Regal Jumping Spider (Phidippus regius) Care Sheet
Quick Facts
Common Name: Regal Jumping Spider / Regal Jumper
Scientific Name: Phidippus regius
Family: Salticidae
Native Range: Southeastern USA and Caribbean
Lifestyle: Arboreal
Activity: Diurnal
Diet: Insectivorous
Adult Body Length: Approximately 12–22 mm, with females generally larger than males
Lifespan: Commonly around 1–2 years, with females generally living longer than males
Temperament: Curious and generally reluctant to bite, although individuals vary
Venomous: Possesses venom for subduing prey, but bites are uncommon and not generally considered medically significant
Experience Level: Beginner to intermediate
Introduction
The Regal Jumping Spider (Phidippus regius) is one of the largest and most popular jumping spiders maintained in captivity.
Unlike web-building spiders that wait for prey to become trapped, jumping spiders are highly visual, active hunters.
They use their exceptional eyesight to locate prey before stalking and jumping upon it.
Their large forward-facing eyes, active daytime behaviour and tendency to visually investigate their surroundings make them particularly fascinating captive invertebrates.
Phidippus regius is predominantly arboreal and commonly constructs a silk retreat near the upper portions of its environment.
This behaviour is extremely important when designing a captive enclosure.
A suitable enclosure should therefore prioritise:
- Vertical space
- Climbing surfaces
- Good cross-ventilation
- Appropriate lighting
- Safe hydration
- An undisturbed area near the top for construction of a silk retreat
Natural Range & Habitat
Phidippus regius occurs naturally in the southeastern United States and throughout parts of the Caribbean.
The species inhabits relatively open environments rather than the interior of dense mature forest.
It can be found around:
- Palms
- Palmettos
- Shrubs
- Trees
- Open woodland
- Fields
- Vegetation
- Buildings and other vertical surfaces
Young spiders are often encountered lower within vegetation, while subadults and adults increasingly utilise shrubs, palms, trees and other elevated structures.
This is fundamentally an arboreal, visually orientated species.
Captive enclosures should therefore provide vertical structure rather than being designed like a terrestrial tarantula enclosure.
Size
Regal Jumping Spiders are among the larger members of the family Salticidae.
Adult females are generally larger and more robust than males.
Approximate adult body length is:
12–22 mm
Individual size varies according to:
- Sex
- Genetics
- Locality
- Nutrition
- Development
Leg span makes the spider appear substantially larger than its body measurement suggests.
Sexual Dimorphism
Adult males and females can look dramatically different.
Males
Mature males are typically:
- Predominantly black
- Marked with contrasting white areas
- More slender than females
- Equipped with enlarged pedipalps at maturity
The chelicerae often display striking iridescent green or blue-green colouration.
Females
Females are considerably more variable.
They may display:
- Grey
- Brown
- Tan
- Orange
- Peach
- Cream
- Black
- Combinations of these colours
Females from some southern populations can develop particularly strong orange colouration.
Their chelicerae may display iridescent colours including pink, violet or reddish tones.
Colour alone should not be used as the only method of sexing immature animals.
Enclosure
Because Phidippus regius is arboreal, the enclosure should be:
Taller than it is wide.
For an adult, an enclosure around:
15 × 15 × 20 cm
provides a useful minimum starting point.
An enclosure around:
20 × 20 × 30 cm
provides more opportunity for environmental complexity while still allowing prey and the spider to be monitored easily.
Extremely large enclosures are unnecessary.
The enclosure must provide:
- Vertical climbing surfaces
- Cross-ventilation
- Anchor points for silk
- Cover
- Appropriate lighting
- Safe access for maintenance
Spiderlings require much smaller accommodation.
The enclosure should be upgraded gradually as the spider grows.
Avoid Top-Opening Enclosures
This is particularly important.
Regal Jumping Spiders commonly construct their silk retreat:
Near the top of the enclosure.
A lid that opens directly through this area can repeatedly destroy the spider’s retreat.
This can be particularly problematic when the spider is:
- Resting
- Moulting
- Preparing to moult
- Guarding eggs
For this reason, an enclosure with a:
Front-opening, side-opening or lower-opening access point
is preferable.
The spider should be able to construct its permanent retreat near the enclosure roof without routine maintenance destroying it.
Ventilation
Good ventilation is essential.
Cross-ventilation is particularly useful.
Ventilation openings should be present on more than one side so that fresh air can move through the enclosure.
Poorly ventilated, permanently wet enclosures can encourage:
- Mould
- Bacterial growth
- Stagnant conditions
- Health problems
The objective is moderate environmental moisture combined with good airflow.
Ventilation holes must be small enough that the spider and its feeder insects cannot escape.
This is particularly important with spiderlings.
Temperature
Regal Jumping Spiders thrive at normal warm indoor temperatures.
A useful daytime range is approximately:
22–27°C
A slight nighttime reduction is acceptable.
Temperatures around:
20–23°C
overnight are generally suitable.
Avoid prolonged excessive heat.
Temperatures approaching or exceeding approximately 30°C can become problematic, particularly if hydration is inadequate.
Stable moderate warmth is preferable to attempting to maximise growth with excessive temperatures.
Heating
In most normally heated homes or reptile rooms, dedicated enclosure heating is unnecessary.
If the room remains within an appropriate temperature range, no additional heat source is required.
Avoid:
- Heat rocks
- Powerful basking lamps
- Uncontrolled heat mats
- Placing the enclosure directly against a radiator
- Direct sunlight
Small enclosures can overheat extremely rapidly.
If additional heating is genuinely necessary, warming the room is generally safer than applying intense heat directly to the spider’s enclosure.
Lighting
Lighting is considerably more important for jumping spiders than for many nocturnal invertebrates.
Phidippus regius is:
Diurnal and highly visual.
Good daytime illumination supports normal:
- Hunting
- Exploration
- Courtship
- Activity
- Circadian rhythms
Provide approximately:
12 hours light / 12 hours darkness
as a straightforward general photoperiod.
A bright LED positioned above the enclosure can provide suitable visible light.
Direct sunlight should be avoided because it can cause dangerous overheating.
UVB is not considered necessary for routine captive maintenance.
Furnishings & Enrichment
The enclosure should contain numerous elevated structures.
Suitable furnishings include:
- Cork bark
- Twigs
- Branches
- Artificial plants
- Suitable live plants
- Vines
- Mesh
- Lightweight climbing structures
- Silk anchor points
Particular attention should be given to the upper third of the enclosure.
This is where the spider is likely to spend much of its time.
Provide several horizontal and diagonal anchor points near the top so that the spider can construct its silk retreat.
Avoid heavy decorations that could fall.
Silk Retreat
Jumping spiders do not build prey-catching webs in the manner of many other spiders.
Instead, Phidippus regius constructs a dense silk retreat.
This retreat is used for:
- Sleeping
- Resting
- Moulting
- Protection
- Egg laying
- Guarding eggs
The spider may return to the same retreat repeatedly.
A thickened or sealed retreat can indicate that the spider is preparing to moult.
Do not destroy or open an occupied silk retreat simply to check the spider.
Substrate
Jumping spiders spend relatively little time on the enclosure floor.
Substrate is therefore less important than vertical structure.
Suitable options include:
- Coco fibre
- Reptile-safe soil
- Bioactive substrate
- Paper towel for temporary or quarantine setups
A thin layer is generally sufficient.
The substrate can help retain some environmental moisture but should not remain permanently saturated.
Humidity & Hydration
Regal Jumping Spiders require access to moisture but should not be maintained in a constantly wet enclosure.
Rather than attempting to maintain one exact humidity percentage, concentrate on providing:
- Regular access to drinking droplets
- Moderate environmental humidity
- Good ventilation
- Periods of drying between misting
Lightly misting part of the enclosure approximately:
Every 1–2 days
can work well for many setups.
The actual frequency depends upon:
- Ventilation
- Temperature
- Room humidity
- Enclosure size
- Spider age
Spiderlings dehydrate more quickly than adults and require closer monitoring.
Misting
Mist lightly onto:
- One side of the enclosure
- Leaves
- Other surfaces
The spider can then drink from droplets.
Avoid spraying the spider directly.
The enclosure should not be drenched.
There should be time for surfaces to dry between misting sessions.
A pattern of:
Mist → drink → gradual drying → mist again
is preferable to constant wetness.
Water
Adult jumping spiders can sometimes use a very small, shallow water source, but standing water must never present a drowning risk.
Many keepers provide most hydration through regular droplets on enclosure surfaces.
Whatever method is used, the spider must have reliable access to moisture.
Never use:
- Deep water dishes
- Open containers in which the spider could become trapped
- Cotton wool left permanently wet
Feeding
Regal Jumping Spiders are active visual predators.
They should be provided with appropriately sized live prey.
Suitable foods include:
- Fruit flies
- House flies
- Green bottle flies
- Blue bottle flies
- Small crickets
- Small locusts
- Small roach nymphs
- Black soldier flies
- Other suitable captive-bred feeder insects
Flying prey can be particularly useful because it encourages natural hunting behaviour.
A varied diet is preferable to relying exclusively on one feeder species.
Feeding Spiderlings
Very small spiderlings require correspondingly tiny prey.
Suitable foods include:
- Drosophila melanogaster
- Drosophila hydei
- Other suitably sized flightless fruit flies
As the spider grows, progressively larger prey can be introduced.
Young spiders generally feed more frequently than adults.
A useful starting point is offering food approximately:
Every 2–3 days
while actively growing.
Remove prey that remains uneaten for an extended period.
Feeding Juveniles & Adults
Juveniles can generally be offered food approximately:
2–3 times per week
Adults may require feeding approximately:
1–2 times per week
depending upon:
- Prey size
- Abdomen condition
- Sex
- Activity
- Reproductive condition
These are guidelines rather than rigid schedules.
Body condition is more useful than feeding according to the calendar alone.
Body Condition
The abdomen provides useful information about feeding and hydration.
A healthy spider should have a reasonably rounded abdomen.
An extremely thin or shrunken abdomen can indicate:
- Hunger
- Dehydration
- Illness
- Advanced age
An excessively enlarged abdomen may indicate overfeeding.
Overfeeding should be avoided because an excessively heavy abdomen can make injury more likely if the spider falls.
Feeding Safety
Never leave potentially dangerous prey with a spider that is preparing to moult.
Crickets and some other feeder insects can injure a vulnerable spider.
If the spider:
- Refuses food
- Remains inside its retreat
- Has constructed a particularly thick hammock
- Appears to be entering premoult
remove uneaten prey.
Moulting
Jumping spiders must moult their exoskeleton in order to grow.
Most moults occur inside the silk retreat.
Signs of approaching moult can include:
- Refusing food
- Reduced activity
- Spending prolonged periods inside the retreat
- Thickening the silk retreat
- Sealing portions of the retreat
Do not disturb the spider.
Do not open the retreat.
Do not offer potentially dangerous live prey.
After Moulting
After a moult, the new exoskeleton and fangs require time to harden.
The spider should not immediately be offered large or heavily armoured prey.
Allow the animal time to emerge naturally and resume normal activity.
Young spiders harden relatively quickly, while larger individuals may require longer.
Small, soft-bodied prey can be offered once the spider is clearly active and ready to hunt.
Handling
Regal Jumping Spiders are often curious and may voluntarily walk onto a keeper’s hand.
However, handling should always be:
Optional for the spider rather than forced.
Never:
- Grab the spider
- Pin it down
- Pull it from its retreat
- Force it onto your hand
Instead, allow the spider to step voluntarily onto a hand or transfer container.
Handle close to a safe surface.
Although jumping spiders use silk safety lines, falls and uncontrolled jumps can still result in the animal becoming lost or injured.
Bites & Venom
Phidippus regius possesses venom used to subdue prey.
Like almost all spiders, it is physically capable of biting.
However, Regal Jumping Spiders are generally reluctant to bite people and will usually retreat or jump away when given the opportunity.
Bites are not generally regarded as medically significant to healthy adults.
Individual reactions can vary.
A bite should be cleaned appropriately, and medical advice should be sought if significant or unusual symptoms develop.
Housing Individually
Regal Jumping Spiders should generally be:
Housed individually.
They are predatory spiders and cannibalism can occur.
Two apparently calm spiders should not be assumed to be compatible.
This applies particularly as animals mature.
Males and females should only be introduced deliberately for controlled breeding.
Sexing
Phidippus regius displays strong sexual dimorphism.
Mature males are generally:
- Black and white
- More slender
- Equipped with enlarged pedipalps
- Often strikingly iridescent around the chelicerae
Females are:
- Larger-bodied
- More variable in colour
- Often grey, tan, brown, orange or peach
- Equipped with a visible epigyne when mature
Interestingly, this species can sometimes be sexed before full maturity because colour differences may become apparent during juvenile development.
However, colour alone should not always be relied upon for definitive sexing.
Cleaning
Jumping spider enclosures require relatively little major disturbance.
Remove:
- Dead prey
- Prey remains
- Mould
- Excess waste
- Other contaminated material
Avoid destroying the spider’s silk retreat during routine maintenance.
Complete enclosure changes should not be performed unnecessarily.
If the enclosure remains clean and healthy, spot cleaning is generally preferable.
Health
A healthy Regal Jumping Spider should generally display:
- Alert visual behaviour
- Coordinated movement
- Strong climbing ability
- Normal hunting behaviour
- Appropriate abdomen condition
- Successful moulting
Potential problems include:
Dehydration
Possible signs include:
- Shrunken abdomen
- Weakness
- Reduced coordination
- Abnormal inactivity
Provide appropriate hydration while avoiding saturation of the enclosure.
Moulting Problems
Moulting difficulties can occur.
Never attempt to physically pull a spider from its old exoskeleton without specialist guidance.
Falls & Injuries
Jumping spiders are excellent climbers, but injury remains possible.
Avoid hard, sharp objects directly beneath common climbing areas.
Pesticide Exposure
Spiders are extremely sensitive to many insecticides and household chemicals.
Never use:
- Fly spray
- Flea spray
- Aerosol insecticide
- Pesticides
- Chemical cleaners
around an occupied enclosure.
Feeder insects should come from reliable sources and must not have been exposed to pesticides.
Quarantine
New jumping spiders should be housed separately from established animals.
Monitor:
- Feeding
- Hydration
- Moulting
- Movement
- Body condition
- External abnormalities
Equipment should not unnecessarily be shared between newly acquired and established invertebrates.
Breeding
Only mature, healthy spiders should be bred.
The female should be well fed before introduction.
Male Regal Jumping Spiders perform elaborate visual courtship displays.
These can involve:
- Raising and waving the legs
- Body movements
- Vibrations
- Displaying contrasting markings
- Approaching the female cautiously
The female observes the male using her highly developed vision.
Breeding introductions must be supervised.
A female that is unreceptive, stressed or hungry may attack and potentially consume the male.
The male should have a clear route of escape.
Egg Sac
After successful mating, a female may construct a dense silk nest and deposit an egg sac inside it.
She commonly remains with the eggs and guards them.
During this period she may:
- Remain hidden for long periods
- Refuse food
- Become more defensive
- Leave the nest only briefly
Do not repeatedly open or destroy the nest to inspect the eggs.
The female should have access to appropriate hydration with minimal disturbance.
Females can potentially produce more than one fertile egg sac following a successful mating because stored sperm may remain viable.
Spiderlings
After hatching, spiderlings initially remain associated with the maternal nest.
Once they become mobile and begin dispersing, they should be managed carefully because cannibalism becomes an increasing risk.
Spiderlings can be separated into small individual containers.
Each container requires:
- Excellent ventilation
- Appropriate moisture
- Tiny climbing structures
- Silk anchor points
- Appropriate prey
Flightless fruit flies are commonly used as first prey.
Spiderling Enclosures
Very small spiderlings should not immediately be placed into large adult enclosures.
Small containers make it easier to:
- Monitor feeding
- Monitor hydration
- Locate the spider
- Locate prey
- Detect moulting problems
Ventilation openings must be extremely small.
Fruit flies and spiderlings can escape through gaps that appear insignificant.
As the spider grows, enclosure size can be increased gradually.
Lifespan & Maturity
Regal Jumping Spiders have much shorter lifespans than tarantulas.
Their development progresses through a series of moults or instars.
Females generally live longer than males.
Once males reach sexual maturity, their remaining lifespan can be relatively short.
Mature males frequently spend considerable time exploring as they instinctively search for females.
Females may continue living considerably longer and can produce multiple egg sacs.
Enrichment
Because jumping spiders possess excellent vision and actively explore their surroundings, environmental complexity is particularly worthwhile.
Useful enrichment includes:
- Different branch diameters
- Leaves
- Cork
- Textured surfaces
- Elevated platforms
- Multiple routes through the enclosure
- Flying prey
The spider should be able to:
- Climb
- Jump
- Hunt
- Hide
- Observe its surroundings
- Construct silk retreats
An enclosure designed around these behaviours provides substantially more than a simple empty container.
Summary
The Regal Jumping Spider is an intelligent-looking, highly visual and fascinating small invertebrate.
Successful husbandry centres around:
- A vertically orientated enclosure
- Good cross-ventilation
- Avoiding top-opening designs that destroy silk retreats
- Numerous climbing surfaces
- Strong daytime illumination
- Moderate temperatures
- Regular access to drinking droplets
- Avoiding permanently wet conditions
- Appropriately sized live prey
- Careful monitoring during moulting
- Individual housing
- Minimal disturbance of silk retreats
Unlike a terrestrial tarantula, Phidippus regius is an active, diurnal visual hunter that spends much of its life above ground.
Its enclosure should therefore be designed around climbing, hunting, jumping and construction of elevated silk retreats.
When these requirements are provided, Regal Jumping Spiders can display an extraordinary range of natural hunting, courtship and exploratory behaviours despite their very small size.
Important: This care sheet provides general husbandry guidance. Individual animals may require adjustments according to age, sex, developmental stage and condition. Significant health concerns should be discussed with a veterinarian or experienced specialist familiar with exotic invertebrates.