Decor
- Hides, cork bark, or little houses and play items
- Artificial plants, or live plants for shelter
- Small water bowl — treated water; clean regularly
- Jumping-spider enrichment from the store range
Arachnids · Care guide
Jumping Spider Care Guide
Salticidae · Phidippus regius focus
Over 7,000 species worldwide — including British species. The most commonly kept pets are North American Phidippus regius and attractive subspecies: diurnal active hunters that jump large distances rather than sitting in prey webs.
At a glance
Quick facts
Key parameters for day-to-day husbandry. Full detail is in the sections below.
-
Warm end
~80 °F
27 °C · mat probe
-
Night drop
~70 °F
21 °C · set on mat stat
-
Humidity
40–60%
Light spray 1–2 days
-
UVB
Shadedweller
Arboreal form
01 · Housing
Enclosure & housing
Small glass, plastic, or acrylic cubes with enrichment for a diurnal hunter — upgrade size as they grow so prey is easier to find.
Adult minimum size
3″ W × 3″ D × 3″ H
Glass, plastic, or acrylic. Start small and upgrade as they grow — larger spiders can struggle to find prey in an oversized setup if enrichment is sparse.
Substrate
- Humid-retentive: coir, damp moss, or spider life
- Liquid faeces are absorbed — little day-to-day waste removal
- Bio setups: clean-up crew can replace monthly full cleans
Cleaning & husbandry
- Remove uneaten carcasses as soon as you see them — they harbour bacteria
- Water bowls: clean regularly; fill with treated water
- Low upkeep overall — spiders are generally easy keepers
- Non-bio: monthly full clean as needed; bio: clean-up crew handles it
Housing diagram
Enclosure example
Front view 3″ × 3″ cube (depth 3″) · heat mat behind stand · hides · plants · small water bowl · upgrade as they grow
- Adult minimum — 3″ × 3″ × 3″; upgrade as they grow so prey is easier to find
- Heat mat — on the back of the stand/shelf; tank rests against it
- UV — arboreal Shadedweller (can span several setups)
- Hides & enrichment — cork, little houses, play items
- Plants — artificial or live for shelter and aesthetics
- Substrate — coir, damp moss, or spider life · small water bowl
Setup diagram
Heat mat & probe placement
Mat behind stand · tank rests against it · probe at warm end by the mat · ~80 °F day / ~70 °F night
- Placement — mat on the back of the stand/shelf; tank rests against it
- Probe — by the heat mat so it reads the warm-end temperature
- Day — warm area about 80 °F (27 °C)
- Night — drop to about 70 °F (21 °C); mat often off in warmer months
02 · Climate
Temperature, UVB & humidity
Moderate warm end with a night drop, diurnal UV, and modest humidity — raise moisture at pre-moult.
Daytime warm end & night drop
When the heat bulb and thermostat sensor are placed as instructed, a probe target of ~80 °F (27 °C) warm end creates this spread. The probe point is not the basking spot.
| Zone | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Cooler ambient | Room side (Away from mat) |
| Warm end (probe) (thermostat probe target) | ~80 °F (27 °C) |
| Night drop | Reduce thermostat by ~70 °F (21 °C) at night · set on mat-stat |
Heat & seasons
- They do not need high temperatures — but UK homes are often too cool without a mat
- Err on the side of caution: always use a heat mat + mat-stat
- Warmer months: mat may be off · cooler months: you will need it
UVB lighting
- Diurnal — they need a UV source
- Arboreal Shadedweller is suitable
- Can span several setups or attach to shelf/bookcase roof
Climate diagram
UV & day activity
Diurnal hunters · arboreal Shadedweller · can span several setups on a shelf roof
- UV — arboreal Shadedweller suited to diurnal jumping spiders
- Mount — span several setups or fix to shelf/bookcase roof
- Diurnal — hunt and explore by day; entertaining pets
- Feeding time — offer prey during the day, not evening
Humidity 40–60%
- They do not need high humidity
- Light spray every 1–2 days is usually enough
- Spray the sides so they can drink from sides and leaves
- Pre-moult: increase humidity to aid the moult
Humidity & moult support
Average 40–60% RH — light spray routine, then more moisture at pre-moult.
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1 · Routine
Every 1–2 days
Light spray; sides of the tank for drinking droplets
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2 · Pre-moult
Raise humidity
When they go quiet / off food, increase humidity to aid moulting
-
3 · After moult
Wait 48 hours
No food until the new exoskeleton hardens
03 · Nutrition
Diet & feeding
Daytime live prey sized to the spider — one of the most rewarding parts of keeping them. Avoid overfeeding.
At a glance
Feeding cheat sheet
- Spiderlings
- Fruit flies · roughly every other day
- Juveniles
- Larger prey · every 3 days
- Adults
- Once or twice a week — gauge what they take
- When
- Feed during the day (diurnal)
Prey sizing
Grow the food with the spider
- Spiderlings — fruit flies
- As they grow — increase food size
- Active hunters — watching them feed is part of the fun
Do not overfeed
Behavioural impact
- Overfeeding leads to long hiding periods
- Searching for food is natural enrichment
- Gauge intake and space feeds accordingly
Water
- Small water bowl with treated water
- Clean bowls regularly
- Drinking droplets from sprayed sides and leaves
04 · Behaviour
Handling & behaviour
Good candidates for careful handling — but they can jump.
- Step 1
Gentle & calm
Careful, gentle handling with no erratic movements.
- Step 2
Soft surface below
Always handle over a soft surface so a jump cannot injure them.
- Hygiene
Wash hands
Wash or disinfect hands before and after handling.
- Warning
No aerosols
No aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure — the chemicals can be harmful.
05 · Welfare
Health & welfare
Moulting is the critical high-risk period — space, hydration, humidity, and peace.
Best prevention: good husbandry
Correct warm-end heat, arboreal Shadedweller UV, modest humidity with pre-moult support, safe water, and careful feeding keep jumping spiders thriving.
Questions
FAQ
What size enclosure does a jumping spider need?
Adult minimum is 3″ wide × 3″ deep × 3″ tall. Upgrade the enclosure as they grow so they can find prey more easily. Use glass, plastic, or acrylic. Provide humid-retentive substrate (coir, damp moss, or spider life), hides or cork and enrichment houses, plants (artificial or live), and a small water bowl of treated water.
How do I heat a jumping spider setup?
Use a heat mat on a mat-stat. Because enclosures are small, place the mat against the back of the stand or shelf and rest the tank against it. Set the thermostat so the warm end is about 80 °F (27 °C) by day with a night drop to about 70 °F (21 °C). Put the probe by the heat mat so it reads the warm end. You may switch the mat off in warmer months; you will need it in cooler months.
Do jumping spiders need UV?
Yes — they are diurnal and need a UV source. An arboreal Shadedweller is suitable and can span several setups, or you can attach it to the roof of a shelf or bookcase.
What humidity and spray routine do they need?
They do not need high humidity — about 40–60% on average. A light spray every 1–2 days is usually enough. Increase humidity when you notice pre-moult. Spraying the sides of the tank also lets them drink from sides and leaves. Clean water bowls regularly and fill with treated water.
How often should I feed, and what about moulting?
Spiderlings: fruit flies roughly every other day. Juveniles: larger food every 3 days. Adults: once or twice a week — gauge what your spider takes. Feed during the day. Do not overfeed or they hide more. Remove uneaten carcasses promptly. Before a moult they often go inactive and off food; do not disturb them, remove any running prey, and wait at least 48 hours after the moult before feeding so the new exoskeleton hardens.
Next steps
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