The Care and Feeding of Slings.

This guide outlines my method for raising my spiderlings, focusing on moving them from communal to individual housing and providing food and habitat maintenance. Remember, this is what works for me; feel free to adapt it to your own needs.  Also this guide is for informational purposes and geared toward regal Jumping spiders.  

Initial Housing and Feeding

• I started my spiderlings in a large communal cup until I observed signs of bullying or cannibalism.

• Once this occurred, I separated them into groups based on size. They seem to benefit from hunting in groups.

• For the initial housing, I used a clean, clear 32 oz container.

• Gently mist the container and offer Melanogaster fruit flies.

• It's important to clean out dead flies daily.

Ventilation and Access

• I created a small feeding hole in the lid of the deli cups using an old frosting tip. I covered this hole with painters tape, folding a piece over the hole, sticky sides together, to prevent the flies from escaping.

• I also poked ventilation holes around the tops of the containers using a thumb tack. Be sure to poke from the inside out to eliminate sharp edges within the cup.

• To manage the fruit flies easily, I recommend temporarily putting them in the fridge for 30 minutes to 8 hours. Then, use a funnel and a condiment bottle (found at places like Walmart) to transfer them from their large culture container to the smaller bottle, which makes dispensing them easier. Tap the condiment bottle to help the flies move. Use the bottle to dispense the flies through the hole in the cup, then re-tape the hole.

Transitioning to Smaller Housing

• Next, I moved them into 16 oz cups.

• Instead of misting and risking drowning, I used a large, slightly damp oval cotton pad for humidity.

• When moving them, I began labeling the cups to track their progress.

• I moved them one last time into 4 oz deli cups when they began to molt. This size made it easier to track the molts and the timing.

Habitat Maintenance and Tools

• Change the cotton pad at least every other day.

• In the small 4 oz cups, you can add half a pipe cleaner for climbing and anchorage. Make sure to either glue or fold the ends so they are not sharp. I poke the pipe cleaner through the holes in the cup and bend the ends so they don't slip out.

• A paint brush and tweezers are helpful tools. Tweezers help pick out dead flies, and a paint brush is a very effective and gentle way to move the babies.

Final Advice

• Expect some losses. It's a natural part of the process and why spiders have large clutches. It is not your fault.

• You will receive a lot of advice, some of it conflicting. Do what works best for you. Consider this method a starting point and modify it as needed.

Good luck! Feel free to DM me if you have any questions.

Also, you will need distilled water and a fine mist spray bottle to dampen the cotton pads. Make sure the pads are just damp, not fully soaked.

UPDATE:  (03//29/2026)  I am now halfway through my second wave of slings.  This one consists of 4 clutches and about a total of 150 slings.  So this time instead of using the 32 ounce cup and the 16 ounce cup, I pulled the bullies and the cannibals out. Immediately, as soon as I noticed it happening. I did keep some of the smaller babies in a communal cup because I felt they still needed each other.  I also stopped using the cotton pads as I realized that here in FL the babies didn’t need that much humidity.   

Please if you find yourself with a surprise from your female jumper, ask questions before euthanizing.  There are so many people around that are willing to help in so many different forms.  By here I mean social media.  I personally am on instagram,  Facebook, and Tiktok,

I will be updating here for those of you that want to follow along on this Jumping Journey with me.