Alright then, now that I've given you some good reasons for doing it, how do you actually go about keeping (ugh) a spider? I'll show you how to keep a jumping spider alive below. :)
Finding Your Pet
Finding them is easy. All you have to do is go look someplace sunny, such as a wall or fence. That's where I find the most jumping spiders. To catch it on a flat surface, place a glass or small cup over the spider slip a paper between the glass and wall. If it's not on a flat surface, try using the paper to gently "flick" the spider into the glass. Or, if you're especially brave (my personal favorite method) is coaxing the spider onto your hand and then into the cup. They won't bite unless pinch-grabbed or pressed against the skin. In other words, don't ask to be bit, and you won't get bit. :)
Caging
Caging is also easy. Just find a big plastic jar such as the ones cheese puffs sometimes come in, or a big plastic pickle jar, and you're set. Just drill or melt (using a hot nail heated over a candle) three rows of holes spaced 1 to 2 inches apart into the jar. Make sure the holes aren't any bigger than the "head" of the spider, technically called the cephalothorax, and so it won't be able to escape. Plenty of holes is a good thing, because without enough air flow the jumping spider will become listless and die.
Then, turn the jar upside down so the spider's "tent" like I mentioned in the prior post isn't built on the underside of the lid. If it's on the lid, you'll rip its tent apart every time you open the jar. They like to build high, so turning the jar upside down will guarantee no problems. Also, leftovers after the spider finishes eating will be dropped onto the lid for easy removal.
Another important note is that only one jumping spider can be kept per jar because they will cannibalize each other.
Food and Water
It is important to know and understand before we start this section that spiders have very slow metabolisms. Therefore, feeding a descent-sized prey item once a week or even less is all they really need. Jumping spiders love flies, small crickets (store bought only, wild ones are too big), moths, and just about anything smaller than themselves. Avoid feeding them anything dangerous like ants which can bite, and small bees or wasps which can sting. Use a spray bottle and give the container a light mist once every week or two, and they will drink the water off the sides of the jar. Don't give them a water dish as they may drown.
I hope you enjoyed my post and found it helpful or informative. Comments are welcome, I want to know what you think!