How To Breed & Raise Jumping Spiders

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Preparation & Pairing

Before attempting to breed jumping spiders, it is important to ensure you are fully prepared for both the breeding process and the care of potentially dozens or even hundreds of spiderlings.

Before Pairing, Make Sure You Have:

• A mature male and female
• Adequate time and commitment
• Fruit fly cultures prepared
• Deli cups and sling enclosures ready

To determine sexual maturity:

• Mature females will have a visible epigyne
• Mature males will have enlarged, bulbous pedipalps

For the best chance of success, place the male and female enclosures beside each other for several days and observe their behavior. Receptive spiders often show curiosity and interest toward one another. If either spider appears defensive or uninterested, they may not yet be mature or ready to breed.

In the days leading up to pairing, both spiders should be fed generously. While sexual cannibalism is uncommon in jumping spiders, it can still occur, especially if the female is hungry or unreceptive. Offering the female a large feeder insect before pairing may help keep her distracted and reduce risk.

Setting Up the Pairing

A 12x12 mesh enclosure or pop-up cube is recommended for introductions, as it gives both spiders enough room to move freely and retreat if necessary. While some keepers pair spiders in open areas, supervised enclosed pairings are generally safer and easier to manage.

Place the male and female several inches apart while facing one another. Keep a catch cup nearby in case either spider attempts to flee.

Courtship behavior varies by species, but males commonly perform a display involving:

• Arm waving
• Swaying movements
• Vibrating or tapping behaviors

If the female is receptive, she will allow the male to approach and mount her. The male will position himself beneath the female to locate the epigyne and transfer reproductive material. Some males may lightly web the female during the process.

It is normal for successful pairings to take multiple attempts or several hours. Jumping spiders often mate multiple times during a single session. Separate the pair only once both spiders lose interest and move away from one another.

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Eggs & Spiderlings

After mating, a female may lay an egg sac anywhere from a few days to several weeks later.

As she prepares to lay eggs, the female will create a thick web hammock or nest. Once the eggs are laid, she will usually remain with the sac continuously until the spiderlings begin to emerge.

Egg sacs generally hatch within 2–4 weeks depending on species and environmental conditions. Fertile eggs are usually whitish to pale yellow and evenly shaped.

Monitoring the Female

Some females may refuse food and water while guarding their eggs and can become dangerously weak over time. If the female begins appearing dehydrated or thin, gently encourage her out of the nest using a soft paintbrush and place her into a temporary holding container for feeding and hydration.

If possible, carefully remove the egg sac and place it into a hatching container such as a ventilated 32oz deli cup filled with excelsior. If the sac is attached to removable decor like cork bark, simply move the entire piece into the hatching setup.

Spiderling Development Stages

The first visible stage is commonly called “eggs with legs.” At this stage, the babies are still pale and rounded but begin developing legs and body segmentation.

After their first molt, they enter the i1 (instar 1) stage. They will appear darker with more defined body shapes but generally remain inside the nest.

Following another molt, they become i2 spiderlings. This is when they begin leaving the nest and exploring the enclosure. At this age, they typically have oversized heads and minimal visible patterning.

Important Note

Jumping spider slings are extremely small and can escape through standard ventilation holes. If the egg sac remains inside the female’s enclosure, placing the entire setup inside a mesh enclosure is recommended to prevent escapes.

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Caring For Slings

Supplies Needed

• 32oz deli cups
• 5.5oz deli cups
• Excelsior
• Pipe cleaners or small climbing decor (optional)
• Fruit fly cultures:
  • Drosophila melanogaster
  • Drosophila hydei
• Mister bottle

It is strongly recommended to start multiple fruit fly cultures of each species before the slings emerge. Cultures typically last 2–4 weeks, and backups are important in case one crashes.

Communal Housing

Once the spiderlings reach i2 and begin leaving the nest, they can be housed communally in a well-ventilated 32oz deli cup filled with excelsior or similar textured material for climbing and webbing.

Turning the enclosure upside down so the lid acts as the base helps reduce disturbance when opening the container.

Separating Slings

Spiderlings are commonly separated around i4 to reduce the risk of cannibalism.

Prepare 5.5oz deli cups with pinhole ventilation. Ventilation needs may vary depending on your local climate, but several rows of small holes generally work well.

Adding small decor such as pipe cleaner pieces gives the slings anchor points for hammocks and climbing.

General Growth Guide

• i2–i4: 32oz communal enclosure
• i4–i6: 5.5oz deli cups
• i6–i8: 16oz enclosures
• i8–i11: 32oz enclosures

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Feeding

Spiderlings should be lightly misted and fed every 2–3 days, or whenever their abdomens begin to appear thin.

If housed communally, ensure enough food is provided for all slings to reduce the risk of cannibalism.

Recommended Feeding Progression

• i2–i4: Fruit flies (D. melanogaster and D. hydei)
• i4–i5: 1/8" crickets
• i7–i8: House flies, small mealworms, and larger prey every 4–5 days
• i9 and older: Standard appropriately sized prey items weekly

Always remove uneaten prey if it poses a risk to molting spiderlings.