Domestic snail care. How to care for snails at home, how to equip a terrarium. Temperature and humidity

Today it is becoming fashionable to keep at home not quite ordinary pets. And here - who and what will have enough imagination. Someone has a crocodile in the bathroom, others give birth to exotic fish, others - cockroaches, scorpions and spiders. This is all for an amateur, but you can’t take a fish and a poisonous scorpion out of the aquarium to stroke it, and the dog needs to be walked at least twice a day. Therefore, many are looking for an alternative, and there really is one. Grape snail at home feels great, willingly crawls into his arms and takes a shower in the hands of the owner, does not require much care. And if the conditions of your life suddenly change, for example, a move is coming, you can simply release it in the garden. Most likely, she successfully adapts to free conditions.

Where to get a snail?

They are sold in pet stores, so buying yourself a new friend will not be a problem. But keep in mind that they are found in large quantities in the south of Russia, so if you are going to rest in Sochi, then you have a good chance of bringing a pet from there. At the same time, the grape snail at home is so unpretentious that its content is available to any beginner. Today we will look at what these snails eat and what conditions these snails require so that the future owner can easily cope with caring for a new pet.

But let's get back to the topic of how to catch a snail yourself. The child will gladly support this idea, especially since the process itself is more than exciting. To do this, in the vineyard, which is plentiful in the south of Russia, even during the day you need to leave a juicy fruit, preferably overripe, fragrant. In the evening, the mollusks begin to crawl out of their hiding places - now you can start hunting. Therefore, after dark, grab a flashlight and go looking. Most likely, several individuals will already be sitting on your fruit. By the way, the grape snail at home is quite voracious, so if you do not live in the south, where fruits are available all year round, think about whether you need such a pet. When choosing a snail, you should not take small ones, these can be cubs or sick individuals. Pay attention that there are no cracks on the sink, such a simple selection will allow you to bring home a friend who will live long enough.

New home for the snail

First of all, you need to take care of where the grape snail will live at home. An old aquarium or a large, transparent box is best suited for these purposes. The volume should allow the snail to move around normally, so do not keep it in a very small box or jar. Be sure to close the jar with a lid so that the mollusk cannot escape. However, make sure that there are air holes in the lid.

What to feed a grape snail?

Snail care

We have already said that the walls of the aquarium in which snails live are periodically covered with mucus. They must be wiped, otherwise it will be difficult for you to observe the life of your ward. Uneaten fruits and vegetables should be thrown away in a timely manner, otherwise flies will start in them. It is very convenient to have a special saucer for feeding. Then all the leftovers will be in one place.

Few pets love water as much as the snail. The content of these mollusks implies the presence in the enclosure of a small bathing room, only shallow, because the snail cannot swim. She really does not like dry air, because it is not in vain that her natural habitat is moist, shady thickets, vineyards, where she crawls out in the evening and actively crawls in search of food until the morning. Therefore, you need to purchase a spray bottle and spray the walls and the ground in the aquarium every day, as well as the snails themselves.

Interaction with snails

Why has the grape snail become so popular? Home maintenance of this mollusk is quite simple, you can pick up a snail and stroke it. Over time, she will get used to her hands and will feel them with her horns. You can feed it from your hands, the snail will gladly eat fresh fruit. If you need to leave, then you can put her to bed. To do this, you need to choose a cool place and stop feeding it. The mollusk will perceive this as the onset of cold weather, go into the shell and close with a special film. In nature, anabiosis of a snail lasts up to 3 months. Waking her up on her return is easy enough. Transfer the aquarium to a warm place, and wash the snail in warm water. It is especially necessary to withstand hibernation if you want to get offspring.

Snail breeding

Today, many pet stores sell grape snails. The price of such a pet is from 50 to 500 rubles, depending on the size and region. To get offspring, you need at least 2 individuals. Snails usually mate in autumn and spring. Under favorable conditions, they can breed several times a month. Usually, a snail ready for mating begins to travel around the aquarium, strongly stretching its body. She examines him in search of a partner, when two snails meet, a love game begins. The process can last up to 6 hours, and the act of mating itself takes about two hours. During mating, the snails press their soles tightly against each other. At the end of sexual intercourse, the snails connect the genitals and exchange male cells. After that, the snails go about their business to lay their eggs.

offspring care

Growing grape snails is a simple matter. Adults lay white eggs underground, in a pre-prepared place. After that, 3-4 weeks pass before the offspring hatch. A newborn snail first eats the shell from the egg from which it emerged, and then goes upstairs. After about ten days, the snail gets out. All this time they feed on useful substances that are in the soil. At this time, it is necessary that her shell gets stronger so that she can hide in it in time of danger. Toddlers are fed finely grated fruits and vegetables so that they grow faster. It is also necessary to give mineral supplements.

Growing snails on an industrial scale

Grape snail farm - it sounds rather strange. However, there is a demand - there is a supply. Since many people want to keep shellfish at home, then they will be sold on the market. However, resourceful entrepreneurs supply snails not only to pet stores. Snail meat began to be in great demand. This is a fashionable novelty that restaurants and cafes are happy to use to attract customers. Moreover, it is the grape snail that has a special, exquisite taste, much better than the Achatina giants.

Profitability of a snail farm

How much profit can a grape snail give? The price of one queen bee is $3. To expand production, you need at least 300 pieces. To feed them, you will need at least 2 kg of feed, the cost of each kilogram is about 300 rubles. Several times a month, each individual (they are hermaphrodites, but the mating process is necessary) lays 20-50 eggs, from which young snails hatch after 3-4 weeks. They ripen after about 6 months, after which they can be taken to restaurants. Each kilogram of shellfish costs about $10. Snail caviar is even more expensive, it is purchased at a price of $ 120 for 50 g.

snails. These creatures are unpretentious in care and do not require significant financial investments for their maintenance. But at the same time, it is quite interesting to observe their life and behavior.

Snail breeds

Most often, for home maintenance, lovers of living creatures give birth to Achatina. These are very large snails, which are distinguished by a variety of species:

Motile species include Achatina reticulata. She is keenly interested in the world around her and often raises her head for a better view. It is distinguished by a black or brown tint of the body. At the same time, there is a light border on the leg. This snail grows too fast and reaches a shell size of 20 cm.

But Achatina fulica is one of the most calm breeds. Almost all the time this snail is in a state of rest. It also grows up to 20 cm, its shell can have different shades from red to black.

Achatina immaculata is distinguished by a variety of colors. She, unlike other Achatina, has a rim of a light purple hue on her shell, and a pink stripe lies on her head and neck.
Similar to Achatina reticulata, but small in size Achatina albopicta. It grows up to 16 cm and has an excellent appetite. On the shell, she has a white or yellow rim and a pinkish tip.
Lemon Achatina iradeli is distinguished by its small size. She grows up to only 7 cm. In addition, she also has one more difference - she is the only Achatina that brings live offspring, and does not lay eggs.

Snail care

Domestic snails are not demanding, it is enough to feed and bathe them on time. In addition, it will be necessary to create favorable conditions for existence.

Snails are very fond of water treatments. To do this, you need to put it on the palm of your hand and substitute it under a weak stream of warm water. It is impossible to place a snail in a sink or bathtub, as there may be residues of chemicals harmful to it. Bathing should be done at least once a week.

You should be very careful with the snail shell. After all, its damage is extremely dangerous for the health of the snail. If in a young snail the damage quickly heals, then in adults this is fraught with serious consequences. Almost always, such a snail dies. If damage to the shell is found, you can try to seal the crack with BF special medical glue. If the shell is damaged very badly, then the snail will die.

What to feed a snail

The diet of snails for the most part includes greens, vegetables and fruits. Domestic snails have a special passion for cucumbers, they also like carrots, zucchini, apples and lettuce. Products that are offered to snails as food need to be changed. Otherwise, she will get used to only one type of food and will not pay attention to others. This adversely affects the growth and well-being of the snail.

As a supplement to vegetables and fruits, it is imperative to include a grain mixture, calcium and animal protein. Snail calcium is used as a building material for the shell. It is better to give it in the form of a powder or a piece of chalk. It should be left in a separate feeding bowl or added to succulent feed.

It is strictly forbidden to give snails salty and sweet foods. Spices, smoked and fried are also prohibited. Of the fruits, this list includes all citrus fruits, as they contain fruit acids that are detrimental to the snail shell.

It is best to offer food to snails in small portions every day. The best time for this is the evening hours when the mollusks are most active. Use a small plate or stand to serve food, do not place snail food directly on the ground. So that the food does not deteriorate, after a few hours, its leftovers must be removed.

Food must be served at room temperature. Hard vegetables are best mashed, and soft fruits can be cut into slices. Be sure to leave a container of water in the terrarium. At the same time, its level should not exceed 1 cm, so that the snail does not drown in it.

snail terrarium

In order for the mollusks to live comfortably with you, choose the right one. Expect that one mollusk should account for at least 10 liters of volume. Otherwise, the snails will start to wither. Terrariums made of glass, plexiglass or plastic are suitable for a snail house. The last two materials make it possible to prevent a sharp temperature drop, since they both cool down and heat up slowly. And more light penetrates through ordinary glass and it is more pleasant to watch snails in a glass terrarium.

To fill the terrarium, use peat or coconut substrate. This material is ideal for shellfish life. The thickness of the soil must be impressive. The pet must be able to burrow into the ground completely. Be sure to equip the snail house with a sensor that measures the level of humidity and a thermometer. The optimal conditions for domestic snails are temperatures within +27 degrees and humidity levels up to 90%.

From above, the terrarium is covered with a mesh, which is fixed with latches. Make sure that there are no gaps, otherwise curious snails will find a way to get out through them. The interior of the terrarium must be soft, so that when the mollusk falls, it does not break the shell. It is best to plant plants inside the terrarium. A money tree, leaf lettuce or wheat germinated in the ground will look especially beautiful in it.

All containers used for feeding snails or as drinking bowls should be made of soft plastic and securely fixed in the ground. These measures are required so that the clams do not make a mess in the aquarium and do not get hurt.

In recent years, people have increasingly begun to have gastropods as pets. The most popular is the giant African snail - Achatina.

Snails (gastropods)- lat. Gastropoda - a class of mollusks, divided into three subclasses: anterior gill, pulmonary and posterior gills and has about ninety thousand species, among which there are marine, freshwater and terrestrial forms.

The head of a snail usually has tentacles and a pair of eyes. The shell reaches a height of 0.5 mm to 70 cm, has a spirally twisted appearance, some members of the class may be absent. As the snail grows, so does its shell. It becomes hard, strong and thick, dark rings appear on it - coils. Snails grow up to a year. By this time, about 4-5 rings appear on their shells. On average, gastropods live up to six years.

Most snails have a spiral-shaped shell, so in ancient times people honored the snail, as it was believed that the spiral was a symbol of life. The ancient Greeks used snails as medicine. Phoenicians from red snails received paint for fabrics, and in Africa and South America the shells of large snails replaced money.

In nature, snails live in groups of several individuals. Toward evening, or at night, when the temperature drops and it becomes cool, the snails crawl out of their daytime shelters in search of food. Due to the fact that they have poor eyesight, but an excellent sense of smell and touch, they search for food by touch with the help of tentacle horns, guided by smell. The diet of snails is very diverse. They eat almost everything: leaves, worms, small larvae, etc.

Snails are an excellent and accessible object of observation in captivity. They are not at all as primitive as it might seem. Despite the fact that their nervous system is quite simple, snails are capable of learning. Scientists conducted experiments with marine gastropods, as well as grape snails and land slugs, developing various conditioned reflexes in them. In addition, grape snails flew into space. In England, grape snails are used for entertainment: "snail races" are arranged there.

Maintenance and care.

An aquarium, a terrarium, a plastic house for rodents, as well as food containers and other plastic containers are suitable as a container for keeping snails (snails). On average, one snail needs about 10 liters of volume, but it is desirable to allocate at least 15-20 liters so that it can grow to its maximum size. The lid should cover the container tightly enough so that the snail does not run away and to maintain the desired humidity. To better provide the container with fresh air, several small holes can be made in the lid (smaller than the size of a snail). It is even better to close the snail net with a synthetic ironing net (you can also use gauze, but its snails can eventually make a hole in it and run away). It is better to choose a snail pit not wide, but high, since with the same volume, a low terrarium has a large bottom area and, as a result, a large area for moisture evaporation, which leads to rapid drying of the soil, which is unacceptable when keeping snails.

Snails do not need electric lighting, for this reason, choosing a place for a terrarium in an apartment will not be difficult. However, if the terrarium is located near a window, then it is better to close one side of it with something opaque, as snails avoid direct sunlight.

Priming. A suitable soil for snails is ordinary soil for flowers. Coconut substrate or ordinary sawdust, which are sold in any pet stores, conifer bark or peat, is also suitable. Before applying the soil, it must be processed - doused with boiling water, calcined in a microwave oven or in an oven for several minutes (as for seedlings), thereby destroying Drosophyll larvae and other insects.

The soil should be loose so that the snails can easily burrow into it. It is not recommended to put stones and other hard objects into the terrarium, as if the snails fall from the lid, they can break their shell on them. Microclimate in volume for snails should be warm and humid. The ideal temperature for keeping snails ranges from +25 to +30°C. If it is cool in the room where the snail heater is located, then it is better to arrange heating near it from an ordinary light bulb. But, so that the snails do not get burned, you should not place the lamp close to the glass.

Most domesticated snails (for example, Achatina) are land snails. And they are great on dry land. But without water, they cannot live long. To maintain a certain humidity in the snail, it is very convenient to use a spray bottle for spraying flowers. It is enough to spray the terrarium and its inhabitants with warm water once or twice a day to maintain the humidity level required for them, which should be 75-90%. It is best to purchase a hygrometer (a device for measuring air humidity) in order to easily determine whether the humidity in the cochlea is sufficient.

Young gastropods have enough moisture on the walls of the terrarium. If the snails are more than one and a half months old, then they need to put water in some container so that they can drink or take a bath. It is necessary to measure the size of the pool with the size of the snail so that it cannot drown in it when swimming.

Snails like Achatina are very fond of swimming. They can sometimes be pampered by washing under the tap with warm water.

When creating the wrong conditions of detention (too dry or cold), the snail can hibernate, while it closes its shell with a door, and it is extremely difficult to get it out of this state. To do this, she will have to bathe in warm water until she looks out of her house.

The terrarium should be cleaned regularly. It is necessary to remove excrement, and also, as it gets dirty, wipe the walls and cover of the terrarium with a damp sponge. Once every 1-1.5 months, a general cleaning should be done: completely change the soil and rinse the terrarium well with disinfectants.

Snail feeding. The main food source for snails is plant food. In the terrarium, you can put a plastic food tray with low edges so as not to put food on the ground, as it quickly deteriorates on it. Snails are great at eating lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini, apples, pears, but will not disdain dry oatmeal flakes or fish food (such as gammarus or daphnia). Snails will not refuse summer delicacies in the form of strawberries or watermelons. Bananas are especially fond of large snails, but such delicacies should be given with caution, since after them the snail may begin to act up and refuse any other food. In winter, snails are great at eating dry oats, pharmacy nettles, and even frozen vegetables from soup kits, which can be easily bought in many stores. There are cases when snails ate cottage cheese, raw eggs and even raw meat. The snail is forbidden to give food containing salt, it is deadly for her. The same effect can cause flour products, sugar and fried foods.

In order for a snail to grow a beautiful shell, it needs to add a source of calcium to its food. To do this, you can buy sepia (the so-called cuttlefish bone or cuttlefish comb) at the pet store. Natural chalk, ground eggshells, or simply crushed calcium gluconate tablets are also suitable. With an acute shortage of calcium, the shells are even translucent and the body of the snail can be seen through them. If a pet gnaws its own shell (or a neighbor's shell), then it is seriously lacking in calcium in its diet.

With the right content, snails are easily domesticated and tamed by hand. Mollusks have a long-term memory. If you treat them carefully, then they get used to you easily and quickly: somewhere from the first months they are calmly given into hands. But there are times when snails born in captivity never get used to being picked up once again.

Achatina are large snails belonging to the Achatinidae family, which, in turn, includes several genera. In some countries, this type of snail is recognized as a pest, as they easily destroy not only crops, but also buildings. In this way, the mollusk extracts chalk and lime for the construction of shells. However, this is the most popular type of snail for home breeding. With proper care, snails live for at least 10 years, and reach 20-30 cm in size.

Who can get such a pet

Achatina is perfect for people who lead an active lifestyle or often go on business trips. Caring for these mollusks does not require constant attention, and besides, they can easily do about a week without food. In this case, the snails simply hide in their shells and hibernate. To wake them up, it is enough to slightly moisten Achatina with water. However, it is still not worth using such a unique ability of these snails too often.

Terrarium device

Usually these snails are kept in ordinary aquariums. This takes into account the size of the terrarium - for one individual, you must provide at least 10 liters. The larger the container, the larger the snail will reach. The aquarium should have a lid so that the clams do not crawl out of there. Therefore, for a full gas exchange, special holes are made in it. In extreme cases, you can slightly lift the lid of the terrarium, but the gap should not be too large.

A litter lies at the bottom of the terrarium. This is a special soil or coconut substrate. It is poured with a layer of no more than 7 cm. For small snails, at first it is better to lay cabbage leaves. It is advisable to come up with a small bath inside the aquarium, as snails love to swim in the water. But it should not be deep, otherwise the mollusk can easily choke. And it should be stable and not roll over. You need to wash the aquarium once a week. If eggs are already laid in it, then cleaning takes place without water.

This evidence does not require special temperature or humidity. The conditions of both an ordinary city apartment and a private house are quite suitable for them. Soil moisture can be easily determined by the behavior of snails - if they sit on the walls of the aquarium, then the soil is too damp. If they constantly hide in shells, this indicates excessive dryness of the soil. When the humidity is normal, at night the molluscs will hide in the ground, and crawl from above during the day.

Feeding and hygiene

In food, Achatina snails are not picky and eat greens, fruits and vegetables. But in the natural environment, they can easily eat and meat. Most often, snails are fed carrots, cabbage or cucumbers, but it is better if the menu is more varied. You should not accustom the mollusk to one or more certain types of food, otherwise he will later refuse to eat anything else.

Adult snails can easily cope with large pieces of fruit, but it is better for kids to grate them. It is not recommended to feed the clams with soft food, as it flows and smears. Therefore, such food can be given only for a short time, and then removed. It is better to exclude soft food from the menu of small snails altogether.

It is necessary to feed the snails with the following vegetables:

zucchini;
pumpkin;
Champignon;
cucumbers;
boiled potatoes;
tomatoes;
broccoli;
cabbage leaves.

From fruits and berries it is better to give preference:

apricots;
apples;
pears;
bananas;
strawberries and strawberries;
cherry;
watermelon and melon;
grapes, plums, etc.

In addition, snails can perfectly eat peas, oatmeal or beans, both raw and boiled. From time to time, you can give Achatina mushrooms, herbs, including nettles, dandelions, plantain, flowers of fruit trees, etc. Useful in small quantities will be dairy products, eggs and minced meat.

It is strictly forbidden to feed snails with sour, sweet, salty, fried, and pasta. We must not forget that molluscs really need a lot of calcium, so you should give them special cereals. The terrarium should always have a container with fresh water for drinking, but not very deep, otherwise the snails may drown.

Sometimes Achatina needs to be washed. Many clam owners combine this bathing with cleaning the aquarium. These mollusks are very fond of water, so there will be no difficulties with this procedure. It is better to wash them under a warm shower, making sure that the water pressure is not very strong. Otherwise, the mollusk will simply get scared.

Health

Achatina are exotic molluscs living in African countries, therefore they are often carriers of various diseases. Therefore, one should be wary of snails imported from hot countries. It is best to purchase domestic, specially bred snails. But they also need to follow the rules of hygiene.

As for the health of the Achatina themselves, they are quite delicate creatures. It is not recommended to plant other species of mollusks in the aquarium with them, especially wild grape snails, as they can infect Achatina. There is no need to panic if, for example, a piece of a shell has broken off a snail. It is enough to lubricate the edges with an antiseptic and wait until the wound heals itself.

Adult snails are capable of reproduction when they reach 7–9 months. And this process does not depend on the season. Under favorable conditions, the incubation period lasts several weeks. Then the eggs are laid. One snail can lay up to 400 eggs at a time. Offspring appear in about 1-2 weeks. If the snails do not breed for a long time, it is possible that they do not have enough space. The thickness of the substrate should be at least 3–4 cm. In addition, there are also viviparous species of mollusks.

Not everyone knows that Achatina are hermaphrodites, that is, they can act as both mom and dad. If breeding snails is not planned, it is better not to buy a couple. If the eggs did appear, then it is better to carefully pick them up and give them to the familiar owners of Achatina. It is not recommended to release small snails into nature, as they are quite capable of causing enormous harm to the environment. In some countries, for example, in the UK, administrative penalties are even provided for this.

walks

Achatina most often sleep during the day, so you don’t need to worry if they burrow into the ground or hide in the sink. But how do you play with your pet? Snails are not meant to be disturbed too often. They are very easy to injure, so even picking them up should be done carefully. Before you plant a snail in your palm, you need to moisten his leg with water and hold its shell while transferring. You can not pull the mollusk by the shell, as you can tear it off.

They are happy to climb on the skin, while you can feel a slight tingling. In addition, the unique cosmetic properties of these snails have long been known. You can let the snail crawl around the apartment, but it is important to keep an eye on it and keep it in sight all the time. Despite the fact that the mollusk moves at a speed of about 1 cm per minute, it is easy to lose sight of it. And, most likely, the snail will crawl into a hard-to-reach place and therefore it will be almost impossible to find it.

Achatina are not picky, almost omnivorous and do not require much attention. Nevertheless, they need to be monitored, handled carefully, and then they will delight the whole family for a long time.

Video: care and maintenance of Achatina snails

Care and maintenance of snails at home for an uninitiated person looks quite simple and understandable. But in practice, worries with such a pet are no less than with other representatives of wildlife. How can beginners properly keep small and large snails at home? What is the difference between land and water species of beautiful ornamental mollusks? What temperature, humidity, feeding regimen should be observed?

In search of answers to all these questions, novice breeders often choose the trial and error method, they are disappointed in their new pets. You can avoid these consequences if you study in advance all the subtleties of keeping snails of different types. An experienced owner without unnecessary difficulties maintains the health of pets and the environment in their place of residence in optimal condition, and for this he gets real pleasure from communicating with domestic shellfish.

Choosing and arranging an aquarium

When creating a home for domestic snails, it is worth considering the features of their natural habitat. Land individuals require a mollusk or terrarium with a volume of 10 liters per 1 individual. For large exotic species, it is recommended to choose a container at the rate of 15-20 liters per snail.

Aquatic species need the arrangement of a classic aquarium with plants or can be planted in a ready-made tank. For 1-2 individuals, a volume of 5 liters is needed. Snails are not very sensitive to acidity and hardness of water, but react negatively to high levels of phosphates, nitrates and other signs of environmental degradation. The temperature regimes of keeping depend on what conditions are typical for the life of mollusks in nature.

The arrangement of the ulitarium implies the creation of the most safe environment for land snails. It is necessary to create ventilation holes in the container, with the help of which the microclimate will be regulated.

Ventilation doors should not be too large in diameter, otherwise small snails will be able to get out through them.

A special substrate is laid at the bottom of the terrarium - peat, coconut or soil, with a layer thickness of 2 to 10 cm, decorations, plants, bowls and drinkers are immersed inside. A lid is laid on the surface of the container and fixed. A home for snails that are active mainly at night, additional lighting is not needed. For them, a regular change of day and night is much more important. Do not place them in parts of the room with bright artificial lighting.

Temperature and humidity

The best conditions for the life of land snails imply the constant preservation of certain temperature and humidity indicators. Sharp changes in the state of the environment are especially dangerous for mollusks. The best indicators are considered to be + 20-26 degrees Celsius. With a decrease in these indicators, tropical mollusks can hibernate.

Species living in central Russia are able to withstand lower temperatures without any special consequences.

Humidity is also important for snails living in captivity. The atmosphere inside the terrarium should be around 80%. Based on the type of mollusk, these parameters can vary by 10% in both directions. The easiest way to control this data is with the help of special thermometers and hygrometers. Soil moisture should be optimal, because it is in this environment that snails spend most of the day.

What and how to feed?

Snails are fed every other day or every day, depending on the species and age. Young individuals are fed 2-3 times a day. Food should be the most varied and very moderate.

Periodically it is worth changing products so as not to accustom the pet to too monotonous type of food.

The diet of domestic snails usually consists of:

Mineral supplements

They are needed for the entry of calcium into the body, the formation of the shell. Ground eggshells, chalk can act as top dressing, ready-made mixtures can be given.

fresh greens

It makes up the bulk of the diet, including lettuce leaves, young shoots of vegetables. It is useful to give pets dandelion shoots, plantain, wheat germ and other cereals.

Fresh fruits and berries

Juicy pulp of raspberry, strawberry, melon, watermelon, pear and banana is the best treat for a snail.

vegetables

The pulp of pumpkin, zucchini, cucumber, tomato is suitable.

Protein products

Boiled egg white, meat, ready-made feed mixtures are given.

With a balanced diet, you can not worry about the health of your pet.

How to care?

The process of caring for snails at home will not seem difficult even for beginner breeders.

Large pets of exotic species do not require special attention and spend most of their time in the ground.

But this does not mean that they will have to be monitored less than other inhabitants of the terrarium. Among the general rules:

occasional bathing in warm water;
complete cleaning and cleaning of the aquarium at least once a week;
regular bedding change;
performing emergency cleaning if necessary.

From time to time, snails can hibernate.

You can wake up a snail by holding it for a while under a stream of warm water.

Caring for the sink

The shell of domestic mollusks needs regular care and attention from the breeder. The larger the snail, the more careful the owner will have to be. When cracks, chips, and other damage are detected, it is necessary to increase the volume of mineral supplements, increase the proportion of calcium in the diet. Similar measures are taken when signs of molting, shell delamination are detected. If there is a large crack or chip on the surface, the individual must be deposited separately, to eliminate the risks of additional injury, and to carry out antiseptic treatment.

Bathing

Snails love to swim, but it's important to do it right. To receive water procedures, the mollusk is placed on the palm of your hand and placed under a thin stream of warm water.

You can not put the snail in a cold container with water, allow it to come into contact with household chemicals.

During a properly organized bathing, the pet will relax, show itself in all its glory.

Disease prevention

If safety measures or rules for keeping a domestic snail are violated, pets can get sick. Signs of poor health are stratification of the shell, refusal of food, general lethargy of the mollusk, and abundant secretion of mucus. In order to eliminate possible problems, it is necessary to protect the snail from the neighborhood with larger or aggressive species, poor ventilation, excessive contamination of the container. Snails also get sick with a sharp temperature drop, too close an aquarium, excessive dryness of the substrate. It is worth eliminating the sources of possible discomfort, and then the pets will feel better.

Caring for eggs and small clams

Many snails are viviparous species - their babies are born after eggs mature in the mother's body. But there are also egg-laying species, and their offspring require increased attention to themselves. These types of snails also include Achatina (with the exception of some species) - one of the most popular among land mollusks.

After fertilization, the snail bears eggs for a certain time - for Achatina this period is 6 weeks. After this period, the female digs a hole in the ground and makes a clutch.

After that, it is not recommended to touch the eggs, except when they are scattered around the terrarium. If the masonry is made compactly, when harvesting in the soil, you will notice round elements that look like vitamins, with a fragile outer shell. False eggs are also found - without a strong shell, with a translucent, rather than matte shell color.

A very large clutch is recommended to be divided, some of the embryos to be frozen. You can not throw out the masonry without freezing, otherwise the snails can breed in the most unexpected places. Eggs are not recommended to be left without soil, they need high humidity and a constant temperature in the terrarium. It would be optimal to transfer the masonry to the “children's” aquarium - they simply carefully pry it with a spoon along with the substrate and transfer it, and then cover it with a damp bedding.

It will take about 1 month for the babies to appear. Not all offspring will survive - you need to be prepared for this. If the babies are kept with the mother, after they hatch, she will take care of the hatched children.

They will crawl out of the ground after the egg shell is eaten.

Newborn snails require careful handling. Their shell is quite fragile and can easily crack. Feeding should be carried out in the standard way, offering the young the same food as adults, but with additional mineral supplements to strengthen the shell.

Growing representatives of different species

Domestic snails are represented by a fairly large variety of species, but this does not mean at all that any street molluscs are suitable for captivity. If you want to have a pet, you should give preference to options known and proven. Almost all terrestrial species prefer to burrow into the ground during the daytime, and come to the surface only at night. To properly contain them, you need to consider their compatibility and some other important points.

Decorative domestic snails

Domestic snails should be kept according to their species. Some species can be housed together, but living together will result in interbreeding.

In addition, when large mollusks are combined with smaller ones, cannibalism attacks associated with a lack of food can occur. Experienced breeders recommend not mixing species in a terrarium and separating a compartment for babies in the litaria so that they are not eaten by adult relatives.

Among the popular land and ornamental molluscs for home keeping, these species can be noted.

Achatina (reticulata, fulica, albino albopicta, immaculata)

These African snails are exotic guests in the Russian expanses, but they are very popular and in demand due to their general unpretentiousness, contact and attractive appearance. Achatina are considered a species suitable for "training". They recognize the owner, are able to get used to a certain feeding schedule, love bathing, willingly communicate with the owner.

grape

Small (up to 5-6 cm) snails that easily take root in terrariums. In content, they are as unpretentious as possible, have a variety of shell colors.

Garden

Ordinary earth snails, which cannot be bought at a pet store.

These street mollusks can be collected in the garden on a par with the grape ones found in the southern regions of Russia.

Longevity is considered a distinctive feature of garden snails - they are able to reach the age of 15 years, but on average they live only up to 7-8 years.

Archahatins

Another African species of land snail, inferior to Achatina in decorativeness. The shell of these snails is round, not pointed. The marginate subspecies is considered the largest; it grows up to 16 cm in length.

Karakolus

Tree Cuban snails, recommended for keeping in a vertically oriented aquarium.

They are quite mobile, have saucer shells of bright colors.

It is better to start such pets in flocks, with the obligatory placement of branches and snags inside the terrarium.

Octon subbulins

One of the smallest among domestic snails, reaching no more than 3-5 cm in length when kept in captivity. The colony is able to settle even in a miniature aquarium. Mollusks are unpretentious, and it is quite interesting to watch them. The only inconvenience may be the uncontrolled reproduction of snails.

Megalobulimus or megas

Land South American snails are gigantic in size - the shell length reaches 11 cm. Young snails are dimly colored, in brown tones, have a large body compared to the shell. They are not very prolific in captivity, which compares favorably with Achatina, they prefer to sleep for 2-3 days in the ground, it is not recommended to wake them up during this period.

ensure regular replacement of food trays;
several times a week to carry out wet cleaning of the walls of the house;
bathe your pet periodically.

Freshwater molluscs suitable for home keeping - aquarium snails, can be acquired on purpose or accidentally introduced into the aquarium by transfer with plants or soil.