The origin of the domestic tarantula spider, the types and features of their appearance, the maintenance of the house, diseases and difficulties, purchase and price, precautions. It is not a big secret for anyone that the choice of a pet must be approached with considerable responsibility. You need to carefully consider and weigh all the existing nuances regarding this or that living creature that you prefer to make as a friend of your smaller one.
Some people can say with absolute certainty that all these thoughts are nothing more than delirium, but this is not at all true. Every person on planet Earth is an individuality, which consists in different tastes, morals, preferences, and, which is very important when choosing a companion from the animal kingdom, all people have very different material wealth, the amount of free time and the size of the living space. And often these seemingly insignificant factors do their own thing when choosing a pet.
In the event that you have a small amount of free time, if in the process of your work, departures and business trips are no exception, or you yourself are very fond of traveling, in addition to this you live in a small apartment - then is it right to start yourself a dog or a cat? After all, having brought these beloved and familiar animals into the house, you simply have to give them the proper amount of time and attention, which will need to be cut out of your already busy schedule.
But the most important thing to refer to when you realize that you are lonely without some little companion is your personal tastes. It is possible that your entire adult life has dreamed of someone very original and sophisticated. In this case, you simply have to turn your attention to such a miracle of nature as the tarantula spider. It can be said with firm confidence that you cannot find a more unpretentious and independent "young animal" with fire during the day.
He will never demand close attention from you to his person, he will not have to be fed every day, he will never look at you with an offended and contemptuous look if you leave him at home alone for a few days or simply do not walk with him. This representative of the diverse insect kingdom is also notable for the fact that it does not emit any smells and does not wake you up in the middle of the night with any sounds. Well, perhaps its greatest advantage is its very bright and extraordinary appearance.
If you are intrigued and realized that this is exactly the one you have been looking for for so long, then you should get to know him better, and then go in search of him.
The origin of the tarantula spider and home territories
The tarantula, or, as some also call it, the tarantula (Latin Theraphosidae), is a beautiful representative of the large kingdom of fauna, which scientists classify as arthropods, arachnids class. Also, if we talk about its generic affiliation, one cannot but say that this arachnid is a bright native of the suborder migalomorphic and the tarantula family.
The natural habitat of these exotic arthropods is quite extensive. They can be found on all continents with the exception of cold Antarctica. Although, as for Europe, they inhabit only the lands of countries such as Italy, Spain and Portugal.
Varieties of tarantula spider and features of their appearance
Scientists who work in the field of arachnology have introduced a very relevant classification of these arachnids. The key factor is their lifestyle, depending on this, the tarantulas are divided into two species: spiders that lead an arboreal lifestyle and arachnids that live on the ground. These two species are divided into three more types, which is also based on their way of life - these are: terrestrial, burrowing and arboreal. It would seem that this is not so important, but it should be noted that it is this classification that should be taken into account when equipping housing for your spectacular pet.
Terrestrial tarantula spiders
- Acanthoscurria atrox, another name for this obligate predator is Brazilian Giant Black. Based on its middle name, one can roughly predict its size, as well as its native territories, but it is not painted black in any way. Indeed, this representative of arachnids reaches up to 200 mm in limb size, the body of this exotic is also rather rather big - approximately 80–110 mm. As for its color, it is represented mainly by reddish shades. This spider leads a terrestrial life. Defends its possessions by combing, using chelicerae as a defense extremely rarely. Very well suited for beginners in breeding such pets.
- Acanthoscurria antillensis. This native of the Lesser Antilles is slightly smaller, the body grows to 60–80 mm, and the limb span is approximately 140–150 mm. Nature has colored this arachnid with a beautiful dark brown color, against which a slight metallic sheen can be seen. It is not dangerous for humans. It is also great for novice spider keepers who have not yet had time to equip the terrarium, since a regular food container can also serve as a home for a young individual for the first time.
Tree spiders
- Avicularia avicularia. This frisky spider revered countries such as Costa Rica, Brazil, Trinidad, Guyana, Venezuela and the Caribbean islands. It is there that he lives high in tropical trees, neatly wrapped in foliage. By its nature, this arthropod is very fast and active, in the process of evolution they have formed a very peculiar way of self-defense - as soon as they sensed the approaching danger, they immediately run away from it with a frantic speed for them, use the products of their vital activity as a weapon, which they shoot into your enemy. In this furry exotic, the body dimensions are approximately 50–70 mm, and the limb span is 160–170 mm. Their body color is very original: young tarantulas received a blue color from nature, which has a light metallic shade and small black stripes, but more adult individuals are painted in purple or green-blue tones. A characteristic feature of the avicularia is that the tips of their paws are reddish. It is very popular and in demand as a pet. Completely safe for humans and unpretentious in content.
- Avicularia aurantiaca. The homeland of this obligate predator is tropical forests, located in Peru, where it lives at a height of trees, weaving between branches from its web "air house", which has several entrances and exits. Almost the entire surface of the body of this arachnid is covered with long hairs colored in brownish-yellow shades, the only exception is the carapace (the shield covering the cephalothorax). The color of the whole body is heterogeneous, the main tone is represented by a brown color scheme, the abdomen has a rich coal-black color, but the carapace, if you look closely, tends to shimmer with a golden hue.
Burrowing tarantulas
Aphonopelma bicoloratum. The natural habitat for this miracle of nature is the Pacific coast of southern Mexico, namely the desert areas, where they hide in shelters under the pebbles and rhizomes of shrubs, sometimes they are engaged in the construction of deep holes, where they spend most of their leisure time. A spider with a bright color has a body, the dimensions are approximately equal to 60–70 mm and 130–150 in the span of the limbs. When aphonopelms reach puberty, they tend to change their color - over time, the entire body of this tarantula acquires a black color.
Keeping a tarantula spider at home
A small glass terrarium is the most suitable home for your child. Buying it in a store or making it with your own hands is your business, but only, in no case should you overdo it with dimensions. The most optimal and well-known way to calculate the volume of a terrarium is to multiply the maximum size of your arachnid by two, if his house is too large, then this is fraught with some difficulties in feeding. The spider simply will not be able to hunt for its live food. It is also not recommended to buy very high terrariums, the thing is that your friend, having climbed onto the wall of his house, may fall, which will lead to unpleasant consequences. As for the interior of your tarantula's personal apartment, it depends on the specific type of spiders. For tree spiders, it is best to equip the terrarium with various branches, for burrowing spiders - an impressive layer of soil mixture.
The prerequisites for a comfortable stay of your exotic friend are good ventilation in his house, optimal air temperature, which should not fall below 24 degrees and not rise above 29 degrees. If your home is accustomed to lower thermometer readings, then you are recommended to purchase a thermal cord or thermal mat at the pet store. And it is not recommended to allow sudden changes in temperature. Also, too dry air will be destructive for your companion-tarantula, for this reason it is necessary to carefully control the humidity of the air, it cannot be lower than 75%. For the reason that these "animals" are still nocturnal inhabitants, you can do without a constant light source. But if you still want to fully equip your spider's home, you can install a moonlight lamp in it.
The fact that these arthropods feed exclusively on birds is nothing more than a myth. The thing is that this beautiful spider was first seen in the process of eating a hummingbird, since then it got its original name, no one knows what kind of spider it was, but all their friendly family was called tarantulas. In principle, these original pets are omnivorous by nature: all living creatures that are smaller in size serve as food for them. Therefore, the menu of these obligate predators may consist of small reptiles, rodents, insects, and of course small birds.
In the summer months, you can catch food yourself, it can be caterpillars, flies and grasshoppers, food for your tenant is bought in stores, frogs, mealworms, locusts, zofobuses and small reptiles are usually sold there. One of the favorite treats of this pet are marble cockroaches, you can safely breed them in your apartment.
Also, there should always be water in the terrarium, which should be changed from time to time. The remnants of the meal, however, must be removed immediately after its end.
The feeding regime differs depending on the age of the spider, young individuals should be fed every two to three days, while adults should not be fed more often than once a week.
Features of the moult of a tarantula spider
The frequency of molting also depends on the age of the tarantula, young spiders can transform their skeleton every two to three weeks, adult tarantulas molt once a year or even once every one and a half years. In the molting process, three successive stages are distinguished: the preparatory stage, the molting procedure itself, and the final stage. During such an important period in your spider's life, like molting, you should not panic if your pet flatly refuses food - this is absolutely natural. But, nevertheless, there are some dangers in this crucial period. For the reason that your friend's new skeleton hardens gradually, it is very vulnerable, so you cannot take your pet in your arms, as this can lead to trauma to the "animal".
It should also be remembered that during the replacement of the old exoskeleton, the spiders' immunity is greatly reduced, in this regard, it is advisable to always keep the terrarium clean, since ticks can start there, which can be very detrimental to the tarantula during molting. Too dry air is a serious danger for your pupil's new exoskeleton, you need to remember that the humidity coefficient during molting should be even higher than usual - the spider will be grateful to you.
Difficulties and diseases of the tarantula spider
For the reason that the breeding of such original domestic "animals" is a completely new occupation, modern veterinary medicine still cannot provide qualified medical care to spiders. Perhaps this is a matter of time, but the best treatment for the pathological conditions of your arthropod pet will be their prevention. All health problems of tarantulas directly depend on your care for them.
The most common problem these cute animals are exposed to is injury. Among them, such as tears of the limbs, ruptures of the soft tissues of the abdomen. The reason for this is too high the height of the terrarium or live food, prevailing in the size of the spider itself.
There may also be problems with shedding, this happens when the humidity in the terrarium drops.
Another problem is infection with microscopic worms. This happens if you regularly feed the tarantula with food that you caught on the street.
Safety measures when handling a tarantula spider
Many of us, before acquiring this or that animal, study all the information about it on the Internet. So, as for tarantula spiders, almost all sources write that it is poisonous. This news often scares people away from such a cute pet. Yes, this is true, but you need to figure out for whom exactly it poses a threat. The poison of this exotic is not dangerous for an ordinary person and the bite of this spider will cause similar sensations to the bite of a wasp, with the exception of people with a burdened allergic history. How their sensitive body will react to the venom of the spider is not known to anyone. For this reason, it is not desirable for them to have such mysterious pets.
Most often, a spider defends itself from humans, and from any danger by combing hairs, which can also cause skin irritation. It is important to remember that after each close contact with a spider, you must thoroughly wash your hands, because if these hairs get into your eyes, you risk losing your vision, at least for a short time.
To avoid such unpleasant moments, you should adhere to some simple rules when you have a desire to take your pet in your arms. No need to make sudden movements, the spider can get scared and start self-defense. You can put an open palm on the soil in his house, and gently push the spider on it, usually, in this way, your pet goes to your hand, perceiving it as new territories or a new substrate.
Purchase and price of a tarantula spider
Despite the fact that the tarantula is a completely new name in the category of "pets", it may even be easier to buy it than a cat or a dog. Today, the windows of almost every pet store are decorated with such a miracle. Prices for them vary depending on the species, gender, age and health status. The average price for one individual of this obligate predator ranges from 1,000 to 10,000 rubles.
How the tarantula spider hunts, watch the video:
[media =
