I'd imagine just enough that it's not this sticky blob they might get stuck in. You can try some of the jumping spider newbie fb pages. That's where I first saw the practice.

 

[basin79]

Every time I try to pinch and zoom on the 1st pic it disappears. Is it not a MM on his last legs?

 

[LordAnon]

Every time I try to pinch and zoom on the 1st pic it disappears. Is it not a MM on his last legs?

Doubt it. Those orange markings turn white when they mature, and I don't see distinct bulbs on the pedipalps.

 

[basin79]

Doubt it. Those orange markings turn white when they mature, and I don't see distinct bulbs on the pedipalps.

Ah right. The pics go fuzzy when I pinch and zoom. If I long press and they come up they disappear when I touch the screen.

 

[Beedrill]

Sorry, all I've got for a camera is my stupid iPhone. But I'm also too cheap to buy a camera...

Anyway, good news! I think he's gonna make it. He seems to be moving pearly again and reacts when I get close to the container I've got him in. Maybe I'll just throw in a tiny lateralis roach when I get home and see where it goes from there.

 

[basin79]

Sorry, all I've got for a camera is my stupid iPhone. But I'm also too cheap to buy a camera...

Anyway, good news! I think he's gonna make it. He seems to be moving pearly again and reacts when I get close to the container I've got him in. Maybe I'll just throw in a tiny lateralis roach when I get home and see where it goes from there.

It's not your pics. It's now they appear on here. Hope the little rascal makes it.

 

[LordAnon]

Sorry, all I've got for a camera is my stupid iPhone. But I'm also too cheap to buy a camera...

Anyway, good news! I think he's gonna make it. He seems to be moving pearly again and reacts when I get close to the container I've got him in. Maybe I'll just throw in a tiny lateralis roach when I get home and see where it goes from there.

In my experience they don't really go for roaches. He looks pretty small, so if you can get your hands on some fruit flies, that would probably work.

 

[Beedrill]

He's about 1cm I'd say. What about Mill Moths? I have a small colony of those at home and they seem about the right size and fly.

 

[LordAnon]

He's about 1cm I'd say. What about Mill Moths? I have a small colony of those at home and they seem about the right size and fly.

I've heard that they love those. I think they tend to really like flying prey (although I have seen mine eat really small crickets).

 

[pandabacon]

View attachment 289133 View attachment 289134

That is definitely a very young Phidippus Audax you can compare to the pic of mine. This guy will eat houseflies even small blue bottles, they love flies. This one looks to be 3rd or 4th instar maybe. I have one that is 3rd or 4th instar, recently molted that is the same size and has been taking common house flies. It helps if you clip the flies wings when they are this young. Cup a fly and pop it in the freezer for 4 minutes, it will goto sleep and you have 2 minutes before it wakes up. I use an exacto to take off the wings and then put them near the Audax. When the fly starts to wake if the Audax sees its movement it will try to grab it. They are not fully adept hunters at this young. May take many tries before they figure it out. Once it gets bigger you can let it loose on your patio or around your house and it should stick around.

Here's a pic of my 3rd or 4th instar Audax. Just molted last week. Ate 2 houseflies today.

 

[Beedrill]

That is definitely a very young Phidippus Audax you can compare to the pic of mine. This guy will eat houseflies even small blue bottles, they love flies. This one looks to be 3rd or 4th instar maybe. I have one that is 3rd or 4th instar, recently molted that is the same size and has been taking common house flies. It helps if you clip the flies wings when they are this young. Cup a fly and pop it in the freezer for 4 minutes, it will goto sleep and you have 2 minutes before it wakes up. I use an exacto to take off the wings and then put them near the Audax. When the fly starts to wake if the Audax sees its movement it will try to grab it. They are not fully adept hunters at this young. May take many tries before they figure it out. Once it gets bigger you can let it loose on your patio or around your house and it should stick around.

Here's a pic of my 3rd or 4th instar Audax. Just molted last week. Ate 2 houseflies today.

Nice thanks! I'll update you guys soon.