How do you keep Jumping Spiders?

rm90 · Sep 30, 2006

There are tons of jumping spiders that can be found around my house. How do you keep them in captivity though? Does anyone have any screenshots of their housing for a jumping spider?

ALSO, do you have any regrets taking them from the wild? For some reason they look sooooo beautiful and i think putting them in a little jar would be mean! :|

Brian S · Sep 30, 2006

They will live fine in a small jar with holes punched in the lid. No substrate or misting needed. Very very very easy to keep

Sheri · Sep 30, 2006

Like really small holes. Really, really.

The ones I have tried to keep have all escaped.

Of course they don't need substrate, but I think it's nice to have a bit of a natural environment. Just grab some leaves and whatever type of substrate you find the spider around when you catch it.

They're so damn cute - and they seem so alert (big eyes) and curious and energetic.

I mean - for a spider.

zinto · Oct 1, 2006

What do you typically feed the jumpers and how big of an enclosure is optimal? Thanks!

Tegenaria · Oct 2, 2006

zinto said:
What do you typically feed the jumpers and how big of an enclosure is optimal? Thanks!

I was wondering about this as I was thinking of keeping a Salticid or two!
They are very small spiders and finding food small enough, especially in winter, could prove difficult!

tyrel · Oct 2, 2006

zinto said:
What do you typically feed the jumpers and how big of an enclosure is optimal? Thanks!

Jumpers can take insects as big as themselves, and a bit bigger. THey seem to like flies, moths, and other flying insects, but you should try and wean them to crickets before the winter comes.

Brian S · Oct 2, 2006

Feed them small flies and small crickets.

KennyGee · Oct 3, 2006

IVe kept some that live around my house and went crazy over the moths that fly around the prouch light at night. and they like babie mealies too.

Taceas · Oct 3, 2006

My sub-adult Phiddpus audax is in a 3" tall by 2" wide glass jar. They don't seem to require much room. The adult I had before was in a 7" x 4" x 4" acrylic display cube and only used the top third of the box.

I feed my current one small roach nymphs. They're attracted to anything that moves, really. The one I have now is really good about taking pre-killed roach nymphs from tweezers. I just kind of tease it along playing like the roach is alive and it'll follow it and pounce. It's kind of cute, really.

platycryptus · Dec 23, 2006

Rearing salticid spiders

One of the easiest ways to rear salticids is in plastic 100mm Petri dishes, available from suppliers on the web. These retain humidity well, but you need to put a small damp piece of cotton or sponge in each dish. I have easily reared 100's of these spiders at one time with this method. Salticids eat different insects, but most will eat flies or winged insects that are not too large. Many will eat spiders, and some will eat ants. You can also maintain some of them on droplets of soy milk, which they will drink.

Selenops · Dec 29, 2006

Are there any authorative books on Salticids (common and/or exotic) that are must reads? Recommendations?

I am probably going to start with the Phidippus spp because most of all I love the appearance of the males. Which is the largest North American species of Salticidae?

I've read P. regius is the largest Eastern North American species on a Florida wildlife site recently.

But would love to get my hands on one of the mimic species or Habronattus spp or the metallic Sassacus spp, etc.

shiroitaka · Dec 29, 2006

here is a picture of a female P. Johnstoni that i allow to live in my roach colony for a while.

Selenops · Dec 29, 2006

Awesome, I've seen P. johnsoni out here too (sometimes in the most conspicous circumstances).

P. johnsoni is one of the larger species along with P. octopunctatus and P. regius.

Here is G B Edwards' Gallery of Color Photographs of Salticidae of Americas.

And an fascinating entry on Phidippus audax and the meaning behind it's scientific name through this wiki link here with further links.

Smokum · Jan 16, 2007

I have 4 Jumpingspiders , all Marpissa Muscosa ( Grey Jumpingspider ) which are the most common jumpingspiders as far as I know . A it´s one of the biggest Jumpingspider .
The really don´t seem to like substrate .
I used a piece of wood for the floor of the housing , but folding a Piece of paper works perfect also . It aint pretty but they seem to like it .
I use it for temporary interrior . They like a solid surface to walk on .

alkarlosse · Feb 1, 2007

Provide some vertical sticks for them to climb. Not only will it make them happier but it will help them hunt their prey. To my experience, they will chill on the highest place as they can climb. And yes, they prefer flying prey.

wyllomoon · Feb 1, 2007

This is a little jumper I found in my basement 6 months ago. I haven't got a clue what species it is, but I decided to see if I could keep it and so far it's been doing great in this little plastic beta fish bowl. I have small sticks and fake plants for climbing and a soil/mulch substrate. I mist it once or twice a week for water but I don't keep it damp or humid.

It's been eating 1/4" crickets mostly, but if I find a fly or beetle around the house I'll sometimes throw it in. It's not picky, but unlike the one posted by skiroitaka, mine seems to be afraid of any prey larger than itself.

My pics aren't great because I only have a cell phone to use for them:

If anyone can somehow identify it by that blurry top one, I'd be grateful.

Lisa

xgrafcorex · Feb 1, 2007

i know they like flat surfaces..a number of location descriptions i've read (mainly Phiddipus) say they can be found on the sunny side of buildings..and so far the only ones i've found around me..though a different genus than the ones i read about, were all on the sunny side of some buildings with grass and bushes around.

i keep mine basically the same as my tarantulas..just make sure they can't squeeze through the air holes. dry substrate..occasionally i'll spray some water in so they can get a drink, something for them to climb other than the walls..and something for them to make a hide out of if they want to. i have just fed them small pinheads.

Widowman10 · Feb 1, 2007

"This is a little jumper I found in my basement 6 months ago. I haven't got a clue what species it"

"If anyone can somehow identify it by that blurry top one, I'd be grateful."

Lisa[/QUOTE]

hey, hard to tell from the small pic, but have you checked out the Daring Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax)? they are dark with a white spot on the abdomen. they also have a greenish tint on their chelicerae.

wyllomoon · Feb 1, 2007

Widowman10 said:
hey, hard to tell from the small pic, but have you checked out the Daring Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax)? they are dark with a white spot on the abdomen. they also have a greenish tint on their chelicerae.

Ha! I think that's it exactly! I googled the scientific name and found this website: http://hartmanprehistoricgarden.com/sa-phidippus.html

The first spider on the page looks identical to it. Mine doesn't have much white on the legs, but the abdomen looks the same and the size is right. If I look close enough there seems to be some green too. Are these commonly found in Ontario then? I had never seen one this big before.

Thank you for your help!

Widowman10 · Feb 1, 2007

from my experience and research ( i've owned a few of these) they seem to be ALL OVER the place- everywhere, very common. they are also cool because they grow really big for jumping spiders (like 5/8 inch or bigger!) and eat almost anything and are very easy to care for.

How do you keep Jumping Spiders?

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