Mizgir animal. South Russian tarantula: what it looks like, where it lives, what to feed at home. Appearance, color and size

Lycosa signoliensis (Laxmann, 1770)

Widespread in desert, steppe and forest-steppe zones. It reaches the latitude of Yelets and Kazan, and along the sands of river valleys it penetrates even further north. This is a large spider, 25 - 35 mm long, densely covered with hairs. The color is variable, from brown to almost black, sometimes reddish, the underside is lighter. It lives in a deep vertical burrow lined with cobwebs, preferring moist soil with high groundwater levels. At night, the spider leaves the burrow and hunts for insects at the entrance; during the day, it watches for them in the burrow. Mating occurs at the end of summer. Young individuals and copulated females overwinter. For the winter, the spider deepens the burrow and clogs the entrance with earth. At the beginning of summer, the female lays eggs in a burrow. The white facial cocoon in the form of a round pad is attached to the arachnoid warts; the female, while moving, supports it with her hind legs. The emerging juveniles are carried by the female, who goes in search of water. Having watered the spiderlings, the female wanders through open, moist places and throws them off with her hind legs. Young spiders settled in this way first hide in natural shelters, and then dig minks, gradually deepening and improving them. The degree of toxicity of the tarantula was discussed above.

The tarantula has 8 eyes. The anterior medial eyes (main) are dark; the rest (lateral eyes) are shiny, thanks to the light-reflecting inner shell. It is believed that Tarantulas have a wide field of vision and see a moving small insect at a distance of 20 - 30 cm, but do not distinguish its shape.

Distributed in Central Asia and southern Russia, including Ukraine. It lives in desert, steppe and forest-steppe zones. Spider size: 25 - 35 mm. The body is densely covered with hairs. The color is brownish-red, sometimes almost black. Sides - whitish, fluffy; the bottom is dark almost black. Digs vertical burrows lined with cobwebs. During the day, the hunt looks like this: The tarantula guards the entrance to the hole, and when an insect appears near the hole, it jumps out of the hole and catches it. As a rule, the signal for an attack is the shadow of an insect running across the entrance to the hole. By tying a plasticine ball to a thread and shaking it in front of the hole, you can lure the tarantula out. At night, the spider comes out of its burrow and hunts for insects. Mating occurs at the end of summer. Young individuals and copulated females overwinter. For the winter, the spider deepens the burrow and clogs the entrance with earth. It can lead an active lifestyle in winter if it gets into a heated room near human habitation. At the beginning of summer, the female weaves a cocoon and lays eggs in it. He wears a cocoon on himself. The small spiderlings that appear are held on to the female. Then, they gradually leave the spider and settle in the area.

Tarantula is poisonous. It rarely bites humans. The bite causes local swelling and severe pain. The bite site must be immediately cauterized with a match. Spider bites are shallow and the venom is injected into the skin. When cauterized, thermal decomposition of the poison occurs. This method is widespread in Central Asia and is used for bites of all poisonous spiders.

It feeds on a variety of insects, beetles, orthoptera, etc. Prey is killed by poison. The tarantula pierces its prey with chelicerae, pouring digestive juice into it, which dissolves the internal tissues. The escaping liquid is absorbed. The secretion of juice and the absorption of drops of food alternate, the spider turns the victim and processes it from different sides.

Spider size: females up to 30 mm, males up to 25 mm. The body is densely covered with hairs. Color: brownish-red above, almost black below.

There is evidence of rare individuals much larger than those indicated.

The tarantula is part of the wolf spider family, although they are constantly trying to mate it with tarantula spiders (lat. theraphosidae). Tarantulas differ from the latter in the direction of movement of the jaws.

Chelicerae (due to poisonous ducts on their jagged tops) perform two functions - an oral appendage and an attack/defense weapon.

The most attractive thing about the tarantula’s appearance is its 3 rows of shiny eyes: the first (bottom) row consists of four tiny “beads”, 2 larger eyes are “mounted” on top of them, and, finally, another pair is placed on the sides.

Eight spider “eyepieces” vigilantly monitor what is happening, distinguishing light and shadow, as well as the silhouettes of familiar insects at an interval of up to 30 cm. The spider boasts excellent hearing - it can hear human steps from 15 km away.

The tarantula grows, depending on the variety, up to 2.5 – 10 cm (with a limb span of 30 centimeters).

The tarantula belongs to the phylum Arthropods, the class Arachnida, the order Spiders, the family Wolf Spiders and the genus Tarantulas proper. Like many arthropods, the body of the tarantula is covered with small hairs. In general, the tarantula’s body structure has two main parts: the cephalothorax and abdomen.

At the top of the tarantula's head there are as many as eight eyes, with 4 of them located in a straight line, and the remaining eyes bigger size arranged in the form of a trapezoid. Thanks to this arrangement of the eyes, tarantulas have a viewing angle of 360 degrees. Also, in addition to well-developed vision, these spiders also have an excellent sense of smell, with which they can sense potential prey at a considerable distance (for these insects).

The size of the tarantula varies from 2.5 to 10 cm. The span of the legs of this spider can reach 30 cm. Like many insects in the world, female tarantulas are usually several times larger than males.

Throughout their lives, tarantulas change the peculiar chitinous “armor” that covers their body several times. The tarantula also has four pairs of long, hairy legs, allowing the spider to move comfortably across loose or even water surfaces.

The mandibles of the tarantula are covered with poisonous canals, they are very strong and serve the spider as a means of defense and attack.

The color of the tarantula is usually brown, gray or black. Although sometimes there are representatives of these spiders that have lighter colors.

Belongs to the family of wolf spiders (Lycosidae). Place in classification (Wikipedia):

• Class: Arachnida (Arachnida)
• Order: Spiders (Aranei)
• Suborder: Araneomorphae spiders (Araneomorphae)
• Family: Wolf spiders (Lycosidae)
• Genus: Tarantulas (Lycosa)
• View: South Russian tarantula (Lycosa singoriensis)

Spider, 25-30 mm in size. Females are larger than males. Covered with thick hairs. The color is brown-red above, dark, almost black below.

The eyes are located on the “crown” of the cephalothorax in three rows. The bottom one has four small eyes, the second one has two large eyes directed forward, the third one has two large eyes on the sides. In total, this optical system gives the tarantula a very good review, perhaps even all 360 degrees.

Vision is very well developed, because it is one of the spider’s main hunting tools.

The senses of smell, touch, hearing and taste are provided by the sensitive hairs on the spider's legs.

And these sense organs make the tarantula a terrible predator, as I was convinced of during the observation process.

The lifespan of a female South Russian tarantula is more than two years, a male is slightly less.

Wikipedia tells us that the spider is common in Central Asia, Siberia and Ukraine, and also found in Belarus. That is, here in Tambov, in theory, it cannot exist. But our spider obviously didn't read Wikipedia. One might assume that the tarantula escaped from the terrarium, but several other people reported encounters with tarantulas, so this is not an isolated phenomenon. In addition, few people keep tarantulas in captivity, because... There are more interesting and less biting species of exotic spiders.

Gentlemen, alarmists, take note. Tarantulas are coming to our area along with praying mantises, argiopes and encephalitis ticks.

The spider was brought from the village and planted in a small (35*20*25 cm) aquarium. I poured a 3-5 cm layer of soil at the bottom and placed a lid from a jar as a pool.

According to recommendations on the Internet, the tarantula needs to be sprinkled more land, so that he can dig holes, but for now I limited myself to this layer, because... an aquarium half covered with soil will be too heavy, and in this case this is important.

At first, the tarantula sat motionless, and with all its appearance made it clear that nothing in this world could excite it. Even three bread ground beetles released into the aquarium did not make any impression on him... as long as the light was on.

Without waiting for anything interesting, I went to bed. A few minutes later there were sounds of some kind of fuss and even knocks on the glass. I jumped up, shined a flashlight... The spider was sitting in the same place, however, in its chelicerae a ground beetle was now helplessly moving its legs.

By morning, the position of the spider had not changed, but part of the soil in the aquarium was now covered with a layer of cobwebs, and only sucked shells remained of two more ground beetles.

But the tarantula's hunt for flying food is especially impressive. Actually, I think that in keeping such a spider, feeding is the most interesting and exciting spectacle. The speed with which the tarantula grabs its prey never ceases to amaze me.

Araneomorphic spiders, which include the South Russian tarantula, are large in size, poisonous and beautiful. Looking at these creations of nature, it is impossible not to be surprised. The wolf spider's body consists of two parts: a large abdomen and a smaller cephalothorax. There are eight attentive ocelli on the cephalothorax.

The body is covered with small black-brown hairs. The intensity of the color depends on the tarantula’s habitat; it can be very light or almost black. But the South Russian Mizgir definitely has a “trademark” - a black spot that is very similar to a skullcap.

The tarantula has four pairs of legs covered with fine hairs. These bristles increase the area of ​​support when moving, and they also help to hear approaching prey.

The powerful mandibles with which spiders bite their prey have ducts for poison; they are a means of both attack and defense. Males reach 27 mm in length, females – 30-32. Wherein record weight Mizgir females – up to 90 gr. On the abdomen there are arachnoid warts with a thick liquid, which, when frozen in air, turns into a strong network - a cobweb.

The ability to control oneself, attentiveness, and caution are required from those who decide to have a misgir as pet. These spiders are very interesting to watch, they are funny, smart, so there are a lot of people who are fascinated by them. A terrarium or an aquarium with a lid can become a home for a mizgir. Ventilation is required.

The bottom of the arachnarium is covered with soil: sand, turf, coconut fiber, vermiculite or peat. The height of the layer must be at least 30 cm so that the mizgir can make a full-fledged burrow.

The pet will love to sunbathe on a piece of driftwood under a lamp; a small number of plants and constant moistening of the substrate are also useful. He can bathe in the installed drinking bowl. Feeding is not difficult - flies, ground beetles, crickets, cockroaches, mosquitoes, etc. are sold in pet stores, but you can catch them yourself.

Cleaning is carried out once every 2 months by luring the spider out with food or a small ball on a string and transplanting it into another container. In winter, the spider can hibernate, sealing the entrance to the hole, or simply become less active if the temperature has not changed and remains at 20-30 degrees. Tarantulas are considered one of the most interesting objects to observe, but children should not have them.

Range, habitats

It prefers a dry climate, and therefore lives in desert, semi-desert, steppe, and sometimes forest-steppe zones. It is found in fields, gardens, orchards, on river banks and other places with soft soil. Distributed in Central Asia, also lives in Russia (Siberia) and Ukraine. Since 2008, it has been discovered in Belarus, in the floodplains of the Pripyat, Sozh, and Dnieper rivers.

It was also seen in large quantities in Saratov and Astrakhan regions, especially along the Volga coast, as well as in the Belgorod, Tambov, Kursk, Oryol, Tula and Lipetsk regions, the Republic of Bashkortostan and the West Kazakhstan region (Kazakhstan), the Stavropol Territory, the Trans-Baikal Territory (Aginsky Buryat District).

The South Russian tarantula is the most impressive spider that lives in the vast territory of the former Soviet Union. Lycosa singoriensis lives in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Ukraine and Belarus (where it was spotted in the floodplains of the Sozh, Dnieper and Pripyat rivers in 2008).

In our country, it is distributed almost everywhere: residents of the Tambov, Oryol, Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov, Belgorod, Kursk and Lipetsk regions find it in their garden beds.

The spider is found in large quantities in Astrakhan and Volgograd regions(especially near the Volga), as well as in the Stavropol Territory. The tarantula has long been “registered” in the Crimea, after which it managed to crawl to Bashkiria, Siberia and even Trans-Baikal Territory.

The South Russian tarantula loves arid climates, often settling in steppe, semi-desert and desert zones (with access to natural bodies of water). Villagers encounter a spider in the fields, garden plots, vegetable gardens (during potato harvest) and on hillsides.

The habitat of this arachnid creature is quite extensive and occupies the lion's share of Central and Asia Minor, the southern regions Russian Federation, the entire territory of Ukraine and the southern tip of Belarus, where this subspecies was first discovered in 2008. Due to the fact that the South Russian tarantula loves drought and heat, it chooses places to live based on its preferences.

It is characterized by steppe, semi-desert and desert climates. It can be found in fields, hills, summer cottages and rural areas. Its burrows are especially often encountered during the potato harvest, because the depth of the burrows is from 30 to 40 centimeters, which is approximately equal to the planting depth of this tuberous plant.

Hunt and hole

By tying a plasticine ball or button to a thread and shaking it in front of the hole, you can lure the tarantula out. At night, the spider becomes more active and leaves the shelter a short distance and hunts for insects. The prey of a tarantula is any insect that comes into view or comes within throwing distance (an example of cannibalism among other, smaller species of spiders is not uncommon). Some specimens can climb into residential buildings, especially in small ones. populated areas.

It digs vertical holes up to 30-40 cm deep, lined with cobwebs; when an insect appears near the hole, it quickly jumps out of the hole and catches it. The spider also catches and kills insects that may accidentally crawl into its hole. As a rule, the signal for a tarantula to attack is the shadow of an insect running across the entrance to the hole, and the spider is sensitive to what is happening near the surface, including feeling the movement of passing insects, which also serves as a reason for the attack.

It digs vertical holes up to 30-40 cm deep, lined with cobwebs; when an insect appears near the hole, it quickly jumps out of the hole and catches it. The spider also catches and kills insects that may accidentally crawl into its hole. As a rule, the signal for a tarantula to attack is the shadow of an insect running across the entrance to the hole, and the spider is sensitive to what is happening near the surface, including feeling the movement of passing insects, which also serves as a reason for the attack.

By tying a plasticine ball or button to a thread and shaking it in front of the hole, you can lure the tarantula out. At night, the spider becomes more active and leaves the shelter a short distance and hunts for insects. The prey of a tarantula is any insect that comes into view or comes within throwing distance (an example of predation on other, smaller species of spiders is not uncommon). Some specimens can climb into residential buildings, especially in small towns.

The steppe tarantula settles in burrows, which it digs itself, and always lines the walls with its own web. The depth of the hole is usually 30-40 m. For hunting, he does not weave trapping nets, but catches prey at the moment when it runs past his nest.

Reproduction

Next, she forms a cocoon from the web with the laid eggs, which she attaches to her body, with this the spider walks until the tarantulas begin to move inside the cocoon. Then she gnaws through the cocoon and helps them crawl out. Immediately after birth, the cubs climb onto their mother and arrange themselves there in several layers.

For the winter, the spider deepens the hole and clogs the entrance with earth. It can lead an active lifestyle in winter if it gets into a heated room near human habitation. The fertilized female hibernates in her burrow for the winter until spring. In spring, it crawls to the surface and exposes its abdomen to the sun.

This promotes the formation of eggs in the tarantula's body. When the eggs mature, the female weaves a web where she lays her eggs. The woven cocoon never leaves the attention of the female and, for convenience, is attached to the abdomen by arachnoid glands. If there is a clear threat to the cocoon, the female fiercely clings to it with her chelicerae and it is no longer possible to take the cocoon away.

Lifespan of a spider natural environment 2 years. In captivity, the spider lives a little more than a year (in the absence of seasonal “winter” suspended animation, which inhibits the development of the spider).

South Russian tarantulas mate at the end of summer, after which the partners usually die, and the partners prepare for the winter. With the first cold weather, the spider walls up the entrance with earth and crawls to the bottom, away from the frost.

In spring, the female comes to the surface to warm up in the sun and returns to the burrow to lay eggs. She carries the cocoon in which the eggs are woven with her, showing tireless care for its safety.

Getting out of the cocoon, the spiderlings cling to the mother (her abdomen and cephalothorax), who continues to protect the offspring for some time, keeping them with her.

Gaining independence, the spiders leave their mother. Often it speeds up their exit into great life, for which it circles around the hole, throwing the babies off the body with its hind legs.

This is how tarantulas continue their lineage. Young spiders find a new place to live and begin to dig holes, the depth of which will increase as the tarantula grows.

Mating occurs at the end of summer. Having discovered a female, the male begins to vibrate his abdomen and actively move his front legs. These actions allow the female to correctly determine the type of male. If the female is ready to mate, she begins to repeat his movements. After mating, the tarantula must quickly leave, otherwise the excited female may eat her partner.

The mating season for many species of tarantulas occurs in late summer. A sexually mature male weaves a web, then begins to rub his abdomen against it. As a result of this, he ejaculates seminal fluid, which ends up on the web. The male then plunges his pedipalps into it, which absorb it and become ready for fertilization.

And only then does the search for the female begin. Having found his “lady,” the male begins courtship, which includes performing a peculiar mating dance. If the female reciprocates the “gentleman’s feelings,” he plunges his pedipalps into her cloaca and fertilizes her. Then it is very advisable for the male to quickly leave his “lady” so as not to become dinner for her, as happens with praying mantises and some other insects.

The eggs mature within 40-50 days, and small tarantulas hatch from them, which begin to grow rapidly, and by 2-3 years have already reached sexual maturity.

The mating period occurs in the last month of summer, and at this time the males go in search of females. Having met a female, the male must show her his intentions, otherwise he risks being eaten.

The “suitor” raises the front part of his body, puts out the first pair of legs and vibrates his abdomen. In this position, he slowly approaches the female. Ready for mating, she begins to repeat the movements of the male. Immediately after fertilization, the male quickly leaves and prepares for winter: he makes his burrow deeper and clogs the entrance with soil.

The fertilized female also goes into her burrow for the winter. With the arrival of spring, it appears on the surface and exposes its abdomen to the sun's rays.

When the maturation of the eggs in the abdomen ends, the female weaves a silk cocoon from the web. She lays her eggs in it and carries it on her abdomen for some time. At the same time, the cocoon with future offspring is always in her field of vision and the female actively protects it in any situation. If she senses danger, she will immediately fiercely grab onto the cocoon with her chelicerae and will no longer be able to take it away.

As soon as the female feels that the spiderlings are starting to emerge from the eggs, she breaks the cocoon and helps the babies get out. Young individuals climb onto the mother's body, and for some time she carries them on herself. Gradually, the stronger offspring leaves the mother’s body, settling throughout the area. In its natural habitat, the South Russian tarantula lives for about two years, in captivity a little longer, which is due to the absence of winter suspended animation, which to a certain extent slows down its development.

Tarantula lifestyle

The South Russian tarantula is a hunter sitting in ambush, which becomes a hole dug 50-60 cm deep. The spider learns about what is happening above by the vibrations of the web: with it it prudently entwines the walls of its shelter.

The signal to jump is also the shadow of an insect blocking the light. The tarantula is not a supporter of walks and takes them out of necessity, leaving the hole in search of prey after dark. When hunting at night, he is extremely careful and does not go far from his burrow.

It approaches the victim slowly, with stops. Then suddenly he jumps and bites. In anticipation of the killing effect of the toxin, it can relentlessly follow the insect, biting it and jumping away until the sufferer breathes his last breath.

The objects of attack of our tarantula are:

• caterpillars;
• crickets and beetles;
• cockroaches;
• mole crickets;
• ground beetles;
• spiders of other species;
• flies and other insects;
• small frogs.

Male tarantulas fight with each other, regardless of the seasons, and rest from civil strife only during hibernation.

Tarantulas lead single night look life, associate with members of the opposite sex exclusively during the breeding season. All male tarantulas, without exception, are at enmity with each other.

During the day, these spiders hide in deep, vertical holes, and at night they go out hunting.

The South Russian tarantula lives in burrows up to 40 cm deep. The walls of the burrow are intertwined with cobwebs, by the vibration of which the spider senses what is happening on the surface. It also reacts to the shadow of an insect blocking the entrance to the hole. In this regard, there is a well-known method of luring a tarantula out of a hole using a plasticine ball on a string.

Tarantulas are typical loners and tolerate relatives nearby only in mating season. Males are quite tolerant of females, but they constantly quarrel with each other.

Each individual lives in its own home, a burrow up to 50 cm deep. They spend time in it during the day, from which they monitor approaching prey; a cobweb becomes a net for unwary insects, which seals the entrance to the burrow. Even when hungry, Mizgiri rarely go far from their habitat; in general, they prefer to catch food from home

Tarantulas are clever hunters. Having noticed prey or the shadow of an insect by the vibrations of the web, they make a powerful jump, grabbing and biting the victim, injecting poison and depriving the ability to resist. Mizgiri rarely live longer than 3 years. The age of males is shorter than that of females. In winter, they hibernate, carefully sealing the entrance to the burrow with grass and cobwebs. As soon as they come warm days, suspended animation stops.

Virulence

The poison of the South Russian tarantula lies in the glands located in the cephalothorax; their ducts open at the top of the claw-shaped segments of the chelicerae, with which spiders pierce the cuticle of their prey in order to inject poison and digestive enzymes, and then suck out the internal contents of the victim. Its bite for humans is comparable in pain to a hornet sting and only causes local swelling.

What do tarantulas eat?

As you probably already guessed, tarantulas are notorious predators, their food consists of numerous small insects and amphibians: caterpillars, mole crickets, crickets, beetles, cockroaches, small frogs, etc. Tarantulas guard their prey from a hiding place, and then quickly attack. Having attacked, they paralyze the prey with their poison, which subsequently turns its insides into a nutritious liquid, then the tarantula sucks it out like a “cocktail”.

The process of absorption of food by a tarantula can last several days, but in general they are not very voracious and can do without food for a long time, as long as they have access to water.

Types of tarantulas, photos and names

There are about 200 species of tarantulas, but we will describe the most interesting of them.

Apulian tarantula

He is a real tarantula, lives in the south of Europe, including Italy (most likely it was he who gave the name to the whole species of these spiders) and also in North Africa. It is approximately 7 cm in length. Also, unlike other species of tarantula, it does not spin webs.

As the name suggests, this tarantula lives in the south of Russia, Belarus, as well as our country Ukraine, in the countries of Central Asia. This species of tarantula is small, rarely exceeding 35 mm in size. Characteristic feature This type of tarantula is characterized by the presence of a special dark cap. With the onset of cold weather, these tarantulas burrow deep into their burrows, where they successfully winter, and with the onset of spring they come to the surface.

Spanish tarantula

This tarantula also lives in southern Europe, particularly Spain, Italy, Portugal, and North Africa. It was once considered a subspecies of the Apulian tarantula, but was later classified as a separate species.

Brazilian tarantula

This dark brown species of tarantula lives in tropical forests South America, Brazil, Paraguay, and is found in many other South American countries. Characteristic difference This tarantula is distinguished by the presence on its head of a light longitudinal stripe of a yellowish tint.

Tarantula bite

The tarantula is quite gentle and does not attack a person without a good reason, including deliberate provocation or accidental contact.

The disturbed spider will notify you of the start of the attack threatening pose: He will stand up on his hind legs, raising his front legs up. When you see this picture, be prepared for an attack and a bite similar to a bee or hornet sting.

The toxin of the South Russian tarantula is not fatal, but a shallow bite is accompanied by severe pain, swelling, and, less often, nausea and dizziness.

The bite site is burned with a cigarette or match so that the toxin decomposes. Taking antihistamines will not hurt.

The tarantula itself is unlikely to attack a person. But he can be forced to do this by the actions of the person himself, for example, if he accidentally touches a spider, the latter may bite in self-defense.

Tarantula bite for healthy person is not dangerous, the exception may be children and people with allergic reactions, in such cases it is necessary to seek professional help medical care.

Symptoms of a tarantula bite and their consequences may look like this:

• local pain at the site of the bite, redness and swelling.
• drowsiness, lethargy, general poor health.
• a sharp but short-term increase in temperature.
• in some cases there may be nausea and vomiting.

First of all, you need to wash the wound with antibacterial soap and treat it with an antiseptic. Then cool the bite area with an ice pack and take an antihistamine. Drink plenty of liquids, but never alcohol, and of course seek professional medical help.

A tarantula bite is not dangerous to humans, but very unpleasant (in various sources the sensations are compared to the bites of stinging insects, even a hornet). The tarantula is non-aggressive and does not consider humans prey until it is provoked. But, of course, no one canceled the possibility of accidentally stepping on it, lying down, or sitting down.

The poison of the South Russian tarantula is dangerous for insects, amphibians, and small rodents. The toxic substance instantly causes paralysis, disrupting work nervous system. The spider does not rush at a person, but it can bite if it senses danger.

The bite of a mizgir is painful, accompanied by swelling and redness. Children and people prone to allergies may experience a deterioration in their health - weakness, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fever. The condition after a spider bite normalizes on its own within 2 days or antihistamines are required.

Due to its large size and attractive appearance, the South Russian tarantula is often kept as a pet. Mizgir, the domestic spider, thrives in artificially created conditions. It does not hibernate and lays eggs almost immediately after fertilization. The female lives up to 3 years.

1. Wash the bitten area warm water with antibacterial soap or in its absence with plain soap for hands, being careful not to rub the skin too much.
2. Treat the wound with an antiseptic.
3. Apply cold to the affected area. It could be ice, a bottle of cold water etc. Keep the cold for 10 minutes, then take a 10-minute break and repeat the procedure again. Continue these manipulations until the pain subsides.
4. To eliminate swelling, lift the bitten part of the body and keep it in this position.
5. Keep calm.
6. Drink plenty of fluids, this will ensure faster removal of toxins from the body.
7. If an allergic reaction occurs, take antihistamines.

If a tarantula has bitten a child or a person with a weakened immune system who is prone to allergic reactions, if the victim’s well-being sharply worsens, you should definitely seek medical help.

Tarantulas, including South Russian ones, are often kept at home: they are funny and unassuming creatures. You just have to remember that these spiders have a good reaction and a painful bite, so when handling them you need attention and composure.

Based on observations, the South Russian tarantula, defending its lair, jumps up 10-15 centimeters. According to the general conditions of keeping, tarantulas differ little from the burrowing varieties of tarantulas.

An immutable rule that a newly-made tarantula owner must follow is that a single spider is housed in one terrarium. Otherwise, the residents will constantly find out which of them is stronger. Sooner or later, one of the fighters will be carried away from the battlefield lifeless.

It has been noted that in the natural environment the tarantula lives for two years, but in captivity it can live twice as long.

IN Lately Some exotic pet lovers keep pet tarantulas. And why not, because they are quite easy to keep and can live in an aquarium or terrarium. At the bottom of the container it is necessary to pour a substrate consisting of a mixture of sand, clay and earth. Also, the tarantula terrarium should be equipped with an automatic drinker with fresh water and a shallow pool.

Optimal temperature to keep these spiders it should be 25-27 C. You can feed tarantulas with small pieces of fresh beef, as well as live cockroaches and frogs, if, of course, you can catch them. But fortunately, you don’t need to feed them often, so for an adult healthy tarantula it will be normal to eat once a week.

It is also important to remember that only one tarantula can be kept in a terrarium; if there are two of them, then as a result of constant skirmishes only one, the strongest, will survive.

• The blood of a tarantula, oddly enough, is the best antidote to its own poison, so to neutralize the effect of the toxin, you can smear the wound with the blood of a crushed spider.
• Tarantulas are capable of regenerating lost limbs, so if a paw is torn off, then over a period of time a new one will grow in its place, although it will be slightly smaller in size.
• During the mating season, male tarantulas can move considerable distances in search of females.

Nutrition

The South Russian tarantula feeds on food insects that do not exceed the size of its body (excluding limbs).

What to feed

The list of products for a pet tarantula includes:

• cockroaches (Turkmen, marbled, Argentine, Madagascar and others);
• zofobas and mealworm larvae;
• crickets;
• pieces of minced beef (low fat).

Crickets, as a rule, are bought at a pet store or at a poultry market, since, unlike cockroaches, they are difficult to breed at home: when hungry, crickets easily devour their comrades.

Once a month, multivitamins are mixed into the meat ball, and calcium gluconate is added once every two weeks. The raw “meatball” is given to the spider directly into its paws.

The following are prohibited:

Insect predators, such as scolopendra, praying mantis or other spiders, will be unsuitable food for the tarantula. In this case, your furry pet may be the prey.

Feeding frequency

Newly born spiderlings are fed newborn worms and tiny crickets.

Growing tarantulas feed twice a week, adults - once every 8-10 days. The remains of the feast are immediately removed from the arachnaria.

A well-fed spider stops responding to food, but sometimes it is necessary to stop feeding in the interests of the tarantula itself. A signal of sufficient filling of the abdomen is its increase (1.5-2 times) in relation to the cephalothorax. If feeding is not stopped, the tarantula's abdomen will rupture.

Don't panic if the spider doesn't eat. Tarantulas can fast for months without harm.

If your pet doesn't eat the insect right away, crush the second one's head and leave it in the terrarium overnight. Was the loot still intact by morning? Just throw the insect away.

After molting a spider, it is better not to feed it for several days. The period of abstinence from food is calculated by adding 3-4 days to the number of molts.

Do not leave insects unattended in the arachnaria to avoid possible problems: a female cockroach may give birth, and you will be looking for nimble cockroaches scattered around the apartment.

The signal for an attack in this case is the shadow of a potential victim. Having recognized the outline, the spider jumps out of its ambush with lightning speed, grabs the prey with its front paws, immediately plunges its chelicerae into its body and injects poison. When the victim freezes, the tarantula begins to eat.

The diet of the South Russian tarantula includes:

• caterpillars;
• crickets;
• ground beetles;
• mole crickets;
• cockroaches;
• beetles.

Despite the fact that these arachnids are very attached to their burrow, individual specimens can move quite considerable distances from it. There have been cases when South Russian tarantulas climbed into residential buildings located in small settlements.

How to get rid of the site

For people who do not want to share their property with such dangerous and unpleasant-looking creatures, we have selected several of the most effective methods, which allow you to cope with an uninvited guest.

The incredibly diverse world of nature often makes us admire those amazing creatures with which it is filled. But there are also creatures that frighten and terrify most people. Quite frequent encounters between the Slavs and the South Russian tarantula raise many questions about its danger to humans. And there are those who have love and respect for this species of living beings and want to take it into their home as a pet. All this will be discussed in this article.

Appearance, color and size

Contrary to popular belief that tarantulas have very serious, impressive dimensions, the South Russian subspecies varies its parameters from 2.5 to 3 centimeters in length. The color of this arachnid varies in the range of gray, less often brownish and red tones with thick patches of black.

It has a standard set of limbs of 8 paws, each of which has 6 joints.

If we talk about the eyes, they are located as follows:

• two small eyes above each pedipalp (mandible);
• two big eyes make up the middle row and are located above the four lower ocelli;
• two medium-sized eyes are located on the sides slightly above the two large ones.

Thus, the South Russian tarantula has eight eyes, which help it navigate quite well in space and distinguish potential prey at a distance of up to 30 centimeters in front of it.

The body of this spider is covered with a rather thick undercoat, above which longer hairs-antennas rise, allowing them to detect the slightest vibrations. earth's surface and the breeze. Thanks to such hairs, spiders navigate space much better than with eight eyes.

Did you know? The most big spiders In the world, goliath tarantulas are considered, whose name is fully justified by its paw span of 28 centimeters. Moreover, such a spider can weigh about 200 grams.

Where does it live?

The habitat of this arachnid creature is quite extensive and occupies the lion's share of Central and Asia Minor, the southern regions of the Russian Federation, the entire territory of Ukraine and the southern tip of Belarus, where this subspecies was first discovered in 2008.
Due to the fact that the South Russian tarantula loves drought and heat, it chooses places to live based on its preferences. It is characterized by steppe, semi-desert and desert climates. It can be found in fields, hills, summer cottages and rural areas.

Its burrows are especially often encountered during the potato harvest, because the depth of the burrows is from 30 to 40 centimeters, which is approximately equal to the planting depth of this tuberous plant.

How to hunt and what to eat

The South Russian tarantula prefers to use waiting tactics when hunting. He hides in his deep hole and sits there until the entrance to his home is obscured by the shadow of some unlucky insect, like a beetle.

Did you know?Spiders have amazing shell properties that can withstand nuclear explosion. This is despite the fact that they do not have skeletons, but only a hard shell called an exoskeleton.

It is to changes in light and shadow that the animal’s eight eyes react, transmitting an immediate signal to action, causing the spider to literally shoot out of the hole, like cannonball and in the blink of an eye deliver a fatal blow to the victim with the help of their poisonous chiliceras.

Continuing to hold the victim with its front paws, the spider waits until it stops trying to escape, which means the death of the insect and the green light for the start of the meal.
The usual diet of the South Russian tarantula includes:

• Zhukov;
• grasshoppers;
• caterpillars;
• cockroaches;
• slugs;
• ground beetles;
• mole cricket;
• other arachnids;
• small lizards.

Did you know? In 2001 300 spiders have been in space. In unusual conditions for them, they were busy with their usual business - weaving a web. However, the web turned out to be unusual: not flat, but three-dimensional.

Reproduction and offspring

Mating of individuals of the South Russian tarantula begins at the end summer period. As a rule, at the end of mating, the males die, and the female climbs into her hole and significantly deepens it in order to prepare for wintering.

Further, when a period of serious frosts and cold weather approaches, the female seals the entrance to the hole with a fairly dense layer of earth. The spider stays in such a shelter all winter, and in the spring it opens its hole and climbs to the surface.
Next, she lays eggs and seals them in a cocoon of cobwebs, which from now on she will carry with her everywhere to protect and protect the offspring. Over time, the little spiderlings will be born, after which they climb onto the back and abdomen of the mother and remain with her until they grow up.

When the spiderlings become sufficiently independent, the spider cleans them off with her hind legs and a new brood of spiders spreads around the surrounding area, starting to build burrows with gradual deepening as the size of the spiders increases.

Poisonous or not

Due to the rather wide range of this type of arachnid, as well as the fact of their gradual movement to the north, caused by global warming, many people who encounter them are interested in the question of the toxicity and danger of this type of spider for human life.

We hasten to reassure you, the bite of a South Russian tarantula is not capable of killing a person. To receive a lethal dose of poison, it will take about 10-12 bites, but this is basically unrealistic in nature, because tarantulas are solitary and cannot be found in such numbers.
The bite of the South Russian tarantula is quite unpleasant, comparable to the bites of bees, wasps, and hornets. The bite site will hurt, sometimes swelling and swelling are possible, sometimes itching and redness appear. Rarely, but still there are symptoms such as: nausea, dizziness, slight rise in temperature.

Important!If you receive a bite from a South Russian tarantula, you must quickly burn the bite site with a match, which will result in thermal decomposition of the poison and its neutralization. To consolidate the effect, the wound should be treated with alcohol or any other disinfectant, and also take an antiallergic drug to minimize the possibility of the poison affecting the body(even what could remain after cauterization).

How to get rid of the site

For people who do not want to share their property with such dangerous and unpleasant-looking creatures, we have selected several of the most effective methods that allow you to cope with an uninvited guest:

• use horse chestnuts. If you crush such fruits into a paste and then scatter them over the area, their smell will repel insects, including spiders, for a long time;
• plant a few nuts on your plot. All elements of this plant, including leaves, branches and fruits, are filled with tannins that repel unwanted insects such as flies, spiders, midges, mosquitoes and others;
• dried citrus fruit peels will help get rid of spiders in the house;
• planting peppermint in the garden It will also effectively help expel arachnids from the site.

And for those who not only do not want to kill and get rid of their spider neighbors, but also agree to accept one or more of them in their home, we will tell you about the basic rules for caring for and keeping the South Russian tarantula at home.

Important!The “killer” method of fighting spiders is spraying vinegar. This liquid is very acidic and can literally burn an insect.

Housing

Home improvement will be one of the main issues for those who plan to acquire a South Russian tarantula. First of all, you should understand that this type of arachnid is quite aggressive, and therefore, in attempts to protect its habitat, it will bite, fight, and scratch.

At the same time, it is capable of jumping to a height of up to 15 centimeters, which means that your hands, trying to replace the water in the drinking bowl or throw food, will run into constant attacks of the tarantula, accompanied by painful bites.
The main attributes for the home of such an arachnid will be:

• a tall vertical terrarium with a tightly closing lid to prevent your pet from accidentally jumping over the edge. The dimensions of the terrarium must be at least three times larger than the parameters of the spider itself, so that it has room to turn around;
• substrate thickness is 30 centimeters. As a substrate, you can use earth, clay, a mixture of these materials, as well as some other fillers from specialized stores;
• you will also need a drinking bowl with fresh water, which will have to be periodically removed from the terrarium to maintain the humidity balance;
• It is recommended to install a thermometer and a humidity sensor to regulate these indicators on time;
• if the terrarium becomes cooler than +20 degrees, then it will need to be heated using a regular incandescent lamp to the desired level;
• if the humidity level exceeds 70%, then you should ventilate the spider’s home and remove the drinking bowl from there;
• V winter time It is recommended to additionally illuminate the terrarium so that daytime and nighttime are approximately equal, that is, daylight hours will be 12 hours.

The South Russian tarantula is a small poisonous spider, which lives not only in the south of Russia, but also in the steppes of Ukraine and in the vast expanses of Central Asia. Since 2008, the South Russian tarantula has been spotted in some areas of Belarus.

South Russian Tarantula or Mizgir.

South Russian Tarantula or Mizgir.

South Russian tarantula or Mizgir: close-up view of the muzzle.

South Russian Tarantula or Mizgir: macro photography.

South Russian tarantula or Mizgir: macro photography.

Meadow moth in the arms of the South Russian tarantula.

The South Russian tarantula digs holes whose depth does not exceed half a meter, so it settles in areas with soft soil. It can often be found in floodplains. Moreover, this type of spider prefers a dry climate, so its range is in desert, semi-desert, steppe, and sometimes forest-steppe zones.

As with all species of tarantulas, the females of the South Russian tarantula are larger than the males. But it's not like that great view spiders: female size reaches up to 30 mm, male size up to 25 mm.

The South Russian tarantula lives in burrows and also hunts without leaving the burrow. It waits for insects, and when potential food appears nearby, it quickly jumps out of ambush and bites the victim. Most likely, the spider is very sensitive to soil vibrations and “hears” the steps of its prey. The tarantula preys on any insects, including spiders of smaller species. By tying a button to a thread and swinging it in front of the spider's hole, you can lure it out. At night, tarantulas themselves climb out of their holes and hunt insects. But they do not stray far from their burrows.

Tarantula hole, steppe of Kherson region.

The mating season for tarantulas of this species begins in late summer. The male can become food for the female if he does not quickly leave the mating site after the completion of the act. During the winter, South Russian tarantulas hibernate, having first deepened their burrows. In spring, females expose their abdomen to the sun's rays; the heat from the sun promotes the formation of eggs. After the eggs are ripe, the female lays them in a cocoon that she weaves from a web. In the future, she does not part with the cocoon until the eggs are ripe. As soon as the spiderlings emerge from the eggs, the female helps them get out of the cocoon by gnawing on it. At first, small tarantulas hold on to the female’s body, clinging to her. But gradually they leave their mother, settling around the area.

A female South Russian tarantula drags her cocoon with eggs. Kinburn Spit in the Black Sea.

The statement that the bite of a South Russian tarantula is dangerous to human life is a myth. Of course it is poisonous species spiders, but their bite is no more dangerous than a hornet’s bite. Swelling forms at the site of the bite and the skin may turn yellow. After two months, the skin condition will return to normal.

Is on the planet amazing creatures, which are both terrifying and delightful. The feared tarantula for centuries is one such creature. The spider, whose dimensions sometimes exceed 3 cm, is mentioned in fairy tales and epics; it is even given a special nickname - people call it Mizgir, attributing both sharply negative and positive traits.

This is interesting! They say that the South Russian tarantula can pursue its victim for hours if it does not die immediately. This usually happens if the tarantula has bitten a large “game”. It periodically bites its prey and injects venom until it drops dead.

Helping to get rid of blood-sucking insects - flies, mosquitoes and others, the tarantula is capable of biting a victim that is significantly larger in size, not only a mouse or a frog, but even a person. A tarantula bite cannot kill a healthy person, but pain, swelling, and inflammation are guaranteed.

Description of the South Russian tarantula

Araneomorphic spiders, which include the South Russian tarantula, are large in size, poisonous and beautiful. Looking at these creations of nature, it is impossible not to be surprised.

Appearance

Distribution area

South Russian tarantulas live almost everywhere in middle lane Russia. The arid climate of deserts, semi-deserts, and steppes suits them perfectly, but there must be bodies of water or groundwater close to the surface near their habitats.

Crimea, Krasnodar region, Oryol, Tambov regions, Astrakhan, Volga region, and even Bashkiria, Siberia, Transbaikalia consider tarantulas quite acceptable for life.

Diet, production of misgir

Hairy spiders can go without food for quite a long time. But then they actively catch up. They happily eat flies, mosquitoes, midges, caterpillars, worms, slugs, beetles, ground beetles, fellow spiders, baby frogs and mice. Spiders attack the victim when they are within a jumping distance of it; they approach it very carefully, silently and unnoticed.

In search of food, they even enter residential buildings and country houses.

Reproduction and offspring

At the end of summer, the Mizgiri mate; the males lure the female with special movements. The answer is the same movements of the partner if she is ready for mating games. They often end tragically; excited females simply kill the Mizgiri if they do not have time to escape.

The female makes a cocoon from the web, into which, with the onset of spring warmth, she lays fertilized and mature eggs. In the warmth of human habitation, the female tarantula may not hibernate. She is able to lay eggs almost immediately, and then carry the cocoon with her attached to her abdomen, waiting until the babies - spiderlings - are formed.

Feeling movement, the female helps the babies get out. But for some time she carries the offspring attached to her abdomen, helping to obtain food. One pair can have up to fifty cubs. As soon as the babies become able to survive on their own, the mother begins to tear them off her abdomen with her paws, scattering them away from her own home. Young tarantulas build their burrows according to their size, gradually enlarging them.