Hyllus sp. Care Guide
Hyllus are a trickier jumping spider to keep than Phidippus regius, due to their heat and humidity requirements, and I’ve found that they are prone to hunger strikes if their environment is not perfect. I do not recommend them for beginners because of this.
Environment:
Hyllus jumping spiders need high heat and humidity to thrive. Temperatures should be between 28-32c at the warmest part of their enclosure. I like to use a heat mat & thermostat, behind the enclosure, which gives me a heat gradient from front to back. Humidity should be steadily above 70%. I find that the best way to maintain these levels is by having a bioactive or planted enclosure.
Plants and bioactive:
Plants like Pothos, ferns, strawberry begonia, Gynura Aurantiaca, and creeping leaf fig have all thrived in my Hyllus enclosures. Hyllus spiders seem to like resting and building hammocks on the leaves of Pothos in particular.
Light:
As with any jumping spider, a nice bright LED light is required for 12 hours a day to simulate a day/night cycle.
Enclosure:
These spiders can jump far and fast, so it’s best to give them a lot of space. I recommend using a well ventilated 20x20x30cm (or larger) enclosure. I prefer to use glass enclosures for these spiders, due to the humidity requirements.
Food & water:
This jumping spider favours flying/ arboreal food, so the best feeders for them will be green bottles, blue bottles, or locusts. The sides of the enclosure, and any plants can be sprayed daily to help with humidity, and provide your spider with a drink.
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