29/06/2026
I seldom comment on things going on in the hobby anymore, but absolutely this. The reason I started letting babies go much later the last year or so was through fear of backlash. In the jumping spider hobby we have been successfully letting our slings go at i5 for years. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it, so long as slings are healthy, active and hunting. It’s also tricky as a person with a lot of spiders to house slings appropriately. Past i7 slings need to be kept in larger enclosures, and it takes up a phenomenal amount of space. 😅 They need that space to be able to learn to hunt appropriately, and do spidery things, and I do struggle with just the sheer amount of smoothie cups on my shelves. 😂😅
Like Bea says, we all have different methods to get to healthy spiders, there is not one correct way. This is why when you come to my table at a show, or message me for care advice, I will tell you that this is the way I personally do things. There is nothing wrong with having different methods, and I wish we could stop slating each other for doing things differently. I am a map of all my breeder friends over the years. I have grown and changed, and shared information, and bettered my care through others and I’m not ashamed to say it. When we come together, celebrate our small differences, and swap ways of doing things, instead of picking apart the way others work, we move forward and grow as a community.
Just a little update from me regarding rehoming. 🖤🩷🫶🏼
Due to the recent uproar around rehoming i5 babies, I've decided that going forward my standard rehoming age will be i6.
However, I do want to clear a few things up.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with responsibly rehoming healthy i5 jumpers. A good breeder knows their lines, knows their strengths, and knows when each individual spider is ready. If husbandry has been correct from the start and the spider is feeding confidently, hunting well, and is in full health, there should be no issue at all.
I've happily rehomed i5s to first-time keepers before, and thankfully I've had no problems that I'm aware of. That's because I don't just send a spider and wave goodbye. I work very closely with new keepers, making sure they have the correct setup, understand husbandry, and feel confident before a spider ever leaves me. My aftercare doesn't end on rehoming day either - it's there for your spood's entire lifetime. If you ever have a question, worry, or just need reassurance, I'm always here. 🖤 And that goes to not only new keepers but every re-home!
I will also continue listing the instar of every spider alongside its hatch date. Personally, I think it's really important for people to know roughly what stage of life their little one is at. Instar gives you a much better idea of that than hatch date alone, and I believe that's valuable information for every keeper.
Another thing I'd like to touch on... yes, my babies leave eating fruit flies, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Fruit flies are fantastic feeders for young jumpers. I'll continue letting my spiders grow naturally rather than rushing them onto larger prey simply to speed up growth or get them ready for sale quicker.
Every single one of my spoods is rehomed when they are ready - not because they've reached a certain instar. They leave me only when they're healthy, confident hunters with good feeding responses and are thriving.
At the end of the day, every breeder has their own methods, and that's okay. We all have different experiences and different ways of doing things. I just wish there was a little more kindness within the community and less tearing each other down. We all share the same love for these incredible little animals. 🖤🩷
And finally... if you're anything like me and absolutely adore raising babies, watching every moult, every colour change, and seeing them grow into the amazing little personalities they become, then don't be afraid to ask! If you'd really love an i5, just pop me a message and I'll always see what I can do for you. 🖤🩷🫶🏼
