What size enclosures should I make?

[stringjockey]

I have two Phidippus audax, one female and one male. I want to build acrilic enclosures for each of them but need advice on how big they should be. Both of them with their legs in standard position are about half a penny in length.

 

[Nicole C G]

4”x8” or larger

 

[stringjockey]

Ok I've heard not to make it too big as well. Would maybe a 6"x12" or and 8"x12" be too big?

 

[viper69]

Ok I've heard not to make it too big as well. Would maybe a 6"x12" or and 8"x12" be too big?

Large containers are not an issue per se

The issue is most owners don’t give their pets enough food items to account for the increased tank size. Larger sizes mean decrease in prey predator interactions!

I guarantee a jumper lives its life in a volume larger than yours above

 

[Nicole C G]

Large containers are not an issue per se

The issue is most owners don’t give their pets enough food items to account for the increased tank size. Larger sizes mean decrease in prey predator interactions!

I guarantee a jumper lives its life in a volume larger than yours above

Correct. You can make the enclosure as big as you want, but it makes it harder to see the spider, harder to keep a steady humidity (for humid jumpers) and you have to add a lot of prey, a good amount of which will never be eaten, meaning more cleanup and wasted food. So that’s why smaller enclosures are recommended.

 

[stringjockey]

Currently they're in some extra food containers I converted into enclosures a couple days ago before I caught them. I just checked on them and if I'm not mistaken it looks like they're already building thier nests (fortunately not on the lids)? If you zoom in good enough you can see the webbing in both of them made. Should I leave them be in those? Would it stress them if I switched to different enclosures too fast?

 

[viper69]

Correct. You can make the enclosure as big as you want, but it makes it harder to see the spider, harder to keep a steady humidity (for humid jumpers) and you have to add a lot of prey, a good amount of which will never be eaten, meaning more cleanup and wasted food. So that’s why smaller enclosures are recommended.

Yep all true for many other exotics.

 

[Nicole C G]

Currently they're in some extra food containers I converted into enclosures a couple days ago before I caught them. I just checked on them and if I'm not mistaken it looks like they're already building thier nests (fortunately not on the lids)? If you zoom in good enough you can see the webbing in both of them made. Should I leave them be in those? Would it stress them if I switched to different enclosures too fast?

If you take them out when they come out of their nests ON THEIR OWN, it will be perfectly fine!

 

[stringjockey]

Ok awesome thanks for the info guys!