Phidippus regius 'Regal'

Phidippus regius is a jumping spider (family Salticidae, order Araneae) native to the southeastern United States, Florida in particular, and parts of the Caribbean. They're arachnids, not insects, with eight legs, book lungs for respiration, and chelicerae rather than mandibles. P. regius is one of the largest salticids in North America, with adult females reaching 15–22 mm body length and males somewhat smaller at 10–16 mm.

Sexual dimorphism is obvious in this species. Females tend towards grey or tan with lighter chevron or spot patterning on the abdomen. Males are often strikingly darker, frequently jet black, with white lateral bands or spots and iridescent green or blue-green chelicerae. Some locality forms show reddish-orange tones, but colouration varies quite a bit between individuals. Both sexes have the characteristic large anterior median eyes that give salticids their remarkable vision. Those eyes house tube-shaped retinae that can swivel independently inside the cephalothorax, giving P. regius colour vision and spatial acuity that puts most other spiders to shame. You'll notice them actively tracking your movements, tilting their cephalothorax to get a better look at you.

Temperament is where P. regius really shines as a pet. They are calm, curious, and tolerate handling well compared to most arachnids. A settled individual will walk onto your hand readily and sit there watching the world go past. Females typically live 1–2 years (occasionally up to 3 in good conditions), while males have notably shorter lifespans of around 6–12 months. Males mature faster, going through fewer instars, and often die within a few months of their final moult into adulthood.

• Difficulty: Beginner
• Enclosure: Tall arboreal, minimum 20×20×30 cm for adults. Height matters more than floor space.
• Ventilation: Cross-ventilation (mesh on two opposite sides). Stagnant air causes mould and respiratory stress.
• Temperature: 22–28°C daytime, slight drop at night is fine. A small heat mat on the side (never underneath) works well in UK homes.
• Humidity: 50–70%. Lightly mist one side of the enclosure every 2–3 days. Let the other side dry out between mistings.
• Substrate: A thin layer of coco fibre or kitchen roll. Substrate isn't critical for this species, as they spend most of their time elevated.
• Furnishings: Cork bark pieces, fake or live plants, small branches. Provide plenty of elevated anchor points for web sac construction. They will build a silk retreat near the top of the enclosure and sleep in it. Leave it undisturbed.
• Diet: Live prey only. Slings: Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies. Juveniles: D. hydei fruit flies, small crickets. Adults: curly wing flies, blue/green bottles, small crickets, mealworms, small dubia roaches.
• Feeding schedule: Every 2–3 days for juveniles, every 3–5 days for adults. Prey should be no larger than the spider's abdomen.
• Water: Misting only. Do not use a water dish. They drink droplets from the enclosure walls. Mist the walls, not the spider directly, as water droplets can trap slings.

Remove uneaten prey within 24 hours. A cricket left overnight can injure or stress a moulting spider. Pre-moult fasting is completely normal and can last several weeks. The spider will become less active, may darken in colour, and will usually retreat into its web sac. Do not disturb it during this period and do not attempt to feed.

Common issues to watch for: mould from poor ventilation (fix airflow, not humidity), failed moults from low humidity or disturbance, and grain mites from overfeeding or excess moisture. If you see the spider sitting with legs tucked underneath it or looking shrivelled, mist the enclosure walls immediately as it may be dehydrated.

For the full breakdown, read our P. regius care guide.

Your spider will be packed individually in a secure ventilated vial or small container with a piece of damp tissue for humidity during transit. Jumping spiders are escape artists, so we use containers specifically designed to prevent any gaps. The vial is placed inside an insulated box with a heat pack in colder months (below about 8°C) to maintain a safe temperature range during transit. In summer, we avoid posting on days forecast above 30°C and use cool packs where needed.

We ship via tracked next-day delivery, Monday to Wednesday only, so your spider doesn't sit in a depot over a weekend. You'll receive tracking details by email once dispatched.

When your package arrives, open it in a calm, enclosed room. Don't be alarmed if the spider is tucked inside a small web sac in the vial. This is completely normal. They often spin a retreat during transit and may sit still for a while after you open the container. Give it 10–15 minutes to settle, then gently open the vial inside the prepared enclosure and let the spider walk out in its own time. Avoid tipping or shaking.

Leave the spider alone for 24–48 hours after arrival before offering food. Mist the enclosure walls lightly so it has access to water droplets. It may take a few days before it starts exploring and feeding normally.

All our live animals are covered by our live arrival guarantee. If anything goes wrong in transit, get in touch with photos within 2 hours of delivery and we'll sort it.