What do tarantula spiders eat? Tarantula is a large poisonous spider. In the photo there is a coal-black tarantula spider

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Most residents big planet The earth, having heard about such a living creature as a tarantula, does not experience some kind of fear. In this not so large representative of the living world of the planet, many see a dangerous “predator”, but there is another category of people, they are increasingly bringing this spider into their home as a pet.

When it comes to choosing a friend for your little one, it’s up to you to decide whether it will be a familiar cat or dog or an unfamiliar tarantula. Many believe that these insects do not live in our world in vain and, no less than others, deserve love and attention from people.

By purchasing such a companion, you will undoubtedly amaze most of your circle of acquaintances with your new pet. Someone may judge you, but someone will decide that you are an extraordinary and courageous person who is not afraid of criticism from others and even in such a matter as choosing a pet, you are guided by your personal feelings, tastes and preferences.

In fact, keeping such an extraordinary creature in your home is an amusing and interesting thing, but it cannot be said that it is elementary. Therefore, in order not to encounter unpleasant circumstances, you should get to know your future tenant better and how to properly care for him, so that both he and you feel good and comfortable.

Generic affiliation of the tarantula and its native places

Tarantulas (Latin: Lycosa) - these interesting living creatures originate their ancestry from a large friendly family, which is known as wolf spiders (Latin: Lucosidae). Scientists also classified them as arachnids and the infraorder of araneomorphic spiders.

The natural distribution area of ​​these poisonous arthropods is quite wide. It seems possible to meet them in different parts of our planet and in a wide variety of climatic conditions: from forest-steppe to deserts, which are located in the southern part of Europe, America, Asia and even in the northern territories of Africa. It is quite possible to see them in Austria, Italy, Ukraine and Russia, Spain, Greece and Portugal, Belarus, Romania and Argentina, Uruguay and Morocco, Egypt and many other countries of the world.

In open nature, tarantulas lead predominantly night look life. IN daytime They can very rarely be seen on the surface of the earth; most often at this time they rest and gain strength in their homes, which they construct independently. Their house is quite long vertical burrows; they can reach a depth of over 70 cm. When night falls, the arthropod leaves its home and sets off on its way to meet various spider delicacies.

Description of varieties of tarantulas

Apulian tarantula

Concerning appearance these creatures, they differ from each other depending on the sexual characteristics of the individual. The female spider is endowed by nature with a complex combined coloration, which is presented as follows: her head and chest have darker tones, which end in a lighter contrasting line, the main color of the abdominal surface is red, but there is also some ornament consisting of several stripes placed transversely, the stripes, in turn, have a beautiful white and red border. The male, perhaps, does not look so impressive. His body has a more uniform color scheme, which, compared to the female gender, looks more modest. The entire body of the spider is covered with fairly thick hairs.

The sizes of these arthropods also differ depending on gender. Females are larger and their length ranges from 22 to 28 mm, while males, in turn, are much smaller, they grow to only 17–19 mm.

This spider has four pairs of eyes, of which there are main and secondary ones. The main pair has a dark brown color, but the side eyes have a bright shine. This is due to the fact that their inner shell serves them as a light reflector. The presence of such a number of visual organs provides these creatures with a fairly wide field of vision, which helps them in searching for food.

The limbs of tarantulas also have some features. Their muscular system consists only of flexor muscles, and extension occurs due to optimal hemolymph pressure.

They go hunting only at night, but if the spider is lucky and its prey is near its burrow, it will never miss the opportunity to feast on it. When the tarantula manages to catch its food, which is most often various insects, it immediately grabs onto it with its chelicerae and begins to inject its poison. If the prey is quite large in size, he skillfully rotates it so that toxic substances fall on all sides of the insect. It also feeds on beetles and other orthoptera.

The process of procreation in these arachnid creatures usually begins at the end of summer. After mating, the expectant mother lays eggs in some cozy burrow and makes a cocoon for them from cobwebs. After which she attaches it to herself and wears it all the time, waiting for the baby spiders to appear. After babies are born, they remain on their mother’s body for some time and travel with her. Later they spread throughout the area and begin their independent existence. The litter of one female is quite large and amounts to approximately 250–300 individuals.

South Russian tarantula

Adult representatives of the family of wolf farts are not large in size, which differ slightly in females and males. The female can grow to approximately 35–40 mm, but the males are more miniature and the dimensions of their body do not exceed 23–25 mm.

Body color may change, this phenomenon depends on the conditions external environment the habitat of spiders, namely the color of the soil on which it lives. Therefore, black, black-brown, brown and even reddish tarantulas are found in nature. Their main color outer shell usually diluted with specks, which can be quite various forms and sizes.

A characteristic feature of this representative of predatory insects is the presence of a “headdress” - this is a large dark spot that adorns the head of the arachnite.

Its home is also a vertical burrow, up to 50 cm deep, the entrance to which is protected by a certain layer of soil, grass and plant remains. If there is heavy rain outside or the spider is going through the process of molting, then the defense of its home is strengthened with a small amount of earth and cobwebs.

Mizgiri also hunt without using webs, but simply wait for their prey to appear in the radius they need.

Their average lifespan is approximately 3–5 years; there is evidence that females live slightly longer than males.

Lycosa narbonensis. Spiders of this species are considered natives of countries such as Italy, France, Malta, and they are also found in northern Africa. The color of the body of this arthropod is black with a certain brownish tint. Their long limbs are densely covered with hairs. This specimen grows to approximately 50–60 mm.

Spanish tarantula

Orange tarantula

If we talk about this arthropod as pet, then special care should be taken here. The thing is that this tarantula is very capricious by nature, in an excited state it can not show any aggression, for this reason people who have never encountered keeping spiders at home before should better refrain from this idea and choose a more friendly arachnite.

Growing a tarantula at home

Typically, small terrariums serve as a home for arthropods indoors. Required condition Your comfortable living together will be the presence of a lid for the terrarium. After all, we must not forget for a second that this is still a spider. And he tends to weave a web, which can serve as a ladder from his house to yours, and also that this is a poisonous creature and its bite, although not fatal, is, nevertheless, not very pleasant.

It is also recommended to arrange his home so that he can sometimes retire. Natural materials, such as tree crowns or various branches, are best suited for constructing shelters. And you won’t have to spend money, and your student will feel almost like in their native lands.

The flooring should be prepared from moss, sand, earth and clay. We must remember that this spider is a hard worker and loves to build houses for himself, so the flooring layer should allow the terrarium inhabitant to dig at least a small hole for himself.

The temperature in his “apartment” should always be within 24–28 degrees, and the air humidity should be at least 50%.

1. Menu for the big-eyed pet. The diet of a domestic tarantula is not much different from this process in the wild. Its food list should include a variety of living creatures that fit the size of your pet arachnite, such as cockroaches, crickets, small worms and grasshoppers. The regularity of eating varies depending on the age category of your arthropod. If it is a young individual, then it needs to be fed twice a week, but if we're talking about about an already adult spider, the optimal frequency of food intake is once every 8–10 days. It is necessary to immediately remove any leftovers from your companion’s “table”. It would be a very good idea to feed your tenant with various vitamin complexes from time to time, which will have a very positive effect on his health, and, accordingly, on the duration of his life period.
2. The right neighborhood. It is not recommended to place several individuals in one terrarium; this can not only provoke their aggression towards each other, but in a fit of anger they will simply eat each other.
3. Dealing with a toxic friend."Everything has its time!" - this saying, by the way, is perfect for tarantulas. After some time, he will get used to you and will not perceive you as an object that poses a threat to him. You should pick up this unique pet carefully and carefully, avoiding sudden movements.

Danger of arthropods to humans

Some swelling, hyperemia, numbness of the affected area of ​​the skin may form at the site of the lesion, and pain may also be present. But in our world there is another category of people - people with a history of allergies. It is in them that a spider bite can provoke an allergy attack, which can lead to the development of anaphylactic shock. For this reason, it is better to see a specialist after contact with insect venom.

There is one more feature of these obligate predators, it is, of course, less dangerous, but also not very pleasant - this is the hair on the spider’s legs. If he feels that he is in danger, he begins to intensively comb them. Therefore, after contact with your poisonous friend, you should immediately wash your hands so that these hairs do not accidentally get into your eyes.

Distinctive features of tarantulas and tarantulas

Purchase and price of a spider

For more information about tarantula spiders, watch this video:

The main reason why people decide to have a pet is the pleasure of communicating with it. Moreover, sometimes communication consists only of the opportunity to observe a beautiful and dexterous animal, study its habits and have round-the-clock access to it. Perhaps, these are the motives that every amateur or arachnophile recognizes. If you're considering getting a spider for the first time, a tarantula would be a good candidate. Thanks to horror films of the 90s, everyone knows this species, even those not versed in zoology. Let's take a closer look at this famous and very cute animal and figure out how to care for it and what the future owner needs to prepare for.

Description and price of insect

Tarantulas belong to the family of so-called wolf spiders (Lycosidae). They do not weave nets, but dig holes and hunt from ambush. Such behavioral characteristics, characteristic of a number of species, and gave the name to the family.

The spider's body consists of the following segments:

• cephalothorax, from which 8 limbs extend, two pairs on each side of the body. In the head area there are eyes and a pair of fangs;
• abdomen that contains internal organs spider.

The average lifespan of a male is 1.5-2 years, while females live about 30 years.

This species cannot be called one of the most prominent representatives families, but they are completely unpretentious and are well suited for beginners.

Did you know? Tarantulas can produce claws that are located on the tips of their legs. Claws are needed in order to climb trees, and at home they are mainly used when the owners take spiders in their hands for better grip.

From 2 to 28 dollars - this is the price for these animals. Despite its exotic appearance, the tarantula is quite inexpensive. A young 3-4 month old spider can be purchased for 1-2 dollars, and how much the breeder will ask for a grown animal depends on the following parameters:

• age;
• size;
• color;
• degree of domestication;
• temperament.

Temperament refers to the spider’s attitude towards a person, the degree of its aggression, and the desire to “communicate.” The maximum price stated on the Internet is around $28.

Types of tarantulas

According to a scientific source, the genus of tarantulas includes 200 species. They all have different temperaments and look completely different, but the following five species have taken root next to humans more than others:

• Apulian tarantula. This species is one of the largest, the body length of adults reaches 7 cm. Females look more representative and larger than males - they have a red abdomen, a dark cephalothorax and lighter spotted paws, while males are colored light gray with dark markings all over the body. The life of representatives of this species is very short and is 2-3 years for males and 3-4 years for females;

• South Russian tarantula. This 3.5-centimeter spider inhabits the steppes of Russia and Ukraine and is popularly nicknamed “mizgir.” In addition to its accessibility, the spider is distinguished by its ease of care, so it is often chosen by those who have not previously had experience with such animals. The color depends on the region where they live and varies from light brown to reddish-brown, and their head is decorated with a dark “cap”. Life expectancy - 4-5 years;

• Spanish tarantula. The body length is about 7 cm. The abdomen of females is colored red, with dark and light stripes running along the abdomen. Males are colored dark gray. The lifespan of females is more than 5 years, while males live only 2 years and participate in reproduction only once;

• Brazilian tarantula. Lives in South America, Uruguay, Paraguay. Body length excluding paws - 3 cm, body colored saturated Brown color, and along, from the head to the end of the abdomen, there is a lighter stripe;

• Antillean pink-footed tarantula. The body length reaches 6-8 cm, the paw span is 16-18 cm. Throughout life, the spider changes color: young spiders before puberty are painted in a light blue color, which, as they grow older, changes to brown, and over time - to purple. This species has a very calm and friendly temperament, but is quite finicky to care for. Among other advantages, this spider is a long-liver - females live about 15 years. Life expectancy for males is 2-3 years.

Spider at home: pros and cons

I immediately want to make adjustments and replace the word cons/pros with features. After all, hardly anyone chooses between a spider and, for example, . Below we will collect the subjective impressions of tarantula owners who told us what they like about their pets and what annoys them.

All for

1. They are not tied to a place. Perhaps you already know that the initiator of “communication” in a relationship between a man and a spider is always the first. A spider can do just fine without your company even for the rest of its life;
2. They don't take up much space. The terrarium for the spider should be twice as big more body spider. Large containers force animals to seek additional shelter inside the terrarium, in which they spend all the time, depriving their owners of the pleasure of admiring them;
3. Eating once every 1.5-2 months. Adult tarantulas need to be fed exactly at this frequency.
4. Undemanding to conditions. The necessary equipment for properly keeping a spider is a small terrarium and orchid substrate for bedding.
5. Cheap. It costs an average of $3-5 every two months to maintain a spider. Depending on the cost of the insects you will feed it.
6. Plush, pleasant to the touch.
7. Can be done cool photos for avatars.

Everyone is against

1. Sometimes they run away. It happens that spiders get out of their boxes and travel around the house, risking being crushed.
2. Bad character. Some spiders outright refuse human hands. This must be taken into account from the very beginning and the animal’s contactability must be checked.
3. Sometimes they bite. Such cases also occur, but, according to breeders, all this is due to inept handling. So go through the training.
4. Poisonous. All tarantulas are poisonous, the only difference is the strength of the toxin. The bite of some species is more like a wasp and is not dangerous to humans, while the bite of others can cause loss of consciousness and convulsions.

Did you know? Tarantulas never attack humans on their own, since the strength of their poison is not enough to kill a large animal. Spiders know this, so even if a person acts incorrectly, they prefer to hide.

We create conditions in the terrarium

To satisfy the modest needs of tarantulas, you don’t even have to go to a pet store. Household and floral will be enough. For a full life, a spider needs boxing, bedding and food.

Dimensions and volume

The terrarium should imitate the spider's natural shelter. Therefore, first we need to decide what exactly we are going to imitate - the mink itself or the open space with the mink. In the first case, the size of the terrarium should be twice the body of the spider itself, no more. If the box is too spacious and there is no additional shelter in it, the spider will feel uncomfortable and be in constant stress. If you decide to choose a large terrarium, make sure that there is another, smaller shelter inside where the animal can hide.

Speaking about the materials from which the box will be made, plastic and glass are equally suitable. It is worth noting that tarantulas live well even in lunch containers. Breeders especially love this option for its reliable latches that will not allow the spider to escape from the box.

Climatic conditions

Tarantulas are also suitable for an average room temperature of +23...+25 °C. But with more high temperature(+25...+30 °C) spiders grow more intensively and reach larger sizes, becoming sexually mature earlier.

Important! You can understand that the spider is aggressive by a certain pose: the front legs are raised up, the abdomen is lowered. Also, when in danger, the animal “shoots” at the enemy with lint, which, when it gets into the predator’s respiratory tract, causes irritation.

Additional accessories

Spiders feel great in the most spartan conditions - a substrate for orchids as bedding and periodic spraying to maintain humidity, but you can arrange the “apartment” in more interesting ways:

1. Hygrometer. Problems with temperature conditions usually does not occur, but air humidity is no less important. To monitor this parameter, you can purchase a hygrometer; the device will measure the temperature and humidity in the terrarium. This device costs 7-8 dollars.
2. Lock for the terrarium. Solution for escape spiders. Cost about 4-5 dollars.
3. Sprayers. Used to maintain humidity in the terrarium.

What do they eat and what to feed the tarantula?

Tarantulas are predators that feed on large insects. At home, spiders are fed with live crickets, cockroaches, and larvae. When choosing food, you need to make sure that the prey is not larger than the predator itself, since spiders are very voracious and, trying to absorb too much food, can harm themselves, for example, their abdomen can burst. The younger the animal, the more often it eats. At the age of 1-2 years, the spider molts every 3 weeks, so it needs to be fed just as often. Subsequently, growth slows down and it is enough to feed 3-5 year old animals once every 1.5-2 months.

Important! Despite their terrifying appearance, these are very fragile animals. Their exoskeleton easily cracks when dropped from a height or handled carelessly.

Is the bite dangerous?

All species of tarantulas are poisonous to one degree or another, but the level of toxicity of their venom varies greatly depending on the type of spider, age, gender and season. Adult, sexually mature females (over 5 years old) are considered the most poisonous. large species during mating and oviposition. In all tarantulas, the toxicity of the venom increases between March and June and rapidly decreases starting in September. Typically, tarantula venom is not harmful to humans. more dangerous than poison wasp or hornet - redness and swelling appear at the site of the bite, the symptoms disappear on their own, there is no specific antidote.

In particular severe cases There may be dizziness, nausea, weakness. Such manifestations also go away on their own or are accompanied by symptomatic treatment. An isolated case- allergy to the toxin - in such a situation, you must urgently consult a doctor or call an ambulance.

Is it possible to reproduce

Sexual maturity in females occurs 1.5-2 years later than in males. If for males this is 1.5-2 years, then for females it is 4-5 years. The mating period begins at the end of summer. After mating, the male usually dies, and the female begins to prepare for the winter. Female tarantulas lay eggs and place them in a silk cocoon, which is attached to the outside of the abdomen. “Gestation” lasts 40-50 days. During this period, under natural conditions, the female tries to be in the sun more often in order to speed up the incubation process, but at home it is worth increasing the temperature in the terrarium to +30...+32 °C.

A clutch can contain from 50 to 500 eggs. After finishing incubation period small spiderlings remain with their mother for another month, sometimes covering her entire body. After expiration month period, the babies leave the female and begin to lead an adult lifestyle. There are cases when the female herself drives away the young or even eats some part of it, so the babies need to be weaned on time.

Well, now you have the necessary knowledge on how to properly keep a tarantula at home, let this knowledge be useful to you, and remember: we are responsible for those we have tamed.

Which brings some confusion.

Tarantulas live in arid areas: steppes, deserts. During the day, they hide in vertical burrows, the depth of which reaches 60 cm. At night, spiders climb to the surface and actively move along the ground, hunting insects. Tarantulas do not weave trapping nets and use the web only as a covering for the walls of the burrow and in the construction of the egg cocoon.

Like other spiders, only flexor muscles are present in the limbs of tarantulas: extension occurs under the pressure of the hemolymph. In this regard, the wounded spider becomes lethargic.

There is a species of spider common in the area around the city of Taranto (or Tarantum to the Renaissance people) which during the 15th century was attributed to the cause of a strange disease called Tarantism (Gertsch 1979). According to legend, the bite of such spiders led to illness, and anyone bitten was doomed to death, and the only cure was considered a special dance - the tarantella. Now, several centuries later, opinions are expressed that the tarantella was a simple excuse for some closed feasts, which the authorities of that time could condemn.

Problems with the translation of the term tarantula

In a number of European languages, particularly in English, the word tarantula is often used to refer to tarantulas (the family of the largest spiders), and sometimes to all large spiders of any species. In this regard, confusion often arises when texts are translated incorrectly. In modern biological systematics the taxa “tarantulas” and “tarantulas” do not overlap; Tarantulas are classified as mygalomorphic spiders, while tarantulas are classified as araneomorphic.

The most famous species

Apulian tarantula

The most outstanding and world-famous species is the Apulian tarantula ( Lycosa tarentula). Relatively great view 60 mm long. Distributed in the city of Taranto, Italy, where the name comes from. The Apulian tarantula is one of the species that lives in vertical burrows. It gained its fame due to the fact that in the Middle Ages it was considered poisonous. There were legends about it, passed down from generation to generation, and the emergence of various epidemic diseases was associated with it. It has now been proven that this species is not poisonous. In Italy they believed that it was poisonous, and they even came up with a medicine against the poison: you had to dance until the end of your strength, and so it appeared tarantella dance.

South Russian tarantula

Another species already known in Russia is the South Russian tarantula ( Lycosa singoriensis) with a body length of 2.5 to 3.5 cm. It lives in burrows, and is known for the fact that individuals of this species have a dark “cap,” which makes it almost impossible to confuse it with other species of wolf spiders.

Sources

• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional ones). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
• Zoology of invertebrates / ed. V. Westheide and R. Rieger. M.: T-vo scientific publications KMK, 2008.
• Large encyclopedic dictionary "Biology" / ed. M. S. Gilyarov. M.: Bolshaya Russian encyclopedia, 1998.

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See what “Tarantulas” are in other dictionaries:

Several species of large poisonous spiders of the genus (Lycosa) family. wolf spiders (Lycosidae). Distributed in deserts, semi-deserts and steppes of southern Europe. parts of the USSR, the Caucasus, Kazakhstan and Middle East. Asia, along river valleys, in some places they penetrate into forest zone. Naib,... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary

Modern encyclopedia

Several species of large poisonous spiders. Distributed mainly in deserts, semi-deserts, steppes. The South Russian tarantula is found in the south of the European part of Russia; The length of the female is up to 3.5 cm. It feeds on insects, lives in burrows, the depth of which ... Big encyclopedic Dictionary

A collective name referring to various species of spiders belonging to the family. tarantulas, Lycosidae, and belonging to the genera Lycosa (subdivided into the subgenera Trochosa and Tarentula, which are taken by some scientists to be independent genera), ... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Tarantulas- TARANTULAS, several types of poisonous spiders. Widely distributed, live in burrows. The bite is painful, but not dangerous to humans. The South Russian tarantula (length up to 3.5 cm) is found in deserts, semi-deserts and steppes. In Yugo Western Europe famous… … Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

TARANTULAS- (Lycosidae) represent the largest and most dangerous spiders. They are found in a wide variety of places, in depressions in the soil, under stones, in living quarters and outbuildings. Apulian tarantula (Lycosa tarantula) Bite... ... Insect life

Several species of large poisonous spiders. Distributed mainly in deserts, semi-deserts, and steppes. The South Russian tarantula is found in the south of the European part of Russia; the length of the female is up to 3.5 cm. It feeds on insects, lives in burrows up to depth... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Lycosa) genus of arachnids of the family. Lycosidae; includes species whose females are capable of inflicting a very painful bite on humans, causing local inflammation; distributed in deserts and semi-deserts, as well as in steppe and forest-steppe zones... Large medical dictionary

Tarantula is a general name for spiders that are large in size and covered with hair. More than 900 species belong to this family. The tarantula spider is a species of large poisonous araneomorphic insects; they belong to the large family of wolf spiders. All representatives of this family are poisonous to a greater or lesser extent. to a lesser extent. Before moving on to the description of these amazing creatures, I would like to note that the simplicity of their maintenance has led to the popularity of tarantulas as exotic pets.

Tarantula: description

The spider consists of two parts - the abdomen and the cephalothorax. There are four pairs of eyes on the head. The legs of this large insect shaggy and long. The hairs growing on them are quite sharp; upon contact with human skin, they can injure, resulting in a burning sensation and severe itching. The tarantula spider uses these hairs to protect itself from its natural enemies. The furry predator kills the victim that falls into its paws with fangs, the length of which is 1 cm.

Fluffy insects are very beautiful. The color can be brown or black, but brown-rusty individuals of this species are also found. The spider weighs about 90 g, with females noticeably bigger size than males.

Lifestyle

The tarantula spider lives in deep burrows, which it makes in hard soil. Such a spider's dwelling reaches up to 25 cm vertically in depth. At the entrance, the predator builds a vertical wall, using plant remains and soil as building materials. The spider lines its burrow with cobwebs. When the rainy season or molting time begins, the entrance from above is closed with threads of cobwebs and earth. With the onset of winter, the insect covers its home with dry plants mixed with cobwebs.

The tarantula hunts mainly at night, guarding prey at the entrance to the hole. During the day, he sits out in his lair and waits for a random victim there. Based on this, it can be understood that a person can suffer and receive a tarantula bite only in those cases when he himself invades his territory and destroys the home of a predatory insect.

Tarantulas do not go far from their home; if they have to move away a little, they always go, tied to the hole with their web. This is how spiders find their way home. True, there are exceptions in mating season. At this time, the males, forgetting about caution and rules, go in search of a female, spending a long time on the way.

Reproduction

When, after a long search, the male tarantula finally finds a female, he begins to court her. The “lady” reciprocates, but you need to behave extremely carefully with her. After the flirting ritual, the spiders mate; it is at this moment, after the end of the mating act, that the female can bite her unlucky “gentleman,” who will instantly turn from a groom into dinner. Therefore, males must have quick reactions and quick reverse movements in order to escape in time. This is what it is - a spider wedding!

The spider lays her eggs in her hole, where she wraps them in a web, resulting in a cocoon. The expectant mother carries it with her everywhere until the little tarantulas appear. But even after birth, the spiders ride on their mother’s back for some time. Only after growing up and learning to crawl and live independently, children leave their parents’ home and begin to create their own home and independent life.

Why is a tarantula dangerous?

As mentioned earlier, the bite of a tarantula, no matter what species it belongs to, is still poisonous. How dangerous a tarantula is depends on the age of the predator, race, gender, season and some other factors.

Let's consider the toxicity of these insects, based on the time of year:

• April- just waking up after winter, tarantulas are very inert, their poison is not too toxic.
• May- in the middle of this month there comes a period when females lay eggs. Spiders become very active, and the toxicity of the poison increases by 2 times.
• June- at the beginning of the month, mating and migration occur; the venom of predators at this time is 3 times more toxic.
• August- spiders, especially young females, have less toxic venom.
• September- before wintering, the toxicity of the venom of hairy insects is reduced by 2 times.

Why is the tarantula spider dangerous for living beings? This creature is not in vain considered a predator; its bite has a neurogenic effect on nervous system. The venom of this spider can lead to neuromuscular disorders, respiratory and cardiovascular systems. So you need to be extremely careful with this cute and fluffy creature of nature.

Black tarantula as a pet

When talking about representatives of the wolf spider family, it is impossible not to mention such a beauty as the black Brazilian tarantula. This beautiful insect considered the most best view spiders for home keeping.

It, of course, also belongs to predators, but at the same time it has a calm and obedient character. Those who are already closely acquainted with the black shaggy fluffy can confidently recommend it as the most obedient spider. Live it out amazing creature in the right conditions can be up to 20 years. So for a long time the beautiful pet will be next to its owner.

Tarantulas- exotic animals. Requires minimal care. Tarantula - big spider , covered with hairs. There are 900 of them on Earth different types. Habitat: tropical and temperate latitudes: Central and South America, Asia, southern Europe, Australia. IN Russian Federation lives in the southern steppes.

Description and features of the tarantula

Phylum - arthropods, class - arachnids. The furry body consists of two parts: 1-head-chest, 2-stomach, which are connected by a tube - a stalk. The head and chest are covered with chitin; the abdomen, on the contrary, is soft and tender. 8 eyes located at the top, reminiscent of a periscope, help you see the area from all sides at once.

The tarantula's feet are equipped with claws for extra traction when climbing, just like a cat's. IN wildlife Tarantulas usually move along the ground, but sometimes they have to climb a tree or other object.

In case of a threat to life, the tarantula uses its hind legs to rip off hairs from its abdomen and throw them at the enemy (if this happens, irritation and itching are felt - an allergic reaction).

Of course, the tarantula itself suffers from such actions, since a bald spot will remain on its abdomen. In moments of danger, they make sounds reminiscent of the vibration of the teeth of a comb. They have excellent hearing. Recognize the sounds of human steps at a distance of up to 15 km.

Tarantulas are brown or black in color with red spots and stripes. In nature there are small, medium, large tarantulas. American spiders reach sizes of up to 10 cm. Ours are much smaller than their overseas relatives: females -4.5 cm, males -2.5 cm.

A tarantula bite is not fatal to humans, but is very painful.

Minks dig to a depth of up to half a meter near water bodies. The stones are removed. The interior of the dwelling, closer to the entrance, is woven with cobwebs, the threads stretch deeper, their vibration tells the tarantula about the events taking place above. During the cold season, the hole is deepened and the entrance is covered with foliage intertwined with cobwebs.

Reproduction and lifespan of a tarantula

In the warm season, adults are busy searching for a mate. In males, the instinct of self-preservation is dulled, so they can be seen even during the day. When it finds a female, it taps its legs on the ground, vibrates its abdomen and quickly moves its limbs, announcing its presence.

If she accepts advances, she repeats his movements. Everything else happens at lightning speed. After transferring the sperm, the male runs away so as not to be eaten by the female, since during this period she needs protein. Then the female falls asleep in her burrow until spring.

In the spring, it will come to the surface to expose its abdomen to the sun's rays, then lay eggs (300-400 pieces) in a woven web. Then he puts it into a cocoon and carries it on himself.

As soon as the babies show signs of life, the mother will gnaw through the cocoon and help the spiderlings come out. The babies will be placed on their mother's body in multiple layers until they become independent. Then the mother will resettle the young people, gradually throwing them off of her.

Tarantula nutrition

They actively hunt at night. Big spiders catch , ; small ones - insects. And they do it very carefully. Slowly crawls towards the victim, then quickly jumps and bites. It pursues large prey for a long time.

The photo shows a rare blue tarantula

In fact, they are docile and rarely bite. For such large predator, as a person, the poison will not be enough. The spider will most likely act wisely and not attack the big one, dangerous object.

Tarantulas are easily wounded creatures. They have a lot on their belly thin skin. Falling is deadly for him. Therefore, there is no need to pick up the spider. They produce silk for their web. Females need silk in the “interior” of the burrow to strengthen the walls; males need silk as a packaging material for storing eggs; traps near the burrow are also made from silk.

Tarantulas grow throughout their lives and change their exoskeleton several times. Using this fact, they can regenerate lost limbs. If he lost a leg, he will get it in the next molt, as if by magic.

She may not come out completely the right size. What matters here is age and the time of the previous molt. But it doesn't matter. The leg will grow with each molt, gradually acquiring the desired length.

Types of tarantulas

Brazilian jet black – popular house spider . Impressive, jet black, with a blue tint depending on the lighting, its dimensions are 6-7 cm. It is calm, elegant - and one might say, obedient.

In the photo there is a coal-black tarantula spider

Originally from Southern Brazil. The climate there is humid, with frequent rains. In warm weather (May-September) the temperature rises to 25 degrees, in cold weather it drops to 0 degrees. Due to their slow growth, they mature only at 7 years of age; they live a long time, about 20 years. Cold period spends in a hole, so the bottom of the terrarium is covered with a fairly thick layer of substrate (3-5 inches).

Suitable soil, peat, vermiculite. In nature tarantula lives in the forest floor near stones, hides in tree roots, hollow logs, abandoned rodent burrows, so shelters and depressions are needed in the substrate.

Small crickets are suitable food for young individuals, large ones for adults, other insects, small lizards, naked mice. For this, a shallow container of water (a saucer will do) should be placed in a terrarium (with a volume of 10 gallons, not necessarily tall). They can go hungry for several months.

Well known in Russia South Russian tarantula. Its color is different: brown, brown, red. Habitat: steppe and forest-steppe zone south, in last years And middle lane Russia.

In the photo is a South Russian tarantula

Apuleian - poisonous spider. In size, larger than ours. Distribution area: Europe.
-White-haired - the baby is cheaper, but because of its good appetite it grows faster than other brothers.
-Chilean pink - pet stores most often offer this. The most beautiful and expensive type of Mexican singed is prohibited for export from natural places a habitat.
-Golden is a friendly creature, so named because of the bright colors of its huge legs, the size of which grows to more than 20 cm. The new kind and is expensive.

Pictured is a Chilean pink tarantula spider

The Costa Rican tabby is difficult to care for, does not bite, but has a bad habit of disappearing.
-Athonopelma copper, now you can buy it, but not in the store, but by order.

Online stores provide the opportunity to see tarantulas in the photo and check the prices.