Jumping spider pet – Learn more with Healthier Pets Today! Most people tend to find spiders creepy and scary.
However, it might surprise you to learn that certain spider species are not only harmless to humans but also incredibly cute.
Yes, it’s true! The Jumping Spiders, for instance, have eight eyes, but the two largest ones have a cartoonish, watery, pleading appearance that makes them look very endearing.
They are easy to take care of. If you want to have a jumping spider pet, choose a big container to ensure they have plenty of room to jump.
Ensure the lid has small holes to allow proper airflow for your spider. Your jumping spider pet can do crazy jumps!
Table of Contents
1. Jumping Spiders Belong to a Large Family
There are 647 recognized extant and fossilized genera and more than 6,200 species of jumping spiders.
This makes jumping spiders the most prominent family of spiders in the world. Beyond their numbers, jumping spiders come in various colors, shapes, and sizes.
Well, almost everywhere. Unlike extreme polar regions, jumping spiders are found in nearly every habitat worldwide. So, the only way to avoid jumping spiders is to go to the Arctic or Antarctica.
2. They Don’t Have Super Legs
When a jumping spider is ready to jump, it contracts the muscles in the upper region of its body.
This causes an extreme change in hemolymph pressure, similar to human blood pressure. The pressure forces blood into the spider’s legs, causing them to extend rapidly.
So, it’s not their muscular legs that allow jumping spiders to make those incredible leaps, but rather the unique way their bodies use blood flow to propel them forward.
Jumping spiders are amazing creatures that can leap up to 50 times their body length. However, it is easy to assume their muscular legs are responsible for this feat.
In reality, segmented legs and blood flow are what give them the ability to make such jumps. When a jumping spider is ready to jump, it contracts the muscles in the upper region of its body.
This causes an extreme change in hemolymph pressure, similar to human blood pressure. The pressure forces blood into the spider’s legs, causing them to extend rapidly. This sudden extension propels the spider in the direction it wants to go.
So, it’s not their muscular legs that allow jumping spiders to make those incredible leaps, but rather the unique way their bodies use blood flow to propel them forward.
3. They Don’t Use Webs to Hunt
Jumping spiders are fascinating creatures that use a unique method for hunting their prey.
These spiders are agile and athletic, with the ability to jump several times their own body length. Due to this exceptional jumping ability, they don’t need to rely on their webs for hunting.
When a jumping spider spots its prey, it slowly approaches it and carefully assesses the situation.
Once the spider has determined that it’s safe to attack, it extends its legs and leaps toward the victim with lightning speed, usually a tiny insect.
The spider then uses its sharp fangs to inject venom into its prey, which quickly immobilizes it. After the prey has been subdued, the spider carefully wraps it in a cocoon of silk.
The spider then proceeds to consume its meal, which can take several hours. Jumping spiders are known to be voracious eaters, and they have a diverse diet that includes flies, moths, mosquitoes, and other small insects.
4. They Can Be Trained to Jump
Researchers at the University of Manchester taught a jumping spider to jump on command to better understand this spider’s jumping ability.
They filmed the spider and its jumping techniques. Despite the increased energy cost, spiders preferred faster, low-trajectory jumps for short flight times and higher catch rates.
The arrangement of a jumping spider’s eyes is unique, with two smaller eyes on each side and two more enormous eyes in the center.
However, it is the four more enormous eyes that provide them with exceptional eyesight. The smaller set of eyes provides a broad-angle view and a sense of motion.
The vision of your jumping spider pet is one of the best in the world. They also have 4 oversized eyes that allow them to have fantastic eyesight.
The smaller eyes provide them a sense of motion and a wide angle. On the other hand, the larger ones will enable them to see color and spatial understanding.
Spiders’ excellent hearing relies on sensory hairs that detect sound wave vibrations and transmit signals to their brains. Instead of having ears, your jumping spider pet has sensory hairs to hear.
5. The Males Sing and Dance to Woo Mates
As for your jumping spider pet, the males would do a unique dance. When males want to attract females, they beat their abdomens to the ground.
While at it, they also wave their legs up in the air. What’s remarkable is that jumping spiders would even tap their feet to the ground. This happens so fast that even the human eye can’t catch it.
6. The Most Intelligent Spider in the World is a Jumping Spider
Although your jumping spider pet has a tiny brain, they are brilliant. Studies show that jumping spiders have a peed-sized brain.
This is small, and their intellectual capacity still needs to be determined. Research shows that their species plan intricate and complicated routes for their prey to follow.
The trend of keeping jumping spiders as pets is increasing rapidly. Well, to some people, jumping spiders are adorable.
Many people love their pets and want to care for them like any other animal. The same goes for jumping spiders.
These spiders are usually quite friendly towards humans, and as long as you treat them gently, they won’t harm you.
They want to feel safe and secure and will flee if they feel threatened. Since they are considered friendly, it’s easy to interact with them.
Ever Heard of a Jumping Spider Pet…
If you have avoided them, thinking they are creepy and poisonous, you have the wrong perception.
Jumping spiders can be friendly and enjoy playing with humans if you treat them well. They aren’t social like cats and dogs but have simple and basic emotions.
Remember, if you roughly handle your jumping spider pet, it will likely bite you. But in most cases, they prefer to run away.
This means that if you want a jumping spider to be friendly with you, it’s essential to handle them properly and gently.
