What Do Jumping Spiders Eat?

Jumping Spiders are opportunistic ambush predators, so if it’s moving, and it's their size or smaller, they may try to eat it. Jumpers have been known to eat anything from a juicy watermelon, to eating other jumping spiders. When selecting what to feed your jumping spider, there are a few things to consider; the size of your spider, the source you're feeding them from, as well as when to feed your jumping spider.

The size of your jumping spider will typically dictate the size of its prey. Generally prey should be no larger than your spider's body length. It's a good idea to keep track of when you feed your spider as well. This will be helpful information to reference later should your spider begin to behave abnormally or go into Pre-molt.

Never leave any live prey in your spiders enclosure during a molting stage. It is also not recommended to feed your spider until it's been 24 hours after a fresh molt; their new exoskeleton is hardening and it may not be safe for live prey to be near your spider just yet. Spritz their container twice daily during this time and they will enjoy the moisture.

How often should I feed my jumping spider? 

i1 - i5 Jumpers you can feed jumpers wingless fruit flies every two to three days. A good source for purchasing prey can be purchased at your local big-box store, or if you would like to support a small business, you can order them online from Dubia, or US Mantis. Another option to have endless fruit flies is to make your own culture using this recipe which is so easy you’ll never need to purchase fruit flies again!

i6 - Adult Jumpers enjoy a wide variety of prey such as Blue Bottle flies, Green bottle flies, Black flies, wax worms, small to medium sized mealworms, and crickets that be ordered online.

It is a personal choice of mine, to not feed my jumping spiders crickets. In my experience crickets carry a high parasite count, and if they are exposed to any mold it will be carried to your spider and could result in their death. It is also possible for them to hurt your spider. If you are keeping crickets it is important to clean their containers daily to avoid mold build-up. Taking care of a spider, means taking of their food. Prey must eat nutrients so that they may pass on to your spider, and that means cleaning their containers too.

Gut-Loading Prey 

To ensure your jumping spider gets vital nutrients, gut-load your prey before feeding with a diet suited for the prey you've selected. This will provide them and your spider with essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

Feeding your spider

Most spider enthusiasts keep tweezers on hand or feeding tongs for grabbing prey like mealworms, wax worms, or spikes. However, If you're feeding your jumping spider anything that flies, it can be a bit challenging. A good rule of thumb is to put your prey in the freezer for a bit, and this will make them slow moving, allowing for easier capture and transfer. If you're feeding fruit flies, put them in the freezer for two minutes, and regular bottle flies can be in there for five minutes. 

*If you have ADHD like me, you may want to set a timer. Many a fruit fly has turned into a popsicle on my watch and it has cost me money.

What do I do after my spider has finished a meal?

It's important to remember to clear your spiders enclosure daily to ensure a clean and mold free environment. Should you discover a dead corpse, be sure to dispose of it into a trash bin. Leaving dead bodies laying around sounds pretty metal, but it will expose your spider to pathogens that can cause them illness or death.

We hope this article was helpful, and If you have anymore questions on feeding jumping spiders, please email us or leave it in the comments!