Curiosity regarding jumper vision

Lucidd · Apr 24, 2014

As I find (and take in) more jumpers this season, I am coming increasingly curious about something so I figured I'd ask here.

I treat jumpers like Betta fish and shield their view of each other so they don't stress each other out. That being said, I also go out of my way to block the jumpers line of sight to seeing my other spiders (with poorer sight). I don't know if this is necessary to do if the other spiders can't see/notice the jumpers. For example, if I put my jumpers enclosure next to a cobweb spider, will the sight of the cobweb spider upset my jumper?

RzezniksRunAway · Apr 24, 2014

I had both of my Jumpers next to a triangulate cobweb, and neither of them seemed concerned with it. They watched each other, from what I could tell. They reacted like they knew me when I'd come near their enclosures, coming out of the little hides and wandering up to the side of the enclosure I was on. Whether they were reacting to the sight of me, or the sound of me, or whatever, I don't know. I do know their vision is excellent, but I don't know how the curve of the enclosure, or the density of the plexi/glass affects their vision. I'm always curious if my one can comprehend the curvature of the jar that he's in and make adjustments for the way it distorts his vision.

Smokehound714 · Apr 24, 2014

They can see through plastic and glass.

JZC · Apr 24, 2014

They have incredible vision, and they're a bit smarter than you'd think. I did a study to see if they could retain knowledge that they learned visually, and it appeared that they could.

Smokehound714 · Apr 24, 2014

Another fascinating adaptation is their ability to smell the air, which is something no other spiders can do, apart from certain lynx spiders.

This is why they rapidly flail their palps.

Lucidd · Apr 24, 2014

JZC said:
They have incredible vision, and they're a bit smarter than you'd think. I did a study to see if they could retain knowledge that they learned visually, and it appeared that they could.

Is that why once one is accustomed to being handled it seems to freely jump on me after that initial adjustment phase?

---------- Post added 04-24-2014 at 09:43 PM ----------

Smokehound714 said:
Another fascinating adaptation is their ability to smell the air, which is something no other spiders can do, apart from certain lynx spiders.

This is why they rapidly flail their palps.

Wow, do they use their sense of smell to stalk prey then?

JZC · Apr 24, 2014

Lucidd said:
Is that why once one is accustomed to being handled it seems to freely jump on me after that initial adjustment phase?

---------- Post added 04-24-2014 at 09:43 PM ----------

Wow, do they use their sense of smell to stalk prey then?

1. Probably. They can learn that the sight of you doesn't lead to anything bad.

2. Not sure, but they may be the only spiders that actively uses vision to hunt.

Python · Apr 24, 2014

I saw a video several years ago in which a test was set up in which a jumping spider had to negotiate an obstacle course in order to reach a monitor with a video of a fly silhouette. The spider successfully negotiated the course while stopping intermittently to check it's bearings. After it completed the course, the course was changed in some way and the spider had to adjust for the deviation which it successfully did. It was amazing. I wish I could find the video again. They're so full of personality and so intelligent (as far as arachnids go anyway lol)

Cavedweller · Apr 25, 2014

RzezniksRunAway said:
I had both of my Jumpers next to a triangulate cobweb, and neither of them seemed concerned with it. They watched each other, from what I could tell. They reacted like they knew me when I'd come near their enclosures, coming out of the little hides and wandering up to the side of the enclosure I was on.

That's real cool!

Jumpers are amazing. Do you guys think they could differentiate different looking humans overtime?

I came across a lil black jumping spider today and put my hand down. I was surprised that it crawled onto my hand without any hesitation at all. Do you think it has to do with how they don't navigate by touch as much as most spiders and aren't wary of the "strange feeling ground"?

kp513 · Apr 25, 2014

This is a fascinating read that touches on a lot of these topics
http://bcrc.bio.umass.edu/tldg/sites/bcrc.bio.umass.edu.tldg/files/HOY.Jackson.Cross_.2011.pdf

Smokehound714 · Apr 25, 2014

Cavedweller said:
That's real cool!

Jumpers are amazing. Do you guys think they could differentiate different looking humans overtime?

I came across a lil black jumping spider today and put my hand down. I was surprised that it crawled onto my hand without any hesitation at all. Do you think it has to do with how they don't navigate by touch as much as most spiders and aren't wary of the "strange feeling ground"?

Oh they can tell, haha. They just tend to be extremely curious. A juvenile has much less experience with predators, so many will view you as an oddity. Most adults will flee, or do a "mock-pounce", where they will jump at you, and bounce off instantly just to see what the heck you are. Kinda the phidippus-version of poking something with a stick

(some species WILL bite you, though! be careful!) octopunctatus is well-known for delivering a nasty little bite when people attempt to corral them into a cup, assuming they'll react like audax

P. johnsoni also have a habit of nipping, too.

fortunately, they usually deliver dry bites. Jumping spider venom is actually pretty strong and fast-acting, and HURTS!

Lucidd · Apr 26, 2014

Smokehound714 said:
Oh they can tell, haha. They just tend to be extremely curious. A juvenile has much less experience with predators, so many will view you as an oddity. Most adults will flee, or do a "mock-pounce", where they will jump at you, and bounce off instantly just to see what the heck you are. Kinda the phidippus-version of poking something with a stick (some species WILL bite you, though! be careful!) octopunctatus is well-known for delivering a nasty little bite when people attempt to corral them into a cup, assuming they'll react like audax P. johnsoni also have a habit of nipping, too.

fortunately, they usually deliver dry bites. Jumping spider venom is actually pretty strong and fast-acting, and HURTS!

Wow I have never heard of jumpers biting, and when my friends who know little of spiders ask me about their probability of being bit, I always tell them that jumpers will never bite them unless threatened! Oh well, haha. Just trying to save their image!

Now I'm curious, how many times have you been bit by a jumper? And was it always by the same species?

Cavedweller · Apr 28, 2014

kp513 said:
This is a fascinating read that touches on a lot of these topics
http://bcrc.bio.umass.edu/tldg/sites/bcrc.bio.umass.edu.tldg/files/HOY.Jackson.Cross_.2011.pdf

That looks way cool! I'm savin it to read tonight.

Smokehound714 said:
Oh they can tell, haha. They just tend to be extremely curious. A juvenile has much less experience with predators, so many will view you as an oddity. Most adults will flee, or do a "mock-pounce", where they will jump at you, and bounce off instantly just to see what the heck you are. Kinda the phidippus-version of poking something with a stick (some species WILL bite you, though! be careful!) octopunctatus is well-known for delivering a nasty little bite when people attempt to corral them into a cup, assuming they'll react like audax P. johnsoni also have a habit of nipping, too.

fortunately, they usually deliver dry bites. Jumping spider venom is actually pretty strong and fast-acting, and HURTS!

That makes me tempted to raise a jumper from a sling and see how "tame" they get without exposure to predators. The only reason I've never kept them is the short lifespan.

I had no idea jumper venom was so bad! I guess I'll think twice before picking one up again hahaha.

Smokehound714 · Apr 28, 2014

Cavedweller said:
That looks way cool! I'm savin it to read tonight.

That makes me tempted to raise a jumper from a sling and see how "tame" they get without exposure to predators. The only reason I've never kept them is the short lifespan.

I had no idea jumper venom was so bad! I guess I'll think twice before picking one up again hahaha.

actually, they have a decent lifespan. Even males can live quite a while after maturity, assuming they're properly cared for. three years from egg is the average, they can live longer than that. The venom isnt really bad, but it does smart quite a bit. fortunately, the effects stop rather quickly.

Cavedweller · Apr 28, 2014

Smokehound714 said:
actually, they have a decent lifespan. Even males can live quite a while after maturity, assuming they're properly cared for. three years from egg is the average, they can live longer than that. The venom isnt really bad, but it does smart quite a bit. fortunately, the effects stop rather quickly.

Oh! I was expecting just 1 or 2 years.

Oh man don't tempt me. I have enough spiders right now. But I do wanna try jumpers someday.

Curiosity regarding jumper vision

Lucidd

Arachnoknight

RzezniksRunAway

Arachnobaron

Smokehound714

Arachnoking

JZC

Arachnobaron

Smokehound714

Arachnoking

Lucidd

Arachnoknight

JZC

Arachnobaron

Python

Arachnolord

Cavedweller

Arachnoprince

kp513

Arachnopeon

Smokehound714

Arachnoking

Lucidd

Arachnoknight

Cavedweller

Arachnoprince

Smokehound714

Arachnoking

Cavedweller

Arachnoprince