




Need help; tried to help a wild jumping spider feed, got more than I bargained for
This little man is named Moxie, and I found him in my house trying to catch this moth. He kept missing, and his abdomen looked like he could use a meal in my opinion, so I put the two of them in a condiment cup and he successfully caught and ate the moth. Then he made himself a hammock which I at first assumed was a sleep hammock, pictured here, figuring it couldn't hurt to allow him a nap. He hasn't left this hammock in 3 days. Is he molting? I don't have equipment for jumping spiders and I don't know how to help him but I know if he is molting it will hurt him to move, poke or stress him. He is alive, as he unfortunately startled slightly when I removed the lid to get the photo, and I can see him moving his legs and fangs slowly. Is there anything I can do? He is a Paraphidippus aurantius/Golden jumping spider. I put him in my room because I'm afraid my extremely arachnophobic mom would kill him if I tried to get him an enclosure, and it's my other reason for giving him a private space to hunt where she couldn't see and hurt him.