Jumping Spider Feeding Guide
Feeding is one of the most important and most enjoyable parts of keeping a jumping spider. Jumping spiders are active, visual hunters with a strong prey drive — watching them stalk and strike is one of the highlights of the hobby. Getting feeding right means choosing the correct prey size, offering appropriate variety, and understanding when not to feed. This guide covers everything you need to know.
How Often to Feed a Jumping Spider
Jumping spiders have a fast metabolism and should be fed every 2–3 days. Spiderlings grow quickly and may benefit from feeding every 1–2 days. Adults can go slightly longer between feedings without issue, but consistent feeding supports better health and a more active spider.
A well-fed jumping spider has a rounded, full abdomen. A noticeably shrunken abdomen is a sign the spider needs food or water. If the abdomen is only slightly reduced in size, try offering water first by lightly misting one side of the enclosure — a hydrated spider may drink before accepting prey. Lots of beginners confuse dehydration with hunger.
Feeder Size Guide
Prey should be roughly the size of the spider's abdomen or slightly smaller. Oversized prey stresses the spider, can cause injury during a strike, and may go uneaten. Undersized prey may not trigger a strong hunting response.
| Spider Stage | Recommended Feeders |
|---|---|
| Spiderling (under 1cm) | Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies, springtails |
| Juvenile (1–2cm) | Drosophila hydei fruit flies, small crickets, small mealworms |
| Sub-adult / Adult | Crickets, bottle flies, mealworms, small dubia roaches, waxworms (treat) |
Best Feeder Insects
Fruit Flies (Drosophila)
The essential feeder for spiderlings. D. melanogaster is used for the smallest spiderlings; D. hydei is larger and suitable for juveniles. Flightless cultures are easy to maintain at home and provide a continuous supply. One of the few feeders worth culturing yourself.
Bottle Flies / Blue Bottle Flies
A premium feeder for sub-adults and adults. Many experienced keepers consider bottle flies one of the best enrichment feeders because they encourage natural stalking, jumping, and aerial hunting behavior. Pupae can be refrigerated and released a few at a time to control the feeding rate.
Crickets
A nutritious staple for juveniles and adults. Widely available and trigger a strong hunting response. Always size appropriately — 1/4" for juveniles, 1/2" or smaller for adults depending on spider size. Remove uneaten crickets promptly as they can stress or injure the spider.
Mealworms
A convenient supplemental feeder. Less nutritious than crickets or flies as a staple but useful for variety. Avoid large or old mealworms with hardened exoskeletons. Can be refrigerated to slow development.
Dubia Roaches
A good feeder for larger species like Phidippus regius. Soft-bodied and nutritious. Some individuals readily accept small dubia roaches, while others show little interest. Offering a variety of feeder insects helps determine your spider's preferences.
Waxworms
A high-fat treat feeder. Jumping spiders respond enthusiastically but waxworms should not be offered as a staple. Useful for conditioning or encouraging a reluctant feeder.
Can You Overfeed a Jumping Spider?
Healthy jumping spiders will usually stop hunting once full, but consistently offering oversized or excessive prey can lead to obesity and reduced activity. A rounded abdomen is ideal — an excessively swollen abdomen increases the risk of injury from falls. Feed on a consistent schedule and monitor abdomen size as a guide.
Can Jumping Spiders Eat Dead Insects?
Most jumping spiders strongly prefer live prey because they rely on movement to trigger their hunting instinct. Some individuals may accept freshly killed insects presented with feeding tongs, but live prey is generally recommended for consistent feeding responses and better nutrition.
Gut-Loading
Gut-loading means feeding nutritious food to feeder insects before offering them to your spider. A well-fed cricket or roach passes more nutrition to the spider than a starved one. Offer gut-load foods such as leafy greens, carrots, and commercial gut-load products to your feeder insects for 24–48 hours before use.
When Not to Feed
- During pre-molt: A spider that has sealed itself in a thickened sac or refused food for an extended period is likely in pre-molt. Do not offer prey.
- Immediately after a molt: Wait until the new exoskeleton has fully hardened — typically 5–7 days — before offering prey. Soft exoskeletons are vulnerable to injury from live prey.
- When the spider is stressed: A spider that is hiding, unresponsive, or showing signs of stress should not be fed until it has settled. Persistent appetite loss unrelated to molting may indicate a health issue — see our Jumping Spider Diseases & Health guide.
Removing Uneaten Prey
Always remove uneaten live prey within a few hours of offering it. Crickets in particular will harass, bite, and injure a spider — especially during and after a molt. Mealworms can burrow into substrate and pupate if left too long. A clean enclosure reduces stress and prevents injury.
Common Feeding Mistakes
- Offering prey that is too large
- Leaving uneaten live prey in the enclosure overnight
- Feeding during or immediately after a molt
- Using wild-caught insects — risk of pesticides and parasites
- Feeding waxworms as a staple due to their high fat content
- Not gut-loading feeder insects before use