Defining Characteristics:

• Adult males are high-contrast black with white stripes and spots and big, T-posing front legs
• Females have a suffusion of bright orange and white scales on the top part of their abdomen
• Very fast growth rate—grows to be 1-1.25 inches
• Known to be a fairly docile species, and spends a lot of time out of its hides
• When they are not frightened, this species can be very curious and outgoing

Name: Phidippus regius is commonly known as the Regal Jumping Spider. 

Recommended Enclosure Size & Setup: Regal jumping spiders are an arboreal species. The surface area of the enclosure should be no less than four times the spider's diagonal leg span in width and length and six times the diagonal leg span in height.

The enclosure should be tall enough to accommodate a couple of inches of substrate. ABG mix, coco cradle, and Dig-It are all good substrate options for this species, but our Arachnid Team prefers ABG all the way!

They will benefit from a variety of terrarium furniture (cork bark, manzanita wood, etc.) as well foliage (live or artificial) to climb on and to hide behind. Live plants can be beneficial to air quality. 

Temperature (°F): This species thrives in the mid 70s to mid 80s, so a temperature of 75° is ideal. Temperatures regularly dipping below 65 or spiking above 90 degrees should be avoided.

A reliable thermometer is strongly recommended.

Humidity: These spiders thrive in a relatively humid environment, so the recommended ambient humidity should stay between 50% and 70%. This can be achieved by making sure the substrate is always somewhat damp.

The enclosure sides and décor should be spritzed lightly around 2 times a week to provide your spiderling droplets to drink from, but do not spray your spider directly.

A reliable hygrometer is strongly recommended to monitor humidity within the enclosure.

Size: At the time of sale, this animal will be at least 1/8 of an inch. Females can grow to be 1 to 1.25 inches, and typically the males are a bit smaller. We use diagonal leg span to measure our spiders.

Age: Before making this species available to our customers, we ensure that they are well-established. This means that these spiders have molted to a minimum of fourth instar and will have hatched two to three months prior to being listed for sale.

For spiders that we have not produced in house, we like to get two to three solid feedings in as well as the aforementioned minimums. They go through a 2 week minimum quarantine process to ensure the health of the animal.

For this species, the average lifespan is 1-2 years when provided an adequate environment and diet.

Feeding: At the time of sale, this animal is eating hydei or melanogaster fruit flies once to twice a week. Prey items should be not much larger than the size of the spider’s abdomen, and grow in size as the animal does. 

Remove uneaten prey items after 24 hours as these may stress your animal out or endanger the spider during molting. Never attempt to feed a freshly molted spider less than a week after their molt to prevent injury to the spider. Depending on the spider's age, the hardening process could take 48 hours to 1 week.

Sexing: Due to their age, these regal jumping spiders sold by Josh’s Frogs are unsexed. 

Coloration/Patterning: Adult males of Phidippus regius are always black with alternating black and white fringes on the first pair of legs. On the top of the abdomen, from the “head” are a white band, a central triangular white spot, and a pair of oval white spots. The paired fang housings are enlarged and are an iridescent green, blue, or violet. The first legs of males approaching maturity are bigger, beefier, and look like they are T-Posing. 

Females may have the same color pattern as males, but usually females have the black dorsal areas of the body covered with colored scales. In the case of this bloodline, there is a suffusion of orange on white. The fang housings are either iridescent green or pinkish purple. This is more subtle than in males because the fang housings on females are usually covered by their bushy pedipalps. Females also have four tufts of “hair” in the region of the top row of eyes. Males lack these tufts.

Social Behavior: Jumping spiders are not a sociable animal and should be housed as individuals. Attempts at cohabitation will likely result in cannibalism.

Natural Range: Regal jumping spiders are native to southeastern United States, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Greater Antilles, and have been introduced to Easter Island.

Still not sure if Regal Jumping Spiders from Josh's Frogs are the right pet arachnid for you? Read the reviews below and see what other customers are saying!