Spider tarantula. Exotic beauty. Tarantulas Tarantulas for home keeping

Which brings some confusion.

Tarantulas live in arid regions: steppes, deserts. During the day, they hide in vertical burrows, the depth of which reaches 60 cm. At night, spiders get 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 mink 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 vicinity of the city of Taranto (or Tarantum "Tarantum" for people of the Renaissance), which during the 15th century was attributed to the cause of a strange disease called Tarantism "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 a special dance - the tarantella "tarantella". Now, several centuries later, opinions are expressed that the tarantella was a mere occasion for some closed feasts, which the then authorities could condemn.

Problems with the translation of the term tarantula

In a number European languages, in particular in English, the word tarantula is often used to refer to tarantulas (the family of the largest spiders), and sometimes all large spiders of any kind. In this regard, confusion often arises in the case of illiterate translation of texts. In modern biological systematics, the taxa "tarantulas" and "tarantulas" do not intersect; tarantulas are classified as mygalomorph spiders, while tarantulas are classified as araneomorphs.

The most famous types

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 upright burrows. It gained its fame due to the fact that in the Middle Ages it was considered poisonous. Legends were made about him, passed down from generation to generation, and the emergence of various epidemic diseases was associated with him. It has now been proven that this species is not poisonous. In Italy, they believed that it was poisonous, and even came up with a cure for poison: you had to dance to the end of your strength, so 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 minks, 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 types of wolf spiders.

Sources

• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
• Zoology of invertebrates / ed. W. Westheide and R. Rieger. M.: T-vo scientific publications KMK, 2008.
• Big Encyclopedic Dictionary "Biology" / ed. M. S. Gilyarova. M.: Bolshaya Russian Encyclopedia, 1998.

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See what "Tarantulas" are in other dictionaries:

Several types of large poisonous spiders genus (Lycosa) fam. wolf spiders (Lycosidae). Distributed in deserts, semi-deserts and steppes of southern Europe. parts of the USSR, the Caucasus, Kazakhstan and Wed. Asia, along the river valleys, in some places they penetrate into the 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 minks, the depth of which is ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Collective name referring to various types spiders belonging to the family. tarantulas, Lycosidae, and belonging to the genera Lycosa (subdivided into subgenera Trochosa and Tarentula, which are accepted by some scientists as independent genera), ... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

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

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

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 minks up to ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Lycosa) a genus of arachnids of this family. Lycosidae; includes species whose females are capable of inflicting very painful bite causing local inflammation; common in deserts and semi-deserts, as well as in the steppe and forest-steppe zones ... Big Medical Dictionary

The tarantula is definitely not the most pleasant representative of the animal world, given that in addition to the peculiar appearance he is still poisonous insect. The name of this spider - "tarantula", came to us from Renaissance Italy. In those distant times, in the cities of Italy there were many of these spiders and, as a result, many people were bitten by them. Because of the bite, the unfortunate people suffered from convulsive seizures, of course, these conditions could be caused by other reasons, but then they were associated with spider bites. BUT the largest number bitten people were in the Italian city of Taranto, which gave the name to this spider - the tarantula.

An interesting fact: in order to cure the consequences of the bite of this spider, medieval doctors prescribed to dance until you drop a special dance - the tarantella, which, by its name and history of origin, is also directly connected with the city of Taranto, and with the hero of our today's publication - the tarantula spider.

Tarantula: description, structure, characteristics. What does a tarantula look like?

The tarantula belongs to the type of arthropods, the class of arachnids, the order of spiders, the family of spiders, and the genus of tarantulas proper. Like many arthropods, the body of the tarantula is covered with fine hairs. In general, in the structure of the body of a tarantula, two main parts are distinguished: the cephalothorax and the abdomen.

In the upper part of the tarantula's head there are as many as eight eyes, and 4 of them are located in a straight line, and the rest of the eyes bigger size arranged in a trapezium. Thanks to this arrangement of the eyes, tarantulas have a 360-degree field of view. Also besides excellent developed vision these spiders also have an excellent sense of smell, with which they can smell potential prey at a considerable (as for these insects) distance.

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

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

The mandibles of the tarantula are covered with poisonous channels, 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, which have lighter colors.

What is the difference between a tarantula and a tarantula

Often tarantulas are confused with the tarantula spider, to put an end to this, here are the differences between them:

• Tarantulas differ from tarantulas in the structure of chelicerae. In tarantulas they move in a parallel direction, in tarantulas in a medal direction towards each other.
• Also, these spiders belong to different families, tarantulas - to the family of wolf spiders, tarantulas - to the family of tarantulas.

Where does the tarantula live

Tarantula spiders live in a wide geographical range: Eurasia (but only its southern part), North Africa, Americas, Australia. Steppe, forest-steppe, desert and semi-desert are chosen as places of residence. climatic zones. Since they love warmth, they are not in the northern cold latitudes.

Lifestyle of a tarantula

Tarantulas lead a solitary night image life, go 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 burrows, but at night they come out to hunt.

What do tarantulas eat

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

The process of eating a tarantula can take several days, but in general they are not very voracious and can do without food at all. long time The main thing is to have access to water.

How long do tarantulas live

The lifespan of tarantulas depends on their species, and among them there are truly centenarians, for example, the Aphonopelma tarantula can live up to 30 years, which is a lot for an insect. The rest of the tarantulas live less, on average 5-10 years. Moreover, the life expectancy of female tarantulas is usually longer than that of males.

Types of tarantulas, photos and names

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

He is a real tarantula, lives in the south of Europe, including in 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 long. Also, unlike other types of tarantula, it does not weave cobwebs.

South Russian tarantula or mizgir

As the name implies, this tarantula lives in the south of Russia, Belarus, as well as our country of Ukraine, in the countries of Central Asia. This species of tarantula is small, its dimensions rarely exceed 35 mm. characteristic feature This type of tarantula is the presence of a special dark cap. With the onset of cold weather, these tarantulas burrow deep into their minks, where they successfully winter, and with the onset of spring they get to the surface.

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

This species of dark brown tarantula lives in tropical forests South America, Brazil, Paraguay, is found on the territory of many other South American countries. A characteristic difference This tarantula is the presence on the head of a light longitudinal strip of a yellowish tint.

tarantula breeding

The mating season for many species of tarantulas takes place at the end of summer. A sexually mature male spins a web, then begins to rub against it with his abdomen. As a result of this, he ejaculates seminal fluid, which falls on the web. Then the male dips his pedipalps into it, which absorb it, and become ready for fertilization.

And only then does the search for a female begin. Having found his "lady", the male begins courtship, which includes the performance of a peculiar mating dance. If the female responded to the "cavalier" in return, he immerses his pedipalps in her cloaca and fertilizes her. Then it is very desirable for the male to leave his "lady" as soon as possible, so as not to become dinner for her, as happens with some other insects.

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

Tarantula bite and the effect of poison on humans. Is the tarantula dangerous?

The tarantula itself is unlikely to attack a human. But the actions of the person himself can force him to this, for example, if he accidentally touches a spider, the latter can bite as self-defense.

A tarantula bite is not dangerous for a healthy person, with the exception of 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 bite site, 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 aid for a tarantula bite

First of all, it is necessary to wash the wound with antibacterial soap and treat it with an antiseptic. Then cool the bite site with an ice pack and take an antihistamine. Drink plenty of fluids, but never alcohol, and of course seek professional medical attention.

Tarantula home - care and maintenance. How to feed a tarantula at home?

AT recent times some exotic pet lovers have pet tarantulas. And why not, because in the content they are not quite whimsical, they can live in an aquarium or terrarium. At the bottom of the tank, it is necessary to pour a substrate consisting of a mixture of sand, clay and earth. Also, the terrarium for the tarantula should be equipped with an automatic drinker with fresh water and a shallow pool.

The optimum temperature for keeping these spiders should be 25-27 C. You can feed tarantulas with small pieces of fresh beef, as well as live cockroaches, frogs, if, of course, you manage to catch them. But fortunately, they do not need to be fed 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 only one, the strongest, will survive as a result of constant skirmishes.

• The blood of a tarantula, oddly enough, is the best antidote for its own poison, so to neutralize the action of the toxin, you can lubricate the wound with the blood of a crushed spider.
• Tarantulas are able to regenerate lost limbs, so if you tear off a paw, then after some time a new one will grow in its place, although it will be slightly smaller in size.
• AT mating season Male tarantulas can travel considerable distances in search of females.

Tarantula video

And in conclusion, we invite you to watch an interesting documentary about tarantulas - "Tarantula - the Australian king of spiders."

Tarantula is a generalized name for spiders that are large 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 members of this family are poisonous to a greater or lesser extent. Before proceeding to the description of these amazing creatures, I would like to note that the simplicity in their content 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. Legs of it large insect shaggy and long. The hairs growing on them are quite sharp; upon contact with human skin, they can injure, resulting in burning and severe itching. The tarantula spider uses these hairs to protect itself from its natural enemies. A furry predator that falls into its paws kills with fangs, the length of which is 1 cm.

Fluffy insects are very beautiful. The color can be brown or black, but there are also brown-rusty individuals of this species. The weight of the spider is about 90 g, while the females are noticeably larger than the males.

Lifestyle

The tarantula spider lives in deep burrows that it makes in solid soil. Such a spider dwelling reaches up to 25 cm vertically in depth. At the entrance, the predator builds a vertical wall, using the remains of plants and earth as building materials. The spider lines its burrow with cobwebs. When the rainy season or molting time begins, the entrance is closed from above with cobwebs and earth. With the onset of winter, the insect closes 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 in his lair and waits for a random victim there. Based on this, it can be understood that a person can suffer and get a tarantula bite only in those cases when he himself invades his territory and destroys the dwelling of a predatory insect.

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

reproduction

When, after a long search, the male tarantula finally finds a female, he begins to care for her. "Lady" reciprocates, but you need to be extremely careful with her. After the ritual of flirting, the spiders mate, it is at this moment, after the end of the mating act, that the female can bite her unlucky "cavalier", who will instantly turn from a groom into a dinner. Therefore, males must have a quick reaction and a quick reverse in order to have time to escape in time. Here it is - a spider wedding!

The spider lays eggs in her hole, where she wraps them in a web, as a result of which a cocoon is obtained. The future parent carries it everywhere with her until the time when small tarantulas appear. But even after the birth of the spiders, for some time they ride on the back of their mother. Only having matured and learned to crawl and live on their own, the children leave parental home and start arranging own dwelling 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.

Consider the toxicity of these insects, based on the time of year:

• April- only 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 poison of predators at this time is 3 times more toxic.
• August- in spiders, especially in young females, poison is less toxic.
• September- before wintering, the toxicity of the venom of furry insects decreases by 2 times.

Why is a 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 with this cute and fluffy creature of nature, you need to be extremely careful.

Black tarantula as a pet

In a conversation about representatives of the wolf spider family, it is impossible not to mention such a handsome man as black brazilian tarantula. This is beautiful insect considered the most the best view spiders for home maintenance.

It, of course, also applies to predators, but at the same time it is distinguished by a calm and obedient character. Those who are already intimately familiar with the black shaggy fluffy can confidently recommend him as the most obedient spider. live it up amazing creation under proper conditions can up to 20 years. So for a long time a beautiful pet will be next to its owner.

The South Russian tarantula is a representative of araneomorphic spiders, which belongs to the species of wolf spiders. He is quite large, but not aggressive. Some exotic lovers are happy to keep such arachnids in their home as pets.

The South Russian tarantula is the inhabitants of the steppes, the range of which has recently expanded significantly.

Description

The South Russian tarantula is the largest spider living in Russia. The size of his body is from 2.5 to 3 cm, while females are always larger than males. The body is densely covered with hairs. The color is usually gray with dotted patches of black, there are also red and brown.

This arachnid has eight eyes arranged in three rows. In the bottom row there are two pairs of small eyes, the middle row is occupied by the largest pair, which is central and looks forward, in the top row there are two lateral small eyes, located just above the middle pair.

On a note! It is believed that he is able to distinguish objects that are at a distance of 30 cm!

Spreading

For the South Russian tarantula, a dry climate is most preferable. For this reason, most often it can be found in the steppe, desert and semi-desert regions, less often in the forest-steppe zone. He appears and digs his holes in the fields, on the banks of various reservoirs, as well as in gardens and orchards. In a word, soft soils are attractive for him, in which he can easily equip his nest.

Previously South Russian tarantula was distributed mainly in Central Asia, as well as in the southern regions of Russia and Ukraine. But due to climate change, these spiders began to make their way further north, and where they used to be a rarity, they are now found in fairly large numbers. large quantities.

• On the territory of Ukraine, the South Russian tarantula is called Crimean and at the same time it is the largest arachnid that is found in these places. His burrows with a master inside are increasingly found locals in their household plots.
• Recently, these tarantulas have taken root in Belarus. They were first discovered there in 2008. These arachnids began to fairly actively settle in the floodplains of the Sozh, Dnieper and Pripyat rivers.
• In Bashkiria, South Russian tarantulas lived for a long time, but in 2016 their real invasion was noted. The reason for this was the abnormal warm weather, which lasted all summer that year.
  

  On a note! In Bashkiria in 2016, due to the bites of the South Russian tarantula, several people ended up in the hospital!

• In Kazakhstan, several types of tarantulas are common, and one of them is South Russian. Habitats are common: the banks of rivers, lakes and salt marshes, and the most active zones are Aktau, Alma-Ata, Aktobe, Shymkent. Especially large tarantulas are found in Kazakhstan - sometimes their body length reaches 9 cm.
• As for the territory of Russia, South Russian tarantulas were seen in large numbers in the Astrakhan, Belgorod, Volgograd, Kursk and Saratov regions, as well as in the Tambov, Lipetsk and Oryol regions.

Features of existence

The steppe tarantula settles in holes, which he himself digs, and at the same time he always lines the walls with his own cobwebs. 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.

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

The diet of the South Russian tarantula includes:

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

On a note! South Russian tarantulas often have cases of cannibalism when they eat other spiders that belong to smaller species!

Despite the fact that these arachnids are very attached to their hole, single specimens can move away from it at fairly decent distances. Cases have been noted when South Russian tarantulas climbed into residential buildings located in small settlements.

reproduction

The mating period is last month 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 "boyfriend" raises the front of the body, exposes the first pair of legs and vibrates the 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 retires and prepares for winter: he makes his hole deeper and clogs the entrance with soil.

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

On a note! Heat promotes the rapid development of eggs in the abdomen. By the way, it is this ritual that often leads to dehydration of the female body and she can lose about 30% of her weight!

When the maturation of eggs in the abdomen ends, the female spins a silk cocoon from the web. She lays eggs in it and wears it for some time on her abdomen. 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 feels danger, then she will immediately violently cling to the cocoon with chelicerae and it will no longer be possible to select it.

As soon as the female feels that the spiderlings are starting to come out of the eggs, she breaks the cocoon and helps the babies get out. Young individuals climb onto the body of the mother, and for some time she wears them on herself.

Gradually, the stronger offspring leave the mother's body, settling around the area.

AT natural environment Habitat South Russian tarantula lives for about two years, in captivity a little longer, due to the lack of winter hibernation, which to a certain extent slows down its development.

The consequences of a bite

For a person, the South Russian tarantula does not pose a particular danger. Of course, he can bite, but he will never be the first to attack. Representatives of this species are not aggressive and attack only in self-defense. Therefore, disturbing the tarantula or picking it up without special need is highly discouraged.

When bitten, a person may feel burning and pain. Usually, edema forms in this place, sometimes the skin becomes yellow and recovers only after a couple of months. Due to the low concentration of the poison of this arachnid lethal outcome does not cause a person.

However, if you are allergic to spider or insect bites, you may develop allergic reaction, the manifestations of which will be:

• strong pain;
• rash around the affected area;
• general malaise;
• dizziness;
• drowsiness.

Important! If a South Russian tarantula has bitten a child, then you should seek medical help immediately!

home content

If you decide to keep the South Russian tarantula at home, then in this case, remember that it is quite fast and does not tolerate mistakes in handling. When trying to defend himself, he can jump to a height of about 15 cm and will certainly bite.

As for, the South Russian tarantula is unpretentious. He needs:

• a vertical terrarium from which the spider will not be able to get out on its own;
• a fairly thick layer of substrate - at least 30 cm, so that your pet can dig its holes in it;
• a drinking bowl in which every day there will be a clean and fresh water, while the spider must have free access to it;
• food - for the South Russian tarantula I usually get forage insects, whose body size should correspond to the size of the body of the spider itself.

Important! It is highly not recommended to feed the South Russian tarantula with insects from the street!

The genus of tarantulas includes 220 varieties of spiders. More often than others in different parts light, you can spot the Apulian tarantula (Lycosa tarantula). The South Russian tarantula (Lycosa singoriensis), also called Mizgir, lives on the territory of the former Soviet republics. His trademark is a dark spot, similar to a skullcap.

Description of the tarantula

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

Chelicerae (because of the venomous ducts on their serrated tops) perform two functions - an oral appendage and an attack/defense weapon.

The most attractive appearance of the tarantula is 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 "eyes" vigilantly monitor what is happening, distinguishing light and shadow, as well as the silhouettes of familiar insects in the range of up to 30 cm. The spider boasts excellent hearing - it hears human steps for 15 km.

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

It is interesting! Tarantula can regenerate lost limbs. When molting, a new paw begins to grow in it (instead of the torn off one). It increases with each molt until it reaches its natural size.

Female individuals are superior in size to their partners, often gaining a record mass of 90 grams.

The color of the spider may be different and depends on the range. So, the South Russian tarantula usually shows a brown, slightly reddish or sandy-gray color with black spots.

Range, habitats

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

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

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

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

Spider 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 fluctuations of the web: with it he prudently braids the walls of his shelter.

The shadow of the insect, blocking the light, also becomes a signal to jump. The tarantula is not a supporter of walks and makes them out of necessity, leaving the hole in search of prey at dusk. On night hunting, he is extremely cautious and does not go far from his mink.

Approaches the victim slowly, with stops. Then suddenly jumps and bites. In anticipation of the killer action of the toxin, it can relentlessly follow the insect, biting it and jumping away until the sufferer draws his last breath.

The objects of attack of our tarantula are:

• caterpillars;
• crickets and beetles;
• cockroaches;
• bears;
• 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.

tarantula breeding

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

In spring, the female comes to the surface to keep warm under sunbeams, and returns to the burrow to lay eggs. She carries the cocoon, in which the eggs are braided, with her, showing tireless concern for its safety.

Getting out of the cocoon, the spiders cling to the mother (her abdomen and cephalothorax), which continues to protect the offspring for some more time, keeping it with her.

Having gained independence, spiders leave their mother. It often speeds up their exit to great life, for which it circles around the hole, throwing the babies off the body with its hind legs.

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

tarantula bite

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

A disturbed spider will announce the beginning of the attack with a threatening posture: it will stand up on its hind legs, raising its front legs up. Seeing 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 sharp pain, swelling, and less often nausea and dizziness.

The bite site is burned with a cigarette or match to decompose the toxin. Do not interfere with the use of antihistamines.

It is interesting! The best antidote for a tarantula is its blood, so you can neutralize the poison by smearing the affected area with the blood of a dead spider.

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

Based on observations, the South Russian tarantula, protecting its lair, jumps up 10-15 centimeters. By general conditions the content of the tarantula differs little from the burrowing varieties of tarantula spiders.

The immutable rule that the newly minted owner of the tarantula must comply with is that a single spider is housed in one terrarium. Otherwise, the tenants 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, and in captivity it can live twice as long.

It is interesting! It is known that the longevity of the tarantula is due to its nutrition and the number of molts. A well-fed spider molts more often, which shortens its lifespan. If you want your pet to live a long time, keep him starving.

Arachnary

Instead, a terrarium or an aquarium with a lid with air holes will also be a suitable apartment for a tarantula.

Please note that the area of ​​​​the container for an adult spider is much more important than its height.. The diameter of a round aquarium should be equal to 3 paw spans, for a rectangular one, both the length and width should exceed the span of the limbs by 2-3 times.

Priming

These spiders have strong jaws that are not only excellent at loosening compacted soil, but also chewing aluminum and hard polymers.

The spider should be able to dig a hole, so the bottom of the arachnaria (terrarium) is covered with clay and sand to get a layer of 15-30 cm. The following can also act as a substrate:

• coconut fiber;
• peat and humus;
• chernozem with vermiculite;
• Earth.

All these components must be hydrated (in moderation!). Before settling a tarantula, make sure that there are no traumatic objects in its future housing (if you decorated the terrarium for aesthetic purposes).

Arachnaria is not left open: along the corner, braided with cobwebs, your pet will easily get out of its castle.

Cleaning

It is arranged every month and a half, clearing the hole of your spider's waste products or cutting plants (if any).

Since the tarantula does not often leave the hole, you will need to lure it out with a lump of plasticine, soft chewing gum, resin or warm wax. Do not wait for the reaction to the ball, you will dig out the spider.

At home, the periods of activity of the spider are the same as in wild nature: he is cheerful from early spring until the onset of cold weather. By winter, the spider deepens the mink and "seals" the entrance.

The optimum temperature is in the range from +18 to +30° Celsius. Tarantulas are no strangers to natural fluctuations in temperature: spiders can quickly adapt to them.

Spiders extract moisture from their victims, but the water must be somewhere nearby.. In the terrarium, you need to put a drinker and maintain the required level of humidity.

It is possible that the drinking bowl, if it is spacious, the spider will try to use it as a personal pool.

The South Russian tarantula will be grateful for the snag installed in his dwelling (where he will periodically crawl) and modest vegetation.

Illumination of arachnaria is arranged at a distance from the spider's hole. It is required to change water and irrigate the soil every morning before turning on the lamp.

Tarantulas do not need ultraviolet rays: take an ordinary incandescent lamp or a fluorescent lamp (15 W). The pet will bask under its light, imagining that it is sunbathing.