Dawnstar

nature is healing

Garrett stole my heart after all.

I made a quick little jumping spider body language guide!

This doesn’t cover the full range of silly little things they do, but I hope this helps you understand some of their basic poses! Spiders really dont like to bite humans and usually only do so as a last resort, so if you pay attention to their little warnings, you can avoid getting nipped! And if I forgot anything or other spider knowledgable ppl wanna add notes, feel free! 🕸️

Extra Notes:

I’m SO SORRY if my handwriting sucks and is hard to read, I whipped this shit up fast cuz I’m very busy and I’m gonna make a text doc version too which I will add later!

Chelicerae / Chels = the fanged mouthparts of the spider; they act almost like a sideways jaw. 🦷

Pedipalps / palps = the little front appendages closest to the chelicerae and fangs; they look like little paws or hands 🙌

Spider body language can subtly vary from species to species, and even from one individual spider to another. The more you observe spiders, the more you’ll recognize these little differences! Example: Some of my jumpers are very showy with their threat poses, others resort to a fear pose. Some I’ve never seen a defensive display from at all ! 🔍

I cannot guarantee that you will never be bitten by a spider, so always use caution! I’m very comfortable with handling them often but even I have been bitten before (my regal jumper Millie gave me a warning nip that didnt even break skin lol; it was my fault because I wasn’t respecting her boundaries) ‼️

Accidents can also happen, and though venomous, jumping spiders are not considered dangerous or deadly. That being said! If you are bitten, make sure you seek medical treatment right away. 🩺

Basic Poses // Jumping Spider

Calm:

Arms down or neutral

pedipalps usually in front or down

Fangs may or may not be visible

[ Pictured is a cartoon style doodle of a calm jumping spider as described above]

Defensive:

Arms up and spread out

Pedipalps on side usually

Fangs Bared

Chelicerae "open" [ next to a small line doodle of a basic jumping spider head with open chelicerae]

Note: May slap you before bite.

NOT to be confused with "UPPIES":

Arms straight up or waving

Pedipalps usually in front

She wants to jump! Make sure she has a safe place to land.

[ Pictured is a small doodle of a jumping spider reaching its arms out toward a hand, with a dotted line arching from the spider to the hand. There is also a photo of "Uppies" pose as described above.]

Also watch out for FEAR pose:

Makes herself scrunched + flat

Fangs may or may not be visible

Palps usually clutching Chels

Casual racism that is brushed off as “an innocent mistake” or “they didn’t mean it” and then everyone pretending like it didn’t happen and moving on with their day (repeat)

Speaking over fans of color about issues that pertain to them specifically

When fans of color speak out about something that makes them uncomfortable or why that don’t interact with it (usually because of the racial/ethnic bias) they are accused of being anti’s or pro-censorship

Characters of color being used as scapegoats/bashed/plot devices 

Characters of color never getting happy endings/real development

Backlash against characters of color if they do anything other than be a white character’s side kick/best friend

Actors of characters of color being harassed for something their character did or didn’t do

White characters/actors getting all the attention/credit despite the fact that they are a side character to a POC or on the same level as the POC

Fanfic authors patting themselves on the back for writing a “realistic” character of color and it’s just a bunch of stereotypes

Being told that they should be happy they were even included when they call out the above people

White fans crying about persecution/exclusion because their fav character/trope/kink/ship isn’t loved by all 

Fan artists re-imaging characters of color as white/lightening skin tone

Everyone rushing to a white fans defense after a well deserved call out while the fan of color receives hate

Never having a safe fandom space and always having to be on guard with new people/fandoms/chats etc because they’ve been burned before

- (re)writing characters of color as abusive and/or violent to infantilize white characters

That being said, I think sometimes people need to see firsthand that this shit does happen. That I’m not getting up on stage and spouting conspiracies about raccoon diabetes and bug smuggling. It does happen, and it happens OFTEN.