Jumping spiders are obligate carnivores that eat live prey almost exclusively. In the wild, they hunt a broad range of small arthropods: flies, gnats, mosquitoes, small moths, aphids, and other spiders. Their hunting strategy is entirely visual. They stalk prey like a cat, tracking movement with their large anterior median eyes, calculating distance, and launching a precise pounce (source: National Geographic). In captivity, this diet translates to commercially available feeder insects sized appropriately for the spider’s body. The right feeders, proper sizing, gut-loading, and a sensible feeding routine are the foundations of jumping spider nutrition. This guide covers every feeder option, how to size prey correctly, gut-loading basics, hydration through prey, and common feeding mistakes to avoid.
What are the best feeder insects for jumping spiders?
The core feeder insects for pet jumping spiders are fruit flies, small crickets, and bottle flies. These three cover most life stages and species. Beyond the core, mealworms, waxworms, and other supplemental feeders add variety and fill nutritional gaps. The feeder insects comparison guide ranks each option by nutrition, convenience, and cost.
Fruit flies (Drosophila)
Fruit flies are the primary feeder for spiderlings and small juvenile jumping spiders. Two species are widely available: Drosophila melanogaster (the smaller, wingless or flightless variety, roughly 2 to 3 mm) and Drosophila hydei (the larger variety, roughly 3 to 4 mm). Melanogaster is the go-to for first and second instar spiderlings. Hydei works for larger juveniles and small adult species like Hasarius adansoni.
Fruit flies are easy to culture at home, inexpensive to buy as ready-made cultures, and pose zero injury risk to the spider. Their main limitation is nutritional content. Fruit flies are relatively low in protein compared to crickets, so they work best as a staple for small spiders and a supplement (rather than sole diet) for larger adults.
Crickets
Small crickets (pinhead to 1/4 inch, depending on spider size) are the most nutritionally balanced widely available feeder insect. They offer a strong protein-to-fat ratio and are easy to gut-load with vegetables, which passes additional nutrition to the spider. Crickets are the standard adult jumping spider staple in most care guides (source: Arachnoboards).
The critical rule with crickets is sizing. A cricket that is too large can injure or kill a jumping spider, particularly during a molt. The cricket should be no longer than the spider’s body length (cephalothorax plus abdomen, excluding legs). When in doubt, go smaller. A spider that takes down its prey easily and eats the entire body is properly sized. A spider that struggles, backs away, or abandons the cricket is telling you the prey is too large.
Remove uneaten crickets within 24 hours. Live crickets in the enclosure overnight can bite a resting or molting spider.
Blue and green bottle flies
Bottle flies (Calliphoridae family) are excellent feeders for adult jumping spiders. They trigger a strong hunting response because their movement pattern closely mimics what jumping spiders chase in the wild. Many keepers report that their spiders eat bottle flies more eagerly than any other feeder. Bottle fly pupae (spikes) are sold online and hatch at room temperature within a few days, giving you a steady supply.
Bottle flies are larger than fruit flies, making them appropriate for sub-adult and adult spiders. They are high in protein. The downside is that they are faster and more agile than crickets, so very young or small spiders may struggle to catch them. Introduce bottle flies once the spider is large enough to pounce on them confidently.
Mealworms
Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor larvae) are a convenient supplemental feeder. They are widely available at pet stores, store well in the refrigerator for weeks, and are easy to handle. However, mealworms have a hard chitinous exoskeleton that can be difficult for smaller spiders to pierce, and their fat content is higher than crickets or flies. Use small mealworms as an occasional supplement, not a staple. Offer freshly molted (white) mealworms when possible, as these are softer and easier for the spider to consume.
Waxworms
Waxworms (Galleria mellonella larvae) are high-fat, high-moisture feeders that work well as occasional treats or for underweight spiders that need to gain body mass. Their soft bodies are easy for the spider to consume. Do not use waxworms as a staple diet. The high fat content can contribute to overfeeding-related health issues if offered too frequently. One waxworm every 1 to 2 weeks as a supplement is a reasonable frequency for an adult spider.
How to size prey correctly for jumping spiders
Prey sizing is the single most important feeding variable. A prey item that is too large poses a genuine injury risk. A prey item that is far too small may not trigger the spider’s hunting instinct or may not provide enough nutrition to justify the energy expenditure of the hunt.
The general rule: the feeder should be no longer than the spider’s body length (cephalothorax plus abdomen combined, not including legs). For spiderlings, prey should be noticeably smaller than the spider’s body. First instar spiderlings eat melanogaster fruit flies or springtails. Second and third instar spiderlings move up to hydei fruit flies. Juveniles transition to small crickets and hydei. Adults eat crickets, bottle flies, mealworms, and waxworms sized to their body.
Species matters. A full-grown female Phidippus regius (15 to 22 mm body length) can handle substantially larger prey than a full-grown Hasarius adansoni (6 to 8 mm body length). Always calibrate prey size to the individual spider, not to a generic “adult jumping spider” recommendation. The feeding schedule guide provides age-specific and species-specific guidance.
What is gut-loading and why does it matter?
Gut-loading is the practice of feeding nutritious food to feeder insects before offering them to the spider. The spider consumes the feeder’s gut contents along with the insect itself, effectively receiving the nutrition of the gut-load secondhand. This matters because commercially raised feeder insects are often maintained on grain-based diets that are calorie-dense but micronutrient-poor.
Gut-load crickets for 24 to 48 hours before offering them to the spider. Effective gut-load foods include dark leafy greens (collard greens, dandelion greens, mustard greens), carrots, sweet potato, squash, and commercial gut-load formulas. Avoid citrus fruits, which can acidify the cricket’s gut and potentially irritate the spider’s digestive system.
Fruit flies raised on commercial culture media are already gut-loaded to some extent by the culture medium. If you make your own fruit fly cultures, include a quality medium with brewer’s yeast, which boosts the nutritional profile.
The feeder insects guide covers gut-loading recipes and nutrition comparisons across feeder species.
Do jumping spiders drink water or get hydration from prey?
Jumping spiders get significant moisture from their prey, but they also drink water droplets directly. In captivity, the primary water source is misting. Lightly mist one wall or corner of the enclosure to leave small water droplets that the spider can drink from. Most jumping spiders drink by pressing their chelicerae against a water droplet and drawing the liquid in.
Do not place a water dish in the enclosure. Jumping spiders are small enough to fall into even a shallow water dish and drown. Sphagnum moss dampened in one corner provides a longer-lasting humidity and moisture source without the drowning risk. The temperature and humidity guide covers misting technique and frequency.
Dehydration is a real risk, especially for spiderlings and in enclosures with excessive ventilation that dries out quickly. Signs of dehydration include a shriveled or wrinkled abdomen, lethargy, and reluctance to hunt. If you suspect dehydration, mist the enclosure immediately and place a small droplet directly near the spider. Most dehydrated jumping spiders drink immediately when water is available.
Can jumping spiders eat dead insects or pre-killed prey?
Jumping spiders are primarily live-prey hunters. Their hunting behavior is triggered by movement: they visually track moving prey, calculate the jump distance, and pounce. A stationary dead insect does not trigger this hunting sequence in most individuals.
That said, some keepers have success with pre-killed prey by using tweezers or tongs to wiggle the dead insect in front of the spider, simulating movement. This technique works more reliably with hungry spiders and with species like Phidippus regius that tend to be bold and food-motivated. It is less effective with shy or recently relocated spiders.
Pre-killed prey is useful as a backup option (when live feeders are temporarily unavailable) and for newly received spiders that may be too stressed to hunt live prey immediately. It should not replace live feeding as the standard practice, because hunting behavior provides physical exercise and mental stimulation that contribute to the spider’s overall welfare.
What should jumping spiders never eat?
Wild-caught insects from areas treated with pesticides. Garden insects, flies caught indoors near pest-control products, and any insect from an area where herbicides or insecticides have been applied carry a significant poisoning risk. Even trace amounts of neonicotinoid insecticides are lethal to jumping spiders (source: Journal of Economic Entomology research on spider pesticide sensitivity).
Insects that are too large. As covered above, oversized prey can injure the spider. A large cricket can kick, bite, and kill a small jumping spider.
Ants. Ants contain formic acid and can bite the spider. Some ant species also recruit nestmates with chemical signals, and even a single ant can be dangerous in a small enclosure.
Fireflies (lightning bugs). Fireflies contain lucibufagins, toxic compounds that are lethal to many predators including spiders.
Brightly colored or unknown wild insects. Aposematic coloration (bright warning colors) in wild insects indicates chemical defense. If you cannot confidently identify a wild-caught insect as safe, do not feed it.
How do you know if your jumping spider is eating enough?
A well-fed jumping spider has a plump, rounded abdomen that is roughly as wide as or slightly wider than the cephalothorax (the front body segment). An underfed spider has a noticeably shrunken or wrinkled abdomen. An overfed spider has a distended, tight-looking abdomen that is disproportionately large compared to the cephalothorax.
Monitor the abdomen shape between feedings. After eating, the abdomen will be noticeably fuller. Over the next 2 to 4 days, it gradually returns to a moderate size as the spider digests. If the abdomen stays shrunken even after feeding, the spider may not be consuming enough per meal (prey too small) or may have an underlying health issue.
If the spider consistently refuses food for more than a few days outside of a pre-molt fasting period, consult the not eating troubleshooting guide for diagnostic steps.
Frequently asked questions
Can jumping spiders eat fruit or vegetables?
No. Jumping spiders are obligate carnivores. They do not eat plant matter. Some online sources mention jumping spiders licking fruit juice, and there is one documented species (Bagheera kiplingi) that feeds primarily on plant structures, but this behavior is not typical of pet species. Your pet jumping spider needs live insect prey (source: Current Biology, Bagheera kiplingi research).
How long can a jumping spider go without eating?
Healthy adult jumping spiders can survive 1 to 2 weeks without food under normal conditions, though this is not recommended as a routine practice. Pre-molt fasting of 5 to 10 days is normal. Spiderlings have less energy reserves and should not go more than 3 to 4 days without food outside of a molt. If your spider is refusing food and you are unsure whether it is pre-molt or ill, the not eating guide covers the diagnostic process.
Do jumping spiders need vitamin or calcium supplements?
There is no established supplementation protocol for jumping spiders the way there is for reptiles (calcium dusting, vitamin D3). Gut-loading feeder insects with nutrient-rich vegetables is the closest equivalent to supplementation and is the recommended approach. Some keepers dust feeders lightly with calcium powder, but there is no scientific evidence that this provides a measurable benefit for jumping spiders.
Can you feed jumping spiders other spiders?
In the wild, jumping spiders do eat other spiders, including other jumping spiders. In captivity, feeding your spider another spider is not recommended because wild-caught spiders may carry parasites, and cannibalism between housed spiders is a welfare concern rather than a dietary strategy. Stick to commercially raised feeder insects.
Researched and written by the ExoPetGuides editorial team with AI-assisted drafting. All husbandry parameters and dietary recommendations independently verified against National Geographic jumping spider profiles, Arachnoboards community care guides, published jumping spider diet research (Current Biology, Journal of Economic Entomology), and established invertebrate husbandry practices.
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. Always consult a qualified veterinarian for any health concern about your pet. Care recommendations may vary based on species, individual animal, and local regulations.
