Regal Jumping Spider (Phidippus regius)
Regal Jumping Spider (Phidippus regius)
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Introduction
Jumping spiders (Salticid) are fascinating invertebrates, they are diurnal arboreal hunters. Unlike tarantulas or other species of spider, they do not use webs to capture their prey, instead they rely on their ability to stalk and hunt. Due to jumping spiders behaviors and activity level they make interesting, easy, and simple pets.
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Setup
All jumping spiders are solitary and only one spider should be kept per enclosure, doing otherwise runs the risk of cannibalization. Whiles jumping spider come in a range of sizes most common species in the phiddipus genus do great in a 32-128oz sized enclosure (3x3x6-6x6x9). Ovoid overly larger enclosures as they may struggle to find food.
Due to jumping spiders arboreal nature their enclosure should have a good amount of vertical space, avoid enclosures with unnecessary horizontal space. The majority of jumping spider thrive when kept between 68°-78° through they can handle 65°-85°. In the case temperature is below 65° additional heating may be necessary, using a low watt heat mat on that back on the enclosure with a thermostat should be suitable. Avoid heats lamps placed directly onto of the enclosure or kept too close, all heat lamps should be suspended at least 8 inches above your enclosure.
Propper ventilation is very important to prevent stagnant air, at least 4 sides should have ventilation holes present, try to avoid enclosures with mesh/screen tops as they prevent humidity retention. Tropical species of jumping spider may need to be mist often to help hold humidly, using a substate with good moisture retention such as soil or moss can help to maintain humidly levels.
Jumping spiders tend to spend most of their time in the top corners on their enclosures, providing them with cork, branches, or other decor provides them with mental stimulation and allows natural nesting behaviors. Since jumping spiders are diurnal they need a proper day/night cycle, they should have 12 hours of light a day, this can easily be provided by keeping them in a natural lit room or using an artificial light.
Recommended Enclosure Sizes:
i2-i4: 32oz Cohabitated
i4-i6: 5.5oz
i6-i8: 16oz
i8-i11: 32oz+
Temperature & Humidity:
75°-85°
75%-85%
Mist 1-2 times a day to ensure proper humidity and hydration. Mist when in premolt to boost humidity and for better chances of a success molt.
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Feeding
Provide food when their abdomen is thin, most slings need to eat every 2-3 days, I recommend offering 4-5 fruit flies per feeding, provide less if they look bloated and more if their abdomen appears flats. One medium sized feeder should be suitable a week for adults.
Recommended Foods:
i1-i4: D. Melanogaster Fruit Flies, D. Hydei Fruit Flies
i5-i6: D. Hydei Fruit Flies, House Flies, Pinhead Crickets
i6-Adult: House Flies, Roaches, Mealworms, Crickets, Waxworms
Size feeders appropriately to your spider, do not offer prey larger than their body size.
DO NOT FEED WILD CUAGHT PREY, they can transmit parasites & diseases to your spider, all feeders should be captive bred.
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Molting & Sexing
Regal jumping spiders will molt 8-11 times, males and females a sexually dimorphic. Males will have long stocky arms, pedipalps, green/blue chelicerae, and are always black and white in coloration. Female regal jumping spider are usually a brown color with reddish or brownish markings, their chelicerae are most commonly pink or purple. Mature females will have an epigyne (a small shiny black dot) in between their abdomen and thorax.
Female Epigyne:
Signs of molting:
Refusing to eat
Plump abdomen
Making and hiding in a thickly webbed nest
After your spider molts, they need time to harden their exoskeleton, do not handle or feed them for 24-48 hours.
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Growth & Instars
Eggs: Whitish to orangish in color and symmetrical in shape.
Eggs with legs: Have begun to develop slight features, like body segments and legs.
i1: Have molted once, now have a completely black with a more defined body shape.
i2: Molted twice inside the nest and now have more noticeable features, such as a large head and smaller body. They are still completely black at this stage and have begun to leave the nest.
i3: Have molted three times, twice time inside the nest and one time outside. Have started to gain their markings, small white dots on their abdomen are present.
i4: Have molted four times in total, may have gained slightly more white markings, specifically on head and top of abdomen
Pictures
Female on eggs:
i1-2 Slings (In nest):
i6+:
Juvenile (i8+):
Mature Female (i9+):
Mature Male (i9+):
