More than 220 different types of spiders belong to the genus of tarantulas. The most common Apulian tarantula. The family is called wolf spiders.
Where do they meet
Habitat - Southern Europe with a temperate tropical climate. Some species can be found in Russia. Spiders live in holes. In cold weather, the entrance to it is littered with dry, glued with cobweb leaves.
Tarantulas are predators; they go out of their holes to hunt prey in the evening or at night. During the hunt they behave very carefully, they approach the future victim slowly with frequent stops and then quickly, unexpectedly jump and bite. Until the poison has acted, they continue to pursue it. They carefully guard their territory near the hole from outsiders. They leave her only during the mating season.
Description
Apulian Tarantula (photo below) grows to 7 cm in length. The body is brown-gray in color, covered with white fluffy hairs.
The whole body is as if lined with transverse and longitudinal strips of light and dark shades. The paw span reaches 30 cm. The tarantula has the ability to regenerate limbs. During molting, a new one grows instead of the torn paw, which increases in size with each molt and acquires the desired size. On the head of the spider are very interesting and unusual three rows of shiny eyes. Four small balls are located in the lowest row, on top of which are two large eyes and another pair is located on the sides. Thanks to the developed organs of vision, the tarantula closely monitors what is happening around it. Distinguishes the silhouettes of insects, as well as shadow, light. Spiders have excellent hearing. Female tarantulas are larger than males, their weight can reach 90 g.
Nutrition
Apulian Tarantula Spider Eats:
- small frogs;
- crickets;
- flies;
- ground beetles;
- cockroaches;
- caterpillars
- Zhukov;
- mosquitoes;
- spiders of other species.
Breeding
Females live for about 4 years, males up to 2. In the spring, females come out of their holes and bask in the sun. In search of couples can travel long distances. Look after the female you like for a short time. Mate at the end of summer once in a lifetime, males die immediately, since the female bites her lover after fertilization. Lays eggs in a hole. Females carry them on themselves in a cobweb cocoon, carefully caring for future offspring. After maturation, young spiders crawl out of the cocoon and live on the female’s belly for some time. Growing up, spiders become independent and leave it. Sometimes the mother provokes the younger generation to an earlier exit into adulthood. She emerges from the mink and, whirling, drops spiders from her body. Young people are looking for a new home and digging a hole for themselves, the size of which will increase as the spider grows.
Tarantula bite
For no reason, an Apulian tarantula does not attack a person. If he was disturbed, he assumes a threatening position: stands on his hind legs, and raises his forepaws and then attacks and bites, releasing a toxin. A bitten place can be burned with a match or a cigarette to avoid decomposition of the poison. In order to prevent taking anti-allergic drugs. Oddly enough, the best antidote is tarantula blood. Killing a spider, lubricate the affected area with its blood, thereby neutralizing the effect of the toxin. The poison of the tarantula is low-toxic, edema is formed at the site of the bite, which is very painful, and also an increase in body temperature.
Tarantula breeding at home
These insects are kept in apartments, despite their painful bites and quick response.
Therefore, when keeping spiders, care should be taken, be collected, accurate and attentive. Only one tarantula is settled in the terrarium, since when living together with their brothers, they constantly fight to the bitter end, figuring out the relationship of who is stronger. The area of the home should be spacious. The bottom of the terrarium is covered with a substrate, which includes moistened:
- peat;
- black earth;
- humus;
- land;
- clay;
- sand.
The insect is given the opportunity to dig a hole, so the thickness of the soil is made at least 20-30 cm. The terrarium should always be kept closed so that the tarantula cannot get out. House cleaning is done at least once every 40–45 days. The Apulian tarantula is not particularly whimsical to the temperature regime and feels good at a temperature of 18-30 degrees. To maintain moisture at the bottom of the terrarium, you can put a container of water.
Food for spiders is bought in specialized stores, they prefer:
- crickets;
- cockroaches marble, Argentinean, Turkmen;
- flour worm;
- zofobas larvae;
- slices of low fat beef.
Vitamins and calcium gluconate are added to food at least once a month.
Captive spider tarantula apulian (description and content which is presented above) lives twice as long. The duration of his life depends on the number of links and nutrition. The better the tarantula eats, the more often it molts and, therefore, lives less. For the longevity of the spider, you need to keep it starving.
Interesting Facts
In the 15th century, it was believed that the bite of an Apulian tarantula is dangerous and is the cause of a particularly dangerous disease. He was considered the culprit of the epidemics that were prevalent at that time in the vicinity of Taranto in Italy.
They treated bites in a very unusual way. The bitten was forced to dance until he lost consciousness. After such dancing, the person instantly fell asleep, and woke up completely healthy.
Tarantulas do not weave cobwebs, but only use nets to strengthen their homes.