Why Is My Jumping Spider Not Eating? 🕷️✨ Common Causes & Easy Fixes
It can be worrying when your jumping spider isn’t eating, whether it’s right after receiving it or when it suddenly stops after eagerly hunting before.
The good news is that this is often completely normal. Jumping spiders may stop eating for several reasons, and in many cases, it’s simply part of their natural behavior.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the most common reasons why your jumping spider isn’t eating and how to troubleshoot each situation 💜
🕸️ Molting (The Most Common Reason)
The most common reason a jumping spider is not eating is that it’s preparing to molt ✨
Before molting, you may notice:
• reduced appetite or complete refusal to eat
• spending more time in their hammock 🕸️
• becoming less active
During this time, your spider is getting ready to shed its exoskeleton and grow.
💡 What to do if you notice these signs:
Do not feed or disturb your spider. Molting is a very delicate process, and many things can go wrong, so the best thing you can do is ensure that humidity levels are appropriate (around 80%) and leave them undisturbed.
After molting, wait at least 24–48 hours before offering food so their new exoskeleton can fully harden, and not until they have come out of their hammock on their own.
🏡 Stress or New Environment
If you recently got your jumping spider, it may not eat right away. New environments can cause stress, and your spider may need time to adjust 🌙
💡 What to do:
Give them a few days to settle in. Make sure they have proper lighting and that temperature and humidity levels are appropriate. Keep their enclosure in a quiet area and avoid handling during this period.
🐛 Not Hungry
Jumping spiders don’t need to eat every day, especially as they get older.
If your spider has a full, round abdomen, they are likely not hungry 🕷️
💡 What to do:
Check abdomen size before offering food. Avoid overfeeding.
🪰 Wrong Prey Type or Size
Sometimes the issue isn’t your spider, it’s the food.
Jumping spiders rely on movement to trigger their hunting instincts. If prey is too large, too small, or not moving enough, they may ignore it.
💡 What to do:
Offer appropriately sized live prey. Try switching feeders (for example, flies instead of worms) to stimulate interest. Some are sometimes picky! If your spider still isn’t showing interest, a trick that often works is crushing a mealworm’s head and hanging it from their hammock 🕸️ This can sometimes trigger a feeding response, especially in more hesitant or less active spiders.
💧 Dehydration
A dehydrated spider may become sluggish and uninterested in food.
💡 What to do:
Lightly mist the enclosure to provide water droplets. Many jumping spiders will drink before they eat.
🌙 Lighting Conditions
Jumping spiders rely heavily on vision to hunt.
If lighting is too dim, they may not recognize prey.
💡 What to do:
Ensure your spider has adequate light during the day. Natural daylight or a well-lit room works well. They need at least 12 hours of bright light a day. Avoid using heat lamps as these can quickly overheat their enclosure.
🕷️ Age and Life Stage
Older jumping spiders tend to eat less frequently.
If your spider is nearing the end of its lifespan, reduced appetite is normal. Older jumping spiders may eat every 2 weeks or even less often.
💡 What to do:
Continue offering food occasionally, but don’t be alarmed if they eat less often. If your spider is nearing the end of its life, they may completely refuse food.
You can try offering a small piece of watermelon (if they take it), which can provide hydration and a bit of nutrition, and may help encourage them to eat. You can also try gently offering pre-killed food, such as a freshly decapitated mealworm, by placing the exposed insides near their chelicerae to see if they will take it. Ensure they have access to water by misting near them once a day.
⚡ Illness or Injury (Less Common)
In rare cases, refusal to eat can be due to illness or injury.
Signs to watch for:
• extreme lethargy
• difficulty moving
• inability to catch prey
💡 What to do:
if that's the case there's not much that can be done unfortunately. You can try and place the enclosure in a slightly warmer area of your home, but avoid direct sunlight, as it can quickly overheat the enclosure. It can be benefic can also increase humidity by adding moist organic cotton, cotton rounds, or sphagnum moss. Offering a small piece of watermelon (if they take it) can provide hydration and a bit of nutrition, and may help encourage them to eat. You can also decapitate a mealworm and try to place the insides touching their chels and see if they take it.
💜 When Should You Worry?
In most cases, there’s no need to panic 🕷️✨
However, you should pay closer attention if:
• the abdomen becomes very thin
• your spider hasn’t eaten for an extended period (over 2 weeks)
• behavior changes drastically
🌙 Final Thoughts
If your jumping spider isn’t eating, it’s usually part of a natural process like molting, adjusting to a new environment, or simply not being hungry 🕷️✨
By observing their behavior, checking their environment, and offering appropriate food, you can usually identify the cause and help them get back on track.
And remember: these tiny spoods know what they’re doing more often than we think 💜🕸️
If you ever feel unsure, don’t hesitate to reach out to Little Spoods. We're always happy to help you and your spoods thrive 🕷️✨
