Caring for Achatina snails at home is very simple and does not require significant expenses. You will be interested in reading the article if you want to have a pet and don’t know where to choose, how to care for and feed it.

Such a pet will not create much trouble for the owner

Who would have thought that a French delicacy or field pest would become a pet. Achatina are smart mollusks that can remember their owners and are harmless in communication with small children and adults. Thanks to its simple and easy care, minimal costs, and the ability to go without feeding for a long time, Achatina is an ideal pet. More details in our article.

Most lovers of this type of mollusk are convinced that their pets are very loyal to their owners and do not like to communicate with strangers again. Keeping and caring for Achatina snails is quite simple; they do not require a lot of time, effort and, most importantly, money. African snails belong to the Archatina family; there are many varieties of them. In their homeland, they are considered pests; in a short period of time, one large individual can destroy a reed bush. In our area, “huge” snails are a variety of pets.

Achitins are one of the quietest and calmest household inhabitants.

Before purchasing an Achatina, you should prepare all the “conveniences” for it; there are not so many of them. Only special conditions will help the land mollusk lead an active way of life, for such creatures.

How to keep Achatina snails at home

Achatina are the largest land mollusks and can grow up to 30 cm in length. With proper handling and care they can live up to 9 years, the average life cycle is about 6 years. They are quite funny creatures, despite their pedigree, they are smart, they remember the situation and their owners. They often give preference to their favorite corner in the terrarium, which they choose independently.

Large snails do not create noise or unpleasant odor

In order for the Achatina snail to live well and long, its maintenance at home should be as follows::

• Choosing a terrarium. You need to decide on the volume and material from which the new house will be made before you purchase the mollusk. One individual should require from 10 to 20 liters, so the “housing” should be spacious, preferably transparent with ventilation and a heavy lid. The terrarium should be closed at all times, as your pet may crawl out and it will not be easy to find it.
• Lighting is an equally important detail; it should not be very bright, as Achatina can go blind. Her visual apparatus is very sensitive, because located on the antennae.
• The soil for Achatina snails is selected to be soft and loose, without sharp and small particles that can injure the pet’s delicate body or damage the shell. It is best to use coconut flakes, and soil is prohibited as it contains fertilizers and sawdust, which have sharp edges. The thickness of the flooring should be the size of a snail’s house so that it can freely burrow into it.
• An important point is the temperature, both in the room and in the house itself. African Achatina love a warm climate in which they actively move; if the temperature drops below 24 degrees, they may hibernate or slow down when moving, become lethargic and apathetic.
• Although these snails are not aquatic creatures, the humidity in their home must be constant. You can place a small container of water in the terrarium, which should be heavy so that Achatina cannot turn it over. Or you can constantly wet the walls of the house and the soil, and also bathe the pet itself. When the air is dry, the snail will often hide in its shell.
• You need to clean the terrarium weekly, but change the substrate as it gets dirty.

A glass aquarium or a plastic box can become a home for snails

Proper care will ensure your pets have a long life and create comfortable conditions for reproduction or solitary existence. A livestock specialist can tell you in more detail how to keep Achatina snails at home.

How long do Achatina snails live at home?

With the correct content of Achatina, their life expectancy can be 6 years. If you look after them more carefully, constantly feed them, treat them, give them vitamins, maintain the temperature and cleanliness in the terrarium, you can live up to 9 years. In captivity, their lifespan is about 5 years, or maybe less, since these land animals are considered terrible pests and easily destroy entire fields with crops, so in many countries they are actively exterminated.

It is necessary to place soil at the bottom

Now you know how long Achatina snails live at home, everything directly depends on the quality of their maintenance, i.e. it's completely up to you.

What do Achatina snails eat at home?

Achatina must be fed strictly with products from the permissible list

Many lovers of exotic animals, including land mollusks, are interested in the question of what do Achatina snails eat at home? You don’t have to worry too much about this, since they are quite omnivorous. Young animals should be fed daily, but individuals older than 6 months should be fed at intervals of several days.

Pet owners are given the following in their diet:

• Fruits and vegetables, zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkin, lettuce and cabbage leaves, apples, bananas and even watermelon rinds are suitable.
• It is imperative to give crushed chalk and egg shells, which are rich in calcium, which is necessary for the strength and growth of the shell.
• Protein foods, any boiled meat, egg whites or even mushrooms.

Types of snails Achatina

There are several types of giant snails, they differ in the size and color of the house

The species of Achatina snails are diverse; in the wild there are about one hundred varieties. Their differences are in the color scheme of the shell, ranging from light tones to dark brown stripes and stains. The body itself is also of different colors from light milky to dark brown.

Let's look at the most popular and favorite types:

• Achatina fulica is an unpretentious giant snail with a variegated color. They are calm, unpretentious and like to rest a lot in secluded dark places.
• Achatina reticulata - also in great demand for home breeding; they are often colored in the form of stripes or spots of different colors. She is much more active, smarter and more mobile.

The conditions for their reproduction and living are practically the same. Exotic lovers are mainly interested in their sizes and colors.

African Achatina snails care and maintenance

Houses made of cardboard are not suitable for such snails, because they can escape from them

To breed African Achatina snails, care and maintenance are not considered difficult; even a cracked aquarium is enough for them, since there is no need to fill it with water. In addition to such houses, you can also take plastic containers, but due to the cloudy walls, the pet will be difficult to see, and it will be more difficult to monitor its movements. It is better to immediately discard cardboard products; thin walls are not a barrier for them; they can gnaw a hole.

Giant Achatina snails

Giant Achatina snails do not need a special approach. Humidification remains important; for this you can place a container of water in the aquarium and constantly change it.

These pets love bathing in water; it is necessary to wash their legs regularly

You should also clean the terrarium once a week, and change the soil at least once a year. You should not forget to feed them, sometimes you should wash them under warm running water and make sure that when crawling around the house the snail does not run into sharp small objects.

How do Achatina snails reproduce?

Beginners in breeding land mollusks need to know how Achatina snails reproduce. According to their reproductive system, they are hermaphrodites, that is, they have no sexual differences. They prefer to produce eggs in pairs, especially after cleaning the soil in a practically sterile terrarium. Therefore, if you do not want to add to the family, it is better to keep one individual. An older snail is suitable for the female role, but a young representative of the Achatina can also play the male role.

Achatina snails: reproduction and egg care

Giant snails become sexually mature around 6 months of life, although many factors depend on the conditions of detention; the worse they are, the longer and slower the individual develops. Fertilization in this species is internal, and the brood appears from eggs; one female can bear about two hundred.

They reproduce with white eggs that look like capsules.

Clutches of eggs are often placed in groups at the bottom of the aquarium, so that all the offspring are preserved, they should be given due attention in a timely manner. First of all, make sure that the bottom is not too wet or, conversely, dry. Many snail keepers recommend separating the young from the adults once every couple of months, selecting the largest ones; the parents, as a rule, do not harm their offspring.

How long does it take for Achatina snail eggs to hatch?

An equally important and interesting question is, how long does it take for Achatina snail eggs to hatch? Individuals often lay eggs for about two days, scattering them along the bottom of the house or grouping them in dark corners. Pecking begins at 1-3 weeks, it all depends on the ambient temperature; the babies that appear are very tiny, only about 5 mm in size. To prevent the offspring from dying, you should monitor the humidity and cleanliness in the place where the eggs are laid.

Achatina snails: benefits and harm to humans

Getting used to people, these pets stop being afraid of them.

Achatina snails: benefits and harm - two sides of the same coin. The thing is that these creatures produce mucus, which is very useful for the human body for gliding. It quickly heals wounds, smooths out scars, and also fights expression lines. If you want to apply the healing properties on yourself, you should first of all wash your pet thoroughly and only then use its saliva for cosmetic purposes.

The mollusk can also be dangerous, because... it is a carrier of various bacteria and, if washed poorly, it can cause infection in wounds on the skin. If ingested, an allergic reaction may develop.

What association did many people have with snails until recently? They were talked about as pests or French delicacies, and many people were disgusted by them. But there was no question that they could once become beloved pets. Why do most people currently prefer them? It's very simple - these mollusks have a great advantage over many pets.

What are the benefits of snails as pets?

These harmless creatures don't make any noise and they smell absolutely nothing. A person cannot develop an allergy from them. They require very little space in the apartment, which attracts many. They don't require a lot of expense to care for them. This is an ideal pet for people who, due to their work, have to be away from home for a long time. Even a child will not find it difficult to take care of them.

Many owners of these animals attribute to them fantastic abilities that have not been proven by science. They claim that they easily recognize their owners and avoid any contact with strangers. If a domestic snail gets used to a person, it does not hide in its shell, and may even allow its soft body to be stroked.

How to care for land snails? In order for such an exotic pet to be comfortable, a terrarium or something like that is needed. An important condition is that the material from which the house for a domestic snail is made should in no case be toxic. A cover and ventilation holes are required.

Besides the terrarium you will also need:

Priming. This can be ordinary soil, coconut substrate or moss;

A couple of plates for food;

1. A bathtub made of soft materials that will not harm the snail shell if the pet might fall while bathing;

A thermometer with which you can control the temperature in the snail’s house;

2. Personal sponges for cleaning your pet's terrarium and sink, which have never been touched by detergent;

Spray. The water in it must be clean and settled

How to care for a snail?

At its core, it is a creature that inhabits the subtropics. Therefore, the snail’s house should have a constantly warm and slightly humid climate. Most snails prefer regular room temperature of 23-25 ​​degrees. But some of them sometimes feel cold at this temperature, so they may need an additional room heater.

In order for your pet snail to feel perfectly comfortable, requires a certain humidity. This is one of the main conditions for its habitat. It is easy to achieve with daily spraying from a spray bottle, the presence of soil and a bath for the snail. If this pet has problems with appetite, the snail has become lethargic and inactive, and has buried itself deep in the ground, then there are some problems with humidity. The situation must be corrected immediately, otherwise the snail may die.

Cleanliness is also an important condition for the favorable existence of this pet. In the terrarium, be sure to remove food debris and excrement once a day. It is necessary to wash the animal’s house with a damp sponge without detergent; changing the soil depends on the degree of contamination.

In the last decade there has been a large number of different types snails They differ significantly from each other not only in size and color, but also in the shape of the shell and body. These different species should not be placed in the same terrarium. Firstly, not all snails are suitable for certain conditions. Secondly, even if they require the same humidity and temperature, they cannot always tolerate each other’s company. Such an undesirable proximity can lead to pet stress, poor appetite and growth.

Snail nutrition

The diet of this mollusk mainly includes vegetables, fruits and greens. A special treat for them are apples, cucumbers, carrots and zucchini. Caring for land pets requires knowledge of their habits. Most of them very quickly get used to monotonous food and don’t want to eat anything else. This slows down their growth and full development. To prevent this from happening, mollusks need a varied diet. The use of spicy, salty and fried foods in the menu is strictly prohibited.

Land mollusks that are indispensable in food are calcium, grain mixture and animal protein. If all this is present in the pets' menu, they will be beautiful, healthy and with a strong shell. Crushed eggshells are perfect, which can be sprinkled on the snail’s juicy food or simply left in a separate container in the terrarium. Powdered or lump chalk is also a source of calcium. Thanks to him, the snail shell becomes beautiful and strong. Feeding these mollusks is a pleasure. You can watch them eat for hours, which is quite interesting and entertaining.

They get great pleasure from swimming. This is probably their favorite activity. It is during bathing that you can see all their charm and beauty and chat with them to your heart’s content. During water procedures, these mollusks become more open and do not even make attempts to hide in their shell. For bathing you will need a weak stream of lukewarm water.

It's better to hold it in the palm of your hand; it may end up on the sink. detergent residue, which act like poison on the snail. If you do not initially establish contact with the animal, the best way to do this is to bathe her. Thus, the snail quickly gets used to humans. You should do this once or twice a week. But many owners do this much more often. They are pleased to observe the genuine joy and delight of their pet.

Mollusks are most active in the morning and evening. It is at this time of day that all household members are at home and can enjoy watching these cute creatures. Many people compare these mollusks to aquarium fish. This is exactly the kind of calming therapy that both have. They say that snails can easily relieve stress and calm their owner.

There are several rules that every person who wants to have a land snail as their pet should know:

Conclusion

When thinking about choosing a pet, you shouldn’t think twice. A snail is exactly what you need. Caring for snails is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Picky clam does not require complex care and does not require the constant presence of household members. It is important to feed him properly and provide proper care. Low costs for its maintenance, and in return devotion and calming therapy.

Achatina are land gastropods, their homeland is East Africa. In their natural environment, they live in countries with tropical climates and are considered pests of agricultural plants. Giant snails can be grown at home, but to do this you need to familiarize yourself with the rules for keeping them. Mollusks live for about 6 years, but if you properly care for them, their life expectancy can be 10 years.

Description and varieties of Achatina

Giant snails have a soft, gray or black body with small white tubercles, their shell is generally yellow-brown with black stripes, and the pattern on it is zigzag. When the mollusks mature, their shell gains 7 or 8 turns and acquires a greenish tint. Achatina differs from their fellows by the crown of the shell, which has an elongated and pointed shape. The length of the mollusks can be about 30 cm.

There are more than 60 species of these king snails in nature, but there is a variety that is completely different from the others, it is called albino. These gastropods grow slowly, do not meet the standard due to their small size, and their shell and body are white.

The most common decorative types of Achatina:

Title and photo	Description
Fulika	The most popular type for home keeping, which is characterized by its unpretentiousness in care and nutrition. The length of the snails is about 20, the color of the shell can be red and brown
Lemon (Iradel)	This variety is small in size, the largest individuals are no more than 7 cm in length. The shell has an unusual lemon color
Achatina vulgare (tiger)	This species of calm and friendly gastropod can reach a length of 22 cm in captivity. The carapace is yellow and orange with dark stripes.
Achatina immaculata	These are voracious and active mollusks; adult specimens reach a length of about 18 cm. The shell can have a variety of colors (walnut, beige, black)

Achatina does not emit an unpleasant odor, does not bite and does not cause allergic reactions. They do not require walking and can live without care for about 2 weeks. Huge mollusks can bring benefits to their owners. Achatin is used for cosmetic care of the face and body. When snails crawl on the skin, they secrete mucus, which has regenerative and antioxidant properties.

Reproduction

Achatina are hermaphrodites, so any individual can perform both male and female functions. At home, they reproduce easily; the mating process lasts about 2 hours. Larger individuals take on the role of the female in reproduction, since laying eggs requires greater physical effort. Young snails perform only male functions, since they become fully sexually mature only by 12 months. Large Achatina makes about 6 clutches per year.

After 2 weeks after mating, the mollusk digs a hole in the substrate and lays about 200 light, oblong-shaped eggs there. Small Achatina appear after 10–45 days, depending on the air temperature and humidity in the terrarium. Cabbage leaves are laid out as bedding for newborn snails, as they can die in the soil. .

Maintenance and care at home

Growing African snails is not difficult even for beginner aquarists. A terrarium for a huge clam can be made from a spacious aquarium. Its volume should be at least 10 liters per individual; the larger the container, the larger Achatina will grow. The terrarium is arranged as follows:

• The aquarium is covered with a lid so that the snail cannot get out. Small holes are made in it for better air circulation.
• Lay litter at the bottom of the container; it can be coconut substrate or flower compost without fertilizers for begonias or orchids. The thickness of the layer should be about 8 cm so that Achatina can burrow into it. The substrate must be moistened with water from a spray bottle 2 times a day, since the snail will smear the dry soil with its mucus and stain itself and the walls of the aquarium.
• A shallow bath of water is built in the terrarium, since Achatina loves to swim, and they need water to secrete mucus.
• For decoration, moss and fragments of clay pots are laid out (they should not be sharp), and live aquarium plants are also planted.

In the United States, it is prohibited to grow giant snails, since in one of the American states, thanks to their gluttony, they caused great damage, destroying crops in fields and gardens.

Lighting, temperature and humidity

Achatina are active at night; during the day they burrow into the ground and rest. The light intensity does not affect their life activity, so additional lighting devices in the aquarium are not needed. If lamps are placed to illuminate the terrarium, they do so outside it so that the mollusk does not harm itself.

The snail is a tropical animal, so it is kept at high temperatures. The air in the aquarium is heated to +28 degrees so that the mollusk feels comfortable and is active. The humidity level in the terrarium should be between 70-90%, as snails prefer a humid environment.

To maintain high humidity, you can use a spray bottle to spray the aquarium with water once a day.

Features of feeding Small Achatina are fed once a day, and large individuals once every 2 days. These snails are vegetarians, so their menu should include food of plant origin both in winter and summer. As carbohydrates, you can give Achatina bran, oatmeal and durum wheat bread. It is prohibited to feed animals spicy, salty, sweet, fried and smoked foods, as well as citrus fruits and pasta.

• List of products that should be included in the snails diet:
• cucumbers;
• spinach;
• carrot;
• bell pepper;
• Champignon;
• corn;
• zucchini;
• apples;
• apricots;
• bananas;
• mango;

lettuce leaves. Among wild plants, African mollusks can be offered dandelions, clover and plantain. It is advisable to feed Achatina at night when they are awake.

Vegetables and fruits must first be thoroughly washed in warm water. Uneaten, dried food should be removed from the terrarium.

If the snail's diet contains vegetables that have a rich color, then its shell takes on the shade of the product being eaten. Achatina need to drink water, so there should be a shallow container with clean water in the terrarium.

For active growth and development, snails need vitamins and mineral supplements; special complexes can be purchased at a pet store. Clams need calcium to build their shells, so they should be given a small amount of sepia (cuttlefish shell) mixed with natural chalk and eggshells.

A lack of substance in food leads to deformation of the shell and failure of puberty.

Cleaning the terrarium The aquarium must be cleaned once every 1.5 months. Cleaning consists of washing the terrarium (baking soda is used as a cleaning agent) and changing the bedding. Unscheduled cleaning is only necessary if the walls of the container are covered with mucus and an unpleasant odor emanates from it. The snail's shell also needs cleaning; for this you can use a soft brush.

Mollusks crawling along the walls and lid of the terrarium can fall and break off the edges of the shell. This damage is not dangerous, but to prevent infection from entering the animal’s body, it is necessary to disinfect the broken part. Chamomile infusion can be used as an antiseptic. 1 tbsp. l. Dried flowers are poured into a glass of boiling water and left for an hour, then filtered and the required area is treated.

A small hole may appear in the snail's shell because the animal scrapes it with its radula. To wean the mollusk from this, it is necessary to lubricate the shell with some edible, but tasteless solution. To avoid harm to your pet, you should consult a veterinarian.

Achatina snails can become stressed if you dig them out of the ground during the day. In the evening they are active and can be picked up. To properly grab a mollusk, you need to moisten its leg with water, place your finger under it, and gently hold the shell with your other hand.

If you decide to get such an unusual pet as a snail, you should familiarize yourself with their characteristics in more detail. First of all, you need to decide what type of snail you like. It is possible to breed both grape snails and African snails at home. From the point of view of aesthetics and exoticism, African ones are much more attractive. But they also practice the cultivation of grape shellfish.

It should be understood that they are grown not only for beauty, but there is also a whole business for breeding and selling shellfish. From one animal during reproduction we get about a hundred new individuals.

Achatina - giant African land snails

Achatina's natural habitat is in East Africa, but representatives of this species can also be found in many European countries. African Achatina have gained popularity as terrarium pets and are also bred for food. In many warm climates, including Spain, they are serious pests of crops.

They live in places where it is warm enough, damp and there is constant access to food. They feel ideal in tropical climates.

African snails can live at home; it is not at all difficult for them to create an optimal local climate in a terrarium.

The size depends on the species - Achatina is the largest snail in the world, its shell grows up to 200 mm, and its weight can be 400-500 grams. At home, slugs also reach large sizes - adult individuals can have a carapace length from 70 to 170 mm and a width from 30 to 80 mm.

Caring for Achatina at home

These mollusks prefer warm, humid areas, especially areas around bodies of water. Terrarium
must maintain a temperature of 20-30°C and air humidity of about 80-95% (specific parameters depend on the subspecies). For more demanding species, a device for additional heating is required, for example, heating elements placed on the outside of the terrarium.

The activity of the mollusk depends on the ambient temperature, sunlight and humidity. During the cold season they are active around the clock. During the hot season, they are active mainly at night or during rain.

They can become inactive for many reasons: insufficient humidity, low temperature and disease. This Achatina is closed in the shell using a lid made of limestone.

The average lifespan of an animal is from 3 to 5 years, but there are individuals that live for 9 years.

Nutrition

How to care for snails at home? You should take their nutrition very seriously so that they receive all the elements necessary for their life. This phytophage feeds on various plant species. Achatina feels the taste of food and its diet should be varied.

What do snails eat at home?

They use fragments of various plants, as well as special additives:

• beans;
• pumpkin;
• vegetables: cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, celery and parsley, zucchini and zucchini;
• fruits and berries: apples, pears, plums, bananas, blackberries, raspberries, grapes and strawberries;
• watermelon, melon;
• you can give her an additional boiled egg;
• soaked food for dogs and cats (such additives are used once a week, not more often);
• the dry mixture should consist of oatmeal, dry granulated food for rodents, dry food in the form of fish flakes, dry skim milk, wheat bran;
• sometimes they eat baby cookies and baby rice porridge.

All feed must be fresh - free from rot and mold, and must be thoroughly washed. Given the fact that fruits and vegetables are often sprayed with anti-snail agents when grown, it is best to peel them before serving them to your pet.

To make cleaning the terrarium easier, it is better to put food in a bowl. Some people also give their pets a cup of water.

Achatina must be looked after carefully.

They need a continuous supply of calcium; special preparations can be purchased at pet stores. You can give the so-called calcium phosphate, food chalk - everything we feed our pets with, sprinkle with this powder.

A lack of minerals causes snails to exhibit a characteristic behavior that involves scraping and eating the top layer of shells from other animals. Subsequently, such a broken and weakened part may burst, and as a result, pathogenic microorganisms can penetrate through the cracks or internal organs may protrude. Adults that lay eggs have an even greater demand for minerals.

What foods are not advisable to give?

You should not give Achatina parts of plants such as:

• lettuce, spinach;
• onion and garlic;
• radish;
• chicory;
• cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli - because of the oxalates they contain, which, by binding calcium, can disrupt the functioning of the body, which leads to slow growth and cracking of the shell;
• citrus fruits (oranges, kiwi, grapefruit).

How to properly keep snails at home - setting up a terrarium

The terrarium should allow the slug to move freely and burrow into the substrate. Its height should not exceed 40 cm, since young land animals can crawl along the top of the terrarium and sometimes fall.

The terrarium lid must be well secured due to the fact that, thanks to the surprisingly strong muscle force, it can be moved by the snails. You should not use any elements made of copper in the terrarium, since this metal reacts with mucus.

The most important element of the terrarium is the substrate - acidic peat, which can be purchased at pet stores. It must be sterilized in the oven the day before placing the animal mat. The height of the substrate layer should correspond to the height of the shells of the largest snails, because it serves them for burrowing. On average, it is about 10-15 cm. The base should be constantly moist, but not flooded; for this purpose, it is sprayed with water, preferably boiled, once a day.

To increase the walking area, you can place decorative plant roots in the terrarium. You can also add a small tradescantia to improve the appearance of your home. However, don't be surprised if the plant is eaten soon. As a decoration and a very dietary ingredient in the diet, you can buy potted grass in stores.

One of the most ideal pets is snails. They do not cause allergies, do not make noise and do not emit an unpleasant odor. Getting used to a person, the snail becomes completely tame and no longer
afraid of attention: does not hide in the shell and allows all kinds of touches. They are very unpretentious, which makes caring for them a feasible task even for a child.

The snails are most active in the morning and evening, which makes it possible to admire them during free hours. Their smooth movements help relieve stress and produce an overall calming effect.
Terrarium. The first thing you need to purchase is a container where the snail will live.

Basic requirements for a terrarium:

• non-toxic material;
• the presence of a tightly closing lid;
• the presence of ventilation holes;
• sufficient volume (10 liters per snail).

The size of the snail depends on the size of the terrarium. . Given enough space, the snail will grow much larger.
The soil can be earth or various substrates (for example, coconut), as well as various types of moss (preferably sphagnum). A layer 6-8 cm thick is optimal.

Snails are subtropical inhabitants, so they need a warm and humid climate. To always monitor the temperature and humidity inside the terrarium, you cannot do without a thermometer and hydrometer. The most acceptable temperature for keeping snails ranges from 23 to 25 degrees, but if your snails are more heat-loving species, then in this case additional heating of the terrarium will be required. Different types of snails should be kept separately due to differences in housing conditions and preferences. You can maintain the necessary humidity by daily spraying (or better yet, twice a day) purified water, which is absorbed by the soil and provides sufficient moisture. It is important to maintain balance. If mollusks spend almost the entire day on the walls of the terrarium, then the soil moisture is excessive. If snails burrow into the soil and are motionless most of the time, then the soil is not moist enough. It is very important to comply with these conditions so that the snail does not lose its appetite and does not become less active.

Every day it is necessary to clean the terrarium from food debris and waste products of snails. The soil should be changed as it gets dirty, which, in turn, depends on the number of snails in the terrarium and the frequency of feeding. On average, the soil is changed once a month. After removing old soil, it is recommended to wash the container with warm water without detergents.

Feeding

Feed the snails three times a week . Domestic snails feed mainly on vegetables, fruits and herbs. Their favorites are zucchini, cucumbers, watermelon, lettuce and apples. The diet of snails should be as varied as possible so as not to cause addiction and apathy. Under no circumstances should you give them anything spicy, salty or fried.

In addition to the main products, snails require additional bait: grain mixture, protein (boiled egg or boiled chicken), lump chalk (or powder, both of them are sources of calcium), eggshells. All of the above can be added to the main menu or left in a separate container. The strength of their shell depends on the presence of calcium in the snails’ diet.

Fresh fruits and vegetables spoil fairly quickly, so it's important to remove any leftovers before they start to rot.
Scientists confirm that snails have long-term memory and are able to remember the location of food sources and return to this place again and again. Therefore, you should try to place bowls of food in the same place.

Bathing

It is necessary to clean snail shells from plaque that occurs while living in an artificial environment. Under no circumstances should you put your pet in a sink or bathtub; the skin of snails is very sensitive to any detergents remaining on the surface of plumbing fixtures. It is worth placing the clam on your hand and bringing it under a gentle stream of lukewarm water. To clean the snail shell, it is better to use a soft sponge that has never come into contact with detergents before.
During the bathing process, the snail becomes accustomed to its owner. Frequent water treatments will allow the pet to make friends with humans and adapt to a new environment. Snails love water, so you need to bathe them once a week, but if this happens more often, it will only be better.

It is worth putting a bath of water in the terrarium for pets so that they can bathe on their own at any time. The depth of such a bath should not exceed 3-5 centimeters. It is recommended to strengthen the bath to prevent it from accidentally turning over in case the snail wants to burrow into the ground next to the bath.

Reproduction

Snails are hermaphrodites . Only during the courtship process do they decide who will play the role of female and who will play the role of male. Scientists have not yet figured out what criteria are used for distribution. The breeding process itself lasts about an hour. The female lays an average of 150 to 200 eggs. And, depending on the type of snail, transparent babies are born after two to three months. You should not wash an aquarium with eggs on the walls, so as not to damage the masonry, so you should avoid wet cleaning for a certain period of time, but the soil still needs to be changed regularly.

It is better to keep small snails without soil, on lettuce or cabbage leaves. Babies should be fed grated carrots and finely chopped herbs. You should avoid soft foods.
Long absence. With insufficient nutrition, low temperature and humidity, the snails bury themselves in the ground and hibernate. During such periods, mollusks can lose up to half their weight. Before going on vacation, you can put the terrarium in a cooler place and stop giving food. Sleeping snails can easily endure a long absence of their owner.
Waking up a sleeping clam is not at all difficult. It is enough to return the living conditions to normal and slightly moisten the mouth of the shell.