The first few days with a new spider are the most critical for establishing trust — and the most commonly mishandled. What feels like care to you can feel like threat to them.
📦 Day One: Leave Them Alone
Your spider has just experienced: a catch, a container, transport vibrations, temperature fluctuations, and a completely unfamiliar space. The most important thing you can do on day one is nothing. Do not handle. Do not rearrange the enclosure. Do not tap the glass to get a reaction.
Place the spider in its new enclosure, ensure it has access to moisture (a light mist on one wall), and walk away for at least 24 hours.
Your spider will begin building a hammock within 24–48 hours of introduction if it feels secure. A hammock being built is a positive sign — it means the spider is settling in and feels safe enough to invest in a home structure.
📆 The First Week
Offer food on day 2 or 3 — but don’t be concerned if it’s refused. A newly arrived spider may not feed for up to a week. As long as the abdomen remains round and the spider is alert during daylight hours, this is normal. Forcing feeding attempts creates stress and can result in injury.
Keep new arrivals completely isolated from any other spiders you keep. Jumping spiders are solitary; any contact is stressful. Cross-contamination of pathogens is also a real risk with new acquisitions, even from reputable breeders.
🤝 Building the Relationship
Start spending time near the enclosure without opening it. Sit at the same level and move slowly. Your spider will begin to visually catalogue you as a non-threat. This visual familiarisation process is what makes jumping spiders so interactive — they are genuinely learning what you look like and how you move.