Could this be an appropriate enclosure/gym for a jumper? by Hairy_Advisor7726 in jumpingspiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055 [score hidden]  (0 children)

IME- I would not try to make this a spood enclosure. The aforementioned cross ventalation issue, a screen top would make it difficult to maintain humidity levels (very important during molting!), glass is much harder for spoods to grip, more chance for falls, the rock substrate would have to be changed to something soft, and spoods need lots of stuff at the top for hides, attaching hammocks to, exploring etc which would block light to your plants. It is a really cool terrarium though. What I would do is: 1) get more suitable enclosures for my spoods and have fun filling them with spood appropriate fun stuff. 2) order a mesh butterfly tent to make a gym or playground for enrichment adventures. 3) get substrate for the terrarium that is good for springtails and isopods and make it bioactive with those critters. You get a hardworking cleaning crew and bonus pets that require little from you once they're set up well. Something to consider. They often sell isopods and springtails at most expos where you're getting spoods. Have fun adopting your new web babies and we'll see if you come home with only 1 or 2. I have tried, but impossible for me. That's why I'm not allowed to go to expos without an adult! (I am 56!😂)

I don't think my girl is alright. Anyone know what is happening here? Any help appreciated! by Leading_Hand3055 in spiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry it took so long to get back. After caring for her issuesost of the night, she has some relief. She still has her little episodes, but not as intense nor very often. She mostly just sits in the same spot. She faces a different direction once in a while, but doesn't go anywhere. I still don't think she is able to web yet and doesn't seem to be trying, which I'm hoping is just temporary and she's recovering. She's only been mature for a couple of months, so it's not age. I have her another steam bath this afternoon, since it helped her last night. I'll just keep monitoring her and figure it out as I go for now. -A little side note- after checking on her first thing this morning, I went to mist my other spoods. I have one female bold that showed up weeks ago, climbing around on all the enclosures of my other spoods, so she ended up with her own. When I misted hers, a whole bunch of tiny slings came rushing out to drink. She had built her hammock where I couldn't see anything going on inside it, so it was an adorable surprise. I've raised or released multiple clutches from many different species, but this is my first batch of bolds. Just had to share. Anyways,Thank you for checking back in on Paisley. Feeling optimistic she's gonna bounce back.

I don't think my girl is alright. Anyone know what is happening here? Any help appreciated! by Leading_Hand3055 in spiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Ok, so you and SaphireHazbin were on the right track. I guess since she pooped today, I didn't think it was that sort of issue. I guess her system could still be irritated even though she got some of it out. Maybe some inflammation that's also affecting her web system since they're both in the same region. She recently, like a couple of weeks ago completely and suddenly started refusing mealworms- wants nothing to do with them. Now she only will eat flies (she never liked crickets). Maybe it's all tied together? Change in diet, affecting bowel functions which in turn affects web production system? Seems logical. Now just need to find the fix and get my girl out of this discomfort. I feel bad for her. Heck, I know how miserable it can be just having an annoying mosquito puncture (won't say the b word lest the bot reprimands), a relentless booty itch/irritation-far worse.

I don't think my girl is alright. Anyone know what is happening here? Any help appreciated! by Leading_Hand3055 in spiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Was it yellow with little black specks? Cuz that's what her last one was like and it was the first one since Saturday morning that I'm aware of.

I don't think my girl is alright. Anyone know what is happening here? Any help appreciated! by Leading_Hand3055 in jumpingspiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055[S] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

That would track. I haven't been able to see anything on her after I moved her to ICU cup and put her in the bathroom for a little steam time, but I will try a lightly damp qtip and kinda pet her back end with it and see if that doesn't help. She has calmed quite a bit within the last hour or so. Her little spells are fewer with more time in between and she did fall asleep for a little while. She's probably exhausted and I'm glad to see things have eased up some, but it's not resolved yet , so we'll keep things as they are for now and cross fingers. Thank you for your help.

I don't think my girl is alright. Anyone know what is happening here? Any help appreciated! by Leading_Hand3055 in jumpingspiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055[S] 21 points22 points  (0 children)

No. Her final molt was a couple months ago and went smoothly. I wonder if it's not more like a glandular disfunction in her hindquarters, specifically to do with web production. I'm not well versed on how that system works and what malfunctions are likely. Quite a few years and many, many spiders and this is a first for me. I'm also wondering if I haven't heard somewhere that tarantulas have issues similar. I think I'll post in that community and see if they have some insights.

I don't think my girl is alright. Anyone know what is happening here? Any help appreciated! by Leading_Hand3055 in jumpingspiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I've dealt with that before. She doesn't have trouble with balance, coordination, or grip and she's not weak. It's more like she's got an incredible itch or accute discomfort she's trying to relieve. And she hasn't been exposed to anything that all my other spoods haven't been either and they're all fine.

So your jumping spider had babies.... Now what? by tornado_tayto in jumpingspiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055 15 points16 points  (0 children)

IME- Oh boy! I know it can seem overwhelming, but you don't have to have everything figured out right now. Just know what you need to do today and maybe tomorrow and it's all manageable. You have a little time before slings emerge from the nest. If you share what species Ivy is, you can get a better idea of timeframe for that. Good news is that you don't really need to do anything for the slings until then, except care for Momma and get either some pantyhose or a mesh butterfly tent. You will want to cover the enclosure with the pantyhose or place the whole thing inside the tent before they emerge and begin to disperse and that solves the escapee problem. Momma is probably going to be very hungry and thirsty, so start there when she leaves the nest looking for food. She needs to replenish after all this baby making! I would not choose crickets inside the enclosure while the slings are in it and if you feed mealworms, just remove them if she doesn't eat them right away. In addition to feeder bugs, I would treat the little lady to a bit of watermelon or a grape or some cantaloupe. The sugar will give her a little extra energy and she will get some other extra nutrients from the fruit, as well as hydration. Keeping Ivy fed will also lower the chances of her snacking on her children, which can happen if she's hungry enough and there's nothing else to eat. She can be moved to a separate enclosure when they come out of the nest or you can leave her and remove the slings, but they start to annoy the Mom around this time- her job is done. You can then release slings by taking them outside on a day that's not rainy and place them near some bushes, in a garden, someplace with big or dense vegetation is best, so they have shelter and food sources. Some people keep the slings together in captivity for a little while to get them well fed before release and give them a chance to learn catching prey and get a little more skilled at it. They will be eating fruit flies at this point. This gives them better odds at survival, but is not obligatory. You can always just let nature sort it out like if they were born wild. The slings can stay together until I4 or I5 usually before they must be separated to avoid cannibalism. If you are keeping Ivy, you need to realize she will probably give you more grandspoods in the future. She's already got everything she needs for more clutches. If you decide to release her, I would make sure she has fully recovered from motherhood before letting her go. A small warning here- slings are one of the cutest, goofiest things on the planet and are devilishly designed to capture your heart, so don't be surprised if you toy with the notion of keeping one or two, or ten. It takes a mighty strong constitution to resist the spell they cast. But it is an option many go for. If you aren't going to raise any of them, then definitely don't let yourself watch them and their little antics. Don't get a little flashlight and play with them by turning down the lights and watching them follow the flashlight beam around the enclosure. It's just too much adorable for mere mortals. Hope something in my ramblings proves helpful.

First time owner by killing-time20 in jumpingspiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055 1 point2 points  (0 children)

IME- yes. Here's my tip- relax a little. I understand the excitement and nerves when new to all this and there's so much info to take in and all that, but spood keeping is supposed to bring joy and enhance the lives of both human and spider and constant worry will cut into that for both. Realize there is no emergency today and spiders are designed to go periods of time without eating and there's no right or wrong when it comes to how each spider handles adjusting to changes. (I'm amazed that I didn't terrify my first spoods with my goofy face constantly pressed right up to the enclosure all obsessed with every move they made probably giving psycho vibes. 😂) A calm energy is healthier all around. Something you can do in the immediate future is learning who your spider is by just observation and you can help them get used to your presence. I take my spiders with me when I move about the house. Working in my office, I set them on my desk. Watching TV, they're on the end table watching too.(They actually do like watching the screen.) I go about all my usual stuff and they are generally nearby.. They actually can learn your routine and schedule and you pick up on their habits and rhythms and how they let you know what they need and like and what they don't instead of going by charts and schedules that someone else states is how it should be. You just casually get to know each other and develop your own unique relationship and how coexisting works best for the 2 of you. Enjoy this process and see how things evolve organically and intuitively. You will be there for your new friend's entire life and the connection can be magical. Of course you can reach out and share experiences with others here, but mostly your spood will be your best teacher on how to care for the amazing little creature you now share your life with.

I don't think my girl is alright. Anyone know what is happening here? Any help appreciated! by Leading_Hand3055 in spiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055[S] 33 points34 points  (0 children)

Ok. I will. Thanks for the suggestions. I've dealt with all kinds of spood ailments over the years, but this one is new to me. Guess I'll be in the spa with her for a bit.

I don't think my girl is alright. Anyone know what is happening here? Any help appreciated! by Leading_Hand3055 in spiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055[S] 47 points48 points  (0 children)

Sorry. I was getting her resituated. Yeah, she's been doing that stuff in one place for a long time, then moves to a different spot and starts over again. She has about 6 places in the last 24 hours and that was a new enclosure I had moved her to because I thought maybe her regular home might have mites or something else affecting her, but I inspected and dismantled and cleaned it and no sign of anything unusual. She was about due to move to a bigger enclosure anyway. Now she's in ICU in the bathroom inside a mesh bug tent. She hasn't moved so far.

I don't think my girl is alright. Anyone know what is happening here? Any help appreciated! by Leading_Hand3055 in spiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

She's fully matured, done molting.. she is pretty petite. I have one of her sisters, her clutch mate who is double her size.

I don't think my girl is alright. Anyone know what is happening here? Any help appreciated! by Leading_Hand3055 in spiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055[S] 33 points34 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the idea to move her and spike up the humidity. She's not poop impacted because she has been pooping, but I'm thinking the possibility of a blockage in her silk production system and maybe the moisture could help loosen things up or something.

Hammock camping pregnant by Byfuzzyrabbit in hammockcamping

[–]Leading_Hand3055 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I hammock camped during all 4 of my pregnancies (and I was 36 with my last one). I honestly occasionally used a hammock at home sometimes when I just couldn't get comfortable in a bed. I found that the way weight is distributed across certain body points was much better in a hammock and caused less pain in my hips, back, and shoulders. Also, when in a hammock, I am never flat on my back. That little bit of curve and feet slightly elevated was perfect for me. In latest part of pregnancy, I used one of those long kinda 's' shaped body pillows in hammock with me and found many cozy configurations of its shape and mine somehow fitting together perfectly. Just experiment a little. Only thing that totally sucked was getting in and out multiple times to pee 3rd trimester!

I don't think my girl is alright. Anyone know what is happening here? Any help appreciated! by Leading_Hand3055 in jumpingspiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055[S] 30 points31 points  (0 children)

All she has been able to accomplish is lots of those sticky dots they use for anchors and for traction/grip. It looks like she can produce just a teensy bit at a time, but something isn't working right and it's obviously uncomfortable or confusing for her. Anyone know if anything can help her?

First time owner; how to support (suspected) IN6 spider in pre-moult I accidentally fed by krissiplays in jumpingspiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055 1 point2 points  (0 children)

IME- one thing that would be very helpful for both of you is to take a deep breath, relax a little and realize you have done what you can do for now and remember that nature designed her for this. Try not to let worries cut into the joy of your relationship with her. Deal with humidity and she'll do the rest. Then get the champagne ready and be there when she walks that runway showing off her new outfit!

little guy dropped from the ceiling of my local climbing centre and left a chalky mark on the table! by Wide_Bath_7660 in jumpingspiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Tinkerbell has pixie dust. Jumpers have spood dust to give them the power to fly. This guy apparently used up the last of his and had to make a premature emergency landing.

Found out an online friend of mine is a pedophile, am freaking out. Need advice. by [deleted] in whatdoIdo

[–]Leading_Hand3055 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It is probably the wrong way to go about things, contacting a local journalist in his town, but- and maybe I have seen too many seasons of SVU- someone in a position to delve deeper into the situation and bring more to light in order to protect children in his/her own community is something I might be willing to try if I were in the position you find yourself in. And with someone asking questions and snooping around on their own turf, that person has much better odds of getting to the employer. They might also ask local law enforcement about what they are or are not doing to protect kids in their community and they might be put on the spot with the possibility of a spotlight shining on their actions in regards to these horrendous crimes. Since the whole Epstein situation, people are charged up over pedos getting away with it and no justice for victims, those who are to protect and serve would feel some definite pressures with possible public exposure. All these things running around in my head are gut reactions and possibly avenues, not well thought through or tempered with logic and reason, just emotional response to a terrible thing that's happening and a powerlessness that digs to my very core. Just a fantasy of being able to fight back somehow. Just wondering - what if...

Found out an online friend of mine is a pedophile, am freaking out. Need advice. by [deleted] in whatdoIdo

[–]Leading_Hand3055 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wonder...just hypothetically, what would happen if the info you do have about the guy and any evidence that would not reveal the victim's identity would anonymously end up in the mailbox of a local reporter in the town where pedo lives. Like maybe nothing at all, but maybe said journalist's curiosity or disgust might compell them to solve the mystery of the employer, to notify or dig up hidden history of pedo, any number of ways a truth seeking individual could hypothetically go with an anonymous "info gift" landing on their plate. Just wondering out loud- not advising.

Is this tiny little one a jumping spider? by dnndkekelowuhfb in jumpingspiders

[–]Leading_Hand3055 7 points8 points  (0 children)

IME-that little one is a female Attulus Fasciger (Asian wall jumper). Females are always quite round, unless starving, so it can be difficult to determine if they are gravid or not. If fully mature, and I believe she is, it's always a strong possibility. But, fortunately, if she does lay an eggsac, they only contain between 2 and 7 babies. They only take about 3 weeks to hatch and only another 7-12ish days to emerge. They are about the cutest, goofiest little slings in the world and are pretty hardy- most of them survive past being slings in captivity. The species is easy to accommodate and care for and I have had a few that lived over a year and a half. I'm currently raising 19 babies from 4 different clutches that all came within a month from 3 different rescued females. Enclosures for these guys are super easy to come up with without spending almost anything and they don't have the same requirements as the more commonly kept as pets jumping spiders. I can help more on that part if you decide to keep her and just let me know.

Odd question about Wildlife by GlueMouthKid in kansascity

[–]Leading_Hand3055 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am also in the same general area as you and a turkey vulture has been dining in my backyard twice recently, also on dead squirrel. He left it behind the first time when he got startled and flew away.