Handling

Does a spider need to be handled?

Every spider has different personalities. It is not required for their well being to be handled. Some spiders prefer to be left alone and just observe and others are Velcro and never want to go back home. Wild caught spiders probably wont like to be handled much.

Before handling

Timing- wait till your spider is active and exploring its enclosure on its own. Don’t handle them if they are overfed, eating, premolt, and wait a week after molting. About 10-15 minutes at a time at the beginning. Shorter time if your spider is too stressed.

Supplies -get your spiders enclosure and sit on the floor with a light colored towel underneath you, or a clean clutter free table with a small catch cup, just incase your spider tries to dart away, a clean paint brush for guiding you spider.

WASH HANDS

Remember you’re a giant and most spider haven’t really touched human hands a lot or if ever before. They really don’t care for the feeling of the natural oils on our skin and the hairs on our bodies feel like running through tall grass. They need to get use to touching you as you need to get used to touching them.

Often times when a spider hasn’t been handled much their first instinct is to jump away from touching your hand, this is normal. It can look a little wild they keep jumping off your hand. I call it the rodeo and it doesn’t mean they don’t like you. They are just not used to touching you and you’re a scary giant they dont trust yet.

Spider doesnt like you?

Spiders do not like the feeling of our oily skin.

Use anatomy and natural behaviors

Jumping spiders lay down a strain of silk wherever they go. This is their safety cord of any unexpected jumps they may need to do. This silk can be a great tool to use when handling a spood. You can learn how to pick up a silk strand to help guide your spood.

Jumping spiders are arboreal so their instinct is to climb up and jump. Once a spood is used to touching you or gets on your shirt you can guarantee they are going to climb up. On your shoulder in your hair on your glasses. They will find a cozy spot on your body and lay down and relax.

Using your hands to block them and encouraging them to climb up on your helps, their natural curiosity helps. If you need to redirect your spood you use the small paint brush to help guide them out of the enclosure or back in.

How to bond without handling

You got a spider that even after 20 handling sessions that just still doesn’t want to be handled, and stresses out easily from it. At this point its safe to assume that your spider isn’t a handling spood. You can still bond with them, watching them do spiderering things in their enclosure is fascinating to watch. Stalking and hunting can be fun to observe. Putting the enclosure where you regularly sit, like an end table or desk can really help, they get used to your presence that the scary giant isn’t going to hurt them, and you get to observe.

You can also build them or purchase a spider gym which is just a safe bigger area for them to play on and climb around. No touching to stress them out required, use soft clean paint brush to guide and catch cup to transfer them. They will learn that their gym is a safe place and will eventually run to it with delight.

patience, patience

Hydration for your spider should primarily come from distilled water. As arboreal creatures, jumping spiders primarily obtain their drinkable water from rain that collects on leaves and branches. This rainwater is naturally distilled through the environment, but it can also contain harmful pollutants as it travels through the earth's water cycle. Rainwater is low in minerals, which should instead be sourced from a varied and nutritious diet of feeders and insects. The safest alternative to mimic non-contaminated rainwater is to use distilled water purchased from your local pharmacy or grocery store. In contrast, city and well water often contain various unknown contaminants and minerals, many of which are added for taste and sanitization, that spiders would not typically encounter in their natural environment.

ACTIVITY GYMS

aCTIVITY GYMS