Brief characteristics of African snails

The African snail Achatina lives in the tropics and subtropics of our planet. Scientists have identified more than 60 varieties of these exotic animals. Domestic species include fulica and reticulata. The body of Achatina is soft, the pointed shell of some mollusks reaches 30 cm.

Representatives of this species can be of the following colors:

• black-brown;
• swamp;
• brown with dark stripes;
• other colors.

There is also an albino species that is white in color and smaller in size.

The color of the shell depends on the diet. In an adult snail, it usually takes on a greenish tint. The shell has a pattern of zigzag and spiral lines.

The visual organs are located on the horns. Achatina sees no further than 1 cm, but can smell the aroma of your favorite cabbage or adored salad at a distance of 1.5 m. The individual weighs from 0.3 to 0.45 kg.

Achatina are very funny. These exotic animals are very observant. They quickly remember their owner, get used to him and subsequently distinguish him from other people.

Typically, gastropods are purchased from breeders, less often in pet stores. Sometimes they are given away for free due to the excessive fertility of shellfish.

Terrarium equipment for the Achatina snail

Care and maintenance of Achatina snails are not complicated. First you need to buy special equipment and accessories. In our conditions, representatives of this species are kept in terrariums. Another option for keeping gastropods is an aquarium without water or some kind of glass box. The container can be made not only of glass, but also of plastic (preferable, since traces of mucus are too noticeable on glass). For young animals, a small plastic box is suitable, in which small animals are usually transported.

One individual requires approximately 5 liters of container. The more free space, the better - the future size of the mollusk depends on this.

The pets' home should be equipped with a lid with small holes to allow fresh air to enter. In addition, this way the pet will not be able to escape.

At the bottom of the terrarium there should be soil without any fertilizers. Ordinary garden soil has a disadvantage - dirty aquarium glass and the gastropod itself. It is better to use pure peat or a special substrate (for example, orchid), which can be purchased at a pet store. Make sure that this substrate does not get into your pet's food.

It is not recommended to use soil mixtures from flower shops, as they contain various fertilizers and even pesticides. It is also prohibited to sprinkle the bottom of the terrarium with cat litter, as these granules have strong moisture-absorbing properties.

Achatina loves to burrow into the substrate with a shell, so it is advisable that the litter be deep, approximately 4–7 cm. Clear the ground of stones, otherwise they can injure the delicate body and shell.

It is necessary to equip the pets' home with driftwood and shards from clay pots, under which they will hide. You can also put moss in the bottom of the container (you can buy this at a pet store or plant store). It is recommended to plant plants in the ground that are covered with small fibers: ivy or fern. Over time, the plantings will have to be updated, since Achatina eats greenery with pleasure. You can place several small artificial plants in the container - this will create a pleasant atmosphere.

A plastic tray with low edges can serve as a feeder. It should not be too deep, easy to remove and wash. A great idea is plastic saucers and plates from a doll kitchen set. Instead of drinking bowls, you can use plastic lids.

So, the accessories necessary for arranging the house of the African Achatina snail are:

• fragments of clay ceramics;
• driftwood;
• moss, ivy, fern;
• artificial plants;
• feeder;
• drinking bath.

It is recommended to clean the house once every 1.5-2 months. What needs to be done? Wash the container using environmentally friendly detergents. Replace the soil bedding or disinfect the soil: bake it in the oven at 180°C for 12 minutes - this will rid the soil of insects and their larvae.

Before letting your pet out for a walk around the apartment, look around! There should be no sharp objects, various obstacles, dirty areas, or drafts in the room. It is also not recommended to walk the gastropod for a long time, so as not to harm it.

Climatic conditions for keeping Achatina at home

It is very important to keep shellfish properly. It is necessary to create conditions similar to natural ones. Be sure to purchase a thermometer to monitor the microclimate inside your home. +20-25°C is the optimal temperature for keeping African snails.

If gastropods climb up the walls, it means there is high humidity in the terrarium. If they hide in the ground, it means that their house is too dry.

Clams should not be exposed to direct sunlight. It is also contraindicated to place the container next to a radiator or heater, as this risks drying out the soil. In winter, use special lamps that are used when caring for reptiles. They need to be installed outside the container.

Increased dryness is very harmful to the gastropod shell. Periodically spray the litter and snails with water using a spray bottle. But do this very moderately so that your pets’ home does not turn into a swamp.

With the onset of cold days, representatives of the species fall into suspended animation. To wake up your pet, the home must have high humidity and warmth (+28°C). Sprinkle warm water on the sleeping clam.

What to feed Achatina snails?

Achatina feeds mainly on plant foods. In the wild, it can even harm agricultural crops, trees, and flowers. In addition, Achatina is a natural orderly, eating the rotting remains of plants, insects, and animal excrement. Regardless, feed your pets clean and fresh food.

The Achatina menu at home should be varied. The mollusk most of all loves fresh cucumber, apple, and lettuce.

Basic list of what Achatina evidence eats:

• boiled eggs;
• carrot;
• tomatoes;
• banana;
• sweet bell pepper;
• potatoes (boiled);
• porridge (boiled);
• milk;
• sour cream;
• bread soaked in milk.

In the summer, give your pets more greens, clover, dandelion leaves, berries, pieces of fruit and vegetables. Snails can be treated with mushrooms and dry rolled oats flakes. They happily gobble up dry food for aquarium fish or food for cats. And since representatives of this species do not hesitate to eat carrion, they will enjoy bone meal and meat puree.

Achatina, with a calcium deficiency in the body, can attack their relatives and gnaw their shell. In this case, you should immediately add the following components to the snails’ diet:

• sepia (cuttlefish bone or comb);
• special additives for reptiles;
• feed chalk (crush the main feed with it);
• daphnia (small shrimp);
• crushed shell rock;
• egg shells crushed to dust;
• cottage cheese;
• unleavened cheese;
• pumpkin seeds;
• cereal mixture and grain mixture (ground in a coffee grinder).

Fill your pets' bodies with the above-mentioned foods and supplements that are necessary for their functioning.

It is advisable to feed in the evening, as snails are more active at night. The babies are fed every day, but are guarded only 2-3 times a week.

The Achatina snail, which eats a lot and variety, becomes very large. Because of this, she has difficulty fitting into her molluscarium. Owners should not worry: if this happens, the snail will limit itself in food and its growth will stop.

Be sure to give your pets clean, fresh water. It is very important not only for quenching thirst, but also for producing mucus. In addition, it is recommended to spray the container with water daily to keep the walls of the pet’s home and objects moist.

It is contraindicated to feed Achatina snails with the following products:

• flour;
• sweet;
• salty;
• pickled;
• fried;
• smoked;
• sour;
• alcohol-containing;
• potato eyes.

From such food, shellfish can wither and even die.

It is strictly contraindicated to give salt to gastropods! Be sure to read the ingredients on the packaging of store-bought food. Even in small quantities, salt is detrimental to shellfish.

Make sure that there are no pieces of food left in the container after feeding your pets, as it will rot. Another important point is that although the waste products of the mollusk are odorless, over time they emit a smell. Therefore, you need to periodically clean the walls of the terrarium from the mucus of crawling gastropods.

Hygiene procedures, bathing

Gastropods of this subspecies love to take water procedures. Place a small bath in the terrarium with filtered and non-cold water where your pets can splash around. If there are young animals in the container, then there should be little water in the bath (according to the depth level).

Give your pets a warm shower periodically. How to do this? Hold your pet in your hand over the sink. Direct a gentle stream of warm water at it. The duration of the procedure is no more than three minutes. The mollusk perceives such bathing with great enthusiasm - it stretches out to its full length and tries to expose all parts of its body to the stream of water.

Reproduction, care of small Achatina

Interestingly, achatina is a hermaphrodite! She has both male and female genital organs. The duration of the incubation period is 28–56 days, depending on the type of gastropod and the conditions of their detention.

Achatina is hyperfertile! If the owners of Achatina do not want their pets to reproduce, it is worth placing them in different places or simply washing away the clutch of eggs that appears. If the owners want the pupils to give birth, they should be extremely careful in cleaning their home so as not to damage the eggs. And most importantly, monitor the air humidity.

Newborn snails are separated from adult snails. It is advisable to place lettuce leaves under the babies, so they will not suffocate in the loose substrate. Make the soil layer less than 3 cm. It is recommended to give small Achatina liquid porridge and grated carrots to strengthen their shell.

Please note: until the snails are 1.5 years old, they should not be given the opportunity to reproduce.

How long do Achatina snails live?

By one year, representatives of the species reach sexual maturity. Achatina grows all its life, but after the second year of life, the speed of their development slows down. On average they live up to 7-8 years. Proper care will help the clam live 10 years.

You should know that the enemies of the gastropod include:

• birds;
• mice;
• lizards;
• frogs;
• toads;
• beetles;
• centipedes;
• African snail gonaxis.

However, the most common problem that breeders face is cracks and chips in the shell. Sometimes a mollusk crawling along the upper edge of the terrarium falls down and hits sharp or hard objects. Often such “flights” lead to shell injuries. In this case, you need to treat the damaged area with an antiseptic and remove the injured mollusk from its relatives (snails like to rub against each other).

To prevent your pupils from getting sick, you should not hold them in your hands too often: the skin of gastropods is delicate, vulnerable, and it is also susceptible to infection by microbes. Don't forget this.

Thus, if you decide to keep a terrarium with African snails and provide them with proper care and maintenance, do everything possible to arrange the house according to the requirements of the pet, feed it the right food and closely monitor its behavior and health.

Achatina snails are land gastropods that can grow up to 25-30 centimeters in length. In Europe and the CIS countries they are recognized as exotic pets, smart and harmless, knowing and remembering their owner. African mollusks are unpretentious; they can go without food for a long time and hibernate. How long Achatina snails live at home depends on their maintenance and care. If certain rules are followed, the lifespan of individuals can reach 9 years, the average lifespan is 6 years.

How to choose

The popularity of snails is due to their unusual color and impressive size. There are about 100 species of Achatina in nature, among them the most popular for home keeping and breeding are:

• Fulica- a prolific and unpretentious variety of mollusk. It is distinguished by its unsociable disposition and slowness.
  
• Immaculata- looks like a fulica. Attracts with its beautiful appearance.
  
• Reticulata- characterized by activity, intelligence, contact. White mollusks - albino reticulata - are considered valuable and beautiful.
  
• Gigantic- grow to an impressive size of up to 37 centimeters, weighing 450 grams.
  
• Lemon- the name is due to the presence of a light yellow shell. Individuals are viviparous and are small in size.
  

The description of the structure of different breeds of snails, the rules for their maintenance and care are identical. When purchasing, take into account the size of the mollusk and the color of the shell. What the color scheme of Achatina shells looks like can be seen in the photo - from light to dark brown with patterns and stripes, the body - from milky to brown tones.

Tips for choosing a shellfish:

• It is not recommended to purchase Achatina from hand; it is better to buy it at a pet store, since African snails come with a pedigree registration document. Professional breeders do not seek to sell individuals in large quantities, and also do not sell egg laying.
• It is advisable to pay attention to the conditions of keeping mollusks: terrarium, temperature conditions, diet.
• It is not recommended to take a snail less than 2 months old. To know it can be done by curls: the more of them, the Achatina is older. An adult individual has 7-9 turns on its shell, twisted counterclockwise.
• It is important to inspect the shell of the mollusk to make sure there are no scratches, cracks, or chips.

The price of snails is low, ranging from 50 to 8,000 rubles; reticulum often costs more. The average cost of a shellfish is 300-1000 rubles. Maintenance and care also do not require significant material and time costs.

For the comfortable and active life of a mollusk, it is important to create favorable living conditions. Otherwise, the snail becomes passive, withers and even hibernates. However, keeping Achatina is not difficult and involves proper design of the home and the pet’s living conditions.

Terrarium

Plastic or glass containers are used as a home for the mollusk: aquarium, terrarium, container, etc.

When choosing a home, it is important to pay attention to some points:

• The lid of the container should be heavy or well secured and have holes for ventilation.
• There is no need to fill the house with water; Achatina are large land mollusks.
• To accommodate 1 adult snail, a container with a volume of at least 10 liters, a length of about 40 centimeters, a height of no more than 25 centimeters and the same width is required.
• According to breeders, a cramped terrarium slows down and stops the growth of a pet.
• Boxes made of thick paper or cardboard are not suitable in this case, since mollusks can gnaw through them.
• When choosing a plastic container for a house, it is important to pay attention to the transparency of the walls. If they are cloudy, the pet will be difficult to see and the flow of light will be difficult.
• The interior design of the house includes high-quality drinking bowls and feeders. The clam will enjoy a pool and shelter made from half a flower pot or a coconut, as sometimes individuals want privacy.
• To decorate an aquarium, do not use excessively hard or sharp objects to prevent injury. Tree bark and twigs, moss, terracotta shards are suitable for decoration; you can plant plants: fern, ivy, lettuce.

Priming

An important element of a snail's home is the filler; without it, the mollusk withers away, does not grow and does not develop. It is advisable to choose soil with a loose, soft consistency without sharp, prickly parts. The thickness of the filler layer is determined taking into account the size of the pet. The mollusk should burrow into it freely. For an adult, the layer is 5-7 centimeters, for young animals it is less, since small snails can suffocate in excessively dense material.

The following is used as soil for Achatina:

• Coconut substrate. Its advantage is the long-term preservation of moisture. Before use, the compressed briquette is poured with boiling water, cooled, washed and dried.
• High-quality pure peat. When using soil, it is recommended to maintain a pH level of 5-7.
• Sand. This filler promotes the reproduction of snails; the disadvantages are the transfer of particles and their scratching of the walls of the terrarium and shells. Breeders consider the best option to be a mixture of non-acidic soil and coarse loose sand.
• Compost. It should be without fertilizers. The disadvantage of the filler is the appearance of fruit flies flying not only in the aquarium, but also around the apartment.

Instead of soil, it is permissible to use a padding polyester or foam rubber mat, with a little moss and dry leaves placed on top. The filler ensures the cleanliness of the pet and the terrarium, softens falls, but there may be problems with digestion and acceptance of the mattress by the snail.

Temperature

It is important to pay attention to the heating of the aquarium and its occupant.

Maintain the required level using safe external devices: thermal cords, thermal mats, special lamps. When the temperature drops below 24 degrees, the snail becomes passive, apathetic and may hibernate. However, overheating is also harmful for your pet, so it is advisable to install a thermometer in the aquarium.

You cannot place the terrarium near radiators or heaters, this will lead to loss of necessary humidity and drying out of the substrate. Protect the house and its occupant from exposure to direct sunlight to avoid temperature contrast and overheating.

Humidity

Achatina snails prefer to live in a humid environment; in dry air they hide in a shell or bury themselves in the ground. It is advisable to build a shallow but heavy pool in the terrarium so that the mollusks cannot turn it over. It is recommended to spray the filler and walls of the home with water from a spray bottle 1-2 times a day. Relative air humidity should be in the range of 70-85% (for albopict - 90%).

Lighting

Snails have increased sensitivity to light because their eyes are located on their antennae. For this reason, there is no need to brightly illuminate the terrarium to avoid the development of blindness.

It is prohibited to install the house under direct sunlight on the windowsill of south-facing windows. Additional lighting of the aquarium at night is not required.

How to care

Care techniques for different types of Achatina are practically the same. For the growth and development of mollusks, it is important to follow the correct diet and diet. Regular hygiene procedures for pets and cleaning the terrarium prevent infectious diseases.

What to feed

The diet that snails eat should be varied and include:

• lettuce leaves that can be grown directly in the terrarium;
• greens, grass - spinach, tops, dandelion leaves, plantain, dill, parsley, etc.;
• vegetables - cabbage, carrots, broccoli, cucumber pulp, pumpkin, zucchini, tomatoes;
• shoots of cereal crops;
• softened bread crumb;
• fruits and berries - pulp of watermelon, melon, apples, pears, bananas, apricots, pineapples, mangoes, plums, cherries, raspberries, strawberries;
• peas;
• protein products (boiled meat, eggs, mushrooms, milk).

Food is served at room temperature, soft food is cut into slices, hard food is crushed to a puree. Domestic snails can be picky about food, preferring some foods and ignoring others.

Clean water should be freely available to the mollusk and must be replaced daily.

It is prohibited to feed your pet food from the common table, salty, sweet, fried, spicy, fatty foods, and citrus fruits.

Important! Adult pets are fed once a day in the evening; the next day, uneaten remains are removed from the aquarium. For small snails, food is constantly available.

It is permissible to feed individuals older than six months once every few days.

Breeders highlight some features in the nutrition of Achatina:

• It is important to rinse vegetables and fruits well before serving to your pet;
• snails eat cucumbers with pleasure, but these vegetables have practically no nutritional value for them;
• It is not recommended to give peaches to the clam; when they are consumed, the consistency of the mucus of the clam becomes watery;
• snails can eat boiled potatoes, their eyes are contraindicated;
• a large amount of spinach interferes with the complete absorption of calcium, necessary for a healthy shell;
• At the first sign of mold on food, be sure to remove it from the aquarium.
• if the snail is hungry, upon contact with the owner it may bite, not painfully, but noticeably, since it has small grater-shaped teeth in the amount of 25,000 pieces.

Mineral supplements

An important mineral necessary for the proper development of the mollusk is calcium. With its deficiency, the snail shell becomes thinner, and internal organs become vulnerable. Caring for your pet includes regular addition of mineral supplements to the food:

• crushed eggshells and boiled eggs;
• gammarus;
• cottage cheese (without additives);
• bone meal;
• shell rock.

It is useful to periodically include calcium porridge (a mixture of cereals) in the menu.

Cleaning the terrarium

It is important to clean the snail’s home regularly to avoid the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms. The walls and lids are cleaned daily. General cleaning of the terrarium and changing the substrate is performed as it becomes dirty, usually once a week.

Clean the aquarium without using chemicals; they can negatively affect the health of the pet. Breeders recommend using hot water and a regular sponge or soft cloth. Fresh substrate is poured into a clean and dry terrarium; the soil must be moistened.

Hygiene procedures

Achatina snails enjoy water treatments, so it is advisable to install a shallow pool in the terrarium. It must be heavy and stable so that the mollusks cannot topple it. Individuals are able to move underwater, but if young animals live in the aquarium, it is important to monitor the volume of liquid. A small snail may choke if you are careless. Water in the pool is poured at room temperature and changed daily.

For hygienic purposes, it is recommended to periodically shower your pet. To do this, hold the snail in your hand over a sink and pour over it with a gentle stream of warm water. The procedure should not exceed 3 minutes.

Reproduction of Achatina

Domestic clams are extremely prolific, grow quickly and reach sexual maturity at the age of 6 months. Mostly Achatina lays eggs, but some of their species are viviparous.

Attention! Snails are hermaphrodites, so it is difficult to determine their sex.

A large mollusk always takes on the role of a female, since it has a larger supply of nutrients for the development of offspring. Juveniles usually act as males until they reach a larger size.

A snail can self-fertilize, meaning it can reproduce alone, but they usually mate in pairs. Mollusks are able to store sperm for 2 years, gradually spending it on new clutches. Cross-insemination is possible in a pair, when each of the individuals produces offspring, being a mother for her own cubs and a father for her partner’s babies.

Achatina breeds up to 6 times a year. Mating occurs by contact of the genital organs located on the right side in the head area. The act can last several hours.

You can tell that a snail is pregnant by the egg sac that forms next to the breathing hole 2 weeks after mating. The gestation period lasts about 2 weeks. Next, the pregnant female burrows into the ground and lays eggs within 2 days.

When the snail has laid eggs, the process of developing the young begins, which takes 2-4 weeks, after which the babies hatch.

To avoid the problem of what to do with the eggs, it is recommended to have 1 individual. Mollusks prefer to lay them in fresh and clean soil, especially sand. Breeders remove excess clutches from the litter by washing it off or freezing it. An individual is capable of laying 200-400 eggs at a time, but much fewer snails will hatch.

How to Care for Eggs and Hatchlings

To obtain healthy offspring, it is important to properly care for the masonry: clean the terrarium with special care and caution, maintain the required environmental humidity (70%) and temperature (25-27 degrees). Mollusk eggs look like small capsules, the color of which can determine the state of the embryo: blue color indicates a stop in the development of the mollusk, yellowish color indicates a living individual. Breeders recommend keeping the masonry in a separate terrarium or container, where it is transferred with a spoon and covered with a 2-centimeter thick layer of soil.


How long it takes for Achatina to hatch depends on the type of pet and environmental conditions. The babies begin to peck through the shell after 1-3 weeks, using it for their own nutrition. After the snails hatch, they feed on the remains of the shell in the ground for about 2 weeks. Newborns are small, about 5 millimeters, so extreme care must be taken when handling them.

Instead of substrate for newborns, it is recommended to use lettuce leaves so that babies do not suffocate in the dense filler. In the initial period of life, Achatina is fed with calcium porridge of a liquid consistency with the addition of pureed carrots to strengthen the shell and accelerate growth. It is advisable to sprinkle crushed eggshells or chalk on lettuce leaves. From the second week it is allowed to include animal protein in the diet.

It is important not to allow snails to reproduce until they are 1.5 years old. To do this, it is recommended to make the layer of filler in the terrarium less than 3 centimeters.

Important! For humane reasons, one should not preserve the clutch and subsequently release unwanted snails into the wild. In most climates, mollusks cannot survive; they will die during the first cold snap at night.

Winter care

In the cold season, the snail's diet becomes less varied due to the lack of fresh greens, berries, and fruits. If the temperature drops or there is insufficient humidity when heating devices are operating, Achatina may go into hibernation. It does not harm the snails, but its duration should not exceed 2 months.

If the correct diet, temperature and humidity levels in the aquarium are maintained year-round, the mollusk has no need to hibernate. Fresh and environmentally friendly greens for pets can be grown at home. Also in winter, it is recommended to add oatmeal, wheat bran, low-fat dairy products, and wholemeal bread soaked in water or milk to the diet.

Hibernation

A snail can hibernate under the influence of factors:

• temperature jumps;
• stressful situations - getting used to new living conditions, a sudden change in diet, reaction to another filler in the aquarium;
• reducing ambient temperature;
• insufficient humidity level.

Hibernation is mainly observed in winter, but is also possible in other periods. Before this, the cochlea closes the mouth with an epiphragm - a specific film. If hibernation continues for more than 2 months, it is recommended to wake up the pet, since during this period it loses some of its moisture, the balance of which is not replenished. As a result, the body of the mollusk becomes smaller, and it goes deeper into the shell. Prolonged hibernation can lead to the death of a snail. At the same time, her body becomes liquid.

In order for the mollusk to fall asleep for a short time, for example, when the owner leaves, it is put into an inactive state. To do this, the pet is placed in a terrarium with a dry substrate, is not fed, and the house is not moistened.

It is important not to allow young individuals to hibernate, as this will slow down the growth and development of the snail.

How to wake up

To awaken hibernating Achatina, you can use the following methods:

• Hold your pet under warm streams of water from the shower for a few minutes. When the mollusk peeks out from the mouth of the shell, place it in a terrarium with standard humidity and temperature indicators. Then spray the snail with water.
• If hibernation is caused by a violation of temperature and humidity levels, you need to adjust the indicators to comfortable values.
• Change the filler in the aquarium.
• Bath the shellfish in water with chamomile infusion at a temperature of 36 degrees and whey or milk. In case of failure, the procedure is repeated every other day until hibernation emerges.

If the snail is just getting ready to go into hibernation, preventive measures will help stop the process:

• include foods high in calcium in your diet;
• keep Achatina clean, wash it regularly;
• control and stabilize humidity and temperature in the terrarium.

Snail diseases and shell injuries

If the rules of care and maintenance are followed, Achatina is rarely susceptible to disease. External symptoms will help determine that your pet is sick:

• apathy, lethargy;
• refusal to eat;
• blockage of the entrance to the shell;
• excessively copious or thick mucus;
• pronounced separation of the shell;
• if Achatina is in pain or scared, it is capable of emitting whistling-hissing screams that cannot be ignored.

A dangerous sign is considered to be the snail falling out of its shell, resulting in its rapid death. How Achatina die depends on the cause of death. A severely weakened mollusk is identified by the absence of reflexes - when touched, it instinctively does not pull its head and body into the shell. If the shell is sealed for a long time and the pet cannot be awakened, this may also indicate that it is dead. The main sign of death is that a dead snail emits an unpleasant rotten egg smell. However, if it dies during prolonged hibernation, it may be absent, since the body becomes liquid.

The causes of Achatina diseases are:

• hypothermia or overheating of the pet;
• cramped terrarium, dry or excessively wet filler;
• infrequent cleaning of the aquarium, lack of hygienic water procedures for the snail;
• accumulation of food debris, excrement, mold in Achatina’s home;
• consumption of “harmful” foods, low-calorie and monotonous diet with insufficient amounts of calcium and protein;
• lack of ventilation, poor quality filler.

A common problem in Achatina is the violation of the integrity of the shell. The snail may fall if moved or handled carelessly. Minor damage is lubricated with an antiseptic. If the shell is broken or cracked, breeders repair the defect using epoxy glue. If traumatized, the snail must be placed separately from other individuals, since they like to rub their shells.

Attention! It is important to provide a diet rich in calcium. This will speed up the wound healing process in the pet’s body.

To avoid injury due to careless handling, the owner must follow a number of rules:

• pick up the pet with clean and wet hands and do not use any chemicals on them: soap, cream, etc.;
• You should not forcibly tear the mollusk from the walls of the terrarium or squeeze it - this can damage the shell and internal organs;
• take the pet carefully under the sole, and not by the shell.

Achatina snails in cosmetology

The popularity of mollusks is also due to their use in modern cosmetology. Massage performed by snails has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin of the face and body, and is useful in the fight against its defects. The cosmetic effect is due to the structure of the mollusk’s oral cavity and the beneficial properties of the mucus.


A popular way in cosmetology to use Achatina is to perform several successive steps:

• Cleanse the skin of dirt and cosmetics. There should be no chemicals on it, as this can harm the pet.
• Apply milk to the skin and plant the snail, having previously given it water treatments.
• Sensing the smell, the mollusk works with the radula and, when moving, creates contractile movements with the body. As a result, the skin is polished, its defects are eliminated: freckles, small scars, pigment and age spots, stretch marks, cellulite, etc.
• Mucus containing collagen is distributed over the treated area when the pet moves. It has wound-healing, nourishing, soothing, and rejuvenating effects on the skin.
• After the mucus has dried, wash the areas without using soap.

The effect is noted after the first procedure: cracks, rashes of various origins, fine wrinkles and other defects are eliminated. Regular use of snail massage significantly improves the condition of the skin. Clam mucus is used in the production of ointments and creams.

Benefits and harms for humans

In its homeland in the wild, the snail is recognized as a crop-destroying pest. In Africa, Achatina is eaten; their meat is considered dietary and easily digestible. As a pet, the mollusk is harmless, safe, including for children, sociable and even intelligent. He is able to be devoted to his owner and hide when he feels unfamiliar hands. Breeders are often in thought about what to name their snails, giving original names: Shustrik, Crawler, Sonya, Fulka (fulika), Retika (reticulata). After weighing the pros and cons of the pet, what it is harmful to humans, it is important to make the right decision whether to get one.

Benefit

The benefits of Achatina snails have been identified in cosmetology - they are used to massage problem areas. The value of shellfish also lies in the production of mucus, rich in useful substances. It enhances regenerative processes, smoothes wrinkles, eliminates cellulite, stretch marks, and improves the overall condition of the skin. It has been observed that snail breeders are less susceptible to dermatological hand diseases.

When treating varicose veins, shellfish massage improves blood circulation, relieves spasms, and strengthens blood vessels.

Harm

Before the session, it is important to arrange water procedures for the snail in order to avoid harm to humans - infection.

The owner may be allergic to mucus components, so before purchasing a pet or conducting snail therapy, it is recommended to do a sensitivity test. To do this, the mollusk is placed on the wrist and the skin's reaction to its secretions is observed. If there are no negative consequences (itching, burning, hyperemia), then the mucus does not cause hypersensitivity and does not pose a danger to the owner

Achatina are giant snails, one of the largest among mollusks. The homeland of these creatures is Africa. Currently, snails are widespread throughout the world. In Asian and African countries they are considered pests, as the mollusks destroy reed crops. And in Russia they are kept on special farms and at home. The benefits and harms of Achatina snails are well known to cosmetologists. The secretion secreted by these creatures has beneficial properties.

What does the Achatina snail look like?

The snail Achatina fulica belongs to the class of gastropods and in its natural habitat is found only in regions with a tropical climate. The maximum dimensions can reach 30 cm in length, and weight – 500 g. However, most representatives of the species cannot boast of such parameters. Individuals kept as pets most often weigh 100–200 g.

Snails have large cone-shaped shells that curl in different directions. Moreover, the number of turns depends on age: the older Achatina is, the more turns there are on its shell. At the anterior end of the body there are several pairs of tentacles of varying lengths.

These creatures are interesting because they are hermaphrodites, that is, they have both male and female organs and can self-fertilize. Snails lay eggs every few months. Each clutch contains up to 300 eggs.

Types of snails Achatina

There are about a hundred species of giant snails in nature. Among the most common and useful species for humans, which are most often kept as pets, are Achatina fulica and Achatina reticulata. Their features:

1. Snail Achatina fulica It is distinguished by the variegated color of its shell, which can change shades depending on its feeding habits. The soft body is colored brown and brown and has noticeable bumps on the skin. These useful creatures are very slow, prefer a quiet rest in secluded corners, and caring for them is very easy.
2. Snail Achatina reticulata more mobile and active, often tries to look at what is happening around her, raising her head. It has a beautiful shell decorated with a pattern of dots and stripes. The soft body is dark brown or black.

Composition of Achatina snail mucus

Distinguished by its beneficial properties, snail mucus is a translucent viscous liquid. Gastropods need it to protect the sole from friction and facilitate the process of movement. In addition, the benefit of Achatina snail mucus in cosmetology is that it acts as a wound healing agent. The substances included in its composition are capable of restoring damaged snail shells.

Snail secretion includes useful components:

1. Collagen is a healthy protein that preserves the natural elasticity and firmness of the dermis.
2. Allantoin is an antioxidant that fights free radicals and activates regenerative processes. Snails need allantoin to protect and repair their shells.
3. Elastin. The Achatina snail, whose mucus includes elastin, is beneficial for facial skin in maintaining the smoothness and elasticity of the dermis.
4. Vitamins A, B, E, C.
5. Peptides. Serve as protection against bacteria that can cause skin diseases.
6. Glycolic acid. Necessary for cleansing the dermis of dead cells and impurities.
7. Lectins are natural cleansers.

Useful properties of Achatina snails

The Achatina snail has served humans for hundreds of years. The use of mucus allows you to:

• rejuvenate the skin;
• reduce expression wrinkles, including around the eyes;
• get rid of skin diseases;
• moisturize and regenerate the skin;
• lighten pigmentation;
• treat scars.

The benefits and harms of Achatina snails were assessed by cosmetologists. Antibacterial snail mucus does not cause harm to human skin, as it is hypoallergenic, and therefore its properties are effectively used in the production of cosmetics. At home, the substance is used for rejuvenation, and also as a traditional medicine against bronchitis and upper respiratory tract infections, to combat psoriasis and varicose veins. In addition, it has analgesic properties.

The meat of Achatina snails also brings benefits, the use of which helps eliminate problems of the gastrointestinal tract. And thanks to the potassium content, the product has the ability to relieve stress and normalize the nervous system.

How to use Achatina snails in cosmetology

African Achatina are the only species of giant snails that are used in cosmetology. The mucus of other mollusks does not have similar regenerating properties. It helps to cope with acne and inflammation, peeling and dryness, protect the skin from loss of elasticity and firmness, restoring them. In addition, thanks to the secretion of snails, you can smooth out wrinkles, tighten enlarged pores, and fight age spots.

The basis of mucus is water and mucin protein. Thanks to him, the benefits of Achatina in cosmetology are invaluable. This biologically active substance activates the synthesis of collagen and hyaluronic acid in the skin, and also eliminates toxic substances. In this case, not only the epidermis, but also the deep layers are exposed to mucin. Snail protein does not cause any harm to health.

Advice! For cosmetic purposes, you can use not only snail mucus, but also the eggs that remain after the snails emerge. The shell is a good way to cleanse the skin of the face and body.

Facial massage with Achatina

Particularly beneficial is massage of the body and face with Achatina snails. This procedure is usually performed in beauty salons. With its help, you can improve lymph flow, relax muscles, and restore skin elasticity.

Large specimens are selected for massage and at the same time peeling of the face with Achatina snails. Their soft bodies produce special wave-like movements that affect human skin, improving blood flow. The procedure does not cause harm, is hypoallergenic, and can be performed on patients with sensitive skin.

Before massage with Achatina snails, the human skin, as well as the body of the mollusk, is cleansed. Then they spread Achatina on the face so that it moves along the massage lines.

Sessions can last 10-30 minutes. The useful secretion secreted by the snails is left on the face for another 10-15 minutes. Then rinse off the skin and apply a cream containing mucin to consolidate the moisturizing and rejuvenating effect.

The number of procedures depends on the condition of the skin. If the purpose of snail massage is to eliminate skin problems, then 10-15 sessions are usually performed with an interval of 2 days. Rejuvenating massage is done once every 10-15 days to maintain the effect. At home, you can do it up to 3 times a week.

Important! In cosmetology, before and after sessions with Achatina snails, it is recommended to use products containing mucin.

Snail slime masks

Masks with snail mucin are used if the skin needs hydration and nutrition. Their beneficial properties are expressed in improving turgor, smoothing facial and deep wrinkles, lightening pigmentation, scars and stretch marks, healing wounds and burns. The products tighten the skin, refresh the complexion and fight dark circles under the eyes. Cosmetologists advise adding other useful components to the snail secretion. Such compositions cannot cause harm, since they do not provoke the appearance of redness and rashes.

Banana tightening mask

Has moisturizing, nourishing, whitening properties. To prepare it you need:

1. Take half a ripe banana and grind it to a puree.
2. Add a teaspoon of snail mucus and half a teaspoon of sour cream. The fatter it is, the better.
3. Mix the ingredients well.
4. Clean your face, apply the mixture for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm milk. You can use this product once every 2 days.

Snail mask with vitamin E

To make such a mask yourself, you need:

1. Collect 5 ml (1 tsp) snail mucin.
2. Add a capsule of vitamins A and E, as well as 5 ml of warm milk.
3. After mixing all the ingredients, add 1 tsp. corn starch.
4. After cleansing the skin, apply the vitamin mixture to it and leave for 10-15 minutes.
5. Rinse off with warm water.

The benefits of face masks with Achatina snail mucus include nourishing and tightening the skin, smoothing and improving color. You can resort to them no more than 2 times a week so as not to harm the epidermis.

Rejuvenating mask with oatmeal

The basis is oatmeal, ground in a coffee grinder. The mask recipe is simple:

1. Pour the ground flakes into a warm decoction of string or chamomile (you will need 20 ml).
2. Add 1 tsp. snail secretion.
3. After mixing all the ingredients, carefully apply to problem areas: forehead, nasolabial triangle, around the eyes. Action time: 20 minutes.
4. After this time, wash off the product. It is good to use warm water or herbal decoction.

The beneficial properties of the mask are indispensable for problem skin and the presence of deep wrinkles. 10-15 sessions can eliminate blackheads and pimples, tighten enlarged pores and improve facial contour. Can be applied daily.

How to collect mucus from a snail to make masks

Collecting snail mucus is a simple procedure that does not cause any harm to the mollusk. To do this you need to take a teaspoon. After touching the snail, so that its body activates the production of mucin, you need to carefully scrape it off the flat sole. Such actions do not cause any pain to the snails. In 10-15 minutes you can collect up to a teaspoon of the substance. This volume is enough to prepare a mask.

Treatment with Achatina at home

The medicinal properties of Achatina snails have been valued since the time of Hippocrates. Their meat has long been used to treat anemia and other diseases. And mucus was used for burns and non-healing wounds. The benefits of giant snails are such that farms began to be created to grow them after World War II. Now shellfish are successfully used to combat cellulite, varicose veins, and psoriasis.

Achatina against cellulite

Thanks to the effect of snail secretions, the skin becomes smooth and clean. This property is used to combat cellulite. If you treat problem areas of the body correctly and do not exceed the permissible number of procedures, then they will not cause any harm.

Dealing with orange peel with snail mucin is easy. Visible effect can be achieved within one month. It is important to perform anti-cellulite massage regularly, three times a week. He won't do any harm. During the procedures, snails are placed on a problem area, such as the stomach or thighs. The exposure continues for 15 minutes.

Achatina in the fight against varicose veins

The healing properties of massage help fight varicose veins. Before carrying out the procedure, thoroughly clean the areas that will be exposed. The snail is also washed under running water, after which it is placed on the body and allowed to move. After 10-15 minutes, the procedure is completed, and the remaining mucus is rubbed into the skin with massage movements for 15-20 minutes. The remains of the healing substance are washed off with water.

Treatment of psoriasis with snails

The beneficial effects of the substance secreted by snails on human skin are used to treat psoriasis. People who suffer from this disease are advised to keep these creatures as pets. While observing them, the nervous system relaxes and stressful conditions are alleviated. But the main benefit is the effect on rashes. Cosmetologists advise putting Achatina on them every day. Snail massage has the ability to relieve flaking and dryness and accelerate regenerative processes. For those who experience discomfort from touching snails, you can collect the substance they produce and rub it into the affected areas of the body.

Possible harm to Achatina and contraindications

The beneficial properties of Achatina are available to everyone who does not disdain these creatures. There are practically no contraindications for anti-aging and healing procedures. They can only cause harm if a person has an allergic reaction to the components of Achatina secretion. To avoid unpleasant consequences, apply a small amount to your wrist before using it. After 20-30 minutes, you need to check whether rashes or itching have appeared. If these signs of allergic reactions are absent, Achatin can be used without any harm to health. If irritation or redness occurs, you should consult a dermatologist about the advisability of such procedures.

How to grow Achatina at home

Domestic Achatina reaches a size of 25 cm. You should purchase them from trusted breeders or in specialized stores. To keep such a pet, a spacious terrarium is required. Its volume must be at least 20 liters.

The clam house must be provided with ventilation holes for air circulation, and also equipped with a food container and a lid to prevent the pet from walking around the house independently.

The bottom of the terrarium should be covered with special soil. This is a necessary condition for growing Achatina, since snails sleep in it, use it for food, and lay eggs. Regular sand, sawdust or stones are not suitable. It is better to use moss, peat, coconut substrate.

How to care for Achatina

These exotic creatures do not require special care. It is enough to keep the terrarium clean by daily washing away dirt from its walls with hot water and changing the soil as necessary.

Important! It is not recommended to use cleaning products to wash the terrarium; this can cause harm to the Achatina.

Domestic snails need water treatments. It is advisable to equip their homes with shallow pools. And the pets themselves need to regularly have a warm shower. Holding the Achatina snail over the sink, it should be washed with a stream of water. The duration of the procedure is no more than 3 minutes.

The main components of the Achatina diet are lettuce, greens, vegetables, and cereal shoots. Gastropods can be fed with carrots and the pulp of cucumbers or pumpkins, tomatoes and zucchini, apples, pears, bananas, apricots, strawberries and other fruits. Soft food must be cut into pieces, and hard food must be grated or crushed in a blender. An important part of the Achatina diet is mineral supplements rich in calcium.

Important! Harm to Achatina snails can come from fried, spicy, salted, smoked foods, as well as fruits containing natural acids, including all citrus fruits.

The pet must be provided with clean water. Access to it must be constant, since gastropods drink it and take water procedures. A video of the Achatina snail demonstrates how important water is to this creature.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of Achatina snails have been studied by cosmetologists and dermatologists. The appearance of mollusks is such that it is difficult for them to compete in attractiveness with other domestic animals. These terrarium inhabitants are more likely to be associated with alien creatures than with pets. The miraculous properties of Achatina mucin are such that at home they successfully replace expensive salon procedures.

A snail is a unique living creature that is protected by a shell and can live not only in the wild, but also at home. This type of animal belongs to the class of gastropods (gastropods), a type of mollusk. The word snail comes from the Old Slavonic “ulit” - hollow because of its house (shell), which is empty without the animal.

Snail - description and characteristics

The snail's body consists of a head, legs, visceral sac, and mantle fold. The mollusk moves on the sole, which covers the lower part of the leg. This process is the result of muscle contractions that create a kind of wave. To make sliding as comfortable as possible, the epithelium of the limb secretes a lot of mucus.

Small snails can move by beating their cilia.

The internal sac is located inside the shell in the form of a spiral or cap. The mantle of snails that live in water contains gills. This organ must be constantly washed by a stream of water, to organize this process, the mantle is equipped with:

• an inlet siphon through which the liquid enters;
• an outlet siphon through which water is removed.

Also inside the mantle are:

• kidney ducts;
• excretory system;
• intestines;
• reproductive apparatus;
• lung (for those living on land).

There is a special hole for air to enter the breathing organs. It is located on the edge of the shell or on the front side of the body.

The head consists of:

• stalks with eyes;
• tentacles (organ of touch);
• oral cavity.

The shell of a snail, like other mollusks, consists of several layers:

• Periostracum is a thin layer covering the outside of the structure. It consists of a protein - conchiolin.
• Ostracum is a calcium carbonate middle layer wrapped in conchiolin.
• Hypostracum (mother-of-pearl) – a layer located inside. It consists of calcium carbonate plates coated with conchiolin.

The shell is an integral part of the snail's body. The external skeleton of a mollusk protects it from enemies, external negative factors, and retains moisture.

A snail is born with a shell, only in babies it is thin and transparent.

The shape of the external skeleton: conical, in which all the organs of the mollusk are located asymmetrically, or flat spiral. Surface – smooth or with growths. The turns in the spiral are located from left to right, but there are very rare cases when it is the other way around. Dimensions and colors can vary.

Some snails have a reduced shell - a calcareous plate inside the mantle. These are mainly slugs, which can be found in any garden.

Teeth

Representatives of gastropods are distinguished by a special organ in the oral cavity - the radula. This organ performs the functions of the tongue and teeth. The radula consists of a cartilaginous plate on which there are several rows of teeth of different shapes.

Vegetarian snails have small teeth, while predatory snails have large teeth in the shape of a pike or hook. The number of teeth in a snail can reach 25,000. Basically, the radula includes 120 rows, each with 100 teeth = 12,000.

Poisonous snails generally have teeth with a cavity through which poison flows from a special gland, paralyzing the victim.

Snails live in nature and feed on animal food. These species are distinguished by drill-shaped teeth. It can drill into the oyster's shell or other hard protective shells, which helps the mollusk get to the meat.

Clam mucus is a composition that is very important for the snail. It consists of a complex protein (mucin) and water.

The unique properties of this substance are today widely used in cosmetology as an anti-aging, sunscreen, and moisturizer.

Mucin regulates mineralization processes and shell creation. Mucus is divided into two types:

• The first type helps the mollusk move by moisturizing the surface.
• The second type is produced by a special gland, as a response to any stress and mechanical damage to the shell. The main components of such mucus are polysaccharides and mineral salts, which have restorative and regenerating properties.

The snail lives in all climatic conditions on all continents, except Antarctica and arid deserts. The mollusk lives in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean, the Mediterranean and in the cold environment of the Arctic Ocean and the Barents Sea.

Snails feel great in Europe, Africa, Australia, and America. It is found in Asia and Russia. The main condition for the existence of a mollusk is high humidity, which will not allow the snail’s body to dry out, otherwise the animal may die.

What a snail eats depends on its habitat. The nutrition of the mollusk is surprising in its diversity, it can be:

• the soft part of fresh plants.
• plant remains;
• small relatives;
• worms;
• carrion;
• fish;
• insects;
• crustaceans.

Land mollusks happily eat leaves, berries, fruits, vegetables, bark, and grass. Young ones prefer fresher food, but with age their preferences change, and the old snail begins to feed on rotten plants.

Some species eat flies, midges, mosquitoes, and carrion. A rotten tree can be a delicacy for a street snail.

In order to grind food well, the mollusk's teeth require calcium. Its deficiency leads to the fact that the snail begins to sharpen its shell, which collapses, leaving the body without protection. This leads to dehydration and death.

You can feed snails in an aquarium:

• fish food;
• aquarium plants;
• algae tablets;
• chopped vegetables.

To ensure that the aquarium is not left without all vegetation, it is best to take control of the number of mollusks. A moderate amount of snails is good for the algae as it eats up all the rot on it and cleans the aquarium. It is also recommended to grind eggshells in a coffee grinder to replenish calcium in the body of gastropods.

It is worth monitoring your pet’s diet; he should not be given human food. You also need to put newspapers away, because the snail eats them with great pleasure, but rarely survives after such a feast.

You can include the diet:

• plantain;
• legumes;
• cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, tomatoes, bell peppers;
• green;
• dandelions;
• bananas, watermelon, pears, strawberries, apples.

For land representatives, do not forget to put a bowl of clean water.

Gastropods in most cases are oviparous animals. The process of fertilization and egg laying depends on the snail’s habitat.

Snails with lungs, living in fresh waters and on land, are hermaphrodites. Such mollusks have both female and male sexual characteristics. In this connection, during mating, cross-fertilization occurs.

Freshwater snails lay eggs in capsules, and land snails lay eggs in dug holes. The mollusk can lay up to 85 pieces at a time. Eggs mature within 28 days and can have different colors:

• transparent;
• green;
• white;
• pink.

The development of this snail takes place without stages of transformation. Having passed the required period of maturation, a fully formed individual with a transparent shell is born, which hardens over time and acquires its own color.

Snails with gills are heterosexual creatures. Males are endowed with a testis and a vas deferens. Female mollusks have an ovary and an oviduct.

Eggs are laid in a special cocoon with a lid, which dissolves as the larvae develop. For the safety of future offspring, the outer row of eggs is not filled, this allows the predator to be left without lunch.

The development of gastropods occurs with transformations from an egg into a larva (veliger). With the help of outgrowths with thin cilia, it moves and feeds on small particles of food of plant and protein origin. After a few days, the mollusk forms and sinks to the bottom.

There are unique species of gill snails that do not lay eggs but go through a gestation cycle. The embryo remains in the mother's body until it is fully mature and only then is it born.

Snail diseases

Snails may suffer from the following diseases:

• Broken sink, holes, cracks. In this case, the animal should receive the maximum amount of calcium, rest, high humidity and the right temperature.
• Shell lamination. This process can occur against the background of improper maintenance, stress, and poor heredity.
• White plaque on the sink. The problem arises against the backdrop of poor conditions, such as age-related changes, or it could be simple abrasion.
• Burns. They can be thermal or chemical. In this case, the snail hides in its shell and hardly moves. You can alleviate the condition by increasing humidity and increasing the amount of juicy vegetables and fruits in your diet.
• Poisoning. Occurs due to poor quality nutrition.
• Self-chewing. The snail begins to eat itself due to calcium deficiency, stress or heredity.
• Organ prolapse.

Enemies in the wild

Gastropods are among the most invisible organisms on earth. But despite this, the individual has enough enemies:

• sea ​​gobies;
• sardine;
• starfish;
• mackerel;
• whales;
• herring;
• hermit crabs.

For land snails, the following are dangerous:

• moles;
• blackbirds;
• wild boars;
• lizards;
• hedgehogs

Freshwater mollusks should be afraid of:

• trout;
• storks;
• frogs;
• herons.

Snails are slow and careful, which helps them protect themselves from enemies. They avoid highly lit areas and stay deep in the substrate.

How long does a snail live? Lifespan

Snails have good stress resistance, but do not live more than 25 years. In nature, the mollusk is exposed to constant dangers, which significantly shorten the life of gastropods.

For example, grape snails can live 20 years, but most often their life span does not exceed 8 years.

In captivity, a snail lives as long as it was initially given. The main thing for this is to follow all the rules of keeping and feed your pet correctly.

The snail has more than 110,000 species, the habitat of 2,000 of them is the territory of Russia.

The most poisonous gastropod is the Geographical Cone, living in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. It produces enough toxins to kill ten people. An antidote to the poison of this mollusk has not yet been found.

The poisonous snail affects its enemies by releasing a cloud with high levels of insulin, which instantly lowers the victim's blood sugar level.

The smallest mollusk is Angustopila dominikae. Its size is 0.8 mm. For example: 4 such snails can easily fit in the eye of a needle.

The Australian trumpeter is recognized as the largest gastropod. The giant snail weighs 18 kg. It belongs to the class of predators, lives at a depth of 30 m in the coastal region of Australia, New Guinea, Indonesia and eats worms.

Snails are divided according to place of residence into:

• marine;
• land;
• freshwater

There are pulmonary and gill.

A large-sized land snail whose habitat is the European part of our continent. The shell of this species is 50 mm, spirally curved in 5 turns.

The length of the leg is from 35 to 52 mm, and the width is 22 mm.

Color ranges from cream to brown with a red tint. The first 3 turns along the entire diameter alternate with light and dark stripes. Small ribs are clearly visible on the outside of the shell. In the wild, the mollusk lives from 8 to 20 years.

In winter, the snail is at rest for three months, attaching its sole to the substrate and clogging the shell with special mucus. During wintering, the snail loses up to 10% of its weight. After activation, the mollusk recovers within a month and a half.

The grape snail can tolerate low temperatures down to -7°C, but not more than 10 hours.

The grape snail has been bred at home for a long time. Today, special snail farms are opening in some countries.

Gastropod meat consists of:

• 15% - protein;
• 8% - carbohydrates;
• 35% fat.

It also contains a number of essential minerals and vitamins.

The grape snail is a delicacy, and in Europe it is eaten as a complete, healthy product. It is also bred for use in cosmetology and the pharmaceutical industry.

The grape snail is bred at home in special terrariums, instead of other exotic, but not always safe animals. Mollusks are hermaphrodites, therefore, for breeding, it is enough to have heterosexual individuals of sexual maturity.

At home, the grape snail feeds on plant foods. They can be fed vegetables and fruits. The gastropod has a good appetite, so you need to make sure that it always has food.

The grape snail is kept at home in a glass or plastic jar or box with good ventilation and a large bottom.

You can prepare the clam as follows:

• 100 pcs. gastropods;
• 1 liter of white wine;
• 2 carrots;
• 800 g special snail oil;
• 200 g vinegar 3%;
• 2 onions;
• thyme, salt, parsley to taste;
• bay leaf;
• 3 tbsp. flour.

The snails are poured with cold water and, after boiling, cooked for about 7 minutes. It is washed, dried, the shell is removed, and the black tip is cut off. The finished product is poured with white wine with the same amount of water, chopped vegetables, seasonings and herbs are added. Salt in a proportion of 10 g per 1 liter. Cook for 3.5 – 4.5 hours, then leave to cool. The sinks are thoroughly washed in a weak soda solution and rinsed in running clean water.

Sauce or special oil for shellfish: 100 grams of grated onion + 2 cloves of chopped garlic + parsley + salt, ground black pepper + 800 g of softened butter. Stir thoroughly.

The shell is filled with the prepared oil and the prepared snail and heated in the oven before serving.

Gastropod coil is a freshwater snail that lives in bodies of water with lush vegetation and a slight current. The mollusk survives even in very polluted waters with minimal oxygen content.

The shell is a tightly twisted spiral of several turns with a seam visible to the naked eye. This type of snail is currently common among aquarium holders, in which the mollusk grows up to 1 cm; in the wild, the size of a gastropod can reach 3.7 cm.

Color - from brick color to deep red. The gastropod can move its shell down along the surface of the water with the help of air accumulated inside. Sensing danger, the snail releases the remaining oxygen and falls to the bottom.

The coils are:

• horny;
• horny red;
• Far Eastern;
• keeled;
• wrapped.

The coil cleans the aquarium well, eating rotten parts of plants and food residues.

Garden gastropod is a big pest in garden plots, which their owners actively fight against. The snail happily eats fresh crops and spoils young leaves and shoots, sometimes causing irreparable harm.

But there are also benefits from these shellfish. They process the remains of vegetation, acting as orderlies.

The garden snail does not have any features that distinguish it from other relatives. She lives on the ground, hiding in the shadows during the day and emerging from it in the evening for food.

This mollusk is not whimsical and is very often kept in aquariums at home. This is the most economical option for breeding snails. The garden snail does not require special care and eats everything that grows in the garden.

A mollusk called neretina is one of the most popular aquarium snail species. The bright, variegated color is individual for each individual and is not repeated, making each gastropod exclusive. Keeping such an animal is not difficult.

The Neretina snail grows up to 3.2 cm, has a flat oval (round) shell, decorated with various patterns with a beautiful, noticeable color. The body of the mollusk is large and dark in color.

The Neretina snail is divided into four types:

• zebra – striped color;
• brindle - orange and black stripes;
• olive – color similar to the name;
• horned - the head is characterized by horns and mustaches.

The mollusk was born in Africa, where it lives in all available bodies of water. Neretina is not whimsical; it easily survives for a certain period without feeding, eating waste from other inhabitants of the aquarium and rot on the walls.

At home, the snail should be periodically pampered with calcium supplements. You can also include chopped vegetables, fish food in powder form, and ground chicken egg shells in your diet.

For a long time, the mollusk was distributed only on the African continent, but today this snail is often found as a pet.

Achatina giant is distinguished by the largest shell size, which can reach 20 cm and weigh up to 0.5 kg. The mollusk does not survive in the natural conditions of Russia; here it is kept at home in special terrariums.

The Achatina shell of the specimen has a conical shape, twisted clockwise. The color consists of stripes of brown in different shades. There are also albinos who are completely white. The mollusk feeds on plant foods. By gender, it performs the functions of a male and a female, that is, the African snail Achatina, which is a hermaphrodite.

Makes 6 clutches per year, each of which can produce 200 eggs. Achatina lives for about 7 years, but with proper care this figure can increase to 10.

The African snail Achatina prefers to sleep during the day and stay awake at night. If you increase the humidity in the aquarium, the mollusk will become active during daylight hours.

The Helena mollusk is a freshwater species native to Southeast Asia. Gastropods do not have a very good reputation, since they periodically eat their relatives. Aquarium owners most often keep this species of gastropod to exterminate other snails.

Helena has a positive attitude towards running water, but at the same time they do well in artificial reservoirs, lakes and aquariums. The substrate chosen is sand or silt.

The individual feeds on live snails and carrion. The shell is conical with pronounced irregularities, can reach 20 mm, the color is yellow with brown stripes. The body is gray-green in color. The Helena snail lives for a short time, about two years.

At home, gastropods feed on the same small-sized mollusks. Large individuals do not suffer, since the Helena snail cannot cope with them. The process of eating occurs with the help of a tube on which the mouth is located; it is inserted into the shell of the gastropod and sucks out the body of the gastropod. The individual also feeds on regular fish food, krill, and frozen shrimp.

Helenas are heterosexual animals and reproduce well in captivity. Mating between a male and female can last for hours; quite often other relatives join them and the created group sticks together, continuing the process. The female lays one egg, which develops very slowly.

As aquarists note, the Helena snail can seriously reduce the population of other mollusks, so the number of this individual must be controlled.

Slugs are a snail without a shell that is completely similar to its relative. Some species have a small, inconspicuous shell covered by a mantle.

Basically, the size of the mollusk does not exceed a few centimeters. But despite this, there are individuals that can reach 32 cm!

Color – gray-brown, chestnut, black, red, yellow, depending on the species. Slugs live on all continents in areas where there is high humidity. The lack of their own house forces them to seek shelter from the sun, winds, and cold.

The mollusk is active at night, when the heat subsides and gentle coolness sets in. A relative of the snail overwinters deep in the soil.

The slug moves with the help of the sole, which contracts in waves; for more comfortable sliding, a copious amount of mucus is released. In search of food, despite its slowness, the individual is ready to cover considerable distances.

Most mollusks eat plant foods. They eat everything:

• leaves;
• flowers;
• fruit;
• berries;
• mushrooms.

The slug also eats:

• carrion;
• feces;
• lichens.

Predators eat worms, their relatives, newborn mice, and hatched chicks. The feeding process occurs with the help of the radula, which is studded with teeth.

The hermaphrodite reproduces once a year; it lays up to 40 eggs. For many gardeners, a slug is a pest that must be destroyed. But it is worth noting that this mollusk has the largest male genital organ among its relatives, which after mating it can bite off in order to detach itself from its partner. Over time, the organ recovers.

Bitinia

A small freshwater mollusk with a smooth, spiral-shaped shell. Size within 15 mm. Color: brown, gray, olive. The life cycle lasts up to 5.5 years. Lives on the American and Eurasian continents.

Luzhanka

A freshwater gastropod with a blunt-conical shell up to 43 mm in length and 31 mm in width, curled in several turns. The color depends on the habitat and can be: greenish, brown, red, brown.

The Luzhanka snail is a viviparous mollusk.

Gastropods live in all regions of Europe except the northern regions.

Buccinum (trumpet player)

A large sea snail, with a shell reaching 24 cm diagonally and 17 cm vertically. Color – light brown. The surface is embossed or smooth.

The mollusk is a predator and paralyzes its prey with poisonous saliva. Lives only in northern oceans with cool water.

Ampularia

An aquarium snail that requires special conditions. This mollusk loves to eat a lot, and if there is a lack of food, it begins to spoil plants. The size of the gastropod reaches 15.5 cm.

Fiza

The Physa snail, measuring within 2 centimeters, is popular among experienced aquarists. The special shape of the shell helps the mollusk hide in the most secluded places.

Gastropods feed on living algae. The presence of lungs allows the body to exist without water. It is recommended to control the population of this type of snail, since it reproduces very quickly.

The mollusk is a good aquarium cleaner from plaque and bacterial films on the walls. Use hard water with a temperature of at least 21 degrees.

Tilomelania

Tilomelania is a bright mollusk that will decorate any aquarium. It requires special care, since the snail eats a lot and does not get along well with its other relatives. The length of the gastropod reaches 13 cm.

The shell can have any color, the surface can be smooth or with spikes. It is best to make water for clams soft and highly acidic.

The snail needs to be fed three times a day. She is not picky about food, loves a lot of light, and requires a lot of space.

Melania

The Melania clam is an aquarium snail that reproduces quickly and instantly cleans the aquarium of waste. Gastropod feels comfortable in water with a temperature of 17 to 29 °C. Color – gray-green. Conical shell. Melania is an omnivore.

Pagoda (brothia)

This mollusk requires sufficient oxygen in the water and prefers sand in the form of soil. It feeds on algae and fish food. The pagoda has a very short lifespan - only six months.

Marisa

The large mollusk Mariza is unpretentious in food, it does not require complex care, and it has the ability to rise to the surface of the water and breathe air. Mariza feeds on algae and aquarium fish food.

• For the snail to live, you need to prepare:
• terrarium;
• plastic container;
• aquarium;
• house for rodents.
• The container for a mollusk, in the worst case, should not be less than 10 liters per individual, in the best - 20 liters.
• To prevent your pet from running away, you need to make sure the lid is tight.
• To allow oxygen to enter, it is recommended to make several holes in the lid.
• You should pay more attention to the height of the aquarium than to its width.
• It is best to hide snail housing from bright light, and electric lighting can be excluded.
• The soil can be:
• soil for flowers;
• peat;
• coconut substrate;
• tree bark;
• sawdust.
• Comfortable water temperature in the aquarium for snails is +25° – +30°.
• For land mollusks, it is necessary to periodically treat their place of residence with fresh water from a spray bottle to maintain normal humidity.
• Don’t forget to put drinking water in a small container and change it constantly.
• If you do not care for the mollusk correctly, it may die or go into hibernation.
• The terrarium must be kept clean regularly.

Proper feeding of a snail is the key to its health and the ability to live as long as the snail lives in the best possible conditions.

• Almost all snails prefer plant food, for which you can prepare a special tray with low edges.
• Snails love bananas very much, but if you give them often, they stop eating other food and demand only this delicacy.
• You cannot offer clams food containing salt and sugar - this is deadly.
• For a beautiful, healthy shell, you need to feed the snail with calcium.

If snails are properly cared for, they very quickly become tame and get used to their owner.

A snail is not just a resident of an aquarium or a pest in the garden; the mollusk has many useful properties that people have learned to use as efficiently as possible.

• Snail meat is very healthy and in many countries it is prepared as a regular dish.
• Mollusk mucus is distinguished by a large number of biologically active substances:
• elastin;
• amino acids;
• collagen;
• vitamins;
• natural antibiotics;
• allantoin.
• The protein content in shellfish meat is one and a half times higher than in a chicken egg.
• Snail meat is recommended for dietary purposes.
• Shellfish does not cause allergies.
• In ancient times, snails were actively used for therapeutic purposes.
• In modern medicine, mollusk mucus is used to treat silicosis, bronchitis, and whooping cough. Since the special composition has the property of gluing cells with bacteria. Our grandmothers would sit a snail on a piece of lump sugar and wait for it to become covered with mucus, after which they would give it to the patient to eat.
• The mucus content of the snail allows it to independently restore its shell.
• In cosmetology, ordinary mucus has become the basis for many anti-aging, regenerating, antioxidant products.
• Snails are also used to make effective masks.
• Mucus-based drugs are used to combat stretch marks, acne, scars, warts, and age spots.

The snail is a unique creature that is the oldest living creature on earth. Therefore, there are quite a lot of interesting facts in the life of this mollusk:

An ordinary snail can bring many benefits, the main thing is to know about its unique abilities.

Whomever do city dwellers keep as pets these days? The quiet and generally unpretentious giant snails Achatina have become very popular recently. Keeping and caring for these dumb creatures is quite simple, no more difficult than caring for a turtle. What does a beginner need to know who decides to breed shellfish? Pet store sellers often cannot clearly explain to the buyer all the intricacies of caring for Achatina. Here you will read tips on feeding and keeping these beauties from the Black Continent.

Choosing our pet

Giant African snails, which are bred as pets in Europe and Russia, are considered in their homeland to be terrible and voracious pests that can destroy sugar cane and other agricultural crops. Scientists classify the land gastropod as a member of the large family Archachatinidae. It includes several genera and about sixty species. Representatives of the genus Achatina have a blunt, rounded crown of the shell and are considered more primitive compared to Achatina. They are also sold in pet stores, especially Archachatina marginata, whose house can reach twelve centimeters in diameter. The African Achatina differs from its relative by the pointed and elongated crown of the shell. She also has an outgoing personality.

What types of Achatina are there?

But within this genus there are many species. If you are looking for size, buy the largest snail from West Africa. In the wild, giant Achatina grows its shell up to thirty-seven centimeters in length, and the weight of the mollusk can be 450 grams. In captivity they are slightly smaller, but look no less impressive. She is considered the most prolific, by the way, and the most unpretentious. He eats everything and feels great in an ordinary city apartment. But these creatures are unsociable and slow.

Achatina reticulata, on the contrary, are very mobile. We can say that these mollusks are curious, sociable, and smart. Their shells, covered with a dotted or striped pattern, can reach 20 cm in diameter. Albino reticulata are the most valued among breeders; they are smaller, but incredibly beautiful. Achatina iredalei, or lemon Achatina, is interesting because it is viviparous. A snail brings up to 25 babies in one litter. Its light yellow shell is quite small, measuring only five centimeters in an adult.

Does the choice of Achatina species change the care and maintenance of the pet? In fact, all these African snails are relatives, and close ones at that. Therefore, they all have almost the same requirements for food, temperature and air humidity. Some like a wetter environment, others prefer a drier environment. Some burrow into the ground during the day and unsociablely crawl out only at night, while representatives of other species trustingly climb into the palm of their owner. But, by and large, the basic care and feeding techniques are the same for all types of Achatina. When choosing a pet, be guided only by your aesthetic feelings. Let its bright and unusual color please your eyes and improve your mood!

Terrarium

A snail is not a crocodile or even a python, so its house can be very ordinary. It can be a glass aquarium, but not filled with water, of course. It can also be a container made of transparent or translucent plastic, or a plexiglass terrarium. You should make sure there is enough space for your pet; the capacity should be at least five liters for one snail. If you decide to breed three or four Achatina at once, keeping them requires a 20-liter aquarium or box. And since shellfish are not fish, they can voluntarily leave the place allocated for them and crawl around the apartment. To prevent this from happening, cover the terrarium with a lid, in which make a sufficient number of holes for free air circulation.

Setting up the house

On the bare bottom of an aquarium or container, Achatina snails will feel uncomfortable, stop growing, and begin to wither. That is why soil is needed where pets can burrow. Ideally, such a bedding could be orchid or For better well-being of adults, a mound of soil of five to seven centimeters is necessary, but young animals should not be allowed to bury themselves so much. Small snails can suffocate if the covering is too thick. You can use Begonia substrate (sold in gardening stores) or compost without fertilizers.

Required bedding

You shouldn’t add peat and loam; after a while you’ll be looking at your dirty pets through equally muddy glass. Sand is good because it encourages snails to lay eggs. But Achatina, whose care and maintenance are otherwise very simple, can spread grains of sand throughout the terrarium and scratch each other’s glass and shells with them. In general, here you need to empirically find the “golden mean”. The substrate should not be completely organic, because the compost can harbor fruit flies that will fly throughout the apartment. Knowledgeable snail breeders advise creating a bedding from a mixture of coarse loose sand and non-acidic soil.

Water procedures

Achatina snails love to splash, so do not forget to install a bath in the terrarium, into which you pour fresh water at room temperature. If you have hatched young, make sure that the bath is shallow enough. In general, these African snails move well underwater, but a small individual may accidentally choke. The bath should stand firmly on the bottom, so that if some Achatina decides to dig up the bedding under it, the water will not spill.

Aesthetic design

A beautiful diamond needs a decent setting, as the saying goes. What if such precious stones are Achatina? The care and maintenance of these beauties is simply unthinkable without the aesthetic design of the terrarium. Non-rotting pieces of wood, moss, and terracotta shards will only emphasize the sophistication of African snails. Plants will not only look spectacular in the terrarium, but also saturate it with oxygen, and at the same time diversify the diet of your pets. The most optimal neighbors for Achatina will be fern and ivy.

Temperature

Giant snails are inhabitants of the hot tropics. Therefore, the temperature in the terrarium should range from +20 to + 28 Celsius. You should not place a container with snails near the battery, as this will lead to drying out of the substrate. Direct sunlight is also undesirable; in this case, the snails will face an undesirable temperature contrast. If your home is colder in winter, then to maintain an optimal climate in the terrarium, use heating lamps, as for keeping reptiles. Achatina are more or less indifferent to light; they do not need to extend the “day”, as for orchids. But it is important to take the light source outside the container so that the snails do not try to crawl on the lamps.

Humidity

These natives of the equatorial jungle love a humid environment. Therefore, you need to spray the litter and walls of the terrarium with water from a spray bottle once or twice a day. inside the box should vary depending on the type of your Achatina from 75 to 85 percent. And the albopicta snail (resembles a reticulata in appearance) generally needs 90% dampness. The optimal humidification regime should also be sought empirically. You should spray the terrarium without being too fanatical, as you will create swamp and dirt. If you see that most snails are sitting on the walls and trying to climb higher, then the environment is too wet for them. If they burrow into the ground even in the evening and become clogged with lids, then the terrarium is too dry.

What to feed Achatina

This point worries many novice snail lovers. Don’t be afraid, because Achatina eats our “domestic” vegetables and fruits very well. Unlike other exotics, they can easily live without papaya, bamboo shoots, fresh eucalyptus leaves and other things. Most breeders identify three products that Achatina adore. These are lettuce leaves, fresh cucumber and apple. However, you shouldn’t limit them to just these products. For the health and longevity of snails, you should diversify their menu. Give them carrots and cabbage leaves too. Achatina doesn’t like potatoes too much, unless they are boiled. In the summer, treat your snails with a variety of berries and fruits. However, do not give soft fruits to young animals. There have been cases when young snails completely buried themselves in a banana and suffocated there. Achatina tomatoes, spinach, champignons, legumes, zucchini, as well as melon and watermelon will be appreciated. But what snails can’t eat is spicy, fried, smoked, and sweet.

Mineral supplements

Calcium is an important component that Achatina extremely needs. Care and maintenance of snails requires regular feeding. In addition, you can provide them with the necessary “building material” for the shell in the form of pureed eggshells, sepia, shell rock, gammarus, cottage cheese (without salt and other food additives). Give your pets calcium cereal (a mixture of grains and minerals) occasionally. Do not forget that in the wild, Achatina does not disdain carrion. Therefore, occasionally you can give them meat puree, boiled eggs, minced meat. If a snail doesn't get enough calcium, its shell becomes thinner. Consequently, its internal organs, which are attached to the inside of the shell, become vulnerable.

Reproduction

The domestic Achatina snails are extremely prolific. In addition, they are hermaphrodites and can bear offspring regardless of the presence of a different-sex partner. If you do not want a new offspring, simply wash off the eggs (they look like chicken eggs, only in miniature) with water. But if you want to breed snail offspring, you should be more careful when cleaning the terrarium. It should be cleaned so as not to change the air humidity and not damage the masonry. To prevent newborn Achatina from suffocating in the loose soil of the litter, you need to keep them on lettuce or cabbage leaves.

The most common problem breeders face is shell injuries. Very often, while crawling along the lid of the terrarium, the snail falls off and falls down. Sometimes the landing is very unsuccessful and leads to a chip or crack in the shell. Don't panic right away. If the soft body does not fall out or just a little comes out, the matter can be corrected. Just lubricate the chip with an antiseptic. The rest will be done by the snail's strong body. Soon the wound healing process will begin. Maybe the shell will no longer be so beautiful, but the pet is alive. During therapy, move the wounded Achatina into a separate box, since snails love to rub their shells against each other.