05/22/2026
Molting & hammock behavior and Feeding/refusing food
A lot of people assume something is wrong because their spider stays tucked away all day or suddenly stops eating, but honestly, most of the time that’s completely normal spider behavior.
Unlike snakes or reptiles that simply shed skin, jumping spiders molt because they physically need to climb out of their old exoskeleton in order to grow. As they prepare to molt, fluid builds inside the body and helps separate the old exoskeleton from the new one underneath. This process is extremely vulnerable and takes a tremendous amount of energy. A bad molt can absolutely be fatal, which is why minimizing stress during this time is so important.
Before adulthood, your spider will molt multiple times throughout its life. Once they become adults, they will no longer molt again.
One thing that can get confusing is instar terminology. Scientifically, many arachnologists consider a freshly hatched spider to already be first instar, with each molt moving them into the next instar stage. However, within the hobby itself, many breeders and keepers start counting instars AFTER the first molt instead. That’s why you may see the exact same spider labeled differently depending on who you ask.
At the end of the day, “instar” simply refers to the stage between molts rather than a spider’s age in months.
This is also why it can be difficult to answer questions like:
“How old is my spider?”
“How many molts does it have left?”
“How long will it live?”
There really is no exact science to it because every spider develops differently depending on feeding frequency, temperature, genetics, growth speed, and overall care.
Some spiders molt faster than others, and overfeeding can actually speed up the molting process, causing them to mature more quickly and potentially shortening their overall lifespan.
The same goes for lifespan itself. While many jumping spiders may live around 18 to 24 months AFTER reaching adulthood, some may live less and some may live longer depending on care, feeding habits, genetics, stress levels, and how quickly they developed throughout life.
There are usually several signs that a molt is approaching:
• Refusing food
• Staying tucked away more often
• A thicker hammock
• A very round or fat abdomen despite not eating recently
• Looking dull or less vibrant
• Less activity overall
• Bum wiggles or subtle body movements while inside the hammock
• Spending days inside the hammock without coming out
One thing I always say…
“If tucked away, let them stay.”
If your spider is inside their hammock, under NO circumstance should you force them out with a paintbrush, poke the web, repeatedly disturb them, or try to force handle them. Only handle your spider when they are already out and actively exploring on their own terms.
A lot of people worry because their spider spends most of its time in the hammock, but honestly, that is very normal jumping spider behavior.
In the wild, jumping spiders actually prefer tiny hidden micro environments where they feel secure. You usually do NOT see them constantly roaming around unless they are hunting food or, in the case of males, searching for a mate.
Most of the time they are tucked away in little safe places like patio furniture, mailboxes, folded leaves, corners, bark crevices, and tiny sheltered spaces. That little hammock is their safe place.
Some jumping spiders are naturally more adventurous than others, but many are perfectly happy lounging in their hammock most of the day and taking occasional little walks around the enclosure. You may even notice them bending or stretching their body into strange little spider yoga poses to look around better 😂 Completely normal. They are incredibly visual and VERY nosy little creatures.
One of the easiest ways to tell the difference between normal relaxing behavior and premolt behavior is the hammock itself.
When your spider is simply relaxing:
• The hammock often stays open
• You can usually still see them inside
• Little legs may hang out of the entrance
• They casually peek out throughout the day
• They may come and go periodically
When a molt is approaching:
• The hammock becomes much thicker
• The entrance often gets sealed shut
• They position themselves deeper in the center
• They remain very still for long periods
• They may not come out at all for days
That sealed hammock helps maintain the micro environment and humidity they need to molt safely.
If your spider has disappeared into a thick hammock and has not come out for several days, your safest option is usually to:
• Leave them alone
• Maintain proper humidity
• Lightly mist daily if appropriate for the species
• Avoid handling
• Stop offering food constantly
This process can take a couple days or sometimes over a week depending on the spider.
Now let’s talk about feeding because this is where most people panic 😂
Humans associate food with comfort and health, so when an animal stops eating our first instinct is:
“OMG THEY’RE STARVING.”
Trust me… your spider is probably fine.
Another thing that I say is…
“If not hungry today don’t panic. It’s OK.”
A healthy jumping spider generally will NOT starve itself to death. Refusing food is very often a completely normal part of premolt  or they are just simply not hungry.
Spiders do NOT need to eat every single day and honestly I generally do NOT recommend offering food daily.
Some spiders are opportunistic eaters and will absolutely take food constantly if offered, but overfeeding can:
• Speed up molting
• Shorten lifespan
• Cause obesity
• Create a dangerously heavy abdomen
• Increase injury risk if they fall
A very overfed spider can even risk abdomen injury or separation if the abdomen becomes excessively heavy.  Typically you see over eating behavior more with females than males.
My general personal rule of thumb:
• Juveniles roughly every 3 days
• Adults roughly every 4 to 5 days
You also want to look at abdomen size, not just the calendar.
For regals especially, if the TOP line of the abdomen sits noticeably higher than the top of the head, your spider probably does NOT need food yet and may need time to digest and “deflate” a little first 😂
There are lots of great feeding charts online, but abdomen size is usually a much better indicator than strict schedules alone.
If your spider is:
• Walking around the enclosure
• Exploring
• Actively watching movement
• Sitting in an open hammock entrance.
…and their bum isnt a round potato, 🥔 then yes, you can absolutely try offering food.
But if your spider:
• Is completely tucked away
• Has a thick sealed hammock
• Is sitting deep in the center
• Has been hiding for several days
…you probably want to hold off on offering feeders for now.
“If walking about, food can come out.” 😂
“If the door is closed and they’re tucked in tight, waiting a bit is probably right.”
One mistake a lot of people make is:
• Constantly offering food
• Using tongs repeatedly
• Putting feeders directly into the hammock
• Disturbing the spider every day to check
• Panic feeding because they skipped one meal
Trust me, most of us have done this at some point 😭
But honestly, the best thing you can do is trust the spider and let nature do its thing.
Now, if your spider is refusing food for a long time while remaining OUTSIDE the hammock constantly, hanging out low in the enclosure, looking thin, weak, lethargic, curling oddly, or losing grip and coordination, that becomes a completely different discussion and may indicate illness, dehydration, injury, or old age rather than premolt.
But in most cases?
A tucked away spider is simply being a spider 🕷️
