The Achatina snail belongs to the mollusk family Archachatinidae, which includes representatives of several genera. Achatina are similar to their relatives Archachatina, but they have a more pointed crown of the shell. Achatina is a giant prolific, it can produce 100-600 eggs at a time, which have a round shape and a white shell.

African Achatina are one of the largest land mollusks on the planet. They have large shells with a yellow-brown tint and a dark pattern. The body is brown or dark, soft and tuberous. The largest specimen weighed up to 600 grams and had a shell length of almost 40 cm.

The most common domestic Achatina is Achatina fulica. These African land molluscs are found in many tropical countries and cause damage to fruit-bearing plants. Achatina are characterized by a variegated shell pattern, the color of which depends on the diet. The color of the soft part of the body is similar to Archachatina, but the fulica has more pronounced tubercles. Achatina fulica is more common in pet stores because they are easy to keep and eat a lot of things.

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What do you need to keep a snail?

The best “house” where Achatina snails will receive care is a glass aquarium or aquaterrarium. For one adult snail, choose the tank that is as free as possible. To keep several pets at once, you will need a container of 20 liters 3. The terrarium should have a lid with holes for air circulation. The holes should not be wide so that the animal does not escape.

Keeping a large snail at home is impossible without a soil substrate. Achatina likes to sleep during the day, burying itself in a layer of soil. There is an opinion that flower soil containing peat will be useful. But land with a high peat content creates life in an acidic environment, which is harmful to animals. The ground covering must be moistened once a day with water from a spray bottle, otherwise the snails themselves will begin to secrete a large amount of mucus.

As a result, the mollusks will become smeared in dirt and contaminate the glass. There is no need to use clay or fatty loams as a substrate, as well as pieces of rotten wooden bark. The optimal solution is to pour loose sand onto the bottom of the aquarium instead of soil with peat. Sometimes it is replaced with hazelnut and walnut shells. But the delicate skin of mollusks can be injured. A good option for bedding is coconut substrate.

Domestic snails must be kept in clean conditions. The soil should be cleaned once a week, and completely replaced with cleaning of the terrarium - once every 3-12 months. But the more often you take care of your pet’s home, the better. The waste products, despite the absence of odor, will still begin to emit rot, and the walls of the tank will be covered with the mucus of crawling snails.

In conditions of full lighting, snails feel comfortable. But they do not require artificial light sources. Alternating day-night mode is sufficient. Domestic mollusks are active at night and sleep during the day. If you consider it necessary to install lighting to better see animals, then the lighting fixtures should be external.

Watch a video that explains how to keep Achatina snails.

At home, the temperature should be constant. It is necessary that the air temperature is comfortable for tropical African snails. A temperature from 22 to 28 o C will be most optimal. It is not recommended to install the aquaterrarium near a room radiator, in places exposed to direct sunlight, so as not to create a temperature difference.

As for accessories, you can put moss and samples of clay ceramics in a container with soil. You can plant plants in the ground, then ones that would prevent the substrate from becoming waterlogged. It is better to choose species that are covered with small fibers. Snails tend to eat plants, so you will have to replant them from time to time. The best option is fern or ivy.

Feeding. Reproduction of Achatina snails

Feeding should occur once a day for young snails, and once every few days for mature ones. African snails eat plant foods. They love lettuce, dandelion, grapes, cucumbers, and apples. They also eat spinach, corn, zucchini, mango, avocado, bananas, and melon at home. However, the snail can eat some of the listed products, and refuse some altogether. You should not often give oranges or grapes, watermelon with seeds. Some pets eat carrots and cabbage. Healthy carbohydrate foods for shellfish would be oatmeal flakes and bran.

During the first years of life, snails grow quickly. To keep their shell strong, food supplements are necessary. Calcium carbonate is beneficial for strengthening and growing the shell. Crushed eggshells or a piece of chalk should be present in the aquarium. Vitamin and mineral complexes for shellfish can be purchased in stores.

Do snails need water? Despite the constant moisture of the soil, a separate container with water should be in the aquarium. While the snail is small, the container should not be deep so that the pet does not drown. Water is useful for normalizing mucus production. Some snails allow you to pull yourself together and bathe them in a bath of warm water. They love water and are not afraid of it.

In captivity, Achatina easily reproduces from the age of 6 months. Some copies come to play later. Incubation lasts 1-2 months. If the soil thickness is low, they will refuse to reproduce. For laying, you need soil 7 cm deep, where the snail could lay eggs. Don't be surprised if your pet produces offspring throughout the year. From the age of one year, sperm are formed in the mollusk, and later - eggs. The African snail is a hermaphrodite, although two snails can also interbreed. If you have several pets, it is better to place them in different aquariums.

Look how Achatina reproduces.

It happens that a snail brings a “surprise”: more than 100 eggs, which have practically nowhere to put. A compromise and humane solution is to give the fry away for free. There have been cases of getting rid of masonry when the owner took it to nature or to the street in winter. But the opposite reaction can occur - in nature, Achatina are pests. In some countries, on a legislative basis, it is prohibited to keep them at home, much less breed them.

Snail diseases

If you have several snails, you may periodically notice how they scratch each other's shells, causing pits to form. This bad habit can be overcome if you lubricate the sink with a non-harmful, but “tasteless” product. In this case, consult your veterinarian so as not to risk it.

There are owners who often prefer to pick up snails by digging up the soil during the day. Firstly, at this time of day, pets prefer to sleep rather than get stressed. Secondly, you can damage the snail. The snail is active in the evening, and then it will happily go into your hands. It is not recommended to pick up the snail by the last spiral of the shell, the damaged part of the body. To correctly take a mollusk, you should moisten its leg with water, place your finger under it, and hold the shell with your other hand.

Keeping a giant Achatina at home is a great opportunity to please yourself. These animals are unpretentious and are not afraid of human hands. If you are going on a trip, they can be left alone for a few days. During a long trip of the owner, the snails can hibernate, hiding in the shell and clogging it. During this time they will live off the body's resources, but after waking up they will be very hungry. They wake up after a “shower” with warm water. Anabiosis (hibernation) also occurs when the snail is too cold or there is too much moisture in the aquarium, simulating the rainy season.

Proper care of Achatina snails at home is an important topic for lovers of exotic pets. These African beauties are considered the largest of the mollusks, have a shell up to 25 cm in size, a heart, kidney, lung, brain and have conditioned reflexes. They are unpretentious, but some conditions must be met when caring for them.

Achatina - content

African Achatina snails are land snails; care and maintenance at home do not require much trouble. Many aquarists consider them ideal domesticated pets. Achatina do not smell, do not bite, do not cause allergies, do not require communication or walking, even on vacation or a business trip you don’t have to worry about them - the snail can easily live alone for a week or two.

What is needed to keep Achatina snails?

For the unassuming Achatina, when kept at home, you will need a transparent container. Suitable vessel:

• made of plastic;
• made of plexiglass;
• old glass aquarium.

In order for the mollusk to feel comfortable, the volume of the container must be at least 10 liters; if a family of snails lives in it, this means more. To allow fresh air to enter, the terrarium must be equipped with top covers with small holes through which the inhabitant cannot escape. Caring for Achatina snails at home - how to fill the container:

1. The bottom is covered with a layer of substrate 10 cm high; flower compost or clean peat will do. You can add sand, hazelnut shells or walnut cores to it. The substrate is needed so that the snail can burrow into the ground - they love to do this and lay eggs there. The compost needs to be moistened a little from a spray bottle every day.
2. Additionally, you can put large stones, driftwood, coconut halves in the aquarium - the snails will hide in them. Green vegetation (ferns, ivy) will decorate the living area and become useful food for the inhabitants.
3. A plastic feeder with low edges and a drinker made of a plastic lid are placed in the vessel.

Temperature for keeping Achatina snails

When cared for and kept at home, African Achatina will feel comfortable at a temperature of 20-30°C and a humidity of 80-95%. Such conditions are close to their natural environment. The activity of the mollusk depends on sunlight, humidity and ambient temperature. They go for walks mainly at night or during rainy periods. If gastropods climb up the walls, it means there is high humidity in their house; if they hide in the ground, it means it’s very dry. The container should not be placed in direct sunlight or near heating devices.

When caring for unpretentious domestic Achatina snails, in addition to maintaining optimal temperature and humidity, they require cleaning the aquarium, balanced feeding, and care during the period of breeding mollusks. Close attention should be paid to your pet's shell - it is its protection from diseases and external damage. When caring for Achatina snails at home, you can give them water treatments:

1. Place a bath of cool water in the terrarium; there should not be much liquid in it in depth.
2. Occasionally give your pets a warm shower, holding them in your hand over the sink for about 3 minutes.

Caring for Achatina snails at home - cleaning the terrarium:

1. The container is cleaned 2-3 times every 3 months.
2. Cleaning includes washing it completely and replacing the substrate.
3. If the walls of the aquarium are covered with mucus (it is left by crawling gastropods) or an unpleasant odor is heard from it, an unscheduled cleaning needs to be done.

Caring for Achatina in winter

The giant Achatina snail requires special attention when caring for and maintaining it in winter. During the cold season, at low temperatures and insufficient humidity in the terrarium, the mollusk can go into suspended animation - hibernation, while covering its shell with a protective film. Many breeders do not recommend allowing Achatina to hibernate for more than 2 months, otherwise the individuals may die.

For young animals, suspended animation is generally harmful - they are going through a period of active growth and need to constantly eat well. To wake up your pet, it is recommended to hold it under running warm water or simply sprinkle it. After a few minutes, he himself will break the protective film and appear in the light. To prevent the snail from hibernating, the home must have the recommended temperature and humidity.

Achatina – sink care

Large Achatina snails need special shell care; you need to pay attention to the following points:

1. For good growth and development, the mollusk must receive a sufficient amount of calcium. Otherwise, your pet may begin to have problems with the shell - it will begin to peel off, become fragile, and the snail itself will never reach the gigantic size for which it is so famous. The inhabitant also needs calcium if she is pregnant or her shell is damaged. Chalk, powdered eggshells, or sepia, a mineral stone for birds, are used as feeding.


2. Another common problem is chips and cracks in the sink. Sometimes a mollusk crawling along the upper edge of the house falls down, which can lead to injury to the shell. In this case, it is necessary to treat the damaged area with an antiseptic and place the pet in a separate vessel so that it does not rub against its relatives (Achatina loves to do this).

Achatina eggs - care

When caring for Achatina snails at home, you need to know that these mollusks are hermaphrodites. Each individual has both female and male reproductive organs and, upon reaching the age of 6-7 months, they can reproduce. To produce offspring, a pair of adult individuals are placed in a separate vessel for a week. Achatina are hyperfertile; they bury eggs in the ground approximately 2 weeks after mating. At one time, a clutch can contain 50-400 eggs. Their size is 4-5 mm, their shape resembles that of a chicken.

Many breeders care for the Achatina clutch in a separate container. They transfer them with a plastic spoon into a separate transparent vessel and sprinkle them with a 1-2 cm layer of soil so that the eternally digging adults do not harm the offspring. The substrate and the walls of the vessel must be irrigated daily, and the container must be covered with a lid. Egg development occurs at a temperature of 25-27°C and a humidity of 70%; it is important not to allow changes in the values ​​of these indicators.

Newborn Achatina snails - care

African newborn Achatina snails, whose clutches were cared for in comfortable temperature conditions, are born a month after fertilization. The shell of eggs becomes thin, all the calcium from it is used to form the shell of the babies. During the birth process, the mollusk separates and tries to get out of the ground. In this case, it is advisable to dig up the soil around the masonry to help the newborns get out. During the first few days, the snails eat the remains of their shell.

Little Achatina - care

Basic principles of caring for small Achatina:

1. A temporary home for newborn snails can be an 8-10 liter food container; they do not need a spacious home.
2. The lid of the container must have holes to allow air to enter.
3. For the first few months, it is best to place a thermometer and hygrometer in the container. The optimal temperature for keeping small Achatina is 25-27°C, humidity is 65-70%.
4. An incandescent lamp will help maintain the desired temperature, and a spray bottle will help maintain humidity.
5. For small Achatina plants, cabbage and lettuce foliage serves as soil. If they live in a terrarium with a substrate, then preference should be given to flower soil and coconut shavings. Moss, sand, sawdust and stones are prohibited.
6. It is better to place the container with babies on a shelf or bookshelf, rather than on a window.

What can you feed Achatina snails?

When caring for African Achatina snails at home, it is important to feed them correctly and in a timely manner so that the mollusk grows healthy and does not get sick. Their diet should consist of plant foods, mineral supplements and animal protein. Achatina - proper nutrition and care:

1. Basic diet: lettuce, dandelion, plantain leaves; various greens; shoots of vegetables and grains.
2. Vegetables: cucumbers, spinach, pumpkin, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, peas.
3. Fruits and berries: apples, pears, watermelons, melons, bananas, apricots, plums, strawberries, raspberries, cherries.
4. Proteins: pureed meat products, fish food, meat and bone meal, boiled egg.
5. Mineral feeding: feed chalk, eggshells, small shrimp, special mixtures for reptiles, sepia.

There are a number of foods that should not be given to snails. Salt poses a mortal danger to them. We must ensure that it does not enter their diet in pure form or in large quantities. It is prohibited to give gastropods spices, sweet, smoked, spicy or sour foods, or fried foods. You should also avoid pasta, raw potatoes and citrus fruits; the latter do not have a very good effect on your pet’s shell.

What to feed Achatina in winter?

In the cold season, the diet of shellfish should not be meager. Winter food consists of: oatmeal, wheat bran, bread soaked in milk. The menu is supplemented with bananas, beets, and carrots. Most snail breeders grow green grass on windowsills, which they sell in veterinary stores for cats. Many people do not know whether Achatina can be fed canned food. The answer is no, salt is bad for your pet’s health. It is better to replace pickled vegetables with frozen ones from the supermarket, defrosting them before feeding;

What to feed small Achatina snails?

1. The first few days after birth, a few lettuce leaves generously sprinkled with eggshells or chalk are enough for them.
2. After a week, chopped greens, grated vegetables, calcium and grain mixtures, ground in a coffee grinder, should be added to the baby’s diet.
3. They need minerals to grow and form a beautiful and strong shell. Vegetable protein will help the formation of a healthy shellfish faster.
4. From the second week of life, you can add animal protein to the menu.
5. Starting from one month of age, grated fruits and vegetables are replaced with cubes.

How many times should I feed Achatina?

If an African Achatina lives in the house, it must be fed and cared for correctly. It is better to feed snails in the evening, because these mollusks are nocturnal creatures and in the evening they become active. For adults, one feeding per day is enough; it is allowed to give them food every other day. Young animals need to have 24/7 access to food. Food should not be placed on the ground so that it does not mix with the substrate and spoil or become moldy. For food you need to use a bowl or, in extreme cases, a lettuce leaf.

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The Achatina snail is a gigantic snail found naturally in areas of the Republic of Kenya, Tanzania and some areas of Asia.

Body structure:

• Pharynx.
• Salivary gland.
• Intestines.
• Liver.
• Anal hole.
• Heart.
• Bud.
• Nerve nodes.
• Oviduct.
• Flagellum.
• Protein gland.
• Sexual opening.

They are funny, do not require special attention from the owner, and keeping them at home consists only of proper nutrition and selection of suitable food.

The snail has a large brown shell. But its color changes depending on nutrition. These mollusks move quickly. In 1 minute, the snail covers a distance of 1 centimeter.

Content rules:

1. Ideally snails placed in a square or rectangular terrarium. But if you don’t have one, then use an aquarium or container.

   The terrarium is selected based on the number of “inhabitants”. For one land snail you will need a terrarium of at least 10 liters.

   The terrarium must be covered with a lid. This is done so that the land snail does not crawl out of it.

2. The lighting is dimmed. If you turn on a bright light, the resident of the terrarium will go blind.
3. The soil is made from a soft substrate: hazelnut shells, fallen leaves, forest cover moss, sphagnum moss.

   Soil, neutralized peat, and coconut substrate are also suitable. The minimum soil layer is 10 centimeters. The snail lays eggs (eggs) in the soil.

Do not use sand or sawdust to line the bottom. They damage the shell.

4. Presence aeration (oxygen saturation).
5. Temperature varies from 27 to 28 degrees Celsius.

Rules of care:

1. Daily spray the soil in the terrarium.
2. Priming changes 2 times a week.
3. Once a week The walls and bottom of the pet’s habitat are cleaned with a brush.
4. Once a month Achatina needs to be bathed. The pet enjoys bathing.

   To do this, take the snail in your hand and hold it under running warm water, then carefully clean the shell from dirt with a brush.

The terrarium is decorated with fresh and artificial flowers. Remember that living flowers are quickly eaten by pets, so it is better to use decorative ones.

Place a container of water to maintain a normal level of humidity inside the container. Achatina loves to swim in containers with water. There must be a house.

The terrarium must not be placed in a place with direct sunlight. Ultraviolet radiation negatively affects shellfish.

What to feed Achatina snails?

Achatina are not picky creatures. You don’t even have to feed them for 2-3 weeks, but in this case the snail will go into suspended animation (a state in which life processes slow down).

What do Achatina eat:

• Apples.
• Pears.
• Apricots.
• Grape.
• Melon.
• Bananas.
• Watermelon.
• Papaya.
• Avocado.
• Pineapples.
• Cherries.
• Cucumbers.
• Tomatoes.
• Carrot.
• Corn.
• Dill.
• Parsley.
• Spinach.
• Celery.
• Dandelion leaves.
• Bread.
• Milk.
• Hercules.
• Boiled eggs.
• Chopped nuts.

To improve the color of the shell, Achatina is fed with carrots, pumpkin, sweet peppers, tomatoes, nettle and plantain leaves.

Reproduction: how to care for eggs?

Snails are hermaphrodites. They reach sexual maturity only after 7 months. Reproduction begins with mating dances. Achatina circle around each other.

Reproduction process:

1. Contact with copulatory organs.
2. The incubation period is from 7 to 14 days.
3. Laying from 100 to 400 eggs in the ground.
4. After 21 days, small snails hatch. The length of their body is from 3 to 5 centimeters.

Use in cosmetology: benefit or harm?

Today, mollusks are actively used in cosmetology. Scientists have discovered that Achatina mucus contains a lot of allantoin, elastin, collagen, peptides, glycolic acid and arathan sulfate.

Table: benefits

Snail mucus is usually not harmful. It is not recommended to use them in cosmetology for people with hypersensitivity or allergic tendencies.

Massage procedures are very popular in cosmetology. The snail is washed and placed on the person’s face for a certain time.

Massage helps:

1. Narrow pores.
2. Get rid of expression wrinkles.
3. Get rid of bags under the eyes.
4. Prevent skin peeling.
5. Increase the elasticity of facial skin.

Varieties

Over 60 species of Achatina live on the African continent. At home, it is customary to keep only a few species.

Types:

1. Fulika.
2. Reticulata.
3. Immaculata.
4. Albopicta.
5. Iradelie.
6. Brown.
7. Tiger.
8. Zanzibarika.
9. Standard.
10. Panther.
11. White albino.

Children are interested in calling Achatina names and caring for them. In reality, snails are much more beautiful and larger than in the photo. They have a more pronounced color and a longer body.

Achatina snails are popular not only in real life, but also in computer life. Today there is one game ARK: Survival Evolved, where these mollusks are the main characters.

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Characteristics of Achatina

The average shell length of adult snails, as a rule, does not exceed 50-100 mm, but some specimens are larger, exceeding 20 cm. The snail shell is conical in shape, most often characteristically twisted counterclockwise.

Mature Achatina are characterized by a shell having about seven to nine turns. The basic color of the shell directly depends on the characteristics of the environment, as well as the diet, but most often it has reddish-brown stripes and yellowish shades.

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Before purchasing, you need to find out the specifics of caring for a snail and inquire about the mollusk’s diet, its maintenance and care, and also take into account the main nuances:

• It is not recommended to purchase domestic Achatina from hand, so it is advisable to visit a pet store and observe the behavior, eating habits and general health of the snail;
• it is important to inspect the terrarium and its equipment, taking into account the volume of the home and its lighting, the presence of a ventilation hole and other accessories;
• African Achatina must have a good pedigree, recorded in special registration documentation.

It should be remembered that private individuals who are unprofessionally engaged in the breeding of land gastropods do not cull and try to sell snails in large quantities, and also sell clutches and do not have competence in matters of care or maintenance. Quite often, such people are not able to provide complete information about their shellfish and do not care at all about the health of the animal.

Important! Particular attention should be paid to the appearance of the mollusk. The snail's shell should not have cracks, and a good sign is its uniformity. It is best to purchase Achatina when it is over two months old.

Breeders or keepers raise snails competently and are fully competent in the matter of their maintenance. Professionals are not looking for profit from selling snails, so they are able, if necessary, to provide comprehensive information about the origin and pedigree of the mollusk. Breeders perform timely culling, but never use the eggs for breeding.

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Terrarium construction, filling

Any glass or plastic container that has a lid with special small ventilation holes can be used as a home for the mollusk. As practice shows, preference should be given to a horizontal type terrarium, and the volume of such a container for one adult individual cannot be less than ten liters.

Particular attention is paid to heating the terrarium for raising a tropical pet. The heat-loving creature must be provided with a comfortable and stable temperature regime of 26-28 o C, regardless of the season. It is preferable to use special external devices in the form of safe-to-use thermal cords or thermal mats to heat the snail’s home. It is important to prevent not only the animal from freezing, but also its overheating, so it is advisable to place a thermometer in the terrarium.

It will also be interesting:

• African snail Achatina
• What to feed Achatina snails
• Grape snail (Helix romatia)

The lighting of the terrarium is of no small importance, but additional lighting at night is not necessary. The mollusk should not be exposed to sunlight, so the terrarium should absolutely not be installed on the windowsill of a south-facing window.

As filling for the home, you need to choose the right type of soil, for which it is advisable to use a coconut substrate that retains moisture well. The thickness of the soil is selected according to the size of the pet. Before filling, the briquette is filled with boiling water, after which it is cooled, washed and dried. As a completely worthy filling option, you can also use pure high-moor peat with a pH level in the range of 5-7.

Important! It is necessary to place a terrarium with a giant snail in a place where there is no negative impact on the animal from drafts or direct sunlight, as well as excess heat from heating devices.

Additional accessories for the snail include high-quality drinking bowls and feeders made from environmentally friendly and soft materials, as well as a swimming pool and a small house. Food grade plastics have proven themselves very well. Do not use sharp or dangerous, too hard objects in the terrarium that could cause damage to the body or shell of a domestic mollusk. Experienced owners of such pets recommend planting salad crops or special cat grass in the Achatina house. Twigs, picturesque driftwood or traditional tree bark will become a real decoration for the landscape.

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Proper diet of the Achatina snail

The basis of the Achatina diet is represented by lettuce leaves, various greens, shoots of cereal crops and vegetables, as well as tops. The diet of shellfish should also include the following products:

• cucumber and pumpkin pulp;
• spinach;
• zucchini;
• carrots;
• cobs of young corn;
• peas;
• tomatoes;
• cabbage;
• apple and pear pulp;
• watermelon and melon;
• bananas;
• apricots;
• avocado;
• mango;
• pineapples;
• cherries;
• plum;
• raspberries;
• strawberries

Adult gastropods can be a little capricious when it comes to nutrition, so they often give preference to certain foods while completely neglecting others. In any case, soft fruits and vegetables are cut into slices, and hard ones are grated or crushed in a kitchen blender until pureed. Any food given to the snail should be brought to room temperature.

It is forbidden to give your pet food from the common table, spices and fried foods, sweet and sour, as well as smoked and spicy foods. Natural acids contained in citrus fruits, including lemons, tangerines and oranges, are dangerous for snails. It is very important to provide the gastropod with a special mineral supplement containing a sufficient amount of calcium.

This is interesting! Clean water is especially important for the gastropod, which Achatina not only drinks, but also very actively uses for water procedures. Water must be replaced daily.

It is advisable to feed adult domestic snails in the evening, once a day. Small and young animals should be provided with round-the-clock and unhindered access to food and water. Food is given in a special bowl or on a tray, which may well be a cabbage or lettuce leaf. Uneaten food is removed from the terrarium.

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Achatina care

Such exotic pets do not require special care. The terrarium must be cleaned as it becomes dirty, and general cleaning is carried out at least a couple of times a month. Hygienic washing of the walls of the terrarium and the inside of the lid is carried out daily.

It is strictly forbidden to use traditional chemical cleaning powders and other products for cleaning, so experienced owners of pet snails advise using hot water and a soft rag or an ordinary dish sponge for this purpose.

Important! It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that any devices used in cleaning the terrarium must be stored separately.

Gastropods love to take regular water treatments. Of course, for such exotic pets, for hygienic purposes, it is quite enough to install a shallow pool inside the terrarium, but it is very advisable to periodically give the snail a warm shower, holding the animal in your hand over a regular sink. The stream of water directed at the snail should not be too strong and must be warm. The total duration of this procedure is no more than three minutes.

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Health, disease and prevention

The main causes of snail diseases are most often presented:

• improper maintenance, including hypothermia or overheating of the animal, the use of a terrarium that is too small, the use of dry or marshy soil;
• low-calorie diet with insufficient protein and calcium;
• rare cleaning of the terrarium, accumulation of rotting food debris and excrement;
• improper ventilation and poor-quality soil;
• disturbances in the neighborhood of different species and subspecies of domestic snails.

The main signs of the disease in a pet are lethargy, complete or partial refusal to eat, blockage of the entrance to the shell, excessive or thick mucous discharge, as well as pronounced delamination of the shell. Of particular danger is the loss of a gastropod from its shell, which can be caused by genetic predispositions or prolonged exposure to carcinogens, the influence of bacteria, infections and fungi. The result of this pathology, as a rule, is the rapid death of the snail. In order to prevent such diseases, it is recommended to competently approach the process of choosing basic feed and additives of animal origin.

Important! Particular importance is attached to compliance with preventive measures, including monitoring the cleanliness of the terrarium, maintaining a proper diet and proper care for the domestic mollusk.

Careless handling of domestic shellfish can cause household damage and damage to the integrity of the shell. Damage that is not too large is most often corrected with epoxy glue, after which the animal must be provided with a diet enriched with calcium.

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Reproduction at home

Achatina belongs to the category of hermaphrodite animals, therefore they have both male and female reproductive organs for reproduction. The total duration of the incubation period ranges from 28 to 56 days, which depends on the species characteristics of gastropods, as well as the conditions of their home keeping. It should be noted that Achatina are extremely prolific, so many owners, in order to curb uncontrolled reproduction, simply wash off the excess egg laying that appears.

To obtain healthy offspring, you need to remember that during the incubation period, all cleaning activities are carried out with extreme care, and increased attention should be paid to monitoring and stabilizing air humidity levels inside the terrarium. After birth, all newborn snails are separated from the adults.

Instead of a substrate in your home, it is best to use lettuce leaves. The smallest Achatina are fed liquid porridge with the addition of grated carrots, which helps strengthen their shell and also very well activates growth processes. Among other things, it is necessary to remember that until the age of one and a half years, domestic gastropods should not be allowed to breed.

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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 damaged 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;
• onions 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.

The terrarium cannot be placed in direct sunlight. You will not need additional lighting; only diffused daylight will be enough. If, for aesthetic reasons, you decide to add light, then it should be a low-energy fluorescent lamp, separated from the rest of the terrarium, so that the Achatina cannot get on its surface. An alternative would be lighting located outside the terrarium.

One or two pet snails?

These animals have sexual dimorphism, that is, there is no difference between the sexes. This means that each individual is both a boy and a girl. If you get two Achatina, sooner or later they will both lay eggs. The number of eggs depends on the species - from tens to hundreds of eggs from one individual. The incubation period and breeding of young animals does not cause difficulties, but you must decide how you will then support such a number of pets.

Additional facts about Achatina:

• Achatina should not be released into the wild; they need care. They are not resistant to diseases carried by snails in our climate. If they are free, they will not be able to survive the winter.
• Their mucus contains allantoin, a bacteriostatic substance on the basis of which drugs are produced for those suffering from asthma and tuberculosis.
• Mucus also contains collagen, elastin and glycolic acid, which provide tissue regeneration and accelerate wound healing.
• These are edible shellfish.
• The easiest species to cultivate is Achatina Fulica. They do well at home at room temperature, eat little and grow very quickly.
• In some countries, the cultivation of Achatina is prohibited because they cause huge losses in crop production.
• During World War II in the tropics, Achatina were a rapidly renewing food source for soldiers.
• This pet may bite or rather scratch. However, its bite is almost invisible.
• In the USA and other countries where the climate is optimal for the reproduction of mollusks of this genus in nature, their cultivation is illegal.
• An animal grows throughout its life, but grows faster when young and if it has access to plenty of food.
• The average movement speed is 1 mm/s.

If you decide to get an unusual pet, go for it! Perhaps snail breeding will become your favorite hobby for many years.

mjusli.ru

African exotica

“Lovely”, “touching”, “tender” - such epithets are often given to Achatina, amazing creatures native to the African continent. These giant snails are becoming increasingly popular among lovers of unusual pets.

Being an agricultural pest, Achatina damages some plant crops, among which it prefers sugar cane. Fortunately, this snail does not survive in the climatic conditions of Russia. Here it is kept in terrariums of exotic lovers. Propagates easily, and is often distributed free of charge, since everyone who starts it soon has a problem - what to do with the young replenishment.

Keeping Achatina snails at home

The Achatina snail kept at home is also can grow up to 20 cm, like her wild brothers. An adult animal has a conical shell of 7...9 turns, the color of which depends on inherited traits and on the menu of the mollusk. Most often, the surface of the shell is covered with brown stripes of different shades. Found among these snails and albinos.

At the bottom of the terrarium it is necessary to pour a layer of soil 5...10 cm thick, which can be used as coconut substrate, which is now sold in many pet stores. You can also add a layer of peat, which is often found in flower shops, but you need to consult with the seller so that it does not contain any fertilizers. Priming needs a little moisturizing: This will ensure optimal humidity in the terrarium. In addition, the presence of soil will also prevent Achatina from breaking when it falls from the walls or “ceiling” of the terrarium.

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Brief description

Giant African snail, or Achatina- this is a new hobby for fans of shellfish, large snails are tens of times larger than ordinary ones (you can compare them in the photo), which can be grown at home.
These snails belong to the Achatinidae family, which includes several genera and more than 60 species of these mollusks.

Achatina snails have an elongated and pointed crown of the shell, which distinguishes them from their counterparts of other subspecies. They are highly fertile; one clutch can contain up to 500 eggs, similar to tiny chicken eggs.
Achatina is considered the largest land snail, has a yellow-brown shell, and a zigzag pattern on the shell. The mollusk has a soft body, black or gray in color with small white tubercles.

Benefits of keeping Achatina

The Achatina snail, according to mollusk breeders, is an ideal pet. Let's look at the main advantages of snails as pets:

1. These creatures are easy to care for and do not create noise.
2. They're not intrusive, and you don't have to ask people you know to babysit when you're away.
3. Achatina can live without you for two weeks.
4. They reproduce successfully in captivity.
5. With good care, snails can live up to 10 years.

Choosing and arranging housing

Will serve as a home for a snail container-terrarium made from plastic or plexiglass. You can also use a regular glass fish aquarium. For a medium-sized snail to feel comfortable, you need a terrarium with a volume of at least 3 liters. Therefore, if you are planning to start a family of Achatina, take a larger container.

The aquarium or terrarium must be equipped with special lids that have small holes. This is done so that Achatina does not escape, and at the same time there is access to air.

Substrate

The bottom of the terrarium in which the snail will live must be lined with a layer of substrate. For these purposes, you need to take flower compost without adding fertilizers or pure peat (but it can create a very acidic environment).

The soil is necessary so that your snail can burrow into it during the day. It is necessary to ensure that the substrate is constantly moist, and wet it with water from a spray bottle at least twice a day. If the substrate is very dry, the snail will smear it with its mucus and get dirty, and the glass of the terrarium will also get dirty.

It is not recommended to use clay and fatty loams as a substrate; there is no need to add pieces of wood and bark to the soil. It is allowed to sprinkle a little loose sand or hazelnut shells, or the core of a walnut. Walnut shells are more convenient than regular soil; they do not get dirty, so you will need to clean the container less often.
However, in such a substrate flies can appear, which are harmless to the pet, but will fly throughout the house.

Lighting

A terrarium with this mollusk does not require any additional lighting fixtures. The light intensity does not in any way affect the life activity of mollusks. For them, the regular alternation of day and night is more important, since their main activity occurs at night, while during the day they like to hide in a layer of soil away from prying eyes and rest. Lighting of the terrarium is needed more by the owner than by the mollusk.

Temperature

Since this species of snail is a tropical animal, it is accustomed to living at high temperatures. The air in your terrarium will need to be warmed up to 20-28 °C. At this temperature, Achatina feels normal and is active.
But you should not try to heat the terrarium from direct sunlight or room heaters, as this will not end well - the mollusk may suffer from the temperature contrast in the room.

Humidity

Snails prefer a humid environment, so the air humidity level should be at least 70%, but not more than 90%. When the air temperature is sufficient, the moisture in the substrate evaporates and additionally humidifies the air; this must be taken into account. To increase humidity, use a regular household spray bottle. Humidity will be sufficient if you regularly spray the terrarium with water. You can also keep a container of water in the terrarium.

Additional accessories

In order to entertain Achatina, they use decorations for the terrarium. These can be pieces of wood, moss, or non-sharp fragments of clay pots that will serve as a shelter for your pet and as a decoration for the landscape. You need to make sure that all these decorations are clean and safe.

Sometimes Achatina owners plant living plants in terrariums. They look beautiful and unusual in the snail's house. However, when watering plants, you need to make sure that the substrate is not over-moistened. If you are going to plant plants in a container, give preference to those with small fibers. Try not to plant ferns and ivy; although these plants look beautiful, they will be quickly eaten by Achatina.

Care and feeding

The larger the Achatina, the less often it can be fed, for example, once every few days. Small snails need to be fed once a day. These mollusks are vegetarians, for this reason they need to be provided with as much green plant food as possible. They should be fed only with approved foods, combining them with foods that your particular Achatina loves.

Diet

Let's look at what to feed Achatina snails at home.

The following foods can be included in their diet:

• cucumbers;
• zucchini;
• apples;
• spinach;
• corn;
• lettuce and tree leaves (not bitter);
• berries;
• mango;
• banana pulp.

A snail can love something, but refuse something completely. If you need to fill your diet with carbohydrates, add oatmeal, dry unleavened cookies, durum wheat bread, and bran to your food.

What not to feed

• sharp;
• salty;
• sweet;
• smoked;
• fried;
• pasta;
• potato eyes;
• citrus fruits.

Water

Achatina not only eats, but also drinks water, so always keep a container of clean water in a container. This container should not be very large, since Achatina can fall into it and drown. When your pet grows up, you can put a small pool in the terrarium, as snails love water, which they need to secrete mucus.

Nutritional supplements

For rapid growth and development of mollusks, they need a source of calcium carbonate and vitamins. You can put a piece of chalk in the terrarium and sprinkle some eggshells. The chalk in the terrarium should be natural, since factory-made, chemically produced chalk will be ignored by the mollusk. You can purchase vitamin and mineral mixtures at pet stores; complexes made for reptiles are suitable.

Cleaning the terrarium

The procedure for cleaning the terrarium, depending on its filler, is carried out several times every three months. Cleaning the container consists of completely washing it (but do not use chemicals; use baking soda instead of powder) and replacing the substrate. Carry out unscheduled cleaning of the container if its walls are covered with mucus or an unpleasant odor emanates from it.

The snails themselves don’t mind taking a swim either. This should be done with warm boiled water, carefully, under a gentle stream and without completely immersing the animal in the water.
Thus, caring for Achatina snails at home does not require much effort.

Diseases: prevention and treatment

Snails are very tenacious, but in any case you need to know how to help them. If a piece of your pet's shell breaks off, this is not a reason to panic. Lubricate the edges of the broken part of the sink with an antiseptic, make sure that the pet is in a clean and comfortable place. The regeneration processes in your pet’s body should begin on their own, so the mollusk will survive if the infection does not enter the body. New fabrics will heal the chipped sink over time.

Another problem with these animals is that Achatina likes to scratch its shell with its radula, which can cause a hole to wear through it. In order to wean your pet from this activity, lubricate the sink with something that tastes unpleasant, but is safe.

How long do they live at home?

Is it possible to pick it up?

For the safety of the shellfish it is better don't pick him up especially for the vulnerable parts of his body. But if you really want to take your pet in your arms, before doing this, wet his leg with water, then stick your finger under it, and carefully hold the heavy shell with your other hand.

African giant snails are an ideal pet for busy or lazy people who may forget about yt for a while. They are quite unpretentious in care and maintenance. You can leave them unattended for a couple of weeks without worrying about them. And if you keep them well, Achatina will be your pet for many years.

pets2.me

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, adults 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.

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Preparation for reproduction

In the Achatina snail, reproduction occurs only if the aquarium or terrarium meets certain requirements. Despite the fact that Achatina are hermaphrodites, they need a partner in order to mate. To reproduce, a pair of Achatina must be moved to a separate container.

In order to breed healthy and full-fledged offspring, you need to create the following living conditions for mollusks:

• the size of the aquarium must be at least 15 liters;
• no temperature changes, it should stay around 27–28 degrees;
• It is recommended to cover the bottom of the aquarium with 100 mm thick damp coconut soil;
• for pregnant Achatina, as well as after laying eggs, add calcium to food;
• The terrarium must be kept clean.

The following is used as a supplement containing calcium:

• chalk stone;
• mineral stone;
• sepia;
• small shell rock.

Gender of the snail

The question of determining the sex of an individual is of interest to every breeder; as stated earlier, they have no sexual differences; it is impossible to determine the sex and divide snails into male and female. Achatina cannot reproduce alone, without a partner; a companion is needed for mating. The eldest large individual becomes the female. This is due to the fact that pregnancy requires a lot of physical strength, therefore, the strongest representatives are selected in order to ensure healthy offspring.

Stimulation of reproduction

Stimulating a mollusk to reproduce consists primarily of organizing all the necessary conditions related to preparation for mating. The terrarium should be thoroughly washed and cleaned; if the soil is dry and its thickness does not reach 10 cm, then it should be replaced. The soil must be clean. Artificial ponds should be temporarily removed from the terrarium. It is also important to make sure that only healthy Achatina mates.

Which Achatina snails cannot be mated?

It is prohibited to pair:

• mollusks from the same clutch;
• snails that grow quickly.

Mating of individuals from the same clutch can cause various mutations and deviations in the development of future offspring.

If it is noticed that the mollusk and the shell are actively growing and increasing in size, then mating should be postponed. This process can occur up to the age of 1 year.

Reproduction of Achatina

Reproduction of Achatina snails is possible only with the onset of puberty. An individual is considered an adult from the moment it reaches the age of 6 months; Achatina is ready for mating after the appearance of a small tubercle on the neck, which is the reproductive organ of snails.

Immediately after the mating process, the time of pregnancy officially begins; during this period, the gastropod lays eggs. Pregnancy is different for every female. On average, Achatina snail eggs hatch in 1–2 months. It is possible to see the hatching eggs of Achatina if you look into the spiracle of Achatina.

There are recorded cases when a snail's pregnancy ends in childbirth, as a result of which Achatina gives birth to viable small mollusks.

The mollusk buries its future offspring in the ground; often for these purposes, Achatina prepares a hole in advance where they lay their eggs. Achatina snails are capable of breeding all year round, in separate places in small groups or together.

Pregnancy has a negative impact on the female; she should be fed well, adding various supplements.

What do Achatina snail eggs look like?

After Achatina has laid eggs, aquarists can observe their appearance and further development. The clutch of Achatina is similar in appearance to fish eggs, which is why it received its second name, since the snail lays eggs in groups. Initially, caviar is a dense and elastic mucus, but soft to the touch. During the incubation process, snail eggs become harder and a shell appears at the time of hatching. The egg shell of the clutch has green and brown shades.

There are cases of false eggs being laid when they do not have a shell and are transparent in color. The shape of the caviar is always round. The size of Achatina eggs varies from 5 to 7 mm, sometimes smaller. Achatina hatch at home in a short period of time, from 17 to 24 hours, so all the offspring can hatch in one day. The number of eggs can reach 300 pieces, but, as a rule, no more than 100 snails hatch. The number of Achatina offspring laid differs from the cubs born. Newborn snails require high-quality care, just like a pregnant gastropod.

Extra eggs

A gastropod is capable of laying more eggs than the breeder requires, so that Achatina does not give birth to unnecessary mollusks, certain measures must be taken. It is important to freeze excess eggs in the refrigerator to stop vital processes in them, otherwise even in the trash can you can find hatched Achatina.

How to care for Achatina eggs

Small Achatina require minimal care from the breeder. But it is necessary to regularly care for the laying of eggs and monitor environmental indicators.

If the snail laid eggs in a hole without covering it with soil, then you need to carefully sprinkle the eggs yourself.

It is important to ensure that the soil is moist; if necessary, add a small amount of water, but there should be no liquid under the masonry. The most favorable temperature for egg maturation will be 28 degrees, just as before, sudden changes should not be allowed.

It is forbidden to touch the masonry with your hands. An exception may be a situation when a snail has deposited it throughout the terrarium, then it is necessary to carefully transfer the future offspring into one hole using some object. The temperature of a person's hands can cause harm.

A newborn mollusk grows very slowly and during this time the parents care for their offspring. The baby's shell is delicate and should be handled with care.

What to feed small Achatina snails

Immediately after birth, the mollusks stay inside the substrate for several days, only then they crawl out to the surface, doing this gradually. At first, babies eat eggshells from their own eggs, as well as false eggs. Further, it is recommended to feed small mollusks in the same way as an adult. Feeding should be frequent and regular, and access to food should be constant.

Conclusion

Breeding Achatina snails requires certain knowledge so as not to harm the offspring. When breeding and growing Achatina, it is enough to follow the specified rules, then new snails will be born healthy and will delight you for a long time!

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 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 (preferably 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 ground 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 procedures 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 your 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 the female and who will play the role of the 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.

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

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

Selection and arrangement of an aquarium

When creating a home for domestic snails, it is worth taking into account the characteristics of their natural habitat. Land-dwelling individuals require a molluscar or terrarium with a volume of 10 liters per individual. For large exotic species, it is recommended to choose a container of 15-20 liters per snail.

Aquatic species require a classic aquarium with plants or can be placed in a ready-made tank. For 1-2 individuals you need a volume of 5 liters. Snails are not very sensitive to acidity and water hardness, but react negatively to increased levels of phosphates, nitrates and other signs of environmental deterioration. Temperature conditions for keeping them depend on the conditions that characterize the life of mollusks in nature.

Arranging an ulitharium involves creating an environment that is as safe as possible for land snails. It is necessary to create ventilation holes in the container, with the help of which the microclimate will be regulated.

The ventilation openings should not have a diameter that is too large, otherwise small snails will be able to escape through them.

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

Temperature and humidity

The best living conditions for land snails imply the constant preservation of certain temperature and humidity indicators. Sudden changes in environmental conditions are especially dangerous for mollusks. The best values ​​are considered to be +20-26 degrees Celsius. When these indicators decrease, tropical mollusks may hibernate.

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

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

What and how to feed?

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

It is worth changing foods periodically so as not to accustom your pet to a too monotonous type of diet.

The diet of domestic snails usually consists of:

Mineral supplements

They are needed for calcium to enter the body and form the shell. Ground eggshells, chalk can be used as fertilizing, or ready-made mixtures can be given.

Fresh herbs

It makes up the bulk of the diet and includes salad leaves and young shoots of vegetables. It is useful to give your pets dandelion shoots, plantain, wheat sprouts and other grains.

Fresh fruits and berries

The juicy pulp of raspberries, strawberries, melons, watermelons, pears and bananas is the best treat for snails.

Vegetables

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

Protein products

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

With a balanced diet, you don't have to worry about your pet's health.

How to care?

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

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

But this does not mean that you will have to monitor them less than other inhabitants of the terrarium. Among the general rules:

• periodic bathing in warm water;
• complete cleaning and tidying of the aquarium at least once a week;
• regular replacement of litter;
• performing extraordinary cleaning if necessary.

From time to time, snails may hibernate.

You can wake up the snail by holding it under running warm water for some time.

Taking care of your sink

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

Bathing

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

Do not place the snail in a cold container with water or allow it to come into contact with household chemicals.

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

Disease Prevention

If safety measures or rules for keeping a pet snail are violated, pets may get sick. Signs of poor health include splitting of the shell, refusal to eat, general lethargy of the mollusk, and copious secretion of mucus. In order to eliminate possible problems, it is necessary to protect the snail from proximity to larger or aggressive species, poor ventilation, and excessive contamination of the container. Snails also get sick when there is a sharp change in temperature, a too small aquarium, or excessive dryness of the substrate. It is worth eliminating the sources of possible discomfort, and then the pets will feel better.

Caring for eggs and small shellfish

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

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

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

It is recommended to separate a very large clutch and freeze some of the embryos. You should not throw away the clutch without freezing, otherwise snails may breed in the most unexpected places. It is not recommended to leave eggs without soil; they need high humidity and constant temperature in the terrarium. It would be optimal to transfer the masonry to a “children’s” aquarium - it is simply carefully lifted with a spoon along with the substrate and transferred, and then covered with damp bedding.

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

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

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

Growing representatives of different species

Domestic snails are represented by a fairly wide variety of species, but this does not mean that any outdoor molluscs are suitable for keeping in captivity. If you want to have a pet, you should give preference to well-known and proven options. Almost all earth-dwelling species prefer to burrow into the ground during the daytime and come to the surface only at night. To properly maintain them, you need to take into account their compatibility and some other important points.

Decorative pet snails

Domestic snails should be kept according to their species. Some species can be housed together, but their cohabitation will lead to interspecific crossing.

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

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

Achatina (reticulata, fulica, albino albopicta, immaculata)

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

Grape

Small (up to 5-6 cm) snails that easily take root in terrariums. They are extremely unpretentious in their maintenance and have a variety of shell colors.

Garden

Common land snails that cannot be bought at a pet store.

These street mollusks can be collected in the garden along with grape mollusks found in the southern regions of Russia.

A distinctive feature of garden snails is their longevity - they can reach the age of 15 years, but on average they live only up to 7-8 years.

Archhatina

Another African species of land snail, inferior to Achatina in decorativeness. The shell of these snails has a rounded rather than pointed shape. The marginalata subspecies is considered the largest; it grows up to 16 cm in length.

Caracoluses

Woody Cuban snails, which are recommended to be kept in a vertically oriented aquarium.

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

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

Octone subbulins

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

Megalobulimus or Megas

South American land snails are gigantic in size - the shell length reaches 11 cm. Young snails are dimly colored, in brown tones, and have a large body compared to the shell. They are not very fertile in captivity, which is why they differ favorably from Achatina; they prefer to sleep for 2-3 days in the ground; waking them up during this period is not recommended.

• Ensure that food trays are changed regularly;
• carry out wet cleaning of the walls of the house several times a week;
• Periodically bathe your pet.

Freshwater mollusks suitable for home keeping - aquarium snails - can be purchased specifically or accidentally get into the aquarium by transfer with plants or soil.

If their numbers are kept low, groundwater species can loosen the bottom substrate, soften water, and fight green algae and water blooms.

But if their reproduction is uncontrolled, the snails themselves can become a serious problem in the aquarium.

Among the species suitable for aquarium keeping, the following can be distinguished.

Apularia

A large mollusk naturally found in rivers of the United States. It stands out for its large size and is quite popular among aquarists.

Batman

A snail that can live in salt water. It is considered one of the best glass cleaners for algae.

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 damaged 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;
• onions 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.