Will Jumping Spiders Eat Dead Insects?
WouterAlmost all spiders in the wild prefer to eat live food. Having said that, there are some species that will eat dead insects. This can be a problem for owners of jumping spiders.
It is important to keep these spiders alive. The venom that they inject on their prey is harmless to humans. However, the bite can cause redness and swelling. Cleaning the area where the spider bites with soap and water is important. If the bite causes swelling, contact a physician.
In the wild, jumpers can catch up to 1.5 times their own size. They are opportunistic feeders, taking advantage of any opportunity they can. For this reason, they are best kept in an enclosure that provides a high degree of light and humidity.
Jumping spiders are most active during the day. Because they can catch larger insects, they are capable of hunting at night. Although their diet in the wild is primarily flies, they will also eat small insects.
Many people who have spiders as pets will feed them crickets or other types of insects. Crickets are a good choice because they are available year-round. Some spiders will even accept freshly killed crickets.
Another option is to offer cockroaches. These are easy to raise and can provide an excellent meal for your spider. Nevertheless, some roaches are harmful to spiders.
One way to keep your jumping spider healthy is to offer it fresh, live food. Mealworms are popular in pet stores. Alternatively, you can purchase adult grasshoppers and kill them before offering them to your spider. Grasshoppers typically live for a couple of months.
