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Why is the tarantula called a tarantula? May 23rd, 2015

It is unlikely that anyone does not know the tarantula spider. Here we have his widely known dance - the tarantella. What do they have in common? This is despite the fact that one of the names of tarantula spiders - tarantula (tarantula) is a doubly incorrect use of the term.

Now we will find out why everything is so...

There is a spider belonging to a very distantly related group which fell into disrepute during the fifteenth century. This spider, named after the Italian city of Taranto (or Tarantum for Renaissance people), is credited with being the cause of a strange disease called Taran-tism (Gertsch 1979). According to legend, the bite of this spider led to illness, and anyone bitten was doomed, and the only cure was: passion for madness - the passionate dance of the tarantella. Now, several centuries later, in calmer times, authorities suspect that the tarantella was a mere excuse for some private revels, at a time when fun was mercilessly suppressed. And as a result, a superstition regarding tarantism, any big spider was suspicious and instilled fear in the peasantry.

When Renaissance explorers explored the far corners of the world, they returned from scary stories O giant spiders- tarantulas “tarantulas”, living in the tropics, subtropics, and warmer climates temperate zones. Gradually, English-speaking people, especially North Americans, applied this name to a group of much larger and more showy spiders than European ones, forgetting almost entirely about the city of Taranto and tarantism. This myth about big and dangerous spiders still continues to exist even today.

In a number 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 mygalomorphic spiders, and tarantulas are araneomorphic.

Apulian tarantula

Very often people are mistaken and consider the tarantula to be a large spider. Mainly due to misconceptions, tarantulas are called this way. This creates confusion.

These spiders live in steppes or deserts, in arid areas. During daylight hours, tarantulas sleep in their burrows. The burrows are vertical holes that go almost a meter into the ground. During the night, spiders emerge from their hiding places and go hunting. Prey most often are insects. These spiders are also unique in that they do not use webs to weave webs; they use webs to cover the walls of their shelter, or to build an egg cocoon.

As a member of the spider tribe, the tarantula has characteristics their relatives. Namely: their legs are not equipped with a full set of muscles, only flexor muscles. They bend under the pressure of hemolymph. This is why wounded spiders become lethargic.

South Russian tarantula

They breed in late July and August. The female looks for a hole that is more suitable in her opinion, lays eggs there, which she later entwines with cobwebs. After that, she carries them on the so-called spider warts until they hatch. And even after this, she carries them on her belly for a certain time.

Tarantula venom is lethal, but only to some animals. For a person, it is nothing more than a simple hornet sting. Swelling appears, but it is not fatal. The blood of this spider contains an antidote to its poison. It is for this reason that fights between tarantulas almost never end in death. But there are exceptions when the cause of death is blood loss.

IN this moment The most famous of the genus of tarantulas are two species. Apulian tarantula and South Russian tarantula.

By the way, here’s who they are and what they look like. Here's how you can The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -

Tarantula is a genus of araneomorphic spiders belonging to the wolf spider family. They live mainly in arid areas such as steppes and deserts. During the day they hide in holes, and at night they go out hunting. Spiders scour the ground in search of insects. Tarantulas, unlike many other species, do not weave webs, but use the web only to strengthen their homes.

There are more than two hundred species of tarantulas in the world, inhabiting temperate and tropical climate. Some of them live in Russia.

Etymology of the name

This name comes from one of the varieties of spiders that live near the city of Taranto. According to local residents fifteenth century, spiders were the cause of the disease, called "Tarantism". According to legend, the bite of this spider infected an unusual disease that led to inevitable death, and the only possible way to heal there was a special, very energetic dance - the tarantella (known to this day). It was common to think that dance should draw all the strength out of the “patient” along with the disease.

Description of appearance

Tarantulas have a double, shaggy body and two pairs of four paws. It consists of two parts - the cephalothorax and abdomen. The spider's head has eight eyes that allow it to look around 360 degrees. Almost all subspecies are black or brown in color (there are bright exceptions).

American tarantulas are much larger than other species, they can reach ten centimeters, with a paw span of up to thirty centimeters. Tarantulas, which lived much shorter in Europe, rarely reach five centimeters. Males are smaller than females.

Many tarantulas are confused with other large spiders, for example, tarantulas (most people consider them to be tarantulas). This opinion is fundamentally incorrect, since the tarantula belongs to mygalomorphic spiders. Over time, the error became entrenched in society and culture.

The appearance of these beauties can be appreciated in the photo.

Lifestyle

The spider spends most of its time in a hole dug by its own efforts. Tarantula burrows can reach 25 centimeters deep. Inside each burrow, a wall of leaves and cobwebs is cultivated. To protect itself from rain or before the onset of winter, the spider goes even deeper and closes its “hut” with web and earth.

The tarantula is a predator, and therefore is often in search of prey. Spiders hunt mainly at night, sometimes during the day, waiting for prey near their home. Almost all careless insects fall under the insidious mites of tarantulas, among them: caterpillars, mole crickets, crickets, beetles and others.

Tarantulas prefer to be located as close to “home” as possible; they painstakingly protect their territory, protecting yourself from strangers. In cases where the spider needs to move away from the hole, it ties itself to it with a web to make it easier to find its way home. The only option to force the creature to leave its home territory is mating season, at this moment the spiders forget about everything and lose their heads. As a result, they are able to go a long way in search of a suitable female.

Reproduction

If the male managed to find a worthy candidate, he decides to hit on her. After a short courtship, the spiders enter into a relationship. Unfortunately, this relationship is not destined to end long and happy life. At the moment of mating, the male must be as careful and tense as possible, because after this process is completed the female will try to bite her “suitor” and give them dinner. The fate of the male depends on how quickly he reacts (many manage to escape). The female, having already been fertilized, continues to live alone.

Tarantula

Eggs spider lays in her hole. At an early stage, they are stored in a cocoon, which she drags along with her throughout the entire “gestation” period. Even after birth, baby tarantulas live on their mother’s back until they become more independent (they learn to hunt and crawl).

Known species

Poisonous or not?

One of the most important questions related to tarantulas is whether they are poisonous or not, are they dangerous to humans? Despite the mass of legends, a lot of misinformed people and confusion with other species of spiders, the tarantula is believed to be dangerous. Yes, the spider is poisonous, and its poison can kill, but only animals. A tarantula cannot harm a person, and its bite will be similar to the sting of a bee or hornet. Moreover, the tarantula will not look for you and attack, despite the fact that it is a predator. You can provoke him to attack only by invading his territory or destroying his house (banal self-defense).

It is important to understand that you should not deliberately invite a spider to attack, which is unknown to you. At certain times of the year, for example, in spring, at this time the venom of spiders gains strength (it is more toxic) and some individuals with their bite can lead to unpleasant consequences. An infected person may experience nausea, dizziness, and the like (not fatal, but creepy and unpleasant).

The degree of danger varies depending on the time of year:

• Spring - at this time spiders wake up and have a rather weak poison;
• Summer - they are completely awake, the poison intensifies several times;
• Autumn - the strength of the poison declines again due to the approaching hibernation.

Tarantula as a pet

Tarantula is a wonderful pet. The spider does not ask for a lot of food, is quite unpretentious to living conditions, is relatively safe (poisonous, but calm and flexible) and interesting. They are also very beautiful, for example, the black Brazilian version. In general, these creatures are very popular, many people buy American spiders, and some get by with South Russian ones.

Choosing a spider preference should be given to a female, since they can live much longer.

Among the wolf spiders there are interesting ones, amazing representatives. For some, their appearance is terrifying, while for others, on the contrary, they seem incredibly beautiful. Large araneomorphic venomous spiders called tarantulas They are an incredibly beautiful furry creature, which in the old days was considered poisonous and dangerous to humans.

Tarantula tarantula

A lot has changed since then. It has been proven that tarantulas are not too dangerous for humanity, but this does not stop some people from looking at them with caution. Just the sight of him makes you shiver involuntarily, even at photo of a tarantula.

Tarantula bite although not fatal, it can cause some trouble. After it, the victim may experience a feverish state.

Sometimes, judging by the numerous literary descriptions noticed aggressive behavior these spiders. But this does not mean that such behavior is characteristic of all their representatives.

Tarantula bite

In fact, they live more according to the law - “don’t touch me, and I won’t touch you.” And to a greater extent they can bite only for the purpose of self-defense. By the way, according to eyewitnesses, the bite of these spiders resembles a wasp bite. They do not produce such a large amount of toxins that could negatively affect the health of a person who has been bitten.

Description and features

The body of this invertebrate creature has a head and cephalothorax with a hairy surface. This arachnid arthropod has as many as 8 eyes, with the help of which the tarantula can see in all directions. It is brown or black in color with red spots or stripes.

As for sizes, spiders are small, medium and large. On the American continent there are tarantulas with dimensions of 10 cm and a paw span of up to 30 cm. European inhabitants are slightly smaller. The average size of females is usually 2-3 cm. Males are a couple of cm larger.

Spiders have 8 legs and 2 fangs. These spiders have many enemies in nature. They provide food for foxes, coyotes, birds, lizards and snakes. All of them, as one, do not miss this opportunity to feast on a tarantula.

On the legs of spiders you can see claws that help them climb up hills. Being in wild environment, they can not only move on the ground, there are times when spiders need to climb a tree or some other object.

The hairy covering of the invertebrate's body, which is easily removed, serves as good protection for the spider during a possible enemy attack. When you touch it, the predator’s body begins to itch very much. Interesting feature Tarantulas use a silk thread with which they protect their possessions along with their eggs.

The spider has an amazing ability to pick up the slightest vibration emanating from the approach of enemies or prey. When a threat approaches, the tarantula hides. In cases of danger, they make sounds like the teeth of a comb vibrating. And the tarantula will wait in ambush for the victim heard by vibration until it approaches.

Female tarantulas eat the males after mating. Therefore, their life expectancy is always shorter. In offspring, on the contrary, the chances of survival double, thanks to the satiety of the female.

In general, if we talk about the survival rate of these spiders, it is at a very low level. More than half of these invertebrates die from predators in the first years of their existence.

U different people different attitude towards appearance spiders For some, they are repulsive and disgusting, while others consider them original and damn attractive creatures.

In many countries big spiders tarantulas are found in some of the most popular pets. For their use, special glass aquariums are used, and they are fed with animal food.

IN wildlife these spiders prefer to live in deserts, tropical forests and meadows. There are these creatures on almost all continents of the earth's planet. The only exception is Antarctica.

Tarantula lifestyle

Burrows large tarantula can be seen everywhere, most often the mountain slopes are covered with them. The depth of the burrows varies, ranging from 50-60 cm deep. At the entrance to the tarantula's burrow you can see a small roller, which somewhat hides the entrance from prying eyes.

IN daytime spiders prefer to hide in burrows. And when night falls, they go out hunting. Spiders protect their burrows from the winter cold using cobwebs and dry plants. All the walls in their home are shrouded in cobwebs. With its help, they are able to determine by vibration what is happening on the earth's surface.

As soon as the spring warmth is felt, spiders come to the surface and bask under sun rays.

Reproduction and lifespan

Towards the end of summer, tarantulas become sexually mature. At these moments, males go out in search of females in the hope of mating. But these searches do not always end with the fulfillment of their desire. Sometimes the male may simply be eaten by the female. Therefore, in order to stay alive, they must not lose their vigilance for a single second.

When they meet, the males begin some kind of flirting. They actively vibrate their abdomen and move their forelimbs, giving a chance to understand their aspirations.

A female who is not against mating begins involuntary repetitions of all the movements of the male. After mating has taken place, it is advisable for the male to quickly retreat, otherwise he risks being eaten by a hungry spider.

The fertilized female has no choice but to fall into hibernation in a well-walled hole. And only the arrival of spring makes it come to the surface.

In the abdomen exposed to the rays of the sun, offspring are formed in the form of eggs in the female. She lays already ripe eggs on the web she has prepared. The number of eggs depends on the species of tarantula. Their average number is about 400 pieces.

South Russian tarantula

The eggs are in the ripening stage. At the same time, the female builds a large cocoon, places her eggs there and attaches them to herself. The cocoon is on the spider until the first movements of the babies in it.

The female remains to gnaw the cocoon and help the offspring get out of it. Newborn spiders are in no hurry to leave their mother. They climb onto it and are placed there in several layers.

They live this way until the babies are able to eat on their own. After which the females have another mission - she needs to get around as far as possible more territory and scatter your offspring over it. Tarantulas can live up to 20 years.

Nutrition

All insects and animals that smaller in size than tarantulas risk being eaten. They do not stray far from their burrow to hunt. They draw in their victim and are already having their meal at home. This happens somewhat unusually for them.

Spiders do not have teeth, so when they approach their victim, they pierce a hole in it, through which they inject their special agent to dissolve all the insides of the victim. And after that they suck out the dissolved contents without any problems.

What to do if bitten by a tarantula?

The toxicity of tarantulas depends on many factors - their species, gender, age, time of year. For example, in April spiders are not particularly active. They just woke up and are practically in no danger.

There are fewer spider bites, and they are not very toxic. In mid-May, spiders begin to lay their eggs and become more active. Aggression awakens in them and along with this toxicity increases.

The beginning of June is characterized by a 3-fold increase in toxicity. It is at this time that spiders mate and migrate. Exactly this dangerous time. Only in September does the toxicity of tarantulas decrease.

In essence, the poison of these invertebrates does not pose a great danger to humans. The only exceptions are people prone to allergies and small children.

A tarantula bite may be accompanied by local pain, redness of the skin at the site of the bite, swelling, general malaise, drowsiness, and increased temperature. For some, these symptoms include dizziness and nausea.

Apulian tarantula

The bite site is under no circumstances cauterized. The bite should not be cut. This can lead to infection. Scratching is also contraindicated. You must first wash the bite with antibacterial or regular soap, followed by an antiseptic.

Applying cold can reduce the pain comparatively. A large amount of water will help quickly remove toxic substances. And taking antihistamines will relieve allergies. In case of sudden deterioration in health or bite of small children, it is better to call an ambulance.

Although tarantulas inspire fear in many people, they are still peaceful creatures. You can find the largest of them, the size of which is no less than an average plate.

Directors instilled fear in people to a greater extent with their horror films with tarantulas in leading role. The spiders were named after the city in Italy, Tarento. There were a lot of these creatures there. Their bites were attributed to the most various diseases. Experts recommended smearing a spider bite with its own blood, which contains an antidote.

Kinds

Brazilian jet black tarantula considered one of the best pets. They are calm, impressive and obedient. In their popularity they are not inferior to any spider. They live for at least 20 years.

Brazilian jet black tarantula

They can decorate not only a zoo, a school living area, but also a home interior. Due to the fact that the venom of spiders, including these species, is toxic, it is not recommended to handle them with bare hands.

South Russian tarantula It is distinguished by its aggressiveness and speed. He doesn't forgive bad attitude to yourself. This type of spider is not recommended for people who know little about these creatures. They have increased jumping ability. To protect themselves and their home, they can jump 20 cm high.

In general, he is unpretentious and interesting. Apulian tarantula most common in European countries. Its dimensions are slightly larger than those of the South Russian one. It is considered the most poisonous of the tarantulas.

The spider order includes a large number of various families. One of the most famous is wolf spiders. Its representatives are particularly large in size, can leave painful bites on the human body, and live in almost all arid regions.

The tarantula is considered one of the most common spiders of this family. This predatory arthropod is a popular pet due to its unusual appearance. This article will discuss the existing types of tarantulas, the peculiarities of their life activity, the principles of keeping them at home and methods of removing them from a summer cottage.

What are tarantulas: what do they look like, where are they found, what do they eat, are they dangerous to humans

In total, the genus of tarantulas includes more than two hundred species. Vary depending on the type external characteristics arthropod and its effect on humans. Contrary to popular misconceptions, the question of whether an insect is a tarantula or not can only be answered in the negative.

Tarantulas are classified as arachnids. To understand who a tarantula is, it is necessary to obtain information about its life principles and habitats.

Important! Despite their terrifying appearance, these arthropods are extremely fragile. They are much more sensitive than wasps and bees, so even a fall from a small height or light pressure can lead to cracking of their exoskeleton and death.

Apulian

What it looks like. Known as the "king of spiders", it reaches a length of 10 cm - it is one of the most major representatives everyone existing species. The cephalothorax is powerful, slightly pubescent, dark in color and highlighted by a light belt.

There are four pairs of eyes on the front part of the cephalothorax. different sizes- exactly the same as ordinary spiders, and chelicerae with poisonous glands. The abdomen of males has dark color, in females it is red, covered dark stripes with light edges - several transverse and thin longitudinal. There are eight paws, each approximately 15 cm long.

Where it is found. Mainly in the south of Europe - in Portugal, Spain, on the coast of Italy.

What does it eat? This is a predatory arthropod that feeds on large and small insects. Prefers dragonflies, flies, bees and wasps.

Is it dangerous? The bite of this spider is painful, but does no harm.

What it looks like. Commonly called mizgir, this spider ranges from 2.5 to 3 cm in length. Some individuals reach a length of 5–6 cm. The body is wide, covered with thick hair.
The abdomen of males and females is gray with black speckles, and there are red markings on the body. The legs are long, have a segmented structure, from 8 to 12 cm long. The Central Russian and Siberian tarantula are considered similar to it.

Where it is found. It lives in a dry climate, so it is often found in the south of Russia, Ukraine and Central Asia.

What does it eat? Bugs and Orthoptera insects such as grasshoppers, locusts and crickets.

Is it dangerous? In some cases, a bite can trigger an allergic reaction and swelling.

Crimean

What it looks like. Young individuals have a gray-white tint; adult spiders that have not shed for a long time acquire a reddish color.
The body is powerful, round, up to 4 cm long. Females are one and a half times larger than males. After mating, the female almost always eats the male. Top part the abdomen is covered with gray-black specks, the paws are shaggy and pointed.

Where it is found. In the steppe region of Crimea and partly in the Kherson region.

What does it eat? These individuals eat large insects - mole crickets, ground beetles, chafers, caterpillars, so feeding them at home is not difficult.

Is it dangerous? The effect of the bite is comparable to the sting of a wasp. The bite site swells and becomes numb, and the local temperature rises. A general allergic reaction is possible.

Did you know? These arthropods received their name by analogy with the Italian city of Taranto. If you believe the legends, the inhabitants of this city in the 15th century were massively affected by an epidemic disease called tarantism. This disease arose after a toxic bite from a tarantula spider, and the only salvation from it was endless dancing until exhaustion. The exact nature of the disease and its manifestations are not described in any of the sources, so modern historians believe that tarantism was just a cover for dance parties thatcity ​​authorities at that timedidn't approve.

What it looks like. One of the most beautiful representatives of the wolf spider family. Large tarantula of dark color.
The cephalothorax and abdomen are shaggy, the legs are black with light transverse stripes. The body length is more than 8 cm, sexual dimorphism is not pronounced. Molting lasts up to four months, during which time the arthropod becomes lethargic.

Where it is found. Distributed throughout the central territory of the African continent.

What does it eat? Young crickets and locusts, grasshoppers and cockroaches. Occasionally catches wasps and attacks young small rodents.

Is it dangerous? The venom of the African tarantula is fatal to domestic animals and birds; in humans it provokes severe allergic reactions, low-grade fever, pain and subsequent numbness.

Black

What it looks like. It has a completely black body covered with small fluffy hairs. Its size ranges from 12 to 15 cm, the limb span is up to 35 cm.
Three pairs of eyes are located on the front part of the cephalothorax, two more eyes are located on the sides of the head. Chelicerae with poisonous ducts are powerful and mobile. The lifespan of this species in captivity ranges from 15 to 20 years.

Where it is found. In countries South America- Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.

What does it eat? Young individuals eat small insects; adult tarantulas feed on small lizards, young rodents, and large insects.

Is it dangerous? The venom of the black tarantula is considered one of the most potent among tarantulas. This arthropod is not recommended for beginners, as it is active, aggressive, and its bite can cause serious harm to a small child.

Important! The tarantula shows aggression by rising on its hind legs and putting its front legs in front of itself. This is a warning posture followed by the scattering of lint, causing irritation to the respiratory tract and skin. The tarantula bites as a last resort or in case of immediate danger.

Blue

What it looks like. The black cephalothorax of this spider is covered with soft short hairs of a dark color. There are green-blue tan marks on the paws and rounded abdomen.
The average body length is from 6 to 9 cm, depending on the age of the individual. This arthropod lives as long as the black representative of the family - up to twenty years.

Where it is found. In the tropical forests of Guyana.

What does it eat? Small dragonflies, wasps, grasshoppers and beetles. Sometimes hunts caterpillars.

Is it dangerous? Can jump up to 20 cm, defending its territory. The bite site rapidly swells and begins to heat up. The pain lasts up to two days; the bite heals completely in about two weeks.

What it looks like. The giant tarantula is up to 17 cm long and has a beige color. black speck, shaggy abdomen and limbs with a span of up to 40 cm.
She chewed powerful, medium-sized eyes with poisonous glands. It is the largest representative of its species in the world.

Where it is found. In India and throughout Southeast Asia.

What does it eat? Hunts small lizards, mice, frogs. The young feed on large and small insects.

Is it dangerous? The bite of this tarantula is very painful and dangerous for humans in case of an allergic reaction.

Dzungarian

What it looks like. The body is flattened, streamlined, covered with short hairs. The color is light beige with specks, the abdomen is darker than the cephalothorax.
Paws are light, with dark tips. The body length is approximately 8 cm. Another name for this species is South Russian.

Where it is found. Individuals are found in southern regions Ukraine. These arthropods live where the climate is dry and warm - mainly in the Caucasus and Central Asia.

What does it eat? Caterpillars, cockroaches, beetles. Loves to hunt mole crickets.

Is it dangerous? Fast and agile, reacts to any movement at a distance of up to half a meter. The bite is painful, causing swelling and numbness.

Did you know? Before starting to move along a steep surface, tarantulas release from the tips of their fluffy paws claws, just like cats do. The claws give them good grip even on a smooth surface like glass. These arthropods weave the threads of their web from silk, similar to silk silkworms. True, the glands of the tarantula produce a very small amount of silk threads, so use tarantula silk in industrial scale there is no possibility.

Reproduction

The mating season for these arthropods lasts from early August to mid-September. The male takes the initiative to mate. Shortly before mating, he weaves a small rectangular web, rubs his abdomen against it, thereby stimulating the seminal glands, and collects the released sperm in the pedipalps.
Then, having found a sexually mature female, he begins to lure her with a special mating dance. The male tarantula stands on its hind legs and beats its chest with its front pair of legs and pedipalps. If the female is attracted to his courtship, she will allow herself to be impregnated.

Fertilization occurs due to the introduction of the pedipalps into the female's cloaca and the injection of the male's seed there. Immediately after fertilization, the male runs away so that the female does not attack him.

The female, in turn, finds a secluded place and weaves a cobweb cocoon in it, where she lays her eggs. She carries this cocoon on herself for forty days, until all her offspring hatch. The female carries small spiders on herself until they are able to move and get food on their own.

How to get rid of tarantulas in the garden

Start fighting these arthropods as soon as you notice their burrows in your area. Tarantulas make deep underground passages, dig holes and thereby reduce soil productivity.

Walk through all the beds, checking the secluded places under the leaves and in the depressions in the soil where the tarantulas could lay their eggs. Collect and burn all cocoons found. Spray the rows with boric acid or lime.
If there are few tarantula burrows in your area, place baits in the form of lumps of plasticine attached to threads like a sinker and lower them into the burrows. Spiders will certainly cling to these baits, then they can be collected and destroyed.

As a repellent plant, plant peppermint bushes in your area. If possible, drive stakes into the area and put wind rattles on them. The vibration from the rotating ratchets will be transmitted underground along the stakes, and the tarantulas will leave your area.

Important! If you plan to breed these arthropods, place the babies and mother immediately after they reach one month of age. During this period, the female ceases to recognize her cubs and often eats a significant part of them.

Keeping a tarantula at home

Many people consider these arthropods to be cute, intelligent creatures, which is why they keep them as pets.

The container for keeping a pet tarantula should be quite spacious, since spiders are mobile creatures. Tree species feel more comfortable in vertical terrariums, and terrestrial species feel more comfortable in horizontal terrariums.
The length and width of the walls of the terrarium must be at least 80 cm for individuals larger than 8 cm and 50 cm for individuals from 2 to 7 cm. Special attention pay attention to safety. Always cover the terrarium with a lid to prevent both your pet and the food insects from escaping.

Be sure to place branches and driftwood in the terrarium for easy placement of the tarantula and additional decoration. Place a convex fragment as a hiding place for the spider tree bark or ceramic flower pot, into which the pet can crawl like into a hole.

Make sure that the terrarium has constant temperature and humidity. Optimal temperature for keeping a tarantula is +20 degrees. During the cold season, equip the terrarium with a thermal mat or thermal cord to warm it up.

Since these arthropods live in arid regions, the permissible humidity level for them is 35–60%. A saucer with clean water, which must be changed daily.

What to feed

The pet must be provided with food that is natural for it. Tarantulas feed on grasshoppers, cockroaches, beetles and their larvae. Large tarantulas can prey on young lizards and dragonflies.

Did you know? Tarantulas have amazing ability to regeneration. Since these arthropodsgrowthroughout their lives and at the same time molt repeatedly, their body is renewed and grows back limbs lost in fights and during hunting. Thanks to the constant renewal of body cells, females of large tarantulas live from 25 to 30 years, and males - from 5 to 10 years.

Give the spider live food so that it can see it and catch it. The older your pet gets, the less often it needs to be fed. Young animals must be provided with food every week, older individuals - once every week and a half.

Adult three-year-old spiders should receive food no more than once every six months. Please note that these arthropods are gluttonous, and overeating can lead to abdominal rupture. Limit the portions you feed your spider.

Home cleaning

Purchase long medical tweezers for working in the terrarium, since caring for this pet can be unsafe. The optimal length of tweezers is 25–30 cm. Using tweezers, you can move a spider from place to place, remove its waste products, the corpses of uneaten insects, and change a saucer of water.

If you don't have tweezers, cover the spider before removing the terrarium. plastic container or fence off part of the terrarium from it plastic cover. This way you will protect yourself from being bitten and prevent your pet from escaping.

Tarantulas are agile and aggressive arthropods that live primarily in desert, arid regions. They feed on insects and small reptiles and may for a long time do without water.

A tarantula bite is practically harmless to humans, with the exception of individual intolerance to insect bites.

If you plan to keep this spider at home, prepare for it a comfortable terrarium with an optimal microclimate and provide it with a balanced diet. In this case, your pet will delight you with many years of life.

Is it possible to keep a tarantula at home: video

When mentioned poisonous spiders, Tarantulas come to mind for many people. These are several species from the wolf spider family. IN old times Tarantulas were not only considered the most poisonous creatures on Earth. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that tarantulas were the main carriers of the most terrible diseases, and they were also blamed for the spread of madness in humans. In the 15th-17th centuries, this spider was considered the cause of seizures, which they tried to treat with the help of a fast dance - the tarantella (the names of the dance and the spider come from the name of the city of Taranto).

Tarantulas, of course, are far from safe, but many things associated with them are greatly exaggerated. All these spiders are more or less poisonous, but for humans, bites are rarely fatal.

Tarantulas live in steppes, deserts and semi-deserts. In the south of the European part of Russia the South Russian tarantula is found. Spiders live in burrows up to 50 cm deep. Tarantulas sit in these burrows during the day and go out at night to hunt insects. The spider digs holes mainly on mountain slopes. In November, the spider deepens its burrow, clogs the entrance with earth, and thus endures winter frosts.

The length of a female tarantula is up to 4 cm, males are slightly smaller. Tarantulas breed in late summer. They mate for 10 hours, after which the male must quickly run away from the female, because if this is not done, the spider will attack him and eat him. At the beginning of summer, the female lays eggs (up to 400 pieces) in a cocoon on the web, which she carefully guards. After emerging from the eggs, young spiders sit on the back of the female for some time.

The South Russian spider is distributed in the desert, steppe and forest-steppe zones, reaching Yelets and Kazan. This spider is 25-35 mm long. Its color is very changeable and can be black-brown, light brown, or reddish with various spots - it depends on the environment in which the spider lives. It is found in fields, gardens, orchards, and along river banks. Settles in a deep vertical burrow lined with cobwebs. The bite of a Russian tarantula resembles a rather painful hornet sting: redness and swelling begin, which disappears within a few days.

The Apulian tarantula is much more dangerous - it is a large burrow spider, up to 60 mm long. It is common in Italy, especially in the vicinity of Tarente. Also found in Spain and Portugal. The bite of the Apulian tarantula is painful and causes a fever that can last up to 4 days.

The venom of tarantulas, like that of other poisonous spiders, is produced by special glands that are located in the cephalothorax and the tentacles-mandibles that open at the top. The spider uses these tentacles to pierce the skin of its victim and inject poison, which paralyzes the victim and partially digests it. A few hours later, the spider sucks out, as if from a tube, the entire inside of its prey.

In the past, there were many fabulous stories about the poisonousness of a tarantula bite. It causes severe swelling and pain in the bitten area. In severe cases, small blistering rashes, paleness in the center of the bite, headache, fever, numbness of the limb, and weakness are observed. Death can only occur if a person has a severe allergic reaction. Then the temperature will rise and a high fever will begin. In this case, the person needs immediate medical attention.

They do not attack humans on their own, but if teased, especially females wearing an egg cocoon or having young spiders on them, can jump up and bite a person. If you are bitten, doctors advise washing the bitten area with soap and water and lubricating it with olive oil. Immediately contact the nearest hospital, even if the poison does not have an acute effect: the spider may introduce some kind of infection into the wound.

	Length: up to 4 cm Habitat: South part Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Spain, Italy, Portugal.