Introduction

Introduction to the site and author

Dear Colleagues!

 The present site Theraphosids of the World. Keeping and breeding in captivity is conceived as scientifically-educational nonprofit project, representing to wide circle of russian- and english- language auditorium with the last modern fully updated and most full information about enough large group of notable and original nature creatures inhabiting the Globe - Tarantulas (fam. Theraphosidae).
   Also I hope that the material on this site will serve help to all who interesting in this as manual for keeping, breeding, treatment of diseases, particularities of biology and other aspects, related to such rare for present days in Russia, terrarium pets as tarantulas.
   For preparing the material for this site I use all available open legal sources, in particular worldwide network Internet, books, many scientific publications, as well as personal practical experience of keeping and breeding tarantulas in captivity near 20 years, and experience of my hobby colleagues around the Globe.
   I try to do my best for this site would has no analogues in Internet (at least its russian version) and has conceived its as global, constantly developing resource containinging the review of whole Theraphosid fauna of the World, based on last systematic, with big amount of photos, descriptions of biology, anatomy, nature habitat conditions, captive keeping and breeding requirements and data, etc. Unfortunately, last several years due to a very busy life schedule I have no time to update this site. That means that at least the systematic of the species is far from being actual.
   I hope, that the materials submitted on site will be the manual for people, which will form a basis for mastering the major theoretical and practical knowledge and skills and also will warn a beginner amateurs and enthusiasts, which only have solved to master this fascinating, but rather complex hobby, and those who already has a certain experience of keeping tarantulas in captivity, from possible mistakes.
   Don`t forget that tarantulas remain wild animals and the keeper, from its side, should take a maximum care of them. Keeping in captivity of any natural creature requires from their owner of big personal responsiblity, constant attention, improvements of their own knowledges about them, observation and observance of precise care requirements.
    Remember that some species of tarantulas in nature are rare or already are at a stage of extinction, so fate of these enigmatic, mystic and beautiful creatures in most depends on us, those people which have chosen them as the pets!
    I am grateful to my colleagues on hobby, and also a people who take the most active participation in creation of persisting site, and, first of all my charming loved wife Anna, by which hard work it is actually realized, my russian colleagues Denis (Dven), Ruslan (voodooley) who helped me to reconstruct the site, and Vlad Elbakjan, who gave a place for its hosting, as well as all who render me support in a hard deal of building this site: Mikhail Saveliev, Alexey Sergeev, Alina Nesterova, Alexey Hohlov, Alena Vlasova, Igor Arkhangelsky, Emil Morozov, Rustam Berdiev, Eugeny Rogov, Mikhail Shkatov, Kirill Kravchenko, Mikhail Afanasiev, Nadja Borisova, Anton Labunsky, Michael Gossnell, Martin Huber, Lucian Ross, Garrick O'dell, Steven Nunn, Ray Gabriel, Richard Gallon, Barry Wiles, Chris Sainsburry, Phil and Tracy Messenger, dr. Claudio Lipari, Guy Tansley, Stefen `Phalagorn` Bergstrum, Volker von Wirth, Boris Shtriffler, Søren Rafn, Jan `Drastak` Schmidt, Eddy Hijmensen, Kelly Swift, Leon Lane, John Hoke, James Clugston, Ruben Olsen, Ian and Marie Metcalfe, Chid, Martin Stone, Brendan Keogh, Scott Sher, Timo Raab, Ruben Olsen, Ota Zimmermann, Radan Kaderka, Graeme Wright, Bill "FryLock", Lee Ardern, Paul Towler, Dean Wicker, Sjef van Overdijk, Steve Dye, Laura Korska, Gordon Telford, James Clugston, Martin Gamache, Rogerio Bertani, Tomotaka Akiyama, Peter Pastor, Slava Honsa, Juan Olcese, Radek Pelinski, Eric Reynolds, Yinnon Dolev, Jean-Michel Verdez, Airon Pereira, Andy Matthews, Uros Urevc, Paul Towler, Bengerno Imre, Guilherme Galhardo, Jeffebeck Arimas, Phil Rea, Greg Wolf, Selwyn Rodda, Brian Kim, Alexandre Bonaccorso, Craig and Layla McInnes, Stuart Longhorn, Uros Urevc, Michael Olsinia, Paul Claven, Emmanuel Goyer and also untimely abandonned his moscow colleagues, my close friend Peter Kozghevnikov.
   I express also my respect and deep gratitude to professional arachnologiest and keepers of Europe, America, Australia and Asia: Rick C. West, Lionel Dabat, Fabian Vol, Andre Leetz,  S&M Schultz, Lelle Petersson, Jussi-Pekka Aaltonen, Thomas Ezendam, Bob van Keulen, Bill Love, Jon Fouskaris, Astrid Hilbert, H.-J. Peters, Wayne Kettlewell, Thom Schimm, Roy Laurie, Yann Evenou, Mike `Troll` Dime, Todd Gearheart, Sam Marshall, Dirk Eckardt, Thomas Marklin, Bill Evert, Anthony Bowles, Rich Blauman, Yuri Lantang, James Bouswell, Mark R. Hart, Henrik Wessel Frank, Gerard Huleux, R. Hays Cummins, Nick Cox, Bill Jurgen, Mario Lalinde, Steven Bauer, J.-P. Ochem, Patrice Martin, Danne Rydgren, H.Bals, Carlos Viquez, Alex Hooijer, Thomas Boston, D. Pittman, James P. Pitts, Jay Stotzky, Tyler Fox, Rhys A. Brigida, Michael Goduscheit, M. Lind, Thomas Muhlhauser, R. Bechter, Paul Fisher, Mark Kent, Darrin Vernier, Jim Hitchiner, Brian Whitley, Hei Kwok, Michael Andersen, Michael Tonnies, Michael Negrini, Dorian Lesca, Patricio Cavallo, Craig Show, Ondrej Rehak, Bjorn Rogell, Julien Rombaldoni, Susan, Brian Ockert, Deen Pollin, David Moellendorf, Alice Huwiler, Christine Fuchs, Wolfgang Altmann, Tina Nachtrieb, Mark Robson, Steve Le Roux, Henrik Husballe, Patrick Locher, M. Dehling, Michaela Biese, Tom Larsen, Julien Rombaldoni, Mia Midnight, Brent E. Hendrexson, John La Rizzio, Stewart Backer, Dietmar Baumgarte, Dieter Gelder, E. Kombowski, Peter Grabowitz, Peter Yawata Mirukashi, Valera Kugir, Jan Ove Rein,  and other enthusiasts, whose advices, information as well as photographies there were used from their permits on this site.

   
Mikhail F. Bagaturov

St.- Petersburg - Moscow, 2003-2007

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Hello!  

  My name is Mikhail F. Bagaturov (originally - Μιχαλης Παχατουριαδης), born in Moscow, Russia (formerly USSR or Soviet Union), in 1969. Several last years I live in beautiful city of Sankt-Petersburg.

Originated from small Greek colony in Caucasus mountains in Georgia (not the state of the USA but former Soviet Union republic, now "independent" Republic of Georgia) spent several years in early childhood (was maybe the happiest years of my life :) but  I don't remember anything) in there among the crystal clear air and springs, pine-tree sub-alpine forests and orchids meadow, on the warm seasons, and cold winter with the decent snow reached to 1.5 meters of layer, this mountain village was far from the civilization at elevation of 1600 m above the sea level.

After finishing school in Moscow moved to the city of Gor'ky (now - Nizhny Novgorod) for study at the biological-chemistry faculty in local Pedagogical University (vertebrate zoology dep. - herpetological section); was the curator of the collection of the University Museum collection.

Passing 2 year of the University went the Soviet Union Army for military service duty for 2 years "lucky" enough very close the Nuclear proving ground of Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan (another one former USSR republic) in "wild divisions" where I was practicing a lot my martial arts skills ;) which I start training at late school classes (beginning with karate-do which was officially illegal that time (late 1970-1980th years) in Soviet Union, and then boxing (reach adult II grade) and next kick-boxing as a participant of the KITEK - Russian Confederation of martial arts) and after release (still maybe keeping some nuclear materials inside) went back to Moscow absorbed by the real catastroph may had happened ever with my country for centuries - "perestroika"...

During most of my life I was a wild fauna collector, for decent time contributing as a herp-hunter (incl. venomous snake of the ex-USSR) for official Russian wild fauna exporter, and also as a private researcher, traveling to Middle Asia, Caucasus, Crimea, Siberia, Baltic region, Carpathians (most of the former USSR territories with exception of Russian Far East).

The proud husband of best girl in this world and father of five children I'm a professional lawyer, many years working for different state and commercial foreign trade corporations.

After finishing the lawyer's career I was started to work in the Leningrad (Saint-Petersburg) zoo as a zootechnist of the Department of Insectarium and Amphibians and later as a head of the Department which was organized from "zero level" by me and my wife, Bagaturova Anna. In 2009 I'm starting to contribute in the programms of study of biodiversity of herpetofauna of Vietnam held by Department of Herpetology of Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St.Peterburg, Russia.

In 2008 together with my zoo's department I start to participate into international programs on invertebrates’ husbandry and conservation under guidance of Terrestrial Invertebrates Advisory Group of European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (TITAG-Europe) currently working on development of conservation project of probably highly endangered, near threatened with extinction (suggested EN or CR for IUCN red data) species of theraphosid spiders of Southern Europe (Genus Ischnocolus).

Unfortunately in the beginning of 2013 the Department was restructured with separating feeder cultures and amphibians into other zoo sections, of which we struggled against but city authorities had supported the decision of zoo director, that we have to quit the Leningrad zoo as the rezult a collection of animals decreases (of all groups: amphibians, invertebrates, and number of produced insect feeders (locusts, crickets and cockroaches are bred in the zoo) dramatically, with loss of greater number of species including rare and protected species.

 Later as a part time job I was curating a small private children contacting zoo called "Bugagashechka" in Saint-Petersburg (Komendantsky prospect, 11) with selection of different species of small mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates (till 2015 of closing of the zoo).

Till end of 2022 I was working as a Teacher of Additional Education working in House of Children Creativity "Preobrazhenskiy" and teacher of section Entomology at Palace of Youth Creativity of St. Petersburg (Ecology-Biological Center "Krestovskiy Ostrov").

Frotunately, after all these years (10 years!) I'm back to a Leningrad zoo again and nominated as a Head of "Sector of zooculture and small animals" in the Dept of Exotarium. Today, the main goal is to restore and develope the collection of invertebrates and lower vertebrates focusing on threatened species and their conservation.

I keep different animals (in fact from many kingdom Animalia groups) of different native to Russia and also exotic species, mostly reptiles, amphibians and different groups of invertebrates focusing on arachnids. A member of the Russian Nikolsky's Herpetological Society under the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Some time ago for decent period was the aquarian focused on aquatic plants of the genus Cryptocoryne and keeping and breeding of small tropical Characinid and Siluriform aquarium fishes.

Was and still the one of the oldest terrarium-animals keeper and breeder in ex-USSR.   

For last over 30 years tarantulas (theraphosid spiders) are in my main semi-professional interest as a private researcher, keeper and breeder. 

Being a member of 3 theraphosid Societies - the BTS,  the ATA and PTSS - I try to share my knowledge with other people who interested in tarantulas at several on-line theraphosid related forums and groups, and step-by-step form my site as a source of knowledge for people all-around the world.   

Studying native birds in the wild and keep them at home I'm also a member of the Russian Ornithological Society.    

Since 2010 a member of CBSG - part of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the IUCN - the International Union for Conservation of Nature which is dedicated to saving threatened species by increasing the effectiveness of conservation efforts worldwide. Since 2011 - member of IUCN/SSC Amphibian Specialist Group (ASG). 

Since 2015 I'm an Academic member of Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER), belonging to the Biology Research Unit and Evironmental Research Units.

 In 2011 start my Ph.D. at the Department of Herpetology of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ZIN) on "Reproductive biology of Amphibians" (not finished).

An editor of the International Journal of Zoology and Animal Biology (IZAB) and member of Editorial Doard of Global Journals platform, reviewer for different other zoological journals (Zootaxa, Pakistan Journal of Zoology, International Journal of Zoological Investigations, Biological Communications, Asian Journal of Conservation Biology (AJCB)). Regional Assessment (Scoping) Expert of IPBEZ (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services).

Working in Insect Taxonomy Lab in Zoological Institute (St. Petersburg) of Russian Academy of Sciences as Independent researcher (Associated Taxonomist) and also as Senior collection keeper (2016-2017).

For many years a Teacher of additional education at Club of Young Zoologists of House of Children Creativity "Preobrajenski"of St. Petersburg' Central District.

I'm also a beetle’s collector (fauna of Cerambycidae, Scarabaeidae and Lucanidae of ex-USSR and Palaearctic) for the very long time.

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     Here You can find list of my articles published in English and Russian with some of the downloadable (those underlined).

- Bagaturov M. (1999) Leopard gecko and African fat-tailed gecko. Journal "Biology" No. 47  (in Russian)/ М. Багатуров. (1999) "Пятнистый зублефар и африканский толстохвостый геккон". Газета|Журнал "Биология" №47 (On-line version: http://bio.1september.ru/index.php?year=1999&num=47) Изд. Первое Сентября (Москва)

- Bagaturov, M. F. (2004) Defensive Behaviors of Theraphosids. Published on-line: http://www.the-t-store.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=43 (you need to be registered on forum to read it) 

- Bagaturov, M. F. (2005) Some notes on breeding Avicularia versicolor with comments on the hobby in Russia. Journal of the British Tarantula Society, 20 (3): 78–88.

- Bagaturov, M. F. (2007) Hobby jewellery – Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens: first detailed breeding in captivity with notes on the species. Journal of the British Tarantula Society, 22 (2): 56–65.

- Bagaturov M. F. (2008) Letter to the Editor. Journal of the British Tarantula Society, 23 (2): 38-39

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Mikhail F. Bagaturov

St.- Petersburg, 2022