Collagen snails how to care and maintain. Snail at home, what is necessary for her

Today, it is gaining more and more popularity amazing view pet like Achatina snail. At home, she lives quite comfortably, if the necessary maintenance requirements are provided.

Today, such an amazing type of pet as the Achatina snail is gaining more and more popularity.

These giant clams are very unpretentious and suitable for people who are often on the road.

Description of giant snails and their types

Achatina is a giant land snail kept in a terrarium. This African mollusk in adult form can reach up to 20 cm in length, and have a weight of up to 500 g. Appearance and color may vary depending on the type of Achatina. Initially, the snail lived exclusively in Africa, but in last years such an exotic pet has become popular in our latitudes.

More than 100 species of these mollusks live in nature. It does not make sense to consider each of them, since the conditions for keeping are almost identical. Consider the most common types of snails that you can find in pet stores:

Achatina fulica. This mollusk can have a different color, shell size and weight. The largest individual can grow up to 20 cm. As a rule, mollusks with black, brown or red shells are brought to us. This is the most unpretentious type of Achatina in care, so it is the most popular.
Achatina reticulata is an equally common type of mollusk, suitable for home content. As a rule, it has a black or brown head and neck, and the rim of the body is light. The shell has a characteristic pattern in the form of stripes or dots. The maximum size it can reach in captivity is 20 cm.
Achatina albopicta resembles the previous type of mollusk in external color. But it can only grow up to 16 cm. A characteristic difference is a white or yellow columela on the shell, sometimes there may be a pink tip.
Achatina immaculata can be in a variety of colors, but an indispensable feature of this type of snail is the presence of an even strip that runs from the head to the shell. The rim of the shell can be pink or lilac.
Brown Achatina is a mollusk that is so similar to fulica that these two species can only be distinguished in adulthood - by the special structure of the shell. In a brown snail, the shell is more massive, we have semicircular coils. While the shell of the fulica is cone-shaped and does not have prominent relief formations. Brown Achatina is very prolific. She also differs in that she is not shy when communicating with a person.
Lemon Achatina (iradeli). It got its name due to the characteristic yellowish color of the shell. These mollusks reach only 5-7 cm in length. Unlike all other types of snails, iradeli is viviparous. She can bring 20 to 25 babies at a time.
Common Achatina - the most large view clam, which is also called "tiger". In size it reaches 30 cm, but in captivity it grows only up to 22 cm. The color may be different. Depending on the subspecies, the background of the shell varies from yellow to orange. And the stripes can be black or brown. By nature, these snails are extremely calm.

Varieties of Achatina in the photo

Beautiful and calm albopicta snail

Active and inquisitive reticulum

Brown Achatina - the most "sociable" snail

Achatina iradeli - a beauty with a lemon color

Achatina tiger grows the most

Fulica snail - the most picky snail

The snail of the immaculata breed is distinguished by an even stripe from the head to the shell

Advantages and disadvantages of snails as pets

Achatina also have obvious advantages in content.

Achatina is an ideal option for those people who are not able to pay much attention to a pet, but at the same time want to have some kind of living creature. Of course, clams will not be able to provide the same return as cats or dogs, but snails have their own merits. So, let's consider all the pros and cons of keeping a snail in the house.

Achatina are unpretentious. You can leave for a few days on a business trip without worrying that the snail will die. In general, clams can go without food for several weeks. At this time, they hide in the shell and fall into suspended animation. But it's better not to risk your pet's life.
Achatina do not make sounds, so you don't have to worry about your sleep.
Shellfish are suitable for allergy sufferers.
There is little pollution from Achatina. All you have to do is clean the terrarium.
Achatina is completely unpretentious in food.

If you follow the simple measures of keeping a snail at home, then the pet will delight you for several years.

Snails reproduce very quickly. If you do not want to get offspring, the egg clutch will need to be regularly removed from the terrarium.
Achatina are very gluttonous. This also affects the amount of feces.
If hygiene standards are not observed, midges and microbes can start inside the terrarium.
It is necessary to carry out frequent cleaning of your pet's home so that the snail lives comfortably.
If you keep two Achatina, at night you can hear unpleasant creaky sounds coming from the friction of the shells.

Content Features

Achatina less than all pets need care and special conditions of detention. All actions will come down to equipping the terrarium and setting up in it optimal humidity, lighting and heating. You need to bring the living conditions as close to natural as possible so that the snail feels comfortable.

Terrarium preparation

The terrarium needs to be equipped as a tropical housing

It is not necessary to buy a special terrarium for Achatina, as it can be made from an ordinary aquarium. It is important to consider volume. One snail should account for at least 10 liters.

Important! The larger the terrarium, the larger the clam will grow.

Make sure that the top of the dwelling is protected by a lid, as the snail can crawl out. For better ventilation, holes must be provided in the coating. IN last resort you can just lift the lid to get a small gap.

At the bottom of the aquarium you need to place pieces of wood (badly rotting), moss, fragments of clay pots. This will serve as a hiding place for the snail during the daytime. Many Achatina owners plant live plants inside the terrarium. The most unpretentious species are fern and ivy. They not only look beautiful, but also purify the air, create a natural microclimate. However, in this case, waterlogging of the substrate should not be allowed.

When arranging a terrarium, you need to provide a small container with water, because Achatina love to swim. As it gets dirty, it will need to be changed. As a rule, this happens every 5-7 days.

Important! The container should be shallow so that the snail does not choke in it by an absurd accident.

Also note that such a bath must be heavy so that Achatina does not turn it over. Spilled water will lead to high humidity inside the aquarium.

The place for the terrarium can be anywhere. Make sure that there are no heaters nearby, as this will create an unacceptable temperature contrast. For the same reason, keep Achatina housing away from windows so that direct sunlight does not fall on it.

What to fill, how and how often to clean

Rigging will make the snail feel safe

Achatina love to burrow into the substrate, especially during the day. Therefore, appropriate bedding must be placed at the bottom of the terrarium. Some use flower compost (necessarily without fertilizers) or peat (neutral) for this purpose. However, this approach is not very aesthetic, because after a while pets covered in mud will crawl on the glass, leaving no less terrible traces behind them.

An alternative solution is loose sand, which will need to be constantly moistened. It can also be replaced with hazelnut or walnut shells.

The terrarium should be cleaned regularly, at least once every 2 months. This refers to the complete replacement of the substrate, glass washing, etc. Otherwise, inside the aquarium there will be a smell of charm, and the walls will be covered with an impressive layer of mucus from Achatina. Feces should be cleaned more frequently as they become soiled. Clean owners spend it every day.

Optimum temperature and light

It is important to observe the regime of day and night

Since Achatina are African molluscs, they need to provide conditions that are as similar as possible to natural environment habitat. Therefore, the following aspects should be highlighted:

It is not necessary to equip the terrarium itself with lamps, since the intensity of the rays for snails does not play a special role. It is important to observe the change of "day" and "night". Achatina lead an active lifestyle in a darkened terrarium, and in the light they hide in the substrate. However, if plants that need light are planted inside the dwelling, then you will have to equip the backlight above the aquarium.
Giant snails are tropical inhabitants. The optimum temperature inside the terrarium should vary between +20°С..+28°С. Therefore, the adjustment will depend on how warm it is in your apartment.
An equally important criterion for the life of Achatina is humidity. Its deficiency or excess can be determined by the behavior of the snail. If it hangs on the walls all the time, this indicates high humidity. Otherwise, the mollusk is constantly hiding inside the shell. To increase the humidity, it is enough to spray the substrate with a spray bottle. And to drain the home, you need to slightly open the lid of the aquarium and direct light into it.

Features of care

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

Feeding

Achatina are not picky about food

Achatina gladly eat greens, vegetables and fruits, although in natural conditions do not disdain meat. Food is given as it is eaten, and leftovers should be cleaned regularly. In captivity, snails are given cabbage, cucumbers, and carrots. This is a standard diet, which, however, is better to diversify.

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

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

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

Important! Plants should not be plucked within the city or factories, sewage, garbage dumps.

The list of prohibited products for Achatina:

Everything is spicy and salty.
Fried or smoked foods.
Pasta.
Sweets.
acidic foods.

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

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

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

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

Video: Achatina feeding

Bathing: how and how often

Achatina love water treatments

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

Video: snail bathing guide

Question of reproduction

Achatina eggs are laid 3 cm deep into the substrate

Most Achatina begin to breed at the age of 9-18 months. The incubation period can last from 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the specific type of mollusk. However, keep in mind that with a substrate thickness of less than 3 cm, Achatina breeds poorly, since they have nowhere to put their eggs.

Giant snails are hermaphrodites, like all land gastropods. Therefore, if you do not want to receive offspring, start one snail or seat your pets in different terrariums. In the case when the unwanted masonry nevertheless appeared, it must be removed from the aquarium and put in the freezer or boiled.

Do not release the resulting snails into the wild. They are capable of causing serious harm to gardeners, as they willingly multiply and absorb everything in their path.

In England, there is even a special law prohibiting the release of African molluscs into the street.

Snail health care

With proper care, Achatina will not hurt

Health problems include:

Overheating or hypothermia. This is due to an incorrectly set temperature regime inside the terrarium. Symptoms in this case are lethargy, refusal of food, lethargy. If the snail is overheated, moisten its body with water. Otherwise, arrange a warm rubdown with a soft cloth.
Poisoning. Achatina can die on contact with household chemicals or salt. In this case, the mortality rate reaches 95%. Symptoms of poisoning: bubbling around the mouth, the appearance of foam, the release of white mucus on the body of the mollusk. You can try to help your pet by washing it under warm water. If after bathing the mouth is still bubbling, do not torment the snail. She can be put in the freezer, where she will fall asleep and die.
Falling out of the sink. Due to genetic predisposition, the harmful effects of carcinogens, the development of fungus and other bacteria, the snail can lose its shell. Mortality is 97%. However, if this happened to a small Achatina, there is a chance that it will grow a new shell. An adult is better not to torment and freeze.
Shell disease. As a result of an unsuitable substrate, the appearance of fungal infections, waterlogging or high humidity inside the terrarium, the shell can be severely damaged. Also, the cause may be a lack / excess of calcium or vitamin A. Outwardly, the shell becomes bumpy, deformed, becomes brittle, exfoliates. In this case, the mollusk must be transferred to a diet with maximum saturation of food with calcium-containing components.
Household injuries. Snails can harm their health by crawling on the lid of the terrarium and often falling. As a result, part of the shell or even the first 2-3 turns of the shell (crown) can be chipped off. If this happens, there is no need to panic. Carefully inspect the affected area. If a soft body is not visible on the chip or it protrudes by 1-2 mm, treat the edges with an antiseptic. Transfer the wounded snail to a separate terrarium. In a few days, healing will begin - the body of Achatina will secrete tissues that will close the chip and dull the edges.

Giant Achatina snails - good option get a pet for forgetful or too busy people. Their content does not require special difficult conditions, and with a long absence of food, the mollusks fall into anabiosis. Otherwise, these amazing animals do not require gourmet food, they are quite capable of contacting the owner, remaining an unobtrusive pet.

Whom the city dwellers now have as pets! very popular in Lately the giant snails of Achatina became quiet and, in general, unpretentious. The maintenance and care of these dumb creatures are quite simple, no more difficult than for a turtle. What does a beginner who decides to breed mollusks need to know? Pet store sellers often cannot clearly explain to the buyer all the subtleties of Achatina care. 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 terrible and voracious pests in their homeland, capable of destroying the crop of sugar cane and other agricultural crops. The land gastropod mollusk belongs to the large family Archachatinidae. It includes several genera and about sixty species. Representatives of the genus Arkhachatina have a blunt rounded top of the shell, are considered more primitive compared to Achatina. They are also sold in pet stores, especially Archachatina marginata, whose house can be up to twelve centimeters in diameter. The African Achatina differs from its relative in the pointed and elongated crown of the shell. She also has a sociable personality.

What are Achatina

But even within this genus there are many species. If you are looking for size, buy from West Africa- the largest snail. Achatina giant in wild nature increases the 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, feels great in an ordinary city apartment. But these creatures are uncommunicative and slow.

Achatina reticulates, on the contrary, are very mobile. We can say that these mollusks are curious, sociable, quick-witted. Their shells, covered with a dotted or striped pattern, can reach 20 cm in diameter. Albino reticulates are most valued by breeders, they are smaller, but insanely 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, only five centimeters in an adult.

Does the choice of the type of Achatina 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 wetter environments, others dry. Someone burrows into the ground during the day and unsocially crawls out only at night, while representatives of other species trustfully climb into the palm of their owner. But, by and large, the basic methods of care and feeding for all types of Achatina are the same. When choosing a pet, be guided only by your aesthetic feelings. Let it bright and unusual coloration pleases your eyes and improves your mood!

Terrarium

A snail is not a crocodile or even a python, so the house for it can be the most 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, a plexiglass terrarium. You should take care of 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, their maintenance requires a 20-liter aquarium or box. And since mollusks are not fish, they can arbitrarily 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.

We equip 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 could burrow. Ideally, an orchid can serve as such a litter. Small snails can suffocate in too dense a coating. You can use the Begonia substrate (sold in gardening stores) or compost without fertilizer.

Required bedding

You should not pour peat and loam, after a while you will watch your soiled pets through glass no less muddy. Sand is good because it encourages snails to lay eggs. But Achatina, the care and maintenance of which is otherwise very simple, can carry grains of sand throughout the terrarium and scratch glass and each other's shells with them. In general, here you need to empirically find the "golden mean". The substrate does not have to be completely organic, because fruit flies can start in the compost, which 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 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 under water, but a small individual can accidentally choke. The bath should stand firmly at the bottom, so that if some Achatina decides to undermine the bedding under it, the water does not spill.

Aesthetic design

A beautiful diamond needs a decent setting, as the saying goes. And if Achatina are such precious stones? The care and maintenance of these beauties is simply unthinkable without the aesthetic design of the terrarium. Non-rotting pieces of wood, moss, 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 regime

Giant snails are inhabitants of the hot tropics. Therefore, the temperature in the terrarium should range from +20 to +28 Celsius. You should not put a container with snails near the battery, this leads to overdrying of the substrate. Direct sunlight is also undesirable, in this case, the snails are waiting for 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. Achatinas are more or less indifferent to the light, they do not need to extend the “day”, as for orchids. But it is important to take the light source out of the container so that the snails do not take it into their heads to crawl on the lamps.

Humidity

These people from equatorial jungle love wet environments. Therefore, you need to spray the bedding and walls of the terrarium once or twice a day with water from a spray bottle. inside the box should fluctuate depending on the type of your Achatina from 75 to 85 percent. And the albopicta snail (in appearance it resembles a reticulum) generally needs 90% dampness. The optimal mode of humidification should also be sought empirically. Spraying the terrarium should be done without excessive fanaticism, since you will dissolve the swamp and mud. If you see that most of the snails sit on the walls and tend to climb higher, then the environment is too humid for them. If they burrow into the ground even in the evening, clog up with lids, then the terrarium is too dry.

How to feed Achatina

This point excites many novice snail lovers. Do not be afraid, because Achatina perfectly eat our "domestic" vegetables and fruits. 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 an apple. However, they should not be limited to these products. For the health and longevity of snails, their menu should be diversified. Give them also carrots and cabbage leaves. Achatina potatoes are not too fond of, except perhaps boiled. In the summer, treat your snails to a variety of berries and fruits. However, do not give soft fruits to young animals. There were 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 cannot do is spicy, fried, smoked, sweet.

Mineral Supplements

Calcium is an important component that Achatinas are in dire need of. The care and maintenance of snails provides for regular feeding. In addition, you can provide them with the necessary “building material” for the shell in the form of mashed eggshells, sepia, shell rock, gammarus, cottage cheese (without salt and other food additives). Occasionally give your pets calcium porridge (a mixture of grains and minerals). Do not forget that in the wild Achatina do not disdain carrion. Therefore, occasionally you can give them mashed meat, boiled eggs, ground meat. If the snail does not receive enough calcium, its shell becomes thinner. And therefore, her internal organs, which are attached to the inside of the shell, become vulnerable.

reproduction

Domestic Achatina snails are extremely prolific. In addition, they are hermaphrodites and can bear offspring, regardless of the presence of a heterosexual partner. If you do not want a new offspring, just wash the eggs (they look like chicken ones, only in miniature) with water. But if you want to breed snail offspring, you should be careful with cleaning the terrarium. It should be cleaned so as not to change the humidity of the air and not damage the masonry. So that newborn Achatina do not suffocate in the loose soil of the litter, you need to keep them on lettuce or cabbage leaves.

The most common problem breeders face is carapace injuries. Very often, crawling on the lid of the terrarium, the snail falls off and falls down. Sometimes the landing is very unfortunate and leads to a chip or crack in the shell. Don't panic right away. If the soft body does not fall out, or if it protrudes quite a bit, the matter is fixable. Just lubricate the chip with an antiseptic. The strong body of the snail will do the rest. The wound healing process will start soon. Maybe the shell will not be so beautiful, but the pet is alive. For the duration of therapy, move the wounded Achatina to a separate box, since snails love to rub their shells against each other.

Achatina is a real giant in the world of land snails, this representative of mollusks can reach 40 cm. In addition, the snail is unusually prolific: it lays at least 100 eggs at a time, but most often their number tends to reach 600 pieces!

The historical homeland is hot Africa, but now these amazing creatures can be seen almost all over the world. Let's get to know them better.

Description

You can recognize the African snail Achatina by the following features of the shell:

Length 10-20 cm.
conical shape
Curls counterclockwise.
The number of curls in old individuals is up to 9.
Color - brown-yellow, in a striped pattern, but may vary depending on living conditions and nutrition.

Achatina are hermaphrodites - one individual combines the female and male genital organs. Self-fertilization occurs, but is extremely rare, as a rule, two individuals are required for reproduction.

Interestingly, in the tropics, these giants are pests, causing significant damage to the sugar cane crop, so their breeding is prohibited. But in Russia, under natural conditions, they cannot survive, so Achatina can only be distributed as pets.

African snails are nocturnal inhabitants, during the day they prefer to burrow into the soil and sleep. But often in wet weather they can be active in the daytime. Average duration The life of a domestic snail is about 6 years, with good care and maintenance it can live up to 10 years.

Varieties

Achatina African - land mollusks of impressive size, with a yellowish-brown shell, decorated with a dark pattern. In nature, you can find about a hundred various kinds, but most often the following snails are chosen as pets:

Achatina fulica snail. One of the most common species that is purchased in pet stores for home keeping. The size of the largest individuals is up to 20 cm, the color of the shell is red, brown, black. The species is distinguished by unpretentiousness in maintenance and nutrition.
Snail Achatina reticulata. The mollusk, with good care, can reach 20 cm, has a yellow-brown shell with a characteristic pattern of dots or stripes. The head is painted brown or black, while the border of the body is light.
Achatina immaculata snail. It is distinguished by a variety of color options (the shell can be from pale beige to dark hazel and even black), but it must have a stripe from the head to the beginning of the shell. This is a very unusual snail native to Southeast Africa, sociable, active, but very voracious.
Achatina albopicta snail. This snail is native to Kenya and Tanzania. The shell reaches a length of 16 cm, the columella on the shell is yellow or white.
Lemon (iradeli). It has a shell of an unusual yellowish color, for which it got its name. It cannot be attributed to the number of champions in size, because the largest individual reaches no more than 7 cm in length. However, this representative of mollusks is viviparous, which distinguishes it from other Achatina. At one time, offspring of up to 25 tiny snails can be expected.
Buraya. There is a resemblance to the fulica, an inexperienced eye will not be able to distinguish between these species externally. However, the shell of this Achatina is more massive and is distinguished by semicircular coils. This is a very inquisitive and prolific snail, which is not afraid of communication with a person.
Tiger, or common Achatina. The maximum length in captivity is 22 cm, the color of the shell is possible in yellow or orange tones with black or dark brown stripes, which gave the name to the snails. They are calm and friendly gastropods.

In pet stores, you can most often find Achatina fulica, this is due to the fact that this species very unpretentious in maintenance and does not need a large amount of food.

Having decided to purchase giant Achatina, housing should be prepared for the mollusks. An aquarium or terrarium is best suited for this, while you should try to provide the snail with free living space - at least 10 liters per individual.

The dwelling must have a lid, otherwise the clams can escape, but several small holes should be made for air circulation.

The bottom of the aquarium should be covered with soil, preferably containing a small amount of peat. From above, the soil is sprinkled with loose sand or coconut substrate. Do not use clay, fatty loam, rotten bark for mollusks.

Important! So that domestic snails do not secrete an abundance of mucus, the soil should be moistened daily using a spray bottle.

To maintain the aquarium in order, you should clean the soil weekly, and carry out a complete replacement every six months or a year, and if there are a lot of pets, then more often. To make the “house” of Achatina look more interesting, you can decorate it with ceramic decor, plant several ferns or other plants that do not create high humidity.

Humidity in the house should be approximately 70%. To monitor this indicator, you can purchase a hydrometer, or you can simply follow the behavior of your pets:

If they constantly hang on the ceiling or walls of the aquarium, it means that excess humidity reigns in it.
If they tend to burrow into the ground - insufficient.

It is very important to endure temperature regime- from 23 to 28 ° С, because snails come from hot Africa. However, you should not place the aquarium in the immediate vicinity of an open window or battery. As a rule, heaters are not required to be purchased, room temperature is quite acceptable. Caring for Achatina snails will not cause any special problems; even a beginner can handle it quite well.

Feeding rules

In nature, green plants are food for Achatina: young individuals prefer fresh stems, and old ones prefer rotting remains. Moreover, the older the Achatina, the more she eats. For shells, mollusks use dead mollusk shells or egg shells. This knowledge will help you decide what to feed Achatina at home.

Achatina is important to feed properly. The following schedule should be followed:

Young individuals eat once a day.
Adults and old - once every 2-3 days.

You can safely add the following plants to the snail menu:

cucumbers;
apples;
lettuce leaves, grapes;
spinach;
bananas;
corn;
avocado;
zucchini.

Many snails are happy to eat cabbage leaves, chopped carrots. To make the diet rich in carbohydrates, you should feed your pets with bran or oatmeal. In order for the Achatina shell, especially in young individuals, to be strong and healthy, they should be given the opportunity to receive calcium - it is found in eggshells, chalk, and you can also purchase special mineral supplements for snails.

Be sure to provide snails with free access to clean water, it will help to normalize the exchange of mucus. However, the tank with liquid should be chosen not very large so that the mollusk does not drown.

reproduction

At a young age, Achatina are able to form only spermatozoa, eggs appear only in older mollusks. If two individuals of equal size mate, there is a high probability of bilateral fertilization. If one snail has a larger size, then it is she who will act as a female.

Achatina begin to give offspring at home at the age of 6 months and older, the incubation period can take up to two months.

Important! Those who wish to receive offspring from their Achatina must ensure the proper thickness of the soil, otherwise they will breed.

The number of eggs in a clutch is up to 200; up to 6 clutches may appear during the year. The size of the eggs is about 4 mm, they are similar in shape to chicken ones, of the same white color.

Health problems

The most common Achatina diseases include the following:

The disease is always easier to prevent than to cure, which is why a set of preventive measures should be taken: keep the snail's home clean, prevent excessive or insufficient humidity, and provide the mollusks with calcium.

What kind of exotic pets you will not meet today in houses and apartments. In addition to cats and dogs, rabbits, chinchillas and even giant Achatina snails are very popular. Recently, it has become very fashionable to breed mollusks at home. Beauties from the Black Continent are unpretentious in maintenance, but their care and feeding require certain knowledge.

Description and varieties of Achatina

Snails living in Africa depending on the standard of living can grow up to 30 cm in length. The shell of Achatina reaches a length of 20-25 cm. At the ends of the tentacles of mollusks are eyes, with which they see objects located at a distance of a centimeter and perceive the level of illumination. Snails breathe not only with lungs, but also with their skin.

The Achatina shell has an interesting pattern, and its color directly depends on what the snail ate. With the tips of the tentacles and the skin of the anterior region of the body, it smells, and perceives the shapes of objects with the sole.

Found in nature about a hundred species of Achatina snails. But the most common and often living at home as pets are the following types of molluscs:

Snail behavior

Achatina are nocturnal snails, so in the evening crawling around the aquarium in search of food, and during the day they sleep, buried in the ground. At high humidity air, a pet can become active in the daytime.

If the mollusk dwelling is too dry or there is no food, then it hibernates for a long time. Without serious consequences Achatina can sleep for two months. Therefore, you can safely leave them alone, and go on vacation. But in order for the animal to definitely hibernate, you need to prepare in advance. For this pet, you do not need to feed, and the soil in the terrarium should be changed to dry. You can bring the snail out of hibernation with a jet of warm water, under which the mollusk needs to be held for 5-10 minutes. An awakened pet should be fed immediately.

Features of the content of the Achatina snail

At home, caring for mollusks is quite simple, because they are very unpretentious. For their maintenance, it is not necessary to buy a special terrarium, you can use an ordinary, even an old aquarium or a plexiglass structure.

Arrangement of the house

The volume of the terrarium or aquarium is selected based on - ten liters per snail. So that the pet does not go traveling, it must be covered with glass on top. At the same time, gaps must be left between the roof and the body of the dwelling so that fresh air enters the snail house.

The bottom of the aquarium is covered with soil 5-10 cm thick. flower shops peat without fertilizer or coco substrate which can be bought at the pet store. You can not use flower soil for keeping snails at home, as it may include chemical substances and sawdust. Forest or garden soil can be used, but it must first be disinfected by boiling. The soil will maintain optimal humidity in the pet's home, so it needs to be moistened regularly. It also plays the role of a soft bedding, which will not allow the mollusk to break when falling from the walls of the aquarium.

Snails love to swim, for which they need to place a container of water in their house, which will need to be changed regularly. It is best to choose a shallow cup so that the pet does not accidentally choke. You can place various shelters in the aquarium in the form of large stones, various snags, coconut shells, halves of flower pots. In the daytime and in bright light, Achatina prefers to hide.

The air temperature for snails should be from 24C to 27C. If the home room temperature is lower, then using a lamp with a dim backlight, it can be increased. Achatina live well and with more low temperatures however, they move very slowly.

The desired air humidity can be determined by the behavior of the mollusk. If he tries to clog up in the sink, then it is too dry in the terrarium, and if the pet hangs on the walls all the time, it is too humid. By turning on the backlight and increasing the gap between the roof and the walls of the aquarium, you can dry the air. To increase the humidity, it is enough to spray the soil or the walls of the dwelling with water.

What to feed a large Achatina?

When caring for snails, you should know what clams love and what to feed them. Each pet is individual and has its own gastronomic preferences. You will have to discover them experimentally. But in the main diet big snails must necessarily include greens, fruits and vegetables. Under natural conditions, Achatina even eat meat.

For feeding shellfish suitable for the following products:

All greens intended for feeding snails should be plucked as far as possible from the city and highways.

Achatina cannot be fed:

acidic foods;
sweets;
pasta;
smoked and fried foods;
spicy and salty foods.

The pet's diet should be balanced and contain vitamins and minerals. In order for a snail to form a shell, it needs calcium. A soft or deformed shell indicates a lack of this mineral in the diet. A large number of calcium is found in gammarus, eggshell, fodder chalk, shell rock.

Based on different elements, prepare a special mixture, the application of which will give a quick result. This mixture contains:

grain mixture consisting of wheat, barley, oats, flax seeds, millet - 70%;
tricalcium phosphate - 12%;
fish food - 5%;
wheat bran - 5%;
eggshell - 3%;
gammarus - 5%.

Young snails need to be fed daily. At the same time, it is recommended to give food in the evenings, as shellfish are eaten at night. Can food be given to adult pets? once every two or three days. Don't forget about drinking water for snails, which they need for the secretion of mucus.

Reproduction Achatina

Any individual Achatina can play both a female and a male role, therefore, with a low population, in extreme conditions they can self-fertilize. However, this happens quite rarely.

The role of the female is usually played by a larger snail, since strength is needed to bear offspring. If the shellfish are the same size, then possible bilateral fertilization. Achatina of small size can only play the role of a male, because only after reaching a large size, eggs are formed in snails. One or two hours before mating, mating dances begin at Achatina, which are very interesting to watch.

After one mating, the snail can store sperm for about two years, using it gradually. The number of eggs or eggs in one clutch can reach 200, while every year a pet can make six clutches.

In the body of the mother, the eggs are from one to two weeks, after which they are deposited in a mink prepared in the ground. In shape, Achatina eggs are similar to chicken ones, and their size reaches 5 mm. Depending on the temperature, small snails emerge from the eggs in one to three weeks. Pets reach puberty at 6-15 months from birth. Before reaching puberty, snails grow rapidly, and then the growth rate slows down.

Many people ask themselves - how long do Achatina snails live at home? It all depends on the care of the pet. On average, this type of mollusk can live 5-6 years. But there are specimens that live up to 10 years.

As can be seen from the article, Achatina snails do not require special conditions of detention, and even more so care. Therefore, you can safely start these beautiful pets at home, which will delight not only children, but also adults for a long time.

The giant snail Achatina is the largest land mollusk on Earth August 5th, 2013

giant snail Achatina (lat.Achatina fulica) is the largest land mollusk. Since the end of the 18th century, these huge (up to 30 cm) snails have spread widely throughout the tropical and subtropical latitudes of the planet.

On the African continent, as well as in the forests of Southeast Asia, where these African snails now live, after they were brought here, they live on tree trunks. Harmless and very useful youth Achatina They eat the rotting parts of plants. adults Achatina harm most cultivated plants, especially bananas and citrus fruits.

Now Achatina brought to many countries. They are grown in terrariums, as well as in gardens. In addition, in some countries they are eaten. Snails were brought to France in 1977 Achatina for an amount within 3 million dollars. Breeding Achatina successfully contributes to its hyperfertility and rapid growth.

Let's find out more about them...

Achatina is a whole group of terrestrial gastropod mollusks, representatives of the genus Achatina. Only a specialist can distinguish between representatives of this genus, so usually amateurs do not attach of great importance what kind of species they contain, especially since the biology of all these species does not differ much. This genus includes the largest land molluscs.

The shell of Achatina can reach a length of up to 25 cm, and the body - up to 30 cm. The size of the snail directly depends on the conditions of detention - in a favorable tropical climate, "monsters" weighing under 300-400 grams grow. The size of a snail depends on whether it is involved in reproduction, so if you want to grow a giant, you will need to take care not only to maintain the proper climate and buy a large terrarium, but also to grow it alone - actively breeding snails do not grow up to large sizes.

Usually, where Achatina appears, people begin to experience difficulties with it, or rather, with its extermination. All this is because the snail is truly all-devouring and extremely fast multiplying. By the way, in the USA (in all seriousness) the snail is considered a national disaster, because. at one point, these snails multiplied so much in one of the states that they ate almost everything that came in their way - bark on trees, crops, and even plaster on houses (snails need calcium to build shells). People who breed Achatina in the USA are threatened prison term(probably there are no such people there;).

However, in Russia, Achatina does not survive in natural conditions, and it is not dangerous to keep it at home. Therefore, recently there has been an increase in the "livestock" of domestic Achatina. In fact, these snails are in some way the model of an ideal pet.

To keep Achatina, a small terrarium (aquarium) with a small amount of soil is enough. The terrarium needs to be kept warm. humid climate(25-28 degrees). However, it is not necessary to heat the terrarium: snails perfectly tolerate room temperature, but their agility is slightly reduced and they sleep more often. Periodically, you need to moisten the walls of the terrarium and the soil with a conventional flower sprayer: snails drink water from the walls of the terrarium, licking the drops.

Achatina eat almost everything they give. Vegetables, fruits, porridge, mushrooms, meat, fish, poultry. Do not disdain various bits and scraps. It is almost impossible to overfeed Achatina - the snail itself stops eating when it is full. It is enough to feed a young Achatina once a day, and an adult - even less often: a couple of times a week. Also, in addition to feed, young animals need to be given calcium: ground eggshells are best suited for this. After the Achatina is satiated, it is necessary to remove the remnants of food so that they do not start to rot. Interestingly, the snail will not eat food that is not suitable for it or that it can be poisoned by.

Achatina, as a rule, are extremely fond of cucumbers. Also, rarely refuse carrots and cabbage. They eat bananas and apples, but not all varieties (what exactly - you have to experiment). Some Achatina (specifically, ours - for sure) eat bell pepper, and in such a way that "it crackles behind the ears." It is advisable to feed the Achatina with everything that she eats, periodically alternate foods and not give preference to any type of food.

Achatina does not create any odors. Even her excrement does not smell. She can see objects from a short distance as she she has eyes on retractable "horns". Achatina do not like bright light (especially direct sunlight), so you should not overdo it with the lighting of the terrarium. But Achatina’s hearing is not very good: it simply does not exist. However, this can hardly be called a special disadvantage. But with Achatina's sense of smell, everything is in order: they smell food far enough away - at a distance of up to two meters!

Achatina are nocturnal animals and during the day they usually sleep buried in the ground. By evening, they wake up and begin to look for food, actively climbing the terrarium. If the conditions in the terrarium are unfavorable (not humid enough, no food), Achatina can “seal” into the shell, creating a lid, and sleep for a very long time. Thus, Achatina can be left for a couple of months without any care (two months is considered quite a normal period). Before a long-term absence of the owners, it is recommended to "manually" create conditions for "sealing" Achatina - change the soil in the terrarium to completely dry and not give any food - then the snails will fall asleep pretty soon. To awaken Achatina, it is enough to substitute it under a stream of warm water. In just a few minutes, the snail will squeeze out the lid and be born. Very hungry!

When breeding Achatina, apparently, there are no problems at all. The man who gave my friend a snail admitted that he himself became a “breeder” without knowing it. Say, there were two snails in the aquarium. And I looked in somehow - there are already ten sitting there. Moreover, ten is said quite modestly, because. one Achatina is capable of laying 100-200 eggs, of which about half survive. At the same time, after 2-3 weeks, juveniles appear, and after 1.5 months, juveniles become adults. From this it can be seen that snails are able to multiply at a gigantic pace and it becomes clear why they are a disaster in countries with a climate favorable for their life.

It's funny that if you feed Achatina with bright vegetables (for example, varieties of sweet peppers), its shell acquires the shade of that same vegetable during growth. Thus, it is possible to regulate appearance shells, if you feed Achatina first with one variety of pepper (for example, red) and then with another (green). There is evidence that not all Achatina eat pepper, but ours definitely eats - therefore, I am telling this.

Because Achatina is nocturnal, she is not averse to rustling around the terrarium at night - then you can hear how her body rubs against the walls or how she tinkles with her shell on the glass (if the terrarium is glass). When frightened, the snail is sharply drawn into the shell and then you can hear a squeak. Here, perhaps, are all the sounds that Achatina can make.

In captivity, Achatina live for 7-10 years - that is, in this regard, they are not inferior to other domestic animals. In addition, Achatina do not bite.

Thus, Achatina are just wonderful pets that know their owners, are extremely unpretentious, do not bark or meow for the whole house, do not smell and do not cause allergies.

Achatina have been shown to have a long-term memory: they can remember the location of food sources and return to them. Young individuals are more mobile and travel long distances during the day, and are also capable of long-distance migrations. Usually they do not return to the same place to rest. Old snails, on the contrary, have a place where they prefer to rest and from where they crawl out in search of food, not moving more than 5 meters away. When transferring snails to a resting place of another Achatina (within 30 meters), they still return to their own.

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