1. Enclosure:

There are loads of options out there for jumping spider housing, but the most popular are acyclic enclosures.  They have cross-ventilation which is crucial to have for jumping spiders. Without extra ventilation at the sides, there is a big risk of mould build up, which can cause bacteria infections.  

Some people keep them in glass enclosures, which is fine as long as there is adequate ventilation. 

Size of enclosure is dependent on live stage and even type of jumping spiders. For example.....

A sling; Best to be housed in a small deli cup so it can find food easily. 
A sub or pre sub adult; Can be housed in a 15-20cm accylic cube.
An adult; You can go above and beyond with your enclosure when they are adults. Still, it is best not to have an overly tall enclosure. I recommend 30cm max.  

Now, we have spoken about size of enclosure and types, let's discuss decor.  
Jumping spiders are very active, and love to climb and explore their environment. 

Here  is a list of decor needed:
1. Coccon hides; Allows them to hide. You can also get really awesome hexagon hides that can be attached to the side by magnents.
2. Rope ladder; Allows them to reach another part of the enclosure with ease. 
3. Small bamboo sticks for climbing 
4. Fake plants, flowers or leaves
5  Swing sets and jumping spider playgrounds( Optional): The cermaric or plastic sets you see aren't always practical but just to make the enclosure look pretty. There are some that do provide sutiable climbing ledges though. Personally, I do not have any of these at the moment, but would like to try one in the future.  Although, I believe they do not overly need them and love to hide in fake plants and leaves. I have one that loves to hide in some stunning, fake purple flowers.



2. Environment:

Humidity: Most jumping spiders will need high humdity( 70%) but some prefer slightly lower e.g the aplache Jumping spider and Phiddipus carneus, prefers 50%-60%.


Temperature: Mostly they require similar temperatures. During the day between 24-27 is acceptable, at night drop down to 22 to 23 but I wouldn't go any lower. Some people say 20 degrees is ok for them during the day but I personally feel this is too cold, especially for those from a hotter climate. You can use a low wattage basking light if you want to provide extra heat as well as light, but it can not be placed too close to the enclosure, otherwise it may burn through it or overheat your jumping spider. I heat my room or use a heat mat for my jumping spiders. I usually place the  heat mat next to them, rather underneath. 


Lighting: Jumping spiders are Diurnal, meaning they come out during the day. An  Led light  is required to allow them to exhibit their natural behaviour.  It also allows younger jumping spiders to moult more efficiently. You do not need something too expensive and complex, a simple desk light can be placed nearby. I use one I ordered from amazon.

Substrate: Some use Astro turf grass for jumping spiders but I personally would recommend soil, reptile soil would do just fine. You can do a bioactive setup( spring tails and drainage layer) or just have soil at the bottom with some sphagnum moss. The soil and sphagnum moss provide a more adequate humidity level. However, if your jumping spider requires less humidity , Astro grass could be a good substrate to use.  


Diet: 
Food choices are again based on age. This is what I suggest to feed your jumping spider below.

Small slings( I2-I3- Small frut flies, 2-3 everyday
I4-I8- Medium fruit fly
I9- I10( Basically adults)- Small/medium locusts or crickets.  Frequency of feeding will decrease to once a week. Do not overfeed or the abdomen can burst!


Handling: 
Handling Jumping Spiders is possible but I wouldn't advise holding them all the time as they are delicate and can get lost very easily due to their small size.

Some species are bigger than others but still there is a great risk of losing them.  I would keep handling to a minimum to reduce stress and risk of injury.

If you would like to handle your jumping spider, I would carefully use a small paintbrush to gently guide it onto your hand, or place your finger in front and it should climb onto your finger. Always try and hold them above an enclosure or tub so they do not get lost!

Behaviour:
Moulting: Like most inverts, jumping spiders shed their skin or moult in order to grow. They will typically go through  ten to eleven stages of growth ( otherwise known as instars). 

As a first instar( straight out the eggsack), they don't tend to eat livfeed, rather feed on the eggs they emerged from.  That is why I suggested i2 and I3 to be fed small fruit flies and there is no mention of i1,
To moult, they form a thick, large web, normally at the top of the enclosure and peel their skin from their body.  

During this time, it is crucial not to handle or feed them as this will disturb the moulting process. They will also need a few days to a week to harden their exoskeleton before being handled or fed. 

Humidity plays a vital role in ensuring your lovely jumping friend has a successful moult. Too little humidity could cause them to become stuck in the moult or to lose limbs( yes they could grow them back if they are a younger instar).  Similarly if there is too much humidity for a drier species this can also occur.

Also, the enclosure must be kept still, as movement could cause your little friend to fall and lead to an incomplete moult.  


Adult behaviour:
Knowing your gender of your jumping friend can be fairly easy. For example, in the Phiddipus Regius males, they often have green chelriae and are normally black and white, whereas females can range in colour. Colour of females depends on localties. For example, my female Phiddiupis Regius soroa is a fiery orange, but the Phiddupus Regius floridas are white.

Gender identifcation becomes more obvious when they fully mature. Males have fluffy tips on their pedipulps, otherwise known as the emboli for reproduction. The females have a small dot located on the adbomen, known as the epigyne.  


Normally very sweet an docile.  Adult females will be a bit more defensive when about to lay an eggsack( whether fertile or infertile), so during this time I would leave them be.





Jumping  Spider Species.

So, what species should you chose as a begginner Jumping spider keeper. There is many to chose from, but I highly recommend Phiddipus Regius, specifcally Phiddipus Regius Apahceolo