Achatina snail: photo, description, keeping in the aquarium

Physical properties

Achatina is one of the largest land snails. The body size of an adult animal can reach up to 40 cm in length, weight, depending on living conditions, varies from 130 to 550 grams. The spread of this species is strictly controlled in most countries due to the damage they can cause to garden plants.

The snail's shell is large and very dense. It ranges from seven to nine curls. Breathing is ensured through the cavities of the skin, so it has a special lubricant. On the head there are several pairs of large and small horns, which play the role of organs of touch and vision - the eyes are located on the longest ones.

Achatina snails live up to ten years, life expectancy depends on the conditions of detention. Throughout their life cycle, their bodies increase in size. The color of the body and shell differs somewhat depending on the variety, but usually it is brownish-brown, yellowish tones.

Achatina differ in the color of the columella. This is the lower part of the shell, the connection point between the shell and the body. The color in this place can be soft pink, white, blue, even bright crimson.

Nutrition

Snails of this species are very voracious. They willingly eat almost all fruits and vegetables from the permitted list.

Immaculates need animal protein more than others. Because in their natural habitat they feed on dead insects, corpses of small animals and birds.

Vegetable protein is also necessary.

Below are approximate norms of protein supplements for Achatina immaculata

Representatives of this species did not experience protein overeating. But you shouldn’t add a large amount of protein supplements. Half a teaspoon for two individuals at a time will be enough.

If Achatina immaculata does not receive enough protein supplements, it will begin to gnaw on its neighbors.

Calcium should always be freely available.

Habitat

This genus began its existence on the coast of East Africa, where the climate is characterized by high temperature and humidity. Now wild snails have moved to Central Africa, as well as to southern Asia. In Japan and Brazil you can still find farms where Achatina is mined. In Europe and America, giant snails are found as pets.

The type of terrain and relief does not matter for the mollusk. Giant snails can be found everywhere where there is a relatively warm climate and high humidity.

At temperatures above +10 °C, the snail becomes active and becomes an agricultural pest. If it is too cold, the animal hibernates.

Photo gallery of the Achatina snail:

How to care for snails

Nutrition

In the evening, Achatina wakes up, crawls out of its hiding place, eats and communicates. Thus, the young snail gets a one-time meal. An adult mollusk eats once every 2-3 days. The food is placed on a vegetable leaf and the remains are then thrown away. Wild snails feed on plant matter, but also eat carrion.

What and how to feed

For proper nutrition, shellfish need protein, fiber and calcium. Therefore, the home diet needs to be varied, even if the snail prefers one type of food. To provide Achatina with fiber, it is recommended to give chopped vegetables, herbs, tops and fruits. Plant protein is found in cereals, mushrooms, legumes and seeds. To replenish animal protein in the feed, every 2-3 days, add chicken protein, pureed chicken or other meat.

How does calcium affect the body?

In addition to nutritious food, calcium-rich foods should be added to the snails’ diet. Without this substance, the shell softens, becomes deformed, and sometimes stops growing. In order for the snail to form a bright and symmetrical shell, it is given sepia, food chalk, shell rock and ground eggshell, mixed with cereals or seeds.

What products are harmful?

It is not recommended to feed omnivorous Achatina with garlic, onions, hot peppers, raw potatoes, citrus fruits and sour fruits. Be careful when feeding dairy products, daphnia, and gammarus - sources of animal protein. It is forbidden to give food with sugar, salt and vinegar, feed semolina, pasta and flour products, as well as fried foods and spices.

Attention! Yellow food is given in limited quantities, while red food is not recommended.

Maintaining hygiene

When caring for Achatina and monitoring their health, they look not only at the temperature and humidity inside the terrarium. If the place is not kept clean, the snails will get sick. Cleaning in the shellfish house can be done daily and general. In the morning, you should remove leftover food and feces, wipe the walls, wash the drinking bowl and pour clean water. It also doesn't hurt to change the water in the pool. The litter is loosened weekly and replaced as necessary. General cleaning is done every two weeks.

How to wash a terrarium

Washing the terrarium is planned during general cleaning.

Procedure:

1. Transfer the shellfish to another container.
2. Free the terrarium from soil and decor.
3. Wash the walls and bowls with baking soda.
4. Fill in new soil, install clean decorative elements, install a drinking bowl and a pool.

You can wash it with a dish sponge, but without chemicals; provide a separate place for storage.

How to bathe Achatina snails

No detergents are required to wash shellfish. It is enough for snails when they are 1-2 times a week, 3 minutes. pour warm water over a plastic bowl. It is not recommended to hold it over the sink, because Achatina can slip out and break.

Bath the snails in a shallow container, pouring warm, settled water to just cover the sole. They give unscheduled baths to sick pets who have gone overboard, become dirty, or have been infected by parasites.

Winter care rules

In the wild, Achatina is exposed to unfavorable conditions: heat and drought. During these periods, snails burrow under fallen leaves or into the top layer of soil and hibernate. With the onset of favorable conditions, they wake up and climb to the surface. In a home terrarium, Achatina falls asleep:

• due to dryness or cold;
• due to malnutrition;
• due to attack by parasites or insects;
• due to stress due to changes in soil, living conditions, and food.

How to hibernate

If you need to leave the snail unattended for some time, it is sent to sleep. To do this, the pet is transplanted into another container where the soil is dry. The main thing for sleeping Achatina is maintaining heat and humidity.

How to wake up correctly

When planning to wake up a mollusk, they first clean the house, put in fresh food and fertilizer, and pour clean water. Then take the snail and pour warm water over the shell. This is enough for her to wake up and stick her head out.

How long can snails sleep?

The normal duration of sleep for Achatina is no more than 2 months. If it is longer, the mollusk, due to loss of moisture, decreases in size and goes deeper into the shell. Some die there like that.

How to help a snail come out of a coma

If the snail has been sleeping for a long time and does not wake up even under warm water, it is buried in a warm, damp bedding for 8-9 hours. The awakened Achatina is given fruit and vegetable puree, to which chalk or crushed eggshells have been added. Then they drink milk diluted with water.

Communication and handling of the snail

To pick up a snail, you need to wash them thoroughly using soap and rinse. Do not leave soap marks, creams or other cosmetics on the skin. There is no need to wipe away moisture. After communication, hands are also thoroughly washed to avoid becoming infected with possible parasites.

How to pick up a pet

The snail sticks tightly to the wall, so it cannot be pulled, torn off or taken by the shell. In order for a pet to crawl onto your hand, it is first sprayed, then, using a wet finger, the muzzle and sole are lifted from the front. Then Achatina independently crawls onto the owner’s hand.

It is forbidden to touch the growth, otherwise the shell will not form correctly and you should absolutely not pull the snail out of the house.

Lifespan and death

How long do Achatina snails live at home?

The life of wild Achatina lasts 13 years, domestic ones live 2 times less because they need natural substances. But the shells grow to gigantic sizes - 20 and sometimes 27 cm.

Causes of snail death

Domestic mollusks often die due to the fault of the owner, his inattention or negligence:

• poisoned by household chemicals;
• eat poor quality food;
• injured when falling;
• get burned or get sick;
• become infected with parasites;
• They cannot tolerate poor quality water.

A dying snail is difficult to cure, so it is put to sleep forever by placing it in the freezer.

How to tell if your pet is dead

A dead snail does not respond to warm water and is hidden deep in a shell, from which an unpleasant-smelling, dark-colored liquid flows. The snail's body turns yellow and hardens.

How to leave a shell as a keepsake

It is not customary to bury snails, but the shell is left for memory. To do this, Achatina is boiled by adding salt to the water, then taken out of the shell using a sharp object. The main thing is not to leave a single piece so that there is no smell. Varnish is applied to a clean shell.

Additional questions

Why does a snail burrow into the ground?

Gastropods rest this way, sleep, prepare to produce offspring, and, most importantly, bright light does not get inside the litter. Buried Achatina is not dug up; in the evening the snail will appear on its own to eat and warm up. If the mollusk does not come out for a long time, it means that it climbed in to warm itself, hid from the dryness or heat.

The snail has gone into a curl, what to do?

For a mollusk, this is a dangerous situation that threatens death, and therefore requires help. The snail hides without closing the entrance and does not show itself. The reasons for leaving are violations in maintenance.

Help:

• urgently determine the cause and eliminate it;
• if the soil is waterlogged, partially replace it;
• restoration of the snail’s usual conditions;
• daily washing with warm water, sometimes for 40 minutes;
• in case of infection, treatment with antibiotics prescribed by a doctor;
• Warm the frozen snail by placing it in warm water.

The emerging Achatina is immediately fed. If it does not have the strength to get out, the snail is soaked in warm pumpkin or squash juice.

If actions do not help for more than 40 minutes, then the mollusk is dead.

History of aquarium distribution

Giant snails were first discovered in East Africa, from where they rapidly spread to the south of the continent and Madagascar. Ten years later, Achatina appeared in India, Sri Lanka, China and Malaysia.

In Japan, snail farms began to be created, where mollusks were bred to produce and sell large quantities of Achatina meat.

Due to the great damage that these snails caused - these pests devour garden crops, useful plants, almost everything in their path - in southern Asia people began to actively exterminate these creatures. And in new habitats the problem sometimes takes on even greater proportions. Thus, in the American state of Florida, the damage from these mollusks is so great that importing Achatina into the region is punishable by a prison sentence.

It would be wrong to talk only about the harm that these mollusks cause. They are also orderlies of their kind, destroying rotting and harmful plants, dying trees, animal excrement, and other waste.

In their homeland, Achatina, unlike other places, has a dangerous enemy that regulates the number of snails - the predatory mollusk Gonaxis, so in East Africa there is no question of fighting this pest; the balance is maintained naturally. But in new habitat regions, other dangers to the species have appeared, for example, mice, hedgehogs, moles, birds, and some insects.

In the harsh Russian climatic conditions, the spread of this gastro mollusk in the wild is impossible.

But in addition to harmful and beneficial properties, Achatina has an attractive appearance and their behavior is interesting to observe, so at the end of the 20th century they already began to occupy the niche of aquarium household inhabitants. They are kept as quiet pets that do not cause trouble and do not require special attention.

Subspecies

As you know, the species diversity of snails has not been fully studied. And in connection with this, on the Internet you can find a lot of different information, most often not true or outdated. For example, the subspecies of Achatina immaculata include:

• Achatina immaculata var. immaculata
• Achatina immaculata var. Panthera
• Achatina immaculata var. two-tone
• Achatina immaculata var. smithii
• Achatina immaculata var. lamarckiana
• Achatina immaculata var. Stuhlmanni
• Achatina immaculata var dimidiata

In fact, everything is completely different.

In the general understanding, varieties (var.) are forms that have no taxonomic significance, most often a difference in the color of the shell or leg. Let's now apply this to the above mentioned varieties.

Achatina immaculata var. smithii doesn't exist. Some scientific works contain references to a separate species, Achatina smithii (Craven, 1881). There are no specific descriptions of this species. But approximately a representative of this species should have a shell up to 55 mm high with 8 turns. Achatina immaculate is at least significantly larger. Therefore, the so-called Smitties have nothing to do with immaculates.

Achatina immaculata var. Panthera also doesn't exist. There is a separate species - Achatina panthera, which for a long time was mistakenly identified as Achatina immaculata. We will go into more detail on this in another article.

Achatina immaculata lamarckiana is also an invented subspecies. There is also the name pseudo-shtulmany. This may be a misinterpretation of the name Achatina immaculata (Lamarck, 1822), and "lamarckiana" is a synonym for this name. The snails to which this name is attributed have a shell color like that of the Achatina panther, a white or light yellow columella. In some sources you can find another name - Achatina panthera lamarckiana.

Achatina immaculata var. stuhlmanni is another pseudo-subspecies of immaculata. Shtulmanni have a white columella, and not pink, raspberry or purple. Therefore, these snails cannot be a subspecies of immaculates, although they have a similar appearance to them. Achatina immaculata var stuhlmanni does not exist in the nomenclature, but many continue to call the species Achatina stuhlmanni a subspecies of Achatina immaculata.

Achatina immaculata var dimidiate is another mythical species that is actually Achatina immaculata var immaculata two-tone and is confused with the South African Archachatina dimidiata due to its split shell color. It follows from this that Achatina immaculate has only two subspecies - Achatina immaculata var. immaculata and Achatina immaculata var. two-tone.

Achatina immaculata var. immaculata

The shells of this subspecies are dark in color, with plump coils. The color of the last turn can be monochromatic, or with even thin reddish or brownish stripes.

Achatina immaculata var. immaculata two-tone

The sink is a very beautiful color. It is divided into two halves according to color. It is noteworthy that only the last turn is divided, which is why this variation got its name. Rare and whimsical. They grow poorly and are difficult to breed. Most individuals die during transportation or in the first months after arrival.

Interesting snails have appeared in the private collections of snail breeders. Their appearance simultaneously resembles a panther and an immaculata, but at the same time has some differences. At the moment, these snails are called Achatina SP Cream.

Varieties of Achatina

Achatina is a genus of mollusks that includes several dozen species of large pulmonate snails.

All varieties have a beautiful appearance and bright colors. They are distinguished by modifications of the shell, color, and behavioral characteristics in terrariums.

Representatives of the genus are subject to the possibility of giving birth to an individual suffering from albinism. Albinos carry a white shell on their back and do not grow as large as their counterparts.

The most common Achatina breeds are as follows.

Fulika

The bright yellow snail is relatively small in size. She has a very good appetite, and, by and large, she doesn’t care what she eats. It requires an environment with a body of water or simply high humidity. Knows how to get along in a group, when frightened it makes a squeak and tries to hide in a shell.

Reticulata

Light yellow, almost white snails, their speed is noticeably higher than usual, which can be expected from mollusks. They are unpretentious in their diet and can learn to eat by the hour. From morning to noon they are extremely active, and after lunch they fall asleep. It is believed that they can distinguish the owner, or the one who gives food, from all other people.

Immaculata

Outwardly it resembles a standard large snail. All metabolic processes in her body are slowed down, so this mollusk will never grow more than 160 mm in length.

Albopicta

The opposite of the previous exhibit. It grows quickly and eats a lot. Curiously extends its head towards moving objects, but hides when touched.

Lemon Achatina

A snail with a white body and a bright yellow shell. But this is far from its most important feature. It differs from all other Achatina breeds in that it does not lay eggs, but gives birth to live young. As a result, its fertility is lower than that of its counterparts, but is not radically different. Prefers to be nocturnal.

Brown Achatina

The largest representative of the species. Considered the standard giant snail. They need water treatments at least once every two weeks - these mollusks love to swim.

Zanzibarika

They are not particularly friendly to their neighbors. Often there are cases when one gnaws on the shell of another. She is demanding about living conditions; if they do not suit her, she goes into hibernation. Rarely found in private homes due to restrictions on living conditions.

Achatina vulgaris

It is also called “tiger”. The main color of the shell is orange. In addition, there are black stripes on the carapace, which evokes an association with the color of a tiger’s skin. The behavior of individuals is not very diverse: they mainly sit in one place, occasionally moving in order to get to food.

Archachatina

These types of archaeologists are often kept at home:

Archachatina degneri

The average shell size is 10-12 cm. The main color is brown or red-brown with yellow stripes, the apex is beige. Columella is crimson or purple in color.

Archachatina marginata

Archachatina marginata eduardi

A small shell - 8-10 cm, striped with a predominant brown color. The apex is beige or yellow. Columella is bluish-white.

Archachatina marginata egregia

Snails with small shells - 8-10 cm. The shells are bright, with predominant dark tones, and two-tone colors are common. Apex pink. Columella crimson color.

Archachatina marginata marginata

It is distinguished by a massive rounded shell, the average length of which is 16-18 cm. Color - light and dark brown stripes, evenly distributed stripes on a yellow background, with spots and inclusions. Columella is white. The color of the apex is a pale pink shade or not colored. The leg is a rich dark color.

Archachatina marginata var. ovum (Archachatina marginalata ovum)

The size of the shell of representatives of this species can reach up to 18 cm. A distinctive feature from other arches is the yellow apex. The main color of the shell is a yellow or beige background with brown stripes. Columella is yellow or peach in color.

Archachatina marginata var. suturalis (Archachatina marginalata suturalis)

Representatives of this species are distinguished by a bright pink apex and pink or crimson columella. The average size of the shell is 12-14 cm. The color of the shell is slightly darker than that of ovums.

Archachatina papyracea

The size of the shell can reach up to 10 cm. The first turns are beige-brown, striped, the last turn is monochromatic with a brown or greenish tint. Columella has a crimson or purple hue. The apex is more pointed than in other representatives of the genus, and is beige in color.

Archachatina puylaerti

The size of the shell is up to 12 cm. The first whorls are beige-brown, striped, the last whorl is greenish, olive or brown-green with stripes or spots, the apex is beige. Columella crimson or purple.

Archachatina ventricosa

The shell size is up to 12 cm. The first whorls are red-brown in color, the large whorl is olive or bright green with brown stripes and spots. The apex is yellowish or reddish. Columella is raspberry or purple in color.

Mr. Tail Recommends: Aquarium Basics

In addition to the snails themselves, you also need to purchase a terrarium, soil (moss with sand or peat) and a bowl for water. The volume of the aquarium should not be less than 20-25 liters for a pair of pets.

The tank should have a lid with small holes - such as to provide an influx of fresh air, but not allow the mollusk to get out.

The aquarium needs to be cleaned at least once a month. At this moment, the snails themselves can be bathed - placed in a basin of water for a while, but do not fill the container to the brim, but about a quarter, so as not to kill the pets.

It is recommended to bathe Achatina more often than once a month. You cannot add any additional products - only clean water.

A bowl of water (it is advisable to place several: a large one as a pool and a small one as a drinking bowl) should be renewed twice a day. In addition, several times a day, to maintain humidity, unique water procedures should be carried out: release a dozen jets of water over the inner surface of the aquarium from a spray.

It must be remembered that Achatina are tropical inhabitants, so the terrarium must be warm. This does not mean that it is necessary to install heaters, it is enough to maintain room temperature. +23…+26 °C and high humidity will be comfortable for pets.

Excessive dampness is also useless. In this case, Achatina will crawl up the walls, trying to leave the tank. If they are too dry, they will burrow into the substrate. Under optimal conditions, giant snails quietly crawl along the bottom during the day, and at night they dig a little into the filler, hide in the shell and sleep.

How to keep a snail at home

Land snails, especially giant ones, require special care and love. And yet, the maintenance and care of Akhatina is an interesting and fascinating matter.

Selection of capacity

Keeping Achatina snails requires a spacious, comfortable and humid home, where clean bedding must be provided. A jar or small plastic container for housing Achatina snails is not suitable, because keeping one adult requires 10-15 liters of volume. For the selected container, with smooth transparent walls, you must choose a lid. It is not recommended to choose a round vessel, with curved walls, made of cardboard, wood or metal.

Important ! Achatina snails, their care and maintenance, do not recommend placing the container in a draft, next to heating devices and in direct sunlight.

Terrarium

These snail houses, glass or plastic, are offered in pet stores. Cheaper vessels are made of glass. It is worth choosing a horizontal shape. The terrarium comes with a lid, and the container is also equipped with a heating system and a thermometer.

Aquarium

To accommodate 2-3 pets, it is enough to choose a 20-40-liter aquarium for Achatina snails, which also needs a lid with holes for air intake. Disadvantages of a glass container: fragile, heavy, glass lid is difficult to drill.

Plastic container

This is a suitable option for keeping snails; you only need to use food-grade plastic. Pros: lightweight, easy to clean, with handles that make it easy to carry to another place.

Selection and arrangement of soil

The bottom of the snail house is covered with moistened soil so that the Achatina burrows there and lays eggs. If a snail falls from the wall, the backing protects the shell from breakage. The thickness of the loose litter is 10–15 cm, this is influenced by the size of the mollusk. Before scattering soil for Achatina snails, taken from the forest, garden or vegetable garden, it must be disinfected: pour boiling water over it, cool and dry. Instead of scalding, calcination is allowed.

Litter:

• twice a month, change, process more often;
• the soil with the masonry inside is not touched, only the upper part is changed;
• if the litter is dry, you need to spray it with a spray bottle;
• The compressed substrate is loosened, maintaining a thickness of 10-15 cm.

Coconut substrate

Considered the best option: affordable, stays clean for a long time, ideal for absorbing moisture, safe for shellfish. To prepare the substrate, the briquettes are kneaded and filled with boiling water. After half an hour, the water is drained and the fiber is dried.

Leaf litter

It is recommended to add moss and lay it on the base soil. Cons: moisture is not retained and the leaves soon become unusable. The litter is collected on dry autumn days and stored in boxes in the room.

Decorative tree bark

Pine bark is more suitable. Before storing, rinse thoroughly, then fry in the oven and break into small pieces. The snails crawl around clean, and there is a forest smell in the terrarium.

Sphagnum moss or forest moss

Such soil for Achatina can be purchased at a flower shop or collected independently. The collected moss is washed, scalded with boiling water, then soaked for 2-3 hours. It should be laid on the main litter, washed weekly, and moistened when dry. There are no insects in this coating, moisture is retained, and snails do not get dirty.

Earth

Only clean soil is taken from the garden if there is no garbage there, it has not been fertilized with chemical fertilizers, and animals have not left feces. The soil is washed and fried. Add 1-2 tbsp of ground chalk to the cooled soil. spoons. As an option, use soil for indoor plants from the store.

Neutralized peat

This litter is inexpensive, accessible, reliably retains moisture and does not compact. Cons: Achatina is allowed only peat with low acidity, so that the snails do not get burned. Inside, helminths and parasites leave clutches of eggs, so frying is required for up to 15 minutes.

Hazelnut shells

Even under finely crushed shells, non-absorbable water stagnates and begins to smell. Insects flock to the smell. The litter is clean and soft, it is recommended to change it more often.

Prohibited soils

Some snail breeders recommend adding sand, sawdust or pebbles. Such litter injures the snail's sole or shell. Suppuration and abrasions appear.

Sawdust: leaves small splinters in the delicate body and esophagus.

Sand: abrasive properties injure the sole and shell of Achatina, get clogged inside the house, rubbing the body. Once inside the intestines, they clog it, causing the mollusk to die.

Pebbles: the snail will not burrow even into small pebbles because it is very weak. In addition, falling on rocks is hard and can cause injury.

Clay: clay particles absorb water and swell, causing the snails to get dirty as they crawl. Once inside, the clay becomes like cement.

Decorating and arranging the container

Like the soil, choose items for decoration that are not too hard and without sharp edges. It is advisable to create an environment close to the natural living conditions of the Achatina snail. Natural materials can be used to decorate with branches, small driftwood, pieces of bark, moss and other objects.

Important! Decorative elements, especially those from the forest or garden, are thoroughly washed and scalded with water.

Drinker feeder

These must-have accessories are selected from soft and environmentally friendly material. Land snails do not mind drinking from a nylon lid for a jar or a plastic saucer.

Bath container

Decorative snails love to swim. To do this, select a container with low sides, otherwise the pets will choke. The pool is also installed securely, and the water is renewed regularly.

Living plants

For snails, live plants are planted to decorate the aquarium. Shellfish hide between the stems; this is an additional source of nutrition and vitamins.

For planting it is recommended to take:

• tradescantia;
• fern;
• Crassula;
• ivy;
• wheat with oats.

Sometimes lettuce and cat grass are planted.

Branches and snags

During the day, the giant snail tries to hide in a secluded place. Why do they decorate the snail house with decorative elements:

• natural coconut shells or purchased in a store with minks made;
• processed driftwood and branches;
• decorative stones and pieces of bark;
• harmless artificial flowers.

Change the decor at the same time as changing the bedding.

Half a flower pot

Snails like to crawl under overturned broken flower pots.

Conditions of detention

Temperature

Achatina comes from the African humid tropics, so for their aquarium maintenance a constant temperature of 24-30 degrees is maintained, but not higher. If it gets hot, the mollusks become ill, they fall asleep, and some even die.

This is interesting! Scientists have noticed that sometimes some species of these snails can withstand short-term temperatures of plus 2 degrees.

Humidity

For a comfortable existence, mollusks require high humidity of at least 80%. Dry air and dried out bedding are destructive for Achatina, so it is recommended to moisten even the walls of the aquarium and the snails themselves by spraying them daily with a spray bottle.

The level of humidity is indicated by the behavior of the snail: if it has crawled onto the walls, there is a lot of moisture, if the shell is closed, it is very dry. The humidity level is also monitored using a hygrometer and the appearance of sphagnum moss. Green color – humidity is normal, yellow – moisture is required. At normal humidity, mollusks dig in the soil and hide in it during the daytime.

Ventilation

Achatina, crawling along the walls, strives to escape if the container is not covered. Only the roof needs openings for ventilation. In addition, periodic ventilation of the terrarium is recommended, while avoiding overdrying. If you do not ventilate, the soil will turn into a swamp, become moldy and fungus will settle there.

Lighting

The vision of Achatina, nocturnal inhabitants, is weak; they distinguish only daylight and twilight light, so no additional lighting is required. The lamp is installed to observe snails and plants, but not inside the aquarium, which does not even need to be placed on the windowsill.

Thermal mat

If the room is warm, Achatina is comfortable. As the temperature drops, the terrarium needs to be heated. To do this, turn on a table lamp or heat it with a thermal mat, placing it under a container with snails. When heating, you must not overheat the air above 30 degrees, otherwise the snails will fall asleep. You also need to monitor the humidity level inside the snail house.

Feeding

The snail does not require additional care, and feeding consists of cutting vegetables, fruits, and herbs into small slices and placing them in the terrarium. Interestingly, in their native habitat, Achatina does not refuse animal food, so sometimes they can be pampered with chicken or minced meat. Ready-made food from pet stores is also suitable.

As food, snails are given pieces of eggplant, zucchini, cucumbers, sweet peppers, celery or watermelon. These animals should not be fed citrus fruits or other foods that are too acidic.

Fermentation and oxidation products, for example, cottage cheese or grapes, are unacceptable.

Food can be placed in the aquarium once every two to three days. If the owner of Achatina raises young animals, then he should add calcium to his food to promote the growth of a strong shell. Egg shells and high-quality calcekas are quite suitable for this.

This is a special food that is prepared for young animals by mixing several varieties of steamed cereal, wheat bran, gammarus, eggshells, Biovetan, and dry fish food.

Features of care

As mentioned above, Achatina are ideal pets for lazy owners, since they require minimal care. But certain subtleties still exist.

Feeding

Achatina is not picky about food

Achatina happily eats greens, vegetables and fruits, although in natural conditions they do not disdain meat. Feed is given as it is eaten, and leftovers must be removed regularly. In captivity, snails are given cabbage, cucumbers, and carrots. This is a standard diet, which, however, is better to diversify.

It is known that each individual snail has its own gastronomic preferences. Therefore, you will need to identify them experimentally.

So, among the permitted products for Achatina are the following:

1. Fruits and berries: apples, cherries, strawberries, apricots, watermelon, figs, plums, pineapple, mango, avocado, bananas, strawberries, pears, melon, grapes.
2. Vegetables: broccoli, pumpkin, carrots, rutabaga, tomatoes, lettuce, zucchini, celery, champignons, cucumbers, spinach, cabbage.
3. Legumes and peas.
4. Greens: meadow plants, clover, daisies, nettles, elderberry and fruit tree inflorescences, sprouted oats, dandelion, yarrow, plantain, alfalfa.
5. Other: softened bread, fermented milk products (without salt, sugar and spices), low-fat minced meat, boiled egg, baby food (vegetable and meat), gammarus.

Important! Plants should not be picked within the city or factories, wastewater, or landfills.

List of prohibited products for Achatina:

1. Everything is spicy and salty.
2. Fried or smoked foods.
3. Pasta.
4. Sweets.
5. Acidic foods.

To form a shell, Achatina needs calcium. Its lack in the diet leads to deformation and softening of the shell. In captivity, a snail can obtain calcium from eggshells, sepia, shell rock, food chalk and gammarus.

For quick results, you can prepare a special composition. Calcekasha is a special nutritional mixture made from various sources of this element. It is prepared in the following proportions:

• grain mixture – 70% (millet, flax seeds, oats, barley, wheat);
• eggshells – 3%;
• wheat bran – 5%;
• fish food – 5%;
• tricalcium phosphate – 12%;
• gammarus – 5%.

Along with food, there should be drinking water in the terrarium. It is needed for mucus secretion.

Video: feeding Achatina

Bathing: how and how often

Achatina loves water procedures

Achatina loves to swim. For owners, this is an additional way to establish contact with their pet. The procedure is carried out under a tap or shower, but always in warm water. The pressure can be adjusted by monitoring the behavior of the snail. If Achatina is unhappy, she will definitely hide in the shell.

Video: Tutorial for bathing a snail

Possible diseases

With proper maintenance and proper nutrition, snails should not get sick. There is no need to throw them or subject them to other mechanical stress. In the absence of external chemical, bacteriological and thermal irritants, Achatina will not be able to receive harm from the environment.

To be safe, a person just needs to wash his hands with soap after contact with the creature.

Main pathologies of snails:

• Mechanical - any sufficiently strong interaction.
• Chemical - contact with a caustic substance, namely citrus fruits, oxidation products, soap, etc.
• Thermal - a sharp directed impact of extremely high or low temperature.
• Bacterial – parasite activity. Organ prolapse may occur as a result of infection.

Immaculate content

Achatina immaculata is an African snail that feels comfortable at 25-27 degrees and humidity 80-90%. You can artificially recreate such living conditions in a terrarium, food container or old rectangular aquarium. It is important to remember that the snail should not be cramped in the house you offer. The volume for one adult snail is 15 liters. Read more about arrangement and decoration here. Place the container with Achatina away from drafts and heating appliances.

A thermal cord or an ordinary light bulb helps maintain the temperature in the terrarium. Particular attention should be paid to choosing the right soil. The snail eats it, sleeps in the soil during the daytime and lays eggs in it. To maintain moisture, the litter is irrigated with warm water or a shallow pool is placed. Achatina immaculata loves when there are dry and damp places in the terrarium. Therefore, you should not over-moisten the soil.

Reproduction

Like all pulmonary gastropods, Achatina are hermaphrodites; they combine the qualities of female and male individuals. Reproduction occurs when one or more individuals are present. Fecundity is very high - several hundred eggs (up to 600) are separated from one organism per approach, and quickly develop independently.

Self-fertilization occurs within the individual, but mating stimulates this process. The mollusks press their soles tightly against each other and shoot special needles into the partner’s body - “arrows of love.” Sperm can be stored in the body of Achatina for years. Some varieties do not lay eggs, carry them for a long time and release them either closer to maturity or at the time of hatching.

Snails reproduce if the environment is warm enough and there is something to eat. A person will most likely need to independently regulate the number of eggs, destroying most of them, since mollusks reproduce very quickly.

Eggs are laid deep in the ground. The young hatch in 4 to 30 days. They initially feed on their own shell and yolk sac. Then, slowly rising to the surface, with the substrate. Complementary feeding should begin with calcekashi.

What and how to feed Achatina albopicta

Snails are unpretentious and omnivorous animals, but there are several rules that you can follow to grow a large and healthy Achatina. Albopicta has a good appetite and should be fed in the evening, and uneaten leftovers should be removed in the morning. In the warm and humid environment of the terrarium, food quickly disappears, midges and mold appear and an unpleasant odor appears. Read about the fight against midges here.

Vegetables, fruits, greens.

Vegetables and fruits are thoroughly washed under water, then cut into small pieces or cubes. Use a plastic bowl or lid to feed the snail; do not place food on the ground. Read more about feeding your snail here. The greens are also washed under water and chopped. Many snail breeders rarely feed their pets fruit, since fruit flies quickly appear in the terrarium, and it is not easy to fight them.

Protein supplements

Protein is necessary for Achatina for rapid growth and proper development of internal organs and shell.

Plant based protein

• cereals,
• legumes,
• mushrooms

Nutrient supplements are prepared from these products, which are used as an independent dish or sprinkled on vegetables and herbs. Snail food recipes.

Calcium mixtures

Calcium is necessary for Achatina to build a beautiful and healthy shell. If there is not enough calcium, the snail will begin to chew its shell or the shells of its fellows, so there should always be enough calcium in the terrarium.

Sources of calcium

• sepia,
• food chalk,
• eggshell,
• shell rock

Kaltse-porridge is prepared from them, vegetables and herbs are sprinkled on top. Achatina, like people, have their own food preferences, but despite this, their diet should be varied. There is a list of foods that should not be fed to Achatina albopicta, as this can lead to illness and death of the mollusk.

Salt, sugar, flour, pasta, semolina, sour fruits (lemon, kiwi, orange), canned vegetables and fruits are prohibited.

What to feed small Achatina albopicta snails

Small albopicts are fed lettuce and cabbage leaves. In the first days, the babies eat the remains of their eggshells, but need additional calcium supplements. Place sepia pieces, ground eggshells, and bone meal on the leaves.

After a few days, the small albopicts are given grated vegetables and herbs and ground cereals. By one month, the diet of young snails is no different from adults. They grow quickly and have a good appetite.

How to purchase

Buying giant snails from just anyone is a rather risky action. During an official sale, the likelihood of fraud is very low, but if we are talking about private sellers, then it is better to check everything carefully.

It makes sense to purchase animals from strangers only if you are confident that the person complies with the rules for keeping snails and does not want to deceive the buyer (this is achieved through careful observation of the animal and how it lived with the previous owner). If the seller is an acquaintance, then this circumstance reduces the degree of risk.

In general, there are no problems with purchasing giant snails now; they can be purchased at most pet stores. In order to buy giant Achatina snails, you just need to find a specialized salon.

Interesting facts about Achatina immaculata

• Women of Egypt and Ancient Rome mined clay using immaculata shells to make dishes.
• Ancient craftsmen made bright jewelry from beautiful snail shells.
• Large shells of Achatina served as cups, and if the top was cut off, then as a drinking bowl for children, the sick and the elderly.
• Small shells were used to store tobacco, tea or spices, covering the hole with moss.
• Hippocrates used shellfish meat to treat tuberculosis, anemia and other diseases.

Achatina craveni - rare viviparous snails

Today, experienced breeders have acquired new exotic specimens of African beauties. Among the new, little-studied species for home keeping, Achatina craveni also appeared. These are viviparous Tanzanian snails with an unusual striped shell color.

Such species are very attractive to fans of slow and unpretentious creatures. Cute individuals get used to their owners and grow quickly. In order to bring a few healthy offspring after a year of quiet, measured life.

Breeders of African mollusks dream of acquiring one of the viviparous species. After all, every owner wants to watch the miracle of the birth of “ready” formed babies. However, this form of reproduction, which does not require incubation of egg clutches, is especially popular with experienced breeders. There is no need to care for eggs, constantly monitor hatching and freeze unnecessary eggs.

Under home keeping and breeding conditions, all Achatina snails readily reproduce. But experienced breeders find markets and take care of the babies for the purpose of future profitable sales. Sending numerous healthy broods by mail! They are carefully packaged in airtight containers with small holes for air to send the boxes into the good hands of their new owners.

Useful properties and use in cosmetology

Achatina meat has been used for food by the indigenous population of Africa since ancient times.

It is believed that preparing Achatina soup and further eating meat will help cure some serious diseases, so the mollusks were not completely exterminated, but they tried to regulate their numbers at a level that was safe for human economic activity.

Now Achatina, along with ampularia and grape snail, are used in the cosmetic industry as the main component for a cream that promotes facial skin rejuvenation. In Brazil, creams are made from snails to heal wounds.

In addition to creating rejuvenating and healing creams from the bodies of Achatina snails, the cosmetic industry also uses the mollusks themselves as a kind of “living” masks. It is believed that the mucus of giant snails contains very useful substances, namely:

• Allantoin – for cell restoration.
• Collagen – gives elasticity.
• Peptide – cleanses the skin.
• Vitamins of groups A, B and C – restore the balance of substances.
• Acids – provide peeling.

The creation of a new therapy has allowed many people to “renew” their skin, and also showed that snails can not only harm, but also benefit humans when used correctly.

Brown Achatina (Achatina glutinosa)

Brown Achatina - Achatina glutinosa)

The snail is similar to the panther and fulica immaculata. Mozambique and Malawi are her homeland. The size of the mollusk reaches 12 cm. The shell is massive, ovoid-conical in shape, dark brown in color with brown stripes. Apex brown, slightly rounded. Columella is white or blue.

The body is massive, gray-brown with a darkened stripe on the head. With good care it grows quickly. He loves water and swimming, combining communication with the owner and water procedures.

Achatina glutinosa

Brown Achatina is sociable, omnivorous and active - even in the daytime. The optimal temperature is 25 - 28 degrees. Humidity 65% ​​- 70%.

Rarely found in home terrariums. It becomes sexually mature at 7 months, with a clutch of 300 eggs. The volume of the terrarium for brown Achatina is 15 liters.

Achatina glutinosa