Phidippus regius, the regal jumping spider, is the most popular pet jumping spider in the hobby, and for good reason. It combines a calm, curious temperament with genuinely simple care requirements, and it rewards patient keepers with behavior you rarely see from any invertebrate: it will actually watch you back.
If you are new to keeping spiders, this is the species to start with. If you are already keeping jumping spiders, this guide covers everything from basic enclosure specs to color morphs, molting emergencies, and sexing your spider before you name it. Either way, you are in the right place.
Key Takeaways
- Adults need a vertical enclosure of at minimum 20 x 20 x 30 cm (roughly 8 x 8 x 12 in), with strong cross-ventilation on two sides.
- Keep daytime temperatures at 24-28 °C (75-82 °F). Mist one corner every 2-3 days and let the other side dry out completely.
- Feed adults every 3-5 days. Prey should be no longer than half the spider’s body length. Remove uneaten prey within 24 hours.
- Food refusal, a thickened hammock, and a duller abdomen all signal a moult is coming. Pull all prey and increase misting slightly.
- Females live 1.5-3 years; males 9-15 months. Both make excellent pets.
- A shrivelled, raisin-like abdomen is the single most important dehydration warning to learn.
- P. regius comes in several color morphs (standard, white, orange, bicolor). Husbandry is identical across all morphs.
Regal Jumping Spider: Care at a Glance
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Adult body length | 12-22 mm (females larger) |
| Lifespan, female | 1.5-3 years |
| Lifespan, male | 9-15 months |
| Enclosure minimum (adult) | 20 x 20 x 30 cm (W x D x H) |
| Daytime temperature | 24-28 °C (75-82 °F) |
| Night low | No lower than 18 °C (65 °F) |
| Ambient humidity | 50-65% |
| Misting schedule | One corner every 2-3 days |
| Feeding frequency, adult | Every 3-5 days |
| Lighting | 10-12 hours per day |
| Experience level | Beginner |
| Cohabitation | Never: solitary and territorial |
This table is the quick answer. Every number below has the reasoning behind it.
What Is a Phidippus Regius?
Phidippus regius is the largest jumping spider native to the eastern United States. Wild populations are concentrated in the southeastern US (Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas) and extend through the Caribbean and into parts of Central America. Arachnologist Carl Ludwig Koch first formally described the species in 1846, and it has been a fixture in the invertebrate hobby for decades.
Unlike web-building spiders, P. regius is an active visual predator. It uses four large, forward-facing principal eyes for depth perception and sharp focus, and four secondary eyes arranged around its cephalothorax for wide-angle motion detection. Researchers at the University of Cincinnati, including arachnologist Elizabeth Jakob, have documented the species’ remarkable spatial memory and problem-solving ability. These are not passive animals.
At maturity, females reach 15-22 mm in body length and are the larger sex. Males measure 12-18 mm but make up for their smaller size with dramatic iridescent chelicerae (the fang-bearing mouthparts) that flash green or electric blue in the right light. Both sexes are diurnal, active during the day and sleeping at night, which makes them far more engaging as display animals than most nocturnal invertebrates.
Color morphs
Wild-type P. regius have a black base coat with white spots and banding. Selectively bred morphs in the hobby include:
- Standard (wild-type): Black with white markings, green or blue iridescent chelicerae in males.
- White morph: Predominantly white or pale grey body. The most visually striking and typically the most expensive.
- Orange morph: Warm orange tones on the opisthosoma (abdomen), occasionally extending to the cephalothorax.
- Bicolor / piebald: Mixed patches of standard and white coloration.
Husbandry is identical across every morph. Choose based on personal preference and budget. Do not pay a morph premium expecting a spider with a different temperament.
Enclosure Setup
Getting the enclosure right is the single most important thing you will do for this spider. Most beginner problems, including chronic stress, food refusal, and mould, trace back to an enclosure that is too small, too stuffy, or oriented incorrectly.
Size and orientation
P. regius is arboreal. It builds its hammock (a small silk retreat) near the top of its enclosure and spends most of its active time climbing, basking, and scanning from elevated positions. Height matters far more than floor footprint.
| Life stage | Minimum enclosure (W x D x H) |
|---|---|
| Spiderling (instars 1-3) | 8 x 8 x 12 cm |
| Juvenile (instars 4-6) | 12 x 12 x 20 cm |
| Sub-adult / adult | 20 x 20 x 30 cm |
Going larger than the minimum is always fine. Going smaller creates a stressed spider and makes a humidity gradient impossible to maintain. The enclosure setup guide has more detail on frame types and conversion options if you are retrofitting an existing container.
Ventilation
Cross-ventilation is non-negotiable. You need airflow entering on one side and exiting on another. The two setups that work consistently are:
- Mesh lid plus two or more side vents
- Mesh front panel plus mesh top
Solid-lid enclosures with a single mesh panel trap stagnant air. Stagnant air encourages the mould and fungal growth that kill spiders far more reliably than any husbandry mistake. Check out our top enclosure picks for models with proven ventilation.
Substrate
Lay 3-5 cm of substrate on the floor. Coconut fibre (coco coir) and sphagnum moss are both excellent choices; a 50/50 mix holds moisture without becoming waterlogged. Substrate serves two functions: it buffers humidity, and it cushions falls. P. regius is an enthusiastic jumper and will occasionally misjudge a landing.
Décor and climbing surfaces
The spider needs anchor points to build its hammock between. Recommended options:
- Cork bark rounds or flats: Natural, easy to wipe down, mould-resistant.
- Dried or artificial plants: Silk plants provide realistic texture without the watering complexity of live plants.
- Bamboo skewers or thin branches: The spider will often choose two parallel vertical sticks as hammock anchors.
Position one piece of décor in the upper third of the enclosure. That is almost certainly where the hammock will be built. The lower half can be sparser.
Temperature, Humidity, and Lighting
Temperature
P. regius originates from subtropical climates and thrives at 24-28 °C (75-82 °F) during the day. Most people keeping them in a heated home at temperate latitudes need no additional heat source. If your home dips below 18 °C (65 °F) in winter, a heat mat on the side of the enclosure (never underneath, as direct bottom heat cooks substrate) on a thermostat is the simplest fix. Always confirm temperature with a digital thermometer.
Humidity and misting
The correct technique is a gradient, not a swamp. Mist one corner, or a clump of sphagnum moss in one corner, every 2-3 days. Let the other side dry completely between mistings. Your spider will move to whichever zone suits it. This approach prevents the two most common humidity mistakes: over-misting the whole enclosure (leading to mould and respiratory issues) and never misting at all (leading to dehydration, which shows up as a shrivelled abdomen).
Ambient humidity around 50-65% is the target. You do not need a hygrometer if you follow the misting routine consistently. Small water droplets on the enclosure wall after misting also double as drinking water. It is normal and healthy to see your spider walk to the glass and drink.
If you ever see a shrivelled, raisin-like abdomen, increase misting frequency immediately. The dehydration guide has a step-by-step recovery protocol.
Lighting
P. regius needs light to hunt. Their principal eyes are tuned for bright daytime conditions, and a dark enclosure produces a spider that hides continuously and refuses food. Aim for 10-12 hours of light per day from any LED strip or desk lamp positioned above or in front of the enclosure.
P. regius does not require UVB to survive in captivity. Some keepers report that low-level UVB encourages more active basking and display behaviour, but it is optional. A basic daylight-spectrum LED is sufficient. Set a timer for consistency.
Feeding Your Phidippus Regius
Feeding time is the best part of keeping this species. A healthy, alert P. regius will spot prey from across the enclosure, freeze, stalk it in a slow deliberate arc, and then launch with extraordinary precision. If you are seeing this behaviour, everything is going right.
What to feed
The rule for prey size is simple: no longer than half the spider’s body length. Prey that is too large can injure a spider or cause enough stress to trigger prolonged food refusal.
| Life stage | Recommended feeders |
|---|---|
| Spiderling (instars 1-2) | Drosophila melanogaster (small flightless fruit flies), springtails |
| Juvenile (instars 3-5) | Drosophila hydei (large flightless fruit flies), small crickets |
| Sub-adult / adult | Crickets, dubia roaches, blue bottle flies, waxworms (occasional treat only) |
A varied diet produces healthier spiders than a single feeder. Rotate between crickets, roaches, and flies if you can. Gutload your feeders for at least 24 hours before offering them. Fresh leafy greens, carrots, and commercial gutload mix all work. This is a small step with a meaningful impact on nutritional quality.
Mealworms can be used but are higher in fat and lower in moisture than other options. Waxworms are a treat, not a staple. The full breakdown is in the feeding guide.
How often to feed
| Life stage | Feeding frequency |
|---|---|
| Spiderling | Every 1-2 days |
| Juvenile | Every 2-3 days |
| Adult | Every 3-5 days |
These are starting points. A spider approaching a moult will often stop eating 1-2 weeks before the moult itself. A spider that has just moulted needs 48-72 hours before its mouthparts harden enough to eat safely. If your spider is refusing food outside of a clear pre-moult context, the not-eating troubleshooting guide covers the most common causes.
Always remove uneaten prey within 24 hours. A cricket left in the enclosure can and will chew on a resting or freshly moulted spider. This is one of the most preventable causes of injury in captivity.
Molting: What to Expect
Every growth stage requires a moult. P. regius moults approximately 9 times across its life: roughly every 3-4 weeks when young, with longer gaps as it matures. The maturation moult (the final moult to adulthood) is the longest pre-moult period of all, sometimes preceded by 3-6 weeks of food refusal.
The molting guide covers the full process in detail. Here is what you need to know as an owner.
Signs a moult is coming
- Spider retreats into its hammock and stops coming out, even for prey
- Abdomen looks darker or duller than usual
- Food refusal for 1-2 weeks or longer
- Hammock becomes noticeably thicker and more opaque
What to do
- Remove all live prey from the enclosure immediately.
- Increase misting slightly: once per day near (not on) the hammock.
- Do not tap the glass, do not open the enclosure unnecessarily, and do not try to “check” on the spider by prodding the hammock.
- Wait. The actual moult takes 15-45 minutes. Post-moult hardening takes 48-72 hours.
After the spider emerges and you can see it moving freely, wait another 48-72 hours before offering the first meal. The new exoskeleton needs time to fully harden.
Dysecdysis (stuck moult)
A stuck moult is when the spider cannot fully extract itself from the old exoskeleton. This is a medical emergency and the most common cause is insufficient humidity during the moult period.
If you see a spider half-emerged and not progressing:
- Gently mist the spider and old skin with a fine mist. Do not spray hard.
- Do not attempt to pull the old skin away manually.
- If the spider is not progressing after several hours, contact an exotic vet.
Prevention is straightforward: keep up the misting routine in the weeks before the moult. A well-hydrated spider in an adequately humid enclosure almost never has a stuck moult.
Handling and Temperament
By the standards of any arachnid, P. regius is remarkably tolerant of human interaction. Many individuals become genuinely curious about their keepers: they will track your face through the glass, approach a hand placed in their enclosure voluntarily, and spend time exploring rather than fleeing. That said, tolerance varies between individuals, and it is earned over time, not guaranteed from day one.
The handling guide covers the full technique in detail, but here are the essentials.
Starting out
Open the enclosure and place your hand flat on the floor of it, low and still. Do not reach for the spider. Let it come to you. If it does not approach, close up and try again tomorrow. A spider that is warm, recently fed (but not just fed, wait at least an hour), and in bright light is more likely to be curious.
Once the spider walks onto your hand, move slowly. Keep initial sessions to 5-10 minutes. Always work over a soft surface. A fall from your hand to a hard floor is far more dangerous than any bite.
Bites
A bite from P. regius is possible but uncommon and not medically significant for most healthy adults. The sensation is typically described as similar to a light bee sting and resolves within minutes to an hour. Bites almost always happen when a spider is forcibly restrained or grabbed. Never pick up a spider that is clearly trying to move away. Read the spider’s body language: a spider that turns to face you is curious; a spider that flattens, raises its front legs, or runs is telling you it is not interested right now.
For a full risk breakdown, see do jumping spiders bite.
Sexing Your Phidippus Regius
Knowing sex helps set expectations for lifespan, behaviour, and long-term planning. The sexing guide at jumping spider male or female covers juvenile sexing by epigynum spot. Here are the adult indicators.
Males: Smaller overall (12-18 mm), with proportionally large chelicerae that display vivid iridescent green or blue. At maturity, male P. regius develop palpal bulbs: enlarged, distinctly swollen structures at the tips of the pedipalps (the short leg-like appendages near the mouth). This is the definitive indicator. Mature males also tend to have a slimmer, more cylindrical abdomen.
Females: Larger (15-22 mm), with less dramatic cheliceral coloration. The abdomen is typically rounder and fuller. Females do not develop palpal bulbs. They can live well past their final moult and are often the calmer, longer-lived sex.
Both sexes are excellent pets. Males are often described as slightly bolder and more restless; females as calmer and more settled in their behaviour. Lifespan is the main practical difference: females offer 1.5-3 years, males 9-15 months.
Color Morphs
P. regius is one of the few jumping spider species with an established selective-breeding program in the pet hobby. The morphs available change as breeders develop new lines, but the main established variants are:
| Morph | Description | Relative availability |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (wild-type) | Black with white markings | Most common, lowest cost |
| White / snow | White to pale silver body | Common in hobby, moderately priced |
| Orange | Warm orange abdomen, sometimes full-body | Less common |
| Bicolor / piebald | Patchy mix of standard and white | Variable, depends on breeder |
| Melanistic | Very dark, reduced patterning | Rare |
Every morph is the same species with the same husbandry needs. Premium morph pricing reflects selective breeding effort, not a harder-to-keep animal. If this is your first spider, start with a standard or white morph from a reputable breeder and spend the saved budget on a quality enclosure.
Common Health Issues
Most health problems in P. regius are preventable with consistent husbandry. These are the issues worth knowing.
Dehydration: A shrivelled, raisin-like abdomen is the main signal. A healthy abdomen looks round and full. Increase misting frequency immediately. Dehydration makes moulting dangerous and is the underlying cause of many dysecdysis cases. See the dehydration guide.
Dysecdysis (stuck moult): Covered in the molting section above. Prevention: consistent misting before and during pre-moult.
Mites: Small, fast-moving dots on the spider’s body or enclosure floor. Not all mites are harmful (some species are predatory and prey on harmful mites), but mites on the spider itself warrant identification. Do not treat blindly. Post in the Arachnoboards forums or consult an experienced keeper for identification before doing anything.
Oral nematodes: Worm-like parasites visible around the chelicerae or mouth. Uncommon but serious. This requires an exotic vet, not home treatment.
Abdominal rupture: A fall from height onto a hard surface can rupture the abdomen. It is usually fatal. Maintain soft substrate and always handle over a padded surface. This is the most common reason healthy juveniles die suddenly.
Lethargy and floor-sitting: A spider found sitting on the enclosure floor (rather than climbing) and moving weakly is showing serious warning signs. If this is not clearly pre-moult behaviour, do not wait. See the sick jumping spider guide and contact an exotic vet.
FAQ
How big do Phidippus regius get?
Adult females reach 15-22 mm in body length. Adult males are smaller at 12-18 mm. Females are the larger sex in this species, a common pattern in spiders. P. regius is the largest native jumping spider species in the eastern United States. When you add the leg span, an adult female looks considerably larger than the body measurement alone suggests.
How long do regal jumping spiders live?
Females typically live 1.5-3 years in captivity under good care. Males live shorter lives at 9-15 months, with the lifespan beginning from their final (maturation) moult rather than from hatching. The lifespan guide covers how temperature, diet, and genetics influence longevity.
Are regal jumping spiders good pets?
Yes, and they are consistently rated among the best invertebrate pets for beginners. They are active during the day, small enough to keep in a compact space, inexpensive to feed, curious rather than shy, and do not have the medically significant venom of many other arachnid species. The main investment is time: regular feeding, consistent misting, and learning to read the spider’s pre-moult behaviour. See are jumping spiders good pets for a fuller breakdown.
Do regal jumping spiders bite?
Bites are rare and not medically significant for most healthy adults. When bites do occur, they typically feel similar to a light bee sting and resolve within minutes to an hour. Bites almost always result from a spider being grabbed or restrained. A P. regius that is given the choice to retreat will almost never bite. Children, people with venom allergies, and immunocompromised individuals should exercise additional caution.
Do regal jumping spiders need UVB lighting?
No, UVB is not required for P. regius in captivity. They will thrive under standard LED lighting on a 10-12 hour cycle. Some keepers report that low-level UVB (2.0 or equivalent) encourages more active basking and display behaviour, but controlled studies confirming a physiological benefit are limited. If you want to add UVB, it will not harm the spider. If you skip it, the spider will be fine.
Can two regal jumping spiders live together?
No. P. regius is solitary and territorial. Cohabiting two P. regius in the same enclosure will almost certainly result in one spider killing and eating the other. Even temporary contact during handling carries risk if both spiders are on the same hand at the same time. The only exception is a controlled, supervised breeding pairing, covered in the breeding guide. Even then, the female must be separated immediately after mating.
How do I tell if my regal jumping spider is male or female?
Adult males are smaller and have large iridescent chelicerae plus visibly swollen palpal bulbs at the tips of the pedipalps. Adult females are larger, rounder in the abdomen, and lack palpal bulbs. In juveniles, the presence or absence of an epigynum (a small dark spot on the underside of the abdomen) can be used for early sexing, typically from around the 4th or 5th instar onward. The sexing guide has photos and step-by-step instructions.
Where to Get a Phidippus Regius
Captive-bred P. regius from a reputable breeder is strongly preferred over wild-caught specimens. Captive-bred spiders are parasite-screened, already accustomed to captive prey items, and come with known ages and health histories. Wild-caught spiders can carry parasites (including the nematodes mentioned above) and often show significant stress during the transition to captive care.
Find breeders through established invertebrate forums (Arachnoboards), dedicated jumping spider Facebook groups, and curated marketplace listings. The where to buy guide has a list of vetted sources and red flags to watch for when buying online. For cost expectations, see how much does a jumping spider cost.
If you want to compare P. regius to another popular species before committing, the Phidippus audax care guide covers the bold jumping spider, a slightly smaller and equally common alternative.
Care information on this page reflects current consensus among experienced Phidippus regius keepers and published arachnology research. For health emergencies, consult a qualified exotic veterinarian. The Arachnoboards forums are a good resource for second opinions from long-term keepers.