Regal Jumping Spider

The regal jumping spider is a daytime, vision-driven hunter — unusual among spiders in that it watches you back. That temperament is most of why people keep them, and it makes them a genuinely good first spider.

**Enclosure.** Vertical space matters more than floor space. Around 4x4x6 inches suits an adult, with cross-ventilation on at least two sides; stagnant air is a far more common cause of death than a slightly wrong temperature. Include climbing structure and a few upper corners where a hammock retreat can be anchored. The lid must be genuinely secure — these are fast and they jump.

**Climate.** Room temperature is fine: 70–80°F, 50–60% humidity. Mist one side lightly every 2–3 days rather than the whole enclosure, so there is always a dry side to retreat to. No standing water dish — in an enclosure this size it is a drowning risk, and they drink from droplets.

**Feeding.** Two to three appropriately sized prey per week for an adult; spiderlings closer to every 2–3 days. They build no prey-catching web, so food must be something they can stalk. Remove uneaten prey.

**Molting.** They seal themselves into a silk retreat to molt and may stay there for days or, in a mature female, longer. Do not open it, poke it, or attempt to feed. A spider that has stopped eating and retreated is usually molting, not ill.

**Lifespan.** Females typically live 2.5–3 years in captivity, males 1–1.5. That difference surprises people, and it is worth knowing before choosing an animal — a mature male may have months rather than years left at purchase.

**Safety.** Venom is medically insignificant to humans. They are among the more handleable spiders kept, though a jump from height onto a hard floor is the real hazard, to the spider rather than to you.