Phidippus regius “Sierra de Bahoruco”

Phidippus regius “Sierra de Bahoruco” is the first jumping spider from the Dominican Republic to find its way into our hobby. The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean country known for its beaches, resorts and golf courses. The landscape ranges from rainforests and savannahs to the highlands with Pico Duarte, the highest mountain in the Caribbean. The Sierra de Bahoruco National Park has an almost unbelievable range of different forest types. From dry forests to rainforests at 2000 m altitude. The jumping spider has settled in the climate zone that is typical for jumping spiders. With a daytime temperature of up to 28 °C and a relative humidity of up to 70 %, it is truly no outlier in jumping spider husbandry.

Like most jumping spiders, Phidippus regius “Sierra de Bahoruco” hunts during the day. It actively observes its prey with its sharp gaze. Then it sneaks up on its prey and pounces on the food animal. When jumping spiders jump, they spin a series of threads for safety. This ensures that if the jump is unsuccessful, the spider is caught by a safety line before it falls. Jumping spiders have much better eyesight than other spiders and are always on the lookout for prey and predators. This gives the impression when looking at the animals that they are very alert and observe their surroundings extensively.

A female can produce up to 6 clutches of 30-170 eggs each. The average total clutch size is about 200 eggs per female. Later clutches are usually smaller than earlier clutches. Phidippus regius “Sierra de Bahoruco” does not require high humidity. 60-70 % is quite sufficient. It is better to keep it a little drier than too humid. It is sufficient to spray a little water on a pane twice a week. If necessary, the spider will go to a drop of water and quench its thirst. A water bowl is not necessary.