Are Jumping Spiders Good Pets? A Comprehensive Care Guide

Jumping spiders, with their large, expressive eyes and curious nature, are captivating creatures that have garnered attention from arachnid enthusiasts worldwide. If you’re considering an unconventional pet that’s small in size but big on personality, you might be wondering: Are Jumping Spiders Pets suitable for you? The answer is a resounding yes, and this guide will tell you why and how to care for them properly. Drawing upon years of experience and observation, this comprehensive article will delve into the fascinating world of jumping spiders, providing you with all the essential knowledge to ensure your tiny companion thrives.

Understanding the Allure of Jumping Spiders as Pets

My lifelong fascination with animals, culminating in a Master’s degree in Biology, took a specific turn in 2003 when I discovered the captivating world of jumping spiders. It was the advent of my first digital camera capable of capturing their intricate features that truly sparked my obsession. Through countless photoshoots, I began to see beyond their unique appearances and recognize their distinct personalities. Some seemed to relish the spotlight, patiently posing for the camera, while others were more reserved, observing from a distance. Years of interacting with these tiny arachnids have led me to share their captivating images online, aiming to broaden appreciation for these often-misunderstood creatures. The numerous inquiries I’ve received about their care have inspired this guide, a compilation of my knowledge and answers to the most frequently asked questions. My journey into spider-keeping began with a particularly charismatic jumping spider named Biglegs, who profoundly influenced my perspective on these animals.

Alt text: Animated image of Biglegs the jumping spider, highlighting his large size and distinctive markings.

Jumping Spider Temperament: Engaging and Docile Companions

One of the most appealing aspects of jumping spiders as pets is their engaging temperament. Unlike many other spiders, they are remarkably intelligent and display a level of interaction that is rare in the arachnid world. Each jumping spider possesses its own unique personality. You might encounter individuals who are shy and easily startled, while others are calm and inquisitive, keenly observing their surroundings and you. Crucially, they are among the friendliest spider species, making bites a rare occurrence, especially when handled with care. In my extensive experience handling hundreds of jumping spiders, I’ve only been bitten a couple of times, and in both instances, it was attributable to improper handling on my part. The sensation of a bite is often described as a mild pinprick, and it’s debatable whether venom is even injected – more often than not, it feels like a warning rather than an aggressive attack.

Safely Catching Your Jumping Spider Pet

Jumping spiders are remarkably common and can be found in various environments, even within your own home. They are particularly fond of sunny locations, often seen basking in windowsills indoors or on sun-drenched brick walls and fences outdoors. Their preference for sunlight is due to its warmth, which helps to energize their muscles and enhance their agility. Conversely, you’ll rarely spot jumping spiders on overcast or rainy days when they tend to seek shelter.

The most effective and gentle method for catching a jumping spider is using a cup or a small container. Approach the spider calmly and position the cup in front of it. Gently encourage the spider to move into the cup using your other hand to coax it from behind. It’s crucial to avoid grabbing or plucking at the spider, as this can frighten and stress it, potentially leading to a defensive bite. Allowing the spider to walk into the container at its own pace significantly minimizes the risk of bites. Similarly, when handling your pet spider, always use this gentle cup-and-coax method for both capturing and releasing it back into its enclosure.

Creating the Ideal Habitat for Your Jumping Spider

Jumping spiders are not demanding in terms of housing, but providing an appropriately sized and stimulating environment is key to their well-being. While a small container can suffice, a larger enclosure is highly recommended to allow your spider sufficient space to exercise and exhibit its natural behaviors. If you envision spending ample time interacting with your spider outside its enclosure daily, a smaller container might be adequate. However, if your spider will primarily reside within its habitat, aim for a space of at least a cubic foot or larger. Insufficient exercise can lead to muscle weakness and a reduced lifespan for these active creatures. They require space to practice their impressive jumps and engage in rapid movements.

Ventilation is paramount. Ensure the enclosure has adequate airflow while making sure the openings are small enough to prevent escape. While elaborate decorations like branches and leaves can enhance the aesthetic appeal of the enclosure, they can also make it challenging to locate your spider, as they often construct their resting sacs – small silken retreats – within curled leaves or similar hiding spots.

For a simpler and equally effective setup, a slightly crumpled napkin or paper towel placed inside the enclosure provides ample comfort and security for jumping spiders. They readily create their resting sacs within the folds of the napkin.

Sunlight is beneficial but must be carefully managed. Direct sunlight, especially in plastic or glass terrariums, can rapidly overheat the enclosure, potentially endangering your spider. Position the enclosure in a location that receives indirect sunlight for approximately 4-5 hours daily, ensuring there are shaded areas within the enclosure, such as the folds of a napkin, where the spider can retreat from direct light. Jumping spiders thrive in temperatures ranging from 68-85 degrees Fahrenheit, which aligns with typical indoor household temperatures. They may tolerate slightly warmer or cooler conditions, but maintaining this general range is advisable.

Nourishing Your Jumping Spider: Feeding Habits and Diet

Feeding your jumping spider is a relatively straightforward aspect of their care. Generally, offering an insect every 2-3 days is sufficient, although they can typically survive for up to a week without food. Certain insects should be avoided. Hard-shelled beetles and pillbugs are not favored and are often ignored. Ants are also unsuitable as they can pinch and inject formic acid, which is detrimental to jumping spiders.

Flies and small crickets are among their preferred food sources. Moths are also a good option as they are harmless and cannot bite your spider. Webworms and silverfish have also been reported as accepted prey by some jumping spiders. When offering crickets, ensure they are appropriately sized – no larger than 1.5 times the spider’s length – to prevent potential bites from the cricket.

Interestingly, jumping spiders can exhibit individual food preferences. Some may consistently consume cricket legs first, while others prefer the head or abdomen. Some individuals might only eat crickets when particularly hungry, showing a stronger preference for flies. Occasionally, some spiders may even kill flies simply to eliminate the buzzing annoyance, without consuming them.

In warmer months, catching flies outdoors with a fine-mesh butterfly net (inexpensive children’s nets work well) is a convenient way to obtain food. During colder periods or if you prefer not to catch flies, small crickets are readily available at most pet stores. Larger crickets are generally too large and intimidating for most jumping spiders, but small crickets are easily managed.

To feed your spider, simply drop the insect into its enclosure and observe the spider’s hunting prowess. Once the spider has finished eating, remove any insect remains to maintain hygiene within the enclosure.

Hydration for Jumping Spiders: Providing Water Safely

Jumping spiders, like other spiders, breathe through book lungs located in their abdomen – not through their head. These delicate structures resemble book pages and can be compromised by direct contact with water. Therefore, providing water requires a gentle approach. Instead of a water dish, use a misting bottle to lightly spray a fine mist of water onto the side of the enclosure every few days. Alternatively, drip a few small droplets of water onto the side of the enclosure. Avoid creating puddles of water, as jumping spiders can drown in even small amounts of standing water.

Cohabitation and Mating: Solitary Nature of Jumping Spiders

It is generally recommended to house jumping spiders individually. Housing multiple females together or multiple males together will likely result in aggressive confrontations, potentially leading to death.

Introducing a male and female for mating purposes requires careful consideration. When attempting to breed jumping spiders, ensure an ample supply of food, such as flies and crickets, is present in the enclosure. Despite precautions, female jumping spiders may sometimes attack and kill the male, even before mating occurs. To minimize this risk and ensure the survival of both spiders, it’s best to introduce them for a brief period – a few days or less – and separate them after mating is observed or suspected.

Female jumping spiders have the remarkable ability to store sperm for up to a year. This means a female you capture may have already mated and could lay fertile eggs even without subsequent interaction with a male. This could also explain why a female might attack a male introduced for mating – she may already be carrying fertilized eggs. Observing a newly captured female for several months to see if she produces an egg sac independently can provide insights into her reproductive status.

Jumping Spider Lifespan and Old Age: Observing the Cycle of Life

If you acquire a young jumping spider, you’ll witness fascinating changes as it matures. Orange markings or hairs may gradually turn white with each molt (shedding of their exoskeleton). Male jumping spiders also develop longer and hairier front legs as they age, a noticeable secondary sexual characteristic. The images below illustrate the transformation of a jumping spider through its fourth and fifth molts, highlighting the change in coloration and the development of white tufts on the front legs.

Alt text: Image of a juvenile jumping spider after its fourth molt, showing orange markings.

Alt text: Image of the same jumping spider after its fifth molt, now with white markings and tufts on its front legs.

Jumping spiders typically undergo 5-6 molts from infancy to adulthood. The tiny hairs on their feet, essential for gripping surfaces, are not replenished after the final molt. As these hairs wear down with age, you’ll notice your spider losing its climbing ability and becoming less inclined to jump. This is a sign of old age. To accommodate an aging jumping spider, provide soft, easily navigable surfaces. Lining the enclosure floor and even some of the sides with a napkin creates a comfortable and cushioned environment, preventing injuries from potential falls. Switch to feeding softer-bodied insects like flies or pre-killed crickets, avoiding live crickets that could bite the weakened spider. Offering dead crickets near the spider’s resting sac can encourage feeding even in advanced age. While their lifespan is typically limited to a year or two, providing attentive care can ensure a comfortable and enriching life for your jumping spider companion.

Caring for Jumping Spider Egg Sacs: A Glimpse into Reproduction

If you are fortunate enough to have a female jumping spider that has previously mated, you may witness the fascinating process of egg sac creation. The female will spin a substantial silken sac, often resembling a larger, more protective version of their resting sac, and deposit a cluster of eggs within. The image below shows an egg sac that was relocated for observation (not generally recommended as it can be stressful for the spider and eggs). Typically, egg sacs are more concealed within the enclosure.

Alt text: Image of a jumping spider egg sac, showing the eggs visible through the silken structure.

Maintaining appropriate humidity around the egg sac is important. Lightly mist the exterior of the sac with water once a week, being careful to avoid spraying directly into the sac’s entrance. Monitor closely for emerging spiderlings. Misting during emergence can be detrimental. It typically takes 2-4 weeks for spiderlings to become visible within the sac. They even undergo their first molt while still inside the sac before venturing out. Click here to see spiderlings emerging from a sac. Allow spiderlings to exit the sac naturally, which can take up to a month for all of them to emerge. As they emerge, they can be gently guided into a cup using a soft puff of air, similar to blowing out a candle. Avoid physically handling them with fingers or objects, as they are extremely delicate and easily crushed.

It’s generally advisable to leave the female spider with the egg sac. Whether removing her affects the spiderlings is unknown, but in their natural environment, the female remains with the sac. There’s speculation that females might communicate with their developing offspring through pheromones or other subtle chemical signals. Continue to provide food for the female, even if she doesn’t appear to eat regularly. Some females maintain their normal feeding habits, while others may fast for extended periods during nesting. Water should always be available.

Interestingly, a female jumping spider may produce another egg sac shortly after the first brood emerges, or even create a new sac in a different location beforehand. This is possible due to their sperm-storage capability. They can retain sperm for months and fertilize eggs at intervals, allowing for multiple egg sacs without repeated mating.

Unfertilized Egg Sacs: Nature’s Alternative

It’s important to note that not every egg sac will yield baby spiders. Female jumping spiders, if kept isolated from males for prolonged periods, may lay unfertilized eggs. This is believed to be a biological mechanism to prevent potentially fatal egg-binding, as observed in other spider species like orb-weavers. These unfertilized eggs initially appear normal but will eventually desiccate and fail to hatch. In some instances, the female may even consume the unfertilized eggs after a few weeks. A large, well-constructed resting sac in a secluded location often indicates impending egg-laying. Whether mating is necessary before or during this process is still an area of ongoing observation.

Raising Baby Jumping Spiders: A Delicate Undertaking

Raising a large number of jumping spiderlings is a challenging endeavor, primarily due to their cannibalistic tendencies if kept together without adequate food. Releasing them into a safe outdoor environment during mild weather (early morning or evening) is often the most practical approach. Avoid releasing them in direct sunlight, as young spiderlings are highly susceptible to desiccation. Choose sheltered locations that offer protection from rain. A porch in shade can be a suitable release site. Gathering small groups of spiderlings in a cup for release allows them to disperse naturally.

Newly emerged spiderlings are immediately hungry and will cannibalize each other if not provided with food. Successfully raising them requires a readily available source of very small insects. Flightless fruit flies, available at pet stores or online retailers like The Fruit Fly Company, are ideal for this purpose. Drosophila melanogaster (wingless fruit flies) are particularly suitable for very young spiderlings due to their small size and lack of wings. Drosophila hydei (flightless-winged fruit flies), a slightly larger species, is another option. Culturing your own fruit flies using supplies from Carolina Biological Supply Company can be a cost-effective long-term solution. Starting new cultures every week or two ensures a continuous supply of live food.

To ensure spiderlings are feeding, introduce a small number of fruit flies to groups of 4-5 spiderlings and then separate those observed eating. Providing an initial meal before release is beneficial, although some spiderlings may not be ready to feed immediately. Use the air-puffing method for handling fruit flies, as they are also easily crushed. Spiderlings typically only respond to moving prey, so live fruit flies are essential. Click here to see spiderlings feeding on fruit flies.

Recently emerged spiderlings can be temporarily housed together if consistently provided with fruit flies. The image below shows spiderlings from Spider #47 housed in Tupperware containers.

Alt text: Image of baby jumping spiders housed in small Tupperware containers, demonstrating a temporary housing setup for spiderlings.

As spiderlings grow, they must be separated into individual containers to prevent cannibalism. Larger insects can be introduced as they mature, but ants should always be avoided due to their formic acid. Beetles and pillbugs are also less suitable due to their hard exoskeletons. Soft-bodied insects like flies and crickets remain the preferred food sources for juvenile and adult jumping spiders.

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