For your Grimoire, this should be written as a husbandry fundamentals article rather than just a list.
When Not To Feed
Understanding When Food Can Do More Harm Than Good
One of the most common misconceptions among new keepers is that a healthy jumping spider should always be willing to eat.
In reality, there are many situations where refusing food is completely normal. Learning when not to feed is just as important as learning what to feed.
Many husbandry mistakes occur because keepers panic when a spider skips a meal and begin offering food repeatedly. In most cases, patience is the better solution.
Understanding the situations in which feeding should be delayed can help reduce stress, prevent injuries, and support successful molts.
During Premolt
The most important time to avoid feeding is during premolt.
As a spider prepares to molt, it may:
Refuse food
Build a thicker hammock
Become less active
Spend more time hidden
Stop hunting altogether
These behaviors are normal.
A spider preparing to shed its exoskeleton has little interest in food and should not be pressured to eat.
If prey is offered and ignored, remove it and allow the spider to continue preparing for its molt.
During a Molt
A spider actively molting should never be disturbed.
Do not:
✗ Offer food
✗ Open the hammock
✗ Attempt handling
✗ Rearrange the enclosure
Molting is one of the most vulnerable periods in a spider's life. Even small disturbances can lead to injury or complications.
The best thing you can do is leave the spider completely alone.
Immediately After a Molt
A freshly molted spider may look larger, brighter, and healthier than ever before, but appearances can be misleading.
After molting:
The exoskeleton is still soft
The fangs have not fully hardened
The spider remains vulnerable
Wait until:
✓ Activity returns to normal
✓ The spider leaves its retreat
✓ The fangs darken
Only then should feeding resume.
Patience during this stage helps prevent unnecessary injuries.
Immediately After Arrival
Newly shipped spiders often experience temporary stress.
Many new arrivals will:
Hide for several days
Explore less
Refuse food
Build a retreat immediately
This is normal.
Rather than offering multiple feeders, allow the spider time to settle into its new environment.
Hydration should be prioritized before feeding attempts.
After a Large Meal
Jumping spiders do not require daily feeding.
If your spider has recently consumed a substantial meal and has a full, rounded abdomen, additional food is usually unnecessary.
Overfeeding can contribute to:
Reduced activity
Excessively large abdomens
Increased molting risks
Uneaten prey remaining in the enclosure
Feed according to body condition, not habit.
When a Spider Shows No Interest
Sometimes a spider simply is not hungry.
A healthy spider may:
Look at prey and walk away
Ignore feeders entirely
Continue exploring instead of hunting
If body condition remains healthy, this is often not a cause for concern.
Remove uneaten prey and try again another day.
If Environmental Conditions Are Incorrect
Before offering food, ensure husbandry conditions are appropriate.
Check:
Temperature
Hydration
Ventilation
General enclosure conditions
A spider struggling with environmental stress may be less interested in feeding until those issues are corrected.
During Illness or Injury
If a spider is experiencing:
Difficulty climbing
Repeated falls
Obvious injury
Severe lethargy
focus first on identifying the underlying problem.
Food is not always the immediate solution.
Avoid Leaving Prey Unattended
Even harmless feeder insects can become dangerous under the wrong circumstances.
Never leave prey inside the enclosure if a spider is:
Molting
Premolt
Freshly molted
Weak or injured
Feeder insects can occasionally injure vulnerable spiders.
When in doubt, remove the feeder.
Common Keeper Mistakes
Offering Food Every Day
More food does not equal better care.
Panicking Over Food Refusal
Many spiders naturally fast before molts.
Repeatedly Disturbing a Spider
Constant feeding attempts often create unnecessary stress.
Ignoring Body Condition
A healthy abdomen often tells you more than a feeding schedule.
The Tiny Coven Approach
At Tiny Coven Jumpers, we encourage keepers to observe before they react.
Food refusal is often a normal part of a spider's life cycle.
Rather than asking:
"Why won't my spider eat?"
Ask:
"What else is my spider telling me?"
The answer is often found in its behavior.
A Keeper's Rule of Thumb
If your spider doesn't want food, don't force the issue.
A healthy spider may skip a meal.
A molting spider may skip several.
Patience, observation, and proper husbandry will solve far more feeding concerns than repeatedly offering prey ever will.
Sometimes the best feeding decision is knowing when not to feed at all.