Jumping Spider Tan (Platycryptus undatus) Care Guide

Platycryptus undatus, the tan jumping spider, is one of the most commonly encountered jumping spiders across eastern North America and a quietly excellent pet species for keepers who appreciate cryptic colouration over flashy display. Females reach 10 to 13 millimetres in body length and males 8.5 to 9.5 millimetres, with a flattened body, mottled tan and grey colouration, and chevron markings that camouflage them against bark and wooden surfaces (source: Animal Diversity Web). You have almost certainly already seen this species without realising it: they patrol the exterior of houses, fence posts, tree trunks, and shutters throughout the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. This guide covers everything specific to P. undatus care, from identification and wild-versus-captive sourcing through enclosure setup, climate, feeding, handling, moulting, common health concerns, and the questions new tan-jumper keepers ask most often.

Taxonomy and Classification

Platycryptus undatus sits in the family Salticidae, the largest spider family with roughly 6,950 described species, and in the genus Platycryptus, a small New World group characterised by flattened bodies adapted to life under bark and on vertical surfaces. The species was originally described by Charles Athanase Walckenaer in 1837 and shuffled through several genus assignments before settling into Platycryptus. Common English names include “tan jumping spider” and “familiar jumping spider,” the latter a reference to how often the species turns up on the outside of human structures (source: Wikipedia).

Within North American Salticidae, P. undatus is the most familiar bark-dwelling jumping spider east of the Rockies. It is distinct from the genus Phidippus (which contains the larger, more colourful P. regius and P. audax) by its flattened body, cryptic colouration, smaller average size, and habitat preference for vertical bark and wood rather than vegetation. For a feature-by-feature comparison against other commonly encountered species, see our jumping spider identification guide.

Geographic Range and Wild Habitat

The tan jumping spider ranges across the eastern half of North America, from southern Canada (Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes) south through every state east of the Great Plains, west to Texas and Wisconsin, and into northern Mexico and parts of Central America (source: BugGuide). It is one of the most widely distributed jumping spider species on the continent and is genuinely common throughout that range rather than locally abundant in a few pockets.

Wild P. undatus are tied to vertical surfaces. They patrol tree trunks (especially of mature trees with rough or peeling bark), wooden fences, building exteriors, shutters, soffits, and the undersides of overhangs. The flattened body profile lets them slip into narrow crevices behind loose bark, between siding boards, and into the gaps under shingles. This habitat preference is why they show up so often around homes: human structures replicate the bark-and-crevice microhabitat almost perfectly.

Seasonally, P. undatus is active from late spring through early autumn across most of its range. In late autumn, adults and sub-adults build individual silk hibernacula in protected sites, typically under loose bark, behind shutters, or in similar dry crevices, and overwinter in a quiescent state. A striking and well-documented behaviour is communal aggregation during hibernation: although each spider occupies its own silken sac, up to fifty individuals may share the same sheltered surface, forming a continuous blanket of overwintering spiders under a single sheet of loose bark (source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service). This is unusual for a normally solitary salticid and is one of the more biologically interesting features of the species.

Species Profile

Adult Platycryptus undatus measure 8.5 to 13 millimetres in body length (females larger than males), live roughly 1 to 2 years in captivity, and thrive at 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit with a comparatively dry 40 to 60 percent ambient humidity in a 4 x 4 x 6 inch vertical enclosure minimum. The species is calm, diurnal, hardier than higher-humidity tropical salticids, and a solid native-species option for keepers who want a North American jumping spider without sourcing captive-bred stock.

Reported captive lifespan ranges from a conservative 10 to 14 months at the short end to more than two years for very well-kept females (source: Bantam Earth). The reality for most keepers sits in the 12 to 20 month window, with husbandry quality and the spider’s age at capture as the two biggest variables. Wild-caught adults will obviously live less time in your care than slings raised from hatching, simply because they have already used part of their natural lifespan in the wild. For comparison against other commonly kept species, see our jumping spider lifespan guide.

Identification

The tan jumping spider’s appearance is the opposite of the visually striking Phidippus species. Where P. regius and P. audax are built around iridescent chelicerae and bold contrast markings, P. undatus is built around camouflage. Identification is straightforward once you know what to look for.

Colouration. Mottled tan, grey, and brown over the cephalothorax and abdomen, with darker grey chevron markings running down the dorsal surface of the abdomen. The overall pattern is cryptic, designed to break up the spider’s outline against bark, wood grain, and similar mottled surfaces (source: Insect Identification).

Body shape. Distinctively flattened compared to the rounder, more robust Phidippus body. The flat profile is functional: it lets the spider squeeze into narrow gaps under bark, behind siding, and into the kind of tight crevices that round-bodied salticids cannot access.

“Moustache” hair band. The most reliable sex-linked field mark sits just below the anterior median eyes. Adult females show a bright white horizontal band of hairs; adult males show a bright orange band in the same position. This single feature lets you sex an adult tan jumper from a clear face-on view without needing to check pedipalps.

Chelicerae. Small, dark, and not prominently coloured. Unlike P. audax with its iridescent green-blue chelicerae, the tan jumper’s mouthparts are unassuming and blend into the rest of the head.

Size at adult stage. Females reach 10 to 13 millimetres, males 8.5 to 9.5 millimetres. Mid-range for pet jumping spiders, smaller than an adult P. regius, larger than most adult Hasarius adansoni.

Behaviour in the wild. Frequently rests flat against vertical surfaces (walls, tree trunks, fence posts), often head-down and motionless until prey or a disturbance triggers movement. Multiple individuals may share the same general surface area in the wild, though the species is not socially cooperative outside of overwintering aggregations.

Wild-Caught vs Captive-Bred

P. undatus is not widely produced in captivity. Captive breeding is less developed for this species than for P. regius or P. audax, partly because the spider is so easy to find in the wild across its native range and partly because the absence of striking colour morphs limits hobby breeding demand. Most pet tan jumpers in North America are therefore wild-caught from the keeper’s own property or local public land.

This sourcing route is generally acceptable for an abundant, common species like P. undatus, but it comes with considerations that captive-bred stock does not:

Quarantine. Wild-caught spiders should be kept in a simple, observation-friendly enclosure (paper towel substrate, single hide, no decoration clutter) for one to two weeks before being moved into a permanent setup. This window lets you check for mites, external parasites, abnormal lethargy, and feeding issues before any potential problem contaminates a furnished enclosure or your other spiders.

Parasites and pathogens. Wild specimens occasionally carry external mites or internal parasites that captive-bred spiders do not. Watch the spider closely during quarantine for small moving dots on the body or legs (mites), abnormal lethargy unrelated to a moult cycle, persistent feeding refusal when conditions are correct, or unusual fluid loss. Our jumping spider parasites guide covers identification and triage for the most common issues.

Acclimation stress. A freshly caught wild spider will be more stressed than a captive-bred sling that has only ever known enclosure life. Provide adequate hides, keep the enclosure in a low-traffic, low-light location, and avoid handling for the first one to two weeks. Most wild-caught tan jumpers settle within a few days and begin feeding normally; persistent refusal beyond a week suggests a problem with conditions or with the spider itself.

Unknown age and remaining lifespan. The biggest functional drawback. A wild-caught adult could be an early-instar adult with eighteen months ahead of it or a late-life female with two months left. There is no reliable way to estimate remaining lifespan at capture. If long-term keeping matters, target juveniles or sub-adults rather than fully grown adults, since you gain more time and get to see the moulting and maturation process.

Legal considerations. Collecting common, non-protected invertebrates such as P. undatus from your own property is legal in most US jurisdictions. Public-land collection rules vary: state and national parks generally prohibit invertebrate collection without a permit, conservation areas and wildlife refuges have similar restrictions, and a few states regulate native arthropod take more broadly. Always check local regulations before collecting outside private property. See our guide on catching wild jumping spiders for technique, ethics, and the jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction breakdown.

Enclosure Setup

A correct P. undatus enclosure is vertical (taller than it is wide), at least 4 x 4 x 6 inches for an adult, has cross-ventilation on two opposing sides, and provides flat vertical bark surfaces rather than the branching jungle gym that suits a tropical arboreal species. The bark-dwelling habit is the design driver here. Match the enclosure furniture to the habitat the spider would choose in the wild and the species essentially keeps itself.

Enclosure Size and Type

An adult P. undatus does well in a 4 x 4 x 6 inch front-opening vertical enclosure at the minimum, with 4 x 4 x 8 inches preferred. The species is smaller than P. regius and can be kept in slightly smaller volumes than the regal, but the taller-than-wide vertical orientation remains essential. Slings start in small deli cups (2 to 3 ounce) and upgrade at each major moult. Most keepers transition to the adult enclosure when the spider reaches the fourth or fifth instar. Our jumping spider enclosure setup guide covers the full layout walkthrough including door orientation, ventilation placement, and how to add furniture without trapping the spider during access.

Ventilation

Cross-ventilation on two opposing sides of the enclosure (typically mesh panels on one side and either the top or opposite side) is required. Stagnant air promotes mould on prey remains, raises humidity beyond what P. undatus prefers, and creates conditions for respiratory and fungal issues. Tan jumpers tolerate dry air well; what they tolerate poorly is damp, still air.

Substrate

Use one to two centimetres of coconut fibre (coco coir), sphagnum moss, or a coco-and-moss blend as the base substrate. Tan jumpers spend almost no time on the ground, so substrate depth and texture matter less than for ground-active species, but the substrate still serves to hold a small amount of humidity from misting and to absorb the occasional fall. Avoid sand or gravel, which can clog the spider’s book lungs if it does touch down. Our jumping spider substrate guide compares options by retention, mould resistance, and bioactive suitability.

Furniture and Hides

This is where P. undatus setup diverges from the tropical-arboreal default. The species is a flat-surface bark dweller, not a branch-and-foliage climber.

• Flat cork bark pieces positioned vertically against the enclosure walls are the single most important furniture element. They mimic the tree bark and wooden siding the spider seeks in the wild, and the gaps behind the bark become the spider’s primary retreat.
• A few small branches or vines for variety, but do not load the enclosure with foliage; tan jumpers do not use it the way P. regius does.
• Crevice-style hides created by propping cork bark pieces a few millimetres off the enclosure wall, leaving a gap large enough for the spider to slip behind. This matches the natural “under loose bark” microhabitat almost exactly.
• A flat ceiling surface (a cork ledge, a flat piece of bark attached to the lid, or a leaf) where the spider can build its primary silk retreat near the top of the enclosure.

Provide multiple retreat options and let the spider choose. Most individuals settle on one preferred retreat location within the first week and use it consistently for the rest of their lives.

Temperature and Humidity

The tan jumping spider is a temperate-climate species with modest, forgiving environmental requirements compared with tropical salticids. Room conditions in most temperate homes are already in range without supplemental equipment.

Temperature. 72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit (22 to 28 degrees Celsius) is the target window, with brief excursions to either side tolerated well (source: Bantam Earth). Sustained temperatures below 65 degrees slow metabolism, reduce appetite, and can shift the spider into a quiescent semi-hibernation state similar to what wild populations do during winter. Sustained temperatures above 88 degrees cause heat stress and rapid dehydration. If your home regularly drops below 68 degrees, a small heat mat on the back panel with an adjustable thermostat is sufficient. Never use heat lamps on a small enclosure, the air volume cooks too fast.

Humidity. 40 to 60 percent ambient humidity, lower than the 50 to 60 percent range for P. regius and dramatically lower than the 70 to 80 percent range for Hyllus diardi. Light misting once every two to three days, targeting one corner of the enclosure or a small area of the substrate rather than soaking the interior, is typically adequate. The primary functional purpose of misting is providing drinkable water droplets on enclosure surfaces; ambient humidity control is genuinely less critical for this hardy species than for most pet salticids.

Overhumidification risk. Because P. undatus prefers drier conditions than most pet jumping spiders, excessive misting is a more common husbandry mistake than insufficient misting. A consistently damp, poorly ventilated enclosure promotes mould on prey remains, fungal infections on the spider itself, and elevated stress. If you see mould or persistent condensation, reduce misting frequency before doing anything else. Our jumping spider temperature and humidity guide covers monitoring tools, seasonal adjustments, and hygrometer placement that actually reflects what the spider experiences.

Diet and Feeding

Tan jumping spiders eat the same general invertebrate feeders as other pet jumping spiders, sized to no larger than the spider’s own abdomen and offered at a frequency scaled to life stage.

• Slings (1st to 3rd instar): Flightless Drosophila melanogaster (small fruit flies), fed every one to two days.
• Juveniles (4th to 6th instar): Flightless D. hydei (larger fruit flies) or pinhead crickets, fed every two to three days.
• Sub-adults and adults: Small crickets, blue or green bottle flies, small mealworms (occasional, not staple), or the largest fruit flies, fed every three to five days.

P. undatus are reliable feeders with a standard salticid stalk-and-pounce hunting sequence. Their approach is typically slightly slower and more cautious than the explosive pounce of a hungry P. regius, which fits the cryptic, bark-mimicking lifestyle. Prey should never exceed the size of the spider’s abdomen, and uneaten live prey should be removed within a few hours so it does not stress or injure the spider.

Rotating between two or three feeder species over the course of a month provides a broader nutritional profile than relying on a single species, and gut-loading crickets with fresh carrot, sweet potato, or leafy greens 24 hours before offering improves the nutritional value of the prey. For a detailed feeder comparison including sourcing and culturing, see our best feeder insects for jumping spiders guide and our broader jumping spider diet guide.

Handling

Tan jumpers can be handled, but the species is genuinely less interactive than P. regius or P. audax, and expectations should be set accordingly.

Temperament. Calm and non-aggressive once settled, but reserved rather than curious. A tan jumper on your hand is more likely to sit still or walk away slowly than to actively explore, climb, or “interact” the way a regal will. This is not a defect, it is just a different behavioural baseline. Read the spider’s body language across multiple sessions before forming a view about its personality.

Technique. The same flat-hand approach used for any pet jumping spider works here: open the enclosure, place an open hand flat in front of the spider, and let it walk on at its own pace. Never grab, pinch, or scoop. Keep a second hand available as a bridge if the spider walks toward the edge of your hand.

Speed. P. undatus can be surprisingly quick when startled despite its normally calm demeanour, because the flattened body and crevice-dwelling habit mean it relies on rapid disappearance rather than threat display when alarmed. Handle over a soft surface (bed, carpet, cushion) so a sudden bolt does not result in a damaging fall.

When not to handle. Skip handling during premoult (the spider stops eating and retreats), within 48 to 72 hours after a moult (the new exoskeleton is soft), during the first week after acquisition, and any time the spider shows stress signals (crouching low, raised front legs, repeated jump attempts).

Realistic expectations. If you want a jumping spider that reliably approaches your hand and tracks your face, P. regius or P. audax are better matches. P. undatus is more of an observe-and-appreciate species, and its appeal is precisely the bark-dwelling, low-key behaviour rather than charismatic interaction. Our jumping spider handling guide covers acclimation pacing, stress signal interpretation, and how to recover a spider that has bolted or jumped.

Moulting

Moulting follows the standard jumping spider pattern: frequent for slings (every two to three weeks), less frequent for juveniles, and roughly every four to eight weeks for adults until the final adult moult, after which moulting stops.

Pre-moult signs include feeding refusal for several days, duller or darker abdominal colouration, retreat into the silk hide for extended periods, and reinforcement of the retreat with additional silk. During the moult itself, the spider seals itself inside the retreat and may take several hours to a full day to complete the process. Do not disturb the retreat, do not attempt to observe the moult by removing the bark or cork piece sheltering it, and remove any live feeders from the enclosure so they cannot bite a vulnerable moulting spider.

Post-moult, the new exoskeleton is pale and soft for 48 to 72 hours. Colours are often more vivid immediately after the moult and stabilise as the cuticle hardens. Wait three to five days after the moult before offering food and at least 72 hours before any handling. A slight increase in misting frequency during pre-moult, while maintaining good ventilation, helps prevent dysecdysis (stuck moult), which is rare in this drier-tolerant species but not impossible. Our dedicated jumping spider moulting guide covers stuck-moult triage and post-moult water access in detail.

Common Health Concerns

Most P. undatus health issues are husbandry-driven and resolve with parameter correction. The species is genuinely hardy compared with high-humidity tropical salticids, but a few specific concerns recur often enough to flag.

Dehydration. Even in a drier-tolerant species, dehydration is possible if misting is neglected entirely. The first visible sign is a shrunken, wrinkled abdomen. Mist a fresh water droplet near the spider’s retreat, ensure regular fresh-water droplets on enclosure surfaces, and check the misting schedule.

Mould and fungal infection. The lower humidity tolerance of P. undatus means it is more sensitive to overly moist enclosures than Phidippus species. If you see mould on prey remains, on substrate, or (worst case) on the spider itself, reduce misting frequency, increase ventilation, and remove any contaminated substrate. Cotton-like white patches on the spider’s body or legs indicate fungal infection rather than normal markings and are serious; quarantine the spider, dry out the enclosure, and consult an exotic-animal veterinarian if the infection progresses.

Parasites from wild collection. Wild-caught P. undatus may carry external mites or internal parasites that captive-bred stock does not. The one to two week quarantine described earlier is the simplest and most effective preventive measure. Mite infestations are typically introduced via contaminated feeder cultures and present as small moving white or reddish dots on the spider’s body or in the enclosure.

Moulting failure (dysecdysis). Less common in P. undatus than in higher-humidity species, but it can occur if pre-moult conditions are consistently too dry or, less commonly, too wet without ventilation. Maintaining the 40 to 60 percent humidity range during moult cycles, with a slight bump toward the upper end during pre-moult, gives the spider the best chance of a clean moult.

Abdominal rupture from falls. The hydraulic-pressure system that powers jumping spider leg extension makes them genuinely vulnerable to blunt impact. Handle only over soft surfaces, keep sessions short, and never handle a tan jumper at standing height without a cushion or carpet directly below.

Senescence. The end of an adult tan jumper’s natural lifespan presents as gradual loss of coordination, reduced hunting activity, difficulty climbing smooth surfaces, and eventual refusal to eat. There is no intervention; provide comfortable conditions and easy water access. Females may produce a final egg sac before the decline accelerates.

If a symptom does not resolve with husbandry adjustments within 48 to 72 hours, consult an exotic-animal veterinarian.

Frequently Asked Questions

The questions below are the ones tan jumper keepers ask most often after the initial decision to keep the species. Each answer is intended to stand on its own as a quick reference, with deeper coverage in the linked sibling guides where useful.

Are tan jumping spiders good pets for beginners?

Yes, particularly for keepers who prioritise a low-maintenance native species over flashy display. Their relatively low humidity requirements, calm temperament, tolerance of normal room temperature, and abundant availability in their native range make them one of the easier jumping spider species to keep. The trade-off is that they are visually subtle rather than visually striking, which is the main reason they are less popular in the pet trade than Phidippus species. If you want a quiet, cryptic, low-fuss spider that resembles its wild form rather than a selectively bred morph, P. undatus is an excellent choice.

Can I catch a tan jumping spider from my yard?

In most US jurisdictions, yes. P. undatus is an abundant, common species not subject to conservation protections, and private-property collection is legal across virtually every state. Check exterior walls, fence posts, tree trunks (especially older trees with rough bark), shutters, and overhangs during warm months. Quarantine any wild-caught spider in a simple observation enclosure for one to two weeks before moving it into a permanent setup, and check local rules before collecting from public land.

How do tan jumping spiders compare to regal jumping spiders?

Tan jumpers are smaller, less colourful, less interactive during handling, and require lower humidity. Regal jumpers are larger, available in many selectively bred colour morphs, more curious and “bold” in temperament, and far more widely captive-bred. Lifespan is comparable (1 to 2 years for tan, 1.5 to 3 years for regal females). Husbandry difficulty is comparable; the tan jumper is arguably more forgiving on humidity but offers less interactive behaviour in return. See our Phidippus regius care guide for the regal-specific care walkthrough and our best jumping spider species guide for a side-by-side comparison across pet-relevant species.

Do tan jumping spiders bite?

Rarely, and the bite is not medically significant in healthy adults. Like all jumping spiders, P. undatus can deliver a defensive bite if squeezed, pinched, or trapped against skin, but the species is not inclined to bite and prefers to flee or hide. Bite symptoms when they do occur are limited to localised redness and mild irritation that resolves within hours. Our jumping spider bite guide covers symptoms, first aid, and how salticid venom compares to medically significant spider families.

How long do tan jumping spiders live?

Typically 1 to 2 years in captivity, with females living longer than males. Females raised from slings under good husbandry can reach the upper end of that range or slightly beyond; wild-caught adults will obviously live less time in your care because they have already used part of their natural lifespan. Sub-adults and juveniles offer the best balance of remaining lifespan and ease of acclimation if you are collecting from the wild.

Do tan jumping spiders really hibernate in groups?

Yes, and this is one of the more biologically interesting features of the species. In late autumn, wild P. undatus build individual silk hibernacula in protected crevices (typically under loose bark) and overwinter in a quiescent state. Despite occupying their own silk sacs, up to fifty individuals may share a single sheltered surface, forming a continuous overwintering aggregation. The species is otherwise solitary outside of mating, so this winter clustering behaviour is genuinely unusual for salticids. Captive spiders kept at normal room temperature year-round do not hibernate, so the behaviour is rarely observed in the hobby.

What is the white or orange line on my tan jumper’s face?

The horizontal band of hairs just below the anterior median eyes, sometimes called the “moustache” by keepers, is a reliable sex marker. Adult females show a bright white band; adult males show a bright orange band. The colour difference is visible from a clear face-on view and lets you sex an adult tan jumper without checking pedipalp shape or other secondary features.

Do I need special lighting for a tan jumping spider?

No specialised UVB lighting is required. P. undatus is diurnal and uses vision to hunt, so it needs a clear day-night cycle and enough ambient visible light to drive normal hunting behaviour, but ambient room light on a 12-hour cycle is sufficient. Avoid placing the enclosure in direct sunlight, which overheats the small air volume rapidly. A consistent timer-driven cycle helps the spider settle into predictable feeding and resting rhythms.

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By the ExoPetGuides Team | Jumping Spider Species

This article was researched and written by the ExoPetGuides editorial team with AI-assisted drafting. All husbandry parameters, taxonomy, and species-biology references for Platycryptus undatus were independently verified against recognised institutional sources (Animal Diversity Web, BugGuide, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service species directory), encyclopedic references, and experienced keeper community resources. ExoPetGuides does not sell jumping spiders or supplies and has no affiliate relationship with any breeder, platform, or supplier referenced in this guide.

This guide provides general husbandry information for keepers of the tan jumping spider. It is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. Consult a qualified exotic-animal veterinarian for any health concern about your spider, and check local regulations before collecting wild specimens. Care recommendations may vary based on individual animal, regional climate, and local rules on wildlife collection.