Birdeater dimensions. Psalmopoeus cambridgei Lifestyle in the natural environment of the tarantula spider

Imagine that you have four pairs of multi-jointed legs and each one is wearing terribly tight jeans, and you are lying on your back and trying to take them off. In this case, you have a soft skeleton, temporary blindness and permanent deafness. And all around various criminal elements roam and greedily click their teeth.

And you can’t do anything: neither click in response, nor what kind of word to “caress”. Because you also don’t know how to make sounds ... Have you imagined? Now stretch your torment for six hours. Add about half that time for your skeletal hardening to turn over at least on your stomach, and another day for gaining the ability to walk normally. Oh yes, I almost forgot! You now have a new stomach!

And teeth. But all this is soft and does not work yet. And the criminal elements are still there. But since you are aware of all this, it means that at least they didn’t eat you and you didn’t suffer so much in vain, because now your skin is new, and your color is bright, and your figure is slender, and in size you added quite significantly. Here's the pain tarantula during molting.

Now become a human again and ask me: “Who do you think is the most convenient pet?” I suspect my answer will be so unexpected and even frightening for you that many will decide: it is better not to read this strange aunt, because she will not advise anything good, and they will simply turn the page of the magazine. However, in all honesty complete collection Darrell's writings and honestly looking into your eyes, I can state with all responsibility that of all the still numerous living creatures scurrying around our planet, the most wonderful, most comfortable, and what's there, the ideal pet is the tarantula.

Spider species Brachypelma smithi

Well, now for those who still continue to read this, I will try to tell you why tarantulas can be considered wonderful animals from the category of pets. In support of my words, I want to debunk a few common myths that have been, are and, apparently, will be as long as people and spiders exist.

Myth one. Spiders are insects.

Well, of course not! With insects, they are related only by belonging to the same type - Arthropods. By the way, ticks, scorpions, all sorts of centipedes and other similar small things are also not insects. I will not go into all the subtleties and complexities of taxonomy, but simply explain how to understand who you just almost stepped on. If you have something small in front of you and it has six legs, it is an insect. If there are more legs or not at all, someone else is in front of you. Of course, we are talking about adult animals, and not about all sorts of caterpillars, larvae, etc. All spiders have four pairs of walking legs. They also have other limbs, but about them a little later.

Myth two. The tarantula is one species.

Not at all, there are several hundred species of tarantulas and dozens of genera, differing in color, hairiness, methods of protection, lifestyle, habitats, toxicity, temperament, etc. You can choose a cute ground "teddy bear" with bright stripes on paws and a wonderful furry booty.

Or maybe you will like a graceful legged tree with a peacock color and slim figure. Or a blue hole spider, which you will see once a month, but each of its appearances will be a holiday for you. In a sense, a spider collector can be compared to a philatelist: just as it is almost impossible to collect all the stamps, it is also extremely problematic to collect all types of tarantulas.

Mexican tarantula Brachypelma vagans.

Myth three. The poison of a tarantula instantly knocks down any large animal, including humans. His death is terrible and painful. And in general, the earthly mission of any spider is to catch and bite as many people as possible.

I'm willing to argue with that. Yes, the bite of any tarantula is not safe for humans. Dangerous, very dangerous. But only sometimes. I fully admit that everyone's favorite James Bond played by Sean Connery was allergic to tarantula venom. Otherwise, how else can one explain the horror into which one of the most calm and non-toxic species of spiders, chosen in one of the series to kill the hero, plunged the super agent? Okay, we figured out Bond, let's say. But what about the other screen characters? General allergy?

Why am I so angry? Firstly, despite the fact that all types of tarantulas (like all spiders in general, mind you!) Are poisonous, the strength of this very poison is different for them. And in the films we see spiders of precisely those species in which the toxicity is not much higher than that of the most common wasp. Accordingly, the reaction to the bite of such a spider will not be much stronger than to the bite of a wasp or bumblebee.

If a person does not have an allergic reaction, in the vast majority of cases he will get off with redness and swelling at the site of the bite and a local increase in temperature. In especially severe cases, if it bites very much poisonous spider Or an allergy will start, you can get to the hospital.

I want to say right away: such examples in world practice can be counted on the fingers, and there are no documented facts of death from a tarantula bite at all. Secondly, like most creatures living on Earth, the main goal of the life of tarantulas is not the destruction of humanity at all, but only peaceful coexistence with humans. Like any other small animal, a spider, when meeting with Homo sapiens, tries to either quickly run away, or hide, or at least disguise itself as the surrounding landscape. But certainly not to seek out his carotid artery. Animals, unlike humans, do not attack someone who is obviously stronger.

Tarantula Grammostola rosea (found in Chile, Argentina and Bolivia)

Myth four. Bird-eaters feed exclusively on birds.

Not at all, an adult spider, of course, can eat a chick or some very small bird, but still the basis of its diet is made up of various invertebrates, mostly all kinds of insects. The name was assigned to these spiders by pure chance. When one of the naturalists who studied the fauna of the New World saw a tarantula eating a hummingbird (which is actually quite rare), he was not slow to send a drawing depicting this dramatic process to Europe.

And here the human tendency to generalize on the basis of a single fact worked. A spider eats a bird, which means it only eats birds. This means that all such spiders feed on birds. So, from now on, they should all be tarantulas.

Birdeater Nhandu chromatus

Myth five. After mating, the female will certainly eat the male.

Again not true. Of course, this happens, but if the bride is not hungry, and the groom has the strength and the ability to quickly escape, this wedding night will not be the last for him.

Well, now it's time to answer for your words and explain why the tarantula is the most convenient animal to keep at home. Here you can not do without a little digression into its biology and anatomy.

There are tarantulas living on the ground (in burrows, under snags, stumps, stones), and those that live among shrubs and trees. Despite the different tiers of habitat, they all eat approximately the same: insects and, if you're lucky, small vertebrates - medium-sized amphibians, rodent cubs, chicks. In general, whoever gets caught gets dinner. Tarantulas with great tightness can be called active hunters - they are more like ambushes, relying only on the speed of their reaction, luck and carelessness of a potential victim. They also do not weave trapping nets.

The spider, as we have already found out, has eight walking limbs. There are also chelicerae - “teeth”, with which he bites prey and through which he injects a mixture of poison and gastric juice into it. There are also short legs - pedipalps, which serve him both as hands and as copulatory organs. And finally, like any self-respecting spider, the tarantula has two pairs of web appendages stuck to the back of the body.

With their help, he weaves various items of his simple life: a tablecloth on which he eats; the sheet on which she lies when she sheds; curtain blocking the entrance to the dwelling; a cocoon for spiderlings, where they will develop until they hatch; a hammock on which it is pleasant to rest among the branches, etc. In general, it is quite interesting to watch how the spider conscientiously twists its fifth point, trying to weave another “textile” for home improvement, and writes out with it not just eights, but all sorts of numbers and letters, sometimes falling into a special rage turning to words and sentences.

Spider Grammostola pulchra

Birds live for quite a long time. The term of their life depends on the type, sex and conditions of detention, of course. Females live much longer than males terrestrial species, as a rule, longer than arboreal ones. In order to at least tentatively imagine the duration of the existence of these spiders, I will give the following example: a male can live 3-4 years, while a female of the same species - about 15-20 years. And sometimes even longer. They say the record is 32 years. This is what I mean by getting such an animal at home, you must remember: you get yourself a housemate for a rather long period.

Spiders grow all their lives - from molt to molt. When the "clothes" of the spider, which simultaneously performs the function of the external skeleton, becomes small for him, he begins to prepare for molting: he stops eating, falls into "thoughtfulness" and moves a little. Each molt of a spider is not only an extremely important and dangerous moment in his life, but also an absolutely amazing sight. o First, the spider weaves a bed. Well, in fact, do not flop naked right on the ground! Then he rolls over on his back and calms down for quite a long time, usually for several hours. In nature, this often costs him his life. Lying on its back, seeing nothing and not really thinking, the spider is completely defenseless.

Then the fun begins: pulling off the old “clothes”. Impossibly slowly and accurately, he releases every joint, every paw ... It seems that there will be no end to this, and you go to sleep or walk the dog. And when you approach the terrarium again, it begins to seem to you that you are seeing double, as you already see two spiders. “It will bud,” you decide, but you will be mistaken.

Because in fact you will see your shedding spider and the old skin shed by him next to him - an exact copy of it. All in all, spider molting is a terribly interesting and exciting process, no matter how many times you've seen it.

Birdeater Lasiodora parahybana (Brazil)

What are the advantages of these wonderful animals? A sort of agitation, I'm not afraid of this word.

Advantage first. Spider is ideal for those who do not have a huge apartment. Compared to traditional domestic animals, the tarantula is a very small creature that does not require much space to keep. For an adult spider, a dwelling with an area of ​​​​30x30 cm is quite enough. Of course, more can be done, but the vast majority of arachnokeepers (as spider lovers are called) keep their pets in spiders of this size.

Dignity second. Spider is ideal for those who love silence and cleanliness. He does not smell, does not make sounds, is very clean, during molting he does not fill the apartment with wool, does not require walking with him, does not mark corners and does not shove you with his nose under the elbow in the desire to communicate when you bring a mug of hot tea to your mouth. I have great love for living creatures that do all this, but not always and not everyone is delighted with such actions.

Dignity third. The spider is ideal for those who do not get pets just because they consider their maintenance requires considerable financial costs. The spider does not need daily feeding. Even very, very babies are fed every other day, and adults even once a week, or even less often. Before molting, all spiders generally refuse to eat. The hunger strike, depending on the age of the spider, can last from a week to a month, sometimes even more. So, eating two or three crickets a week, the spider is unlikely to cause serious damage to the family budget.

Advantage fourth. The spider is ideal for those who are often on the road. You can leave him at home alone for a few days, or even more. For example, if you need to go on a business trip or to a country house, you simply provide your pet with water during your absence and set off on a journey with peace of mind. Okay, almost calm. Because you still think how it is there, nothing would have happened ... Nevertheless, in 99.9% of cases, spiders perfectly tolerate the weekly absence of the owner. There are, of course, all sorts of force majeure, but no one is insured against them at all, you understand.

Fifth merit. Spider is ideal for those who have little free time, irregular working hours, or who simply never have time. The spider absolutely does not care if you have time to communicate with him or not. He will not, putting his muzzle on his paws, look at you with a sad, condemning look while you are doing household chores or just watching TV. He doesn't really care what you do. Warmly, there is water, the cricket in the belly is digested - well, nice.

And in the end: what not to do with spiders.

It is not necessary to let the spider walk around the apartment. He doesn’t need it, and you don’t have to waste your nerves and strength moving furniture and trying to find your pet, who suddenly took it and suddenly disappeared, although he just seemed to be sitting quietly. Of course, taking a spider out on the street is out of the question.

No need to once again take the spider in hand. He certainly doesn't need it. During such a manipulation, even if it seems to you that you are extremely careful and attentive, the spider may fall, and the consequences may be the saddest. If you hold a spider in your hands, you can accidentally hurt him, and he will most likely react to this. Moreover, the reaction is unlikely to be pleasant for you: the spider will either take off running, or bite, or shake off thousands of small, terribly itchy hairs into the surrounding space, the effect of which you will feel on yourself for several more hours.

There is no need to conduct any food experiments on the spider, but what will happen if you offer him a piece of sausage? In most cases, the spider will simply not eat it. But what if your pet turns out to be an explorer? Experiences like this usually end badly. You will just poison him. Also, do not try to feed the spider with cockroaches and other living creatures caught nearby. The result will be the same.
No need to keep two spiders together in the hope that they will become friends. Most likely, in the very near future you will find only one spider in the terrarium, and a very well-fed one at that.

You don't need to put the spider plant in the sun. Although the vast majority of tarantulas are heat-loving animals, they do not feel very comfortable in direct sunlight and can even die from overheating. For these spiders, as a rule, a comfortable temperature is 22-28 ° C throughout the year.

Do not think that the spider recognizes its owner. And in general, one should not expect that he is able to work out some complex conditioned reflexes. For communication we have dogs, cats, guinea pigs and parrots. The spider is made for contemplation. Even if you took him as a baby, even after 10 years he will absolutely not care who sticks his finger under his nose - you or someone else. And if the spider is hungry or just melancholy at this moment, most likely it will bite you. Therefore, remember that for any manipulations in the spider web, care and long tweezers are needed.

Tarantula Brachypelma boehmei (Mexico)

Brevity is not my forte. For a long time I painted all this, but did not say the main thing. And the main thing is this. It's great when such a completely incomprehensible creature lives in your house, so unlike anyone else, neither in habits, nor in appearance that sometimes you even doubt its earthly origin.

Spiders are so different that when you finally begin to understand their behavior and guess their desires, there is a feeling that you have learned a new language that is inaccessible to most people. Don't believe? As everyone likes to say in the same American films, there is only one way to check this ...

P.S. You can buy a tarantula at pet stores, now this is no longer a problem.

A unique representative of the animal world is the tarantula spider. A photo of a giant spider will horrify many. However, tarantulas began to be kept as pets. In general, these are cute creatures and someone does not imagine another animal next to them.

Spiders ... such familiar creatures to us. There are approximately 42,000 of them on our Earth. various kinds. They live on all continents, with the exception of the southern glacial continent - Antarctica. There are very small spiders, there are giant ones, there are harmless ones, and there are poisonous ones that can kill a person with one bite. These mysterious and, at times, insidious creatures will be discussed, namely, the tarantula.

This spider belongs to the arthropod arachnids, is a member of the tarantula family, which is part of the order of spiders.

What do tarantulas look like?

It should immediately be said that the female individuals of these arachnids are larger than the male ones. The body of the female grows up to 9 centimeters, the male is slightly smaller - 8.5 centimeters. Sometimes spiders grow quite large - their size with open legs exceeds 20 centimeters!

The entire surface of the body, including the legs, is covered with a dense accumulation of villi, giving the spider a hairy appearance. The colors are very different, each subspecies is painted in its own tones. But, in general, the color is rather dark, interspersed with bright patches throughout the body. Spiders tend to change color with age.

Where do tarantulas live?

These animals inhabited absolutely the entire territory South America, Africa, as well as Australia with Oceania. In the European part of the Eurasian continent, individual populations are found in Portugal, Italy, and Spain.

Lifestyle in the natural environment of the tarantula spider

Tarantulas are classified as poisonous spiders.

Various subspecies of tarantulas lead a varied lifestyle: some live in trees, some in the ground or burrows, some prefer life in bushes.

Tarantulas hunt, sitting in ambush for a long time. Even when the spider is hungry, it is motionless and patiently waiting for its prey. In general, these animals are not very active, especially when they have completely satisfied the feeling of hunger.

Tarantulas are considered long-lived among all arthropods: they live for several decades (30 or more). At the same time, females live much longer than males.

What is the basis of the diet of these spiders, and do they really eat birds?

All tarantulas are predatory animals. Despite the name, tarantulas prefer not birds at all, but insects and small representatives of arachnids. Larger individuals eat mice, frogs, fish, bloodworms. But birds, nevertheless, are included in their diet, albeit very rarely.

How does the reproduction process of tarantulas occur in nature?

Males become sexually mature before females. Males ripe for breeding begin to weave the so-called "sperm web". It contains the seminal fluid of the male. The same liquid is filled with a special device, called cymbium, on the body of a male. This "device" resembles containers found on one of four pairs of limbs.

During the mating games of the female and the male, the seminal fluid enters the body of the female, fertilizing her. A feature of mating in tarantulas is that the female becomes very aggressive after the fertilization process and can even eat the male in a fit of anger. Therefore, immediately after mating, males try to hide away from the eyes of the enraged future "mom".

A tarantula spider, or a tarantula spider is big spider, the dimensions of which, taking into account the legs, can exceed 20 cm. These spiders are often kept at home. Tarantulas belong to the phylum Arthropoda, the class Arachnida, the order Spiders, the suborder Mygalomorphic, the family Theraphosidae.

Tarantula spiders got their name thanks to the engravings created by the German artist and entomologist Maria Sibylla Merian, where a large spider is depicted attacking. She saw a spider attack on a bird during her stay in Suriname.

In some sources, confusion arises due to a mistranslation, where all large spiders, including tarantulas, are called tarantula. In fact, tarantulas are classified as infraorders of araneomorphic spiders, and tarantulas are mygalomorphic spiders that have a completely different structure of chelicerae, due to which they differ in such large body sizes with a leg span reaching 28-30 cm. More detailed description you will find a tarantula at.

Tarantulas, types, photos and names

Currently, the family of tarantulas is divided into 13 subfamilies, including many species. A description of some tarantulas is given below:

• Brazilian black and white tarantula(Acanthoscurria brocklehursti)

differs in rather aggressive, unpredictable character, bright coloring and intensive growth. The body size is from 7 to 9 cm. The leg span of the spider is from 18 to 23 cm. The black-and-white tarantula lives in Brazil, hides between tree roots or between stones, and can also dig holes, although it can often be seen out of any shelters. The life expectancy of females is 15 years. The comfortable temperature for keeping this spider is from 25 to 27 degrees Celsius, air humidity is 70-80%.

• Smith's brachypelma, he is Mexican red-knee tarantula(Brachypelma smithi)

a species of spider native to Mexico and the southern United States. These are large spiders with a body length of up to 7-8 cm and a leg span of up to 17 cm. The main body color of the tarantula is dark brown or almost black, some areas on the legs are covered with orange and red spots, sometimes with a white or yellow border. The body is densely covered with light pink (sometimes brown) hairs. Representatives of the species are especially calm and non-aggressive, have low poison toxicity. Females live up to 25-30 years, the life expectancy of males is about 4 years. The diet of spiders includes various insects and rodents. The ideal temperature for keeping a tarantula is 24-28 degrees with an air humidity of 70%.

• Avicularia purpurea

species of South American tarantulas, widespread in Ecuador. The body length of the tarantula is about 5-6 cm. The span of the legs is no more than 14 cm. At a cursory glance, the spider looks black, but when it hits it sun rays it can be seen that the cephalothorax, tarsi and chelicerae are cast in an intense purple-blue color, the setae on the paws are brick-colored, and the hairs near the mouth are orange-red. The favorite habitat of this spider is pastures, tree hollows, as well as gaps under the roof and cracks in the walls of inhabited premises. Representatives of the species are non-aggressive, rather fast and shy, unpretentious in care and food, so they are often kept at home. The ideal temperature for keeping a tarantula varies between 25-28 degrees with an air humidity of at least 80-85%.

• Avicularia versicolor

a species of tarantula, common in Guadeloupe and on the island of Martinique. Representatives of the species grow up to 5-6 cm in length and have a limb span of up to 17 cm. Young specimens are distinguished by a bright blue body with white stripes on the abdomen. After 8-9 lines, the entire body of the tarantula is covered with thin bright hairs, and red and green tones with a metallic sheen may appear in the color. Tarantulas of this species are quite peaceful, they bite only when they are squeezed into a corner. Unlike most relatives, they do not comb poisonous hairs off themselves, therefore they are a favorite terrarium species and a source of pride for collectors. At home, they eat crickets and cockroaches, an adult is enough for one frog or a month. The life expectancy of females is 8 years, males - no more than 3 years.

• Aphonopelma seemanni

typical representative of the fauna Central America, distributed from Costa Rica and Nicaragua, to Panama and Honduras. Usually lives in burrows. The inhabitants of Costa Rica are distinguished by black color with white stripes on their legs, the spiders of the Nicaraguan population are dark brown with beige stripes on their legs. The body size of a mature spider is 6 cm, the leg span is about 15 cm. These spiders are not aggressive towards people, do not have toxic poison (except for scalding hairs), are characterized by low growth rates and longevity (females live up to 30 years). Therefore, this type of tarantula is very popular among spider lovers. Comfortable temperature for Aphonopelma seemanni is 24-27 degrees with air humidity at the level of 70-80%.

• Brachypelma boehmei

lives in Mexico, preferring to settle in holes. The body length of adult specimens with a leg span reaches 15-18 cm, the length without legs is 7 cm. In addition to the large size of the spiders, they are distinguished by an exceptionally bright black-orange color. These tarantulas are calm and unpretentious, in captivity they feed on locusts, cockroaches and worms. The life expectancy of males is 3-4 years, females live much longer - more than 20 years. Optimum temperature for keeping these tarantulas - 25-27 degrees at a humidity of 70-75%. In connection with unauthorized capture and trade, the tarantula Brachypelma boehmei is included in Appendix II of CITES (Convention on international trade endangered species of wild fauna and flora) as threatened.

• Brachypelma klaasi

a Mexican species of tarantula, whose representatives are distinguished by a massive body and short powerful legs with a span of 14-16 cm. This type The spider is black and orange in color, like Brachypelma boehmei, but is distinguished by the presence of thick orange-red hairs covering the belly and legs. Tarantulas of this species live in Mexican semi-deserts and high mountain forests. They have an even, calm character. Female tarantulas live up to 20-25 years. Comfortable for these spiders, the air humidity should be 60-70%, the air temperature should be from 26 to 28 degrees. The bird-eating spider Brachypelma klaasi is endangered, so it is listed in the CITES convention.

• Cyclosternum fasciatum

one of the smallest tarantulas, the maximum paw span of which is only 12 cm. But, nevertheless, in terms of the size of the body, it is in no way inferior to its relatives: females grow up to 5 cm in length with a leg span of 10-12 cm, the length of males is 3.5 cm with a paw span of up to 9.5 cm. The body of spiders is painted in dark tones with a reddish tinge: the cephalothorax is red or brown, the belly is black with a red stripe, the legs may be gray, black or brown. The favorite natural habitat of these tarantulas are rainforests Costa Rica and Guatemala. At home, the tarantula can be quite nervous and aggressive. The comfortable temperature for keeping the tarantula Cyclosternum fasciatum is 26-28 degrees with an air humidity of 75-80%.

• Chilean pink tarantula(Grammostola rosea)

a very beautiful tarantula, one of the record holders in the number of sales among members of its family. The total size of an adult spider, taking into account the legs, is 15-16 cm. The color of the body is a variety of variations. Brown color: brown, chestnut and sometimes pink. The body and paws are densely strewn with light hairs. The species range covers the southwestern part of the United States and Chile, including the Atacama Desert. Comfortable daytime temperature for this type of tarantula is 25 degrees during the day and 18-20 degrees at night, with an air humidity of 60-70%. The spider is not aggressive and combs the hairs very rarely. The life expectancy of females is 15-20 years.

• Theraphosa Blond, he is goliath tarantula(Theraphosa blondi)

the biggest spider in the world. A specimen with a leg span of 28 cm was included in the Guinness Book of Records. The body size of a female goliath tarantula reaches 10 cm, for males - 8.5 cm, and the mass of an adult spider can be 170 g. Despite their impressive size, goliath tarantulas have modest disposition, brown coloration, and the paws of spiders are densely strewn with red-brown hairs. Goliath tarantulas inhabit the tropics in the territories of Suriname, Venezuela, Guyana and northern Brazil, where they hunt mice, small snakes, lizards and frogs. Due to the ban on the export of animals from their habitats, goliath tarantulas are a huge rarity not only for terrariumists, but also for collectors. The comfortable temperature for keeping the goliath tarantula is 22-24 degrees with an air humidity of 75-80%. The spider is quite aggressive and can bite its offender.

Due to its rather large size and relatively calm behavior, this tarantula is quite common in collections. This tarantula is quite easy to breed in captivity, which is why prices for Psalmopoeus cambridgei are not high.

Psalmopoeus cambridgei is very striking, with its greenish-brown coloration, and red vertical stripes on its legs. In nature, this tarantula is found in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, which is located in the Caribbean Sea, where Psalmopoeus cambridgei weaves tube nests on trees and other vertical natural shelters.

Characteristics of Psalmopoeus cambridgei:

Adult size: Sizes of adult Psalmopoeus cambridgei reach up to 7 centimeters in the body, and up to 18 centimeters in the span of the paws.

Growth rate: This tarantula quickly reaches sexual maturity, females in 1-1.5 years, sometimes 8-12 months are enough for males.

Life span: Females of the species Psalmopoeus cambridgei can live up to 15 years if properly maintained.

The feeding of small molt tarantula spiders is discussed in the article: “ Feeding young tarantulas ».

Psalmopoeus cambridgei reproduction:

Reproduction of this tarantula at home is not difficult, and almost always successful. A charged male is planted with a well-fed, sexually mature female, spiders mate, the female rarely shows aggression towards the male (I was personally convinced of this), but I know of other cases.

After mating for 1.5-2 months, the female will weave a cocoon, from which, after another 1 month, rather large nymphs will emerge, up to 250 pieces. Nymphs will shed within 2-3 weeks, and become independent spiders, which should be seated in separate containers. The terms may not coincide, or differ depending on the conditions of detention, mainly on temperature.

That's all I wanted to tell you about such a tarantula as Psalmopoeus cambridgei, you can see photos of other representatives of the genus Psalmopoeus in a special