Jumping Spider Care Guide

About: There are different species of jumping spiders found all over the world, becoming popular due to their expressive faces and curious personalities. Most common species of jumping spider live from about 6 months to two years, with females usually living longer by about a year. For size, males usually stay far smaller than females. Some only grow to be about 0.5 centimeters, while females often get to about 1.5-2 centimeters.

Lighting: Jumping spiders need a daytime temperature between 70-80°F, and nighttime temperatures can stay around 65°F but shouldn’t fall below 60. If your house doesn’t stay warm enough, you may need a small heat source. If the enclosure is glass, you can place a small heat mat under the tank to help warm it.

For daytime lighting, you can use any standard LED light to help recreate a day/night cycle. The light should be on for 8-10 hours a day and should be turned off at night so they can sleep.

Tank: Jumping spiders are arboreal and prefer to be up high in the trees rather than on the ground, so their tank should be taller than it is long. A minimum size is considered 4 x 4 x 6 inches but the recommended size is 6 x 6 x 9 inches or bigger. Most common jumping spider species like to have humidity between 50-80%, so it’s recommended to use moisture-retaining soil and moss. Any reptile-safe soil will work well.

Feeding and Watering: Their diet consists entirely of insects. They can eat any insect that is about the size of their abdomen. Slings/babies can eat every 2-3 days, juveniles can eat every 3-5 days, and adults can eat every 5-10 days.

Jumping spiders are very good hunters and often will catch their own food. If they don’t eat on their own, you can pre-kill the insect and put it near the spider.

For water, it is recommended to just mist the tank every few days, rather than have a water bowl in there, as it is a common hazard for drowning or leg rot.