African domestic snail. All about Achatina snails at home

The Achatina snail belongs to the Archachatinidae mollusk family, which includes representatives of several genera. Achatina (Achatina) are similar to their relatives Archachatina, but they have a more pointed top of the shell. Achatina is a giant prolific, it can produce 100-600 eggs at a time, which are round in shape and have 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 tuberculated. The largest specimen had a weight of up to 600 grams, and a shell length of almost 40 cm.

The most common domestic Achatina is Achatina fulica. These African land mollusks are found in many tropical countries, and are harmful 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 tubercles are more pronounced in the fulica. 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 is needed 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 most free tank. To keep several pets at once, you will need a container of 20 liters 3 or more. 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 loves to sleep during the day, burrowing into a layer of soil. There is an opinion that flower soil with peat content will be useful. But land with a high content of peat creates life in an acidic environment, which is harmful to animals. The ground cover needs to 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 clams will get smeared in the mud and contaminate the glass. It is not necessary to use clay or fatty loam as a substrate, as well as pieces of wooden bark in a rotten form. The best solution is to pour loose sand on the bottom of the aquarium instead of earth with peat. Sometimes it is changed to the shell of hazelnuts, walnuts. 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 the cleaning of the terrarium - once every 3-12 months. But the more often you take care of your pet's home, the better. Waste products, despite the absence of a smell, will still begin to emit charm, 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 the day-night mode is enough. Domestic mollusks are active at night and sleep during the day. If you consider it necessary to install lighting in order to better see the animals, then the lighting fixtures should be outdoor.

Watch a video that tells how to keep Achatina snails.

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

As for accessories, you can put moss, samples of clay ceramics in a container with soil. It is possible to plant plants in the soil, then those that would not allow waterlogging of the substrate. It is better to choose species that are covered with small villi. Snails tend to eat plants, so you will need to repot them from time to time. The best option- fern or ivy.

Feeding. Reproduction of snails Achatina

Feeding should take place 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, apples. They also eat spinach, corn, zucchini, mangoes, avocados, bananas, melons at home. However, the snail can eat some of the listed products, and refuse some altogether. You can not give often oranges or grapes, watermelon with seeds. Some pets eat carrots and cabbage. A useful carbohydrate food for shellfish will be oatmeal flakes, bran.

The first years of a snail's life grow rapidly. To keep their shell strong, food supplements are needed. Calcium carbonate is favorable for strengthening and growth of the shell. Crushed egg shells or a piece of chalk should be present in the aquarium. Vitamin and mineral complexes for shellfish can be purchased at stores.

Do snails need water? Despite the constant moisture of the soil, a separate container of 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 in a tub of warm water. They love water and are not afraid of it.

In captivity, Achatina easily breeds from the age of 6 months. Some instances come to play later. Incubation lasts 1-2 months. If the soil thickness is low, then they will refuse to reproduce. For masonry, soil 7 cm deep is needed, where the snail could lay its eggs. Do not be surprised if your pet brings offspring throughout the year. From the age of one year, spermatozoa are formed in the mollusk, later - eggs. The African snail is a hermaphrodite, although two snails can also interbreed. If you have several pets, it is better to plant them in different aquariums.

See how Achatina breed.

It happens that a snail brings a "surprise": more than 100 eggs, which have practically nowhere to go. A compromise and humane solution is to give away the fry for nothing. There were cases of getting rid of masonry when the owner took it to nature or to the street in winter time. But the opposite reaction can occur - in nature, Achatina are pests. In some countries, on the legislative basis, they are prohibited from being kept at home, and even more so from breeding.

Snail diseases

If you have several snails, you can periodically notice how they scrape each other's shells, which causes pits to form. This bad habit can be overcome if you lubricate the sink with a non-harmful, but “tasteless” agent. In this case, consult with your veterinarian in order not to risk it.

There are owners who often prefer to take snails in their hands, digging the ground for this 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, then it will gladly go into hands. It is not recommended to take the snail by the last spiral of the shell, the damaged part of the body. To properly take a mollusk, you should moisten its leg with water, and put 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, not afraid of human hands. If you are going on a trip, you can leave them alone for a few days. During long trip host, snails can hibernate by hiding in the shell and clogging it. This time they will live at the expense of the resources of the body, but after waking up they will be very hungry. Wake up after a "shower" with warm water. Cryostasis (hibernation) also occurs when the snail is too cold or there is a lot of moisture in the aquarium, simulating the rainy season.

Exotic pets are becoming more and more popular every day. One of the most unpretentious of their species are Achatina - huge snails, perhaps the largest of the mollusks. Unlike their closest relatives, Achatina snails are quite smart and smart. They may even have conditioned reflexes. These mollusks quickly get used to their owner and can distinguish him from strangers, while they do not require great attention and special food.

Initially, Achatina lived only in Africa, gradually, thanks to man, they spread to other regions. For example, in Japan they were grown on special farms and then eaten. In Southeast Asia, many African countries and even America, Achatina are considered pests. They cause considerable damage to reed crops, young trees and other plant crops die because of them. Giant snails can even eat plaster from houses to get the substance needed for shell growth. In Russia in vivo Achatina are not able to survive, because the climate is too harsh for them. Therefore, giant snails in our region can only be found as pets.

African snail Achatina - structural features

Among land mollusks - Achatina is the largest. Its shell in length can reach twenty-five centimeters, and the body is thirty. The snail has a heart, a kidney, eyes, a brain and a lung, by the way, in addition to it, the mollusk also breathes through the skin. She hears absolutely nothing. The eyes of Achatina are located at the ends of the tentacles, they help the snails perceive the degree of illumination and objects located at a distance of no more than a centimeter. In addition, the degree of brightness of the illumination of the snail is also perceived by light-sensitive cells located throughout the body, which is probably why they do not like blinding light.

The shell protects the molluscs from drying out and becomes their protection in case of any danger. It can have a very interesting pattern and color, which can change depending on what the snail ate. Achatina smells the skin of the entire front region of the body, as well as the tips of the tentacles. With the help of them and the sole, the snail perceives the textures and shapes of objects.

Types of Achatina

In nature, there are more than a hundred species of giant snails. It does not make sense to dwell on each in detail, since the conditions for their maintenance are practically the same. Consider the most common types of Achatina, which can be found more often than others in pet stores.

The easiest to care for, and therefore the most common of the giant snails, is the Achatina fulica species. Its representatives have a shell with a variegated color that changes color depending on the diet, and brownish or Brown color soft body, with pronounced tubercles on the skin. Achatina fulika are slow and like to rest a lot in a secluded place.

The second most common type of snail for home keeping is Achatina reticulata. Usually its representatives have a pattern on the shell in the form of stripes and dots, the color of the soft body is black or dark brown with a light border of “legs”. Achatina reticulata are curious and mobile, often raising their heads in an attempt to see what is happening.

To keep Achatina, you do not need any special equipment. They can even be placed in an old cracked aquarium, since you do not have to fill it with water. Instead, you can even take a plastic box, only in this case it will be difficult to observe the pets due to the poor transparency of the walls. But it is better to refuse to use a cardboard box, since Achatina can gnaw through it.

For one snail, you need a “house” with a volume of at least ten liters. If you plan to have several Achatina, its volume should be at least twenty to thirty liters.

The aquarium must always be covered with a piece of plexiglass with holes or a special cover. Otherwise, you will have to look for the snail throughout the house. But you can’t close the aquarium tightly either, since the mollusk constantly needs fresh air, if the lid does not contain holes, then leave at least a small gap.

At the bottom of the aquarium, be sure to place soil for Achatina with a layer of up to ten centimeters. It should be loose, well breathable, later the snail will dig into it and lay eggs. For this, coconut substrate or potting soil, which can be found in any flower shop, is suitable. The main thing is that no fertilizers and other harmful additives are present in the soil. It is also not recommended to use sawdust and clay soil as soil. Sometimes a terrarium for Achatina is recommended to be covered with sand, walnut membranes or bark of pine needles. You can experiment and choose the most convenient option.

Whatever soil you choose, keep in mind that it should always be in a slightly damp state, but not be waterlogged. This will help maintain optimum humidity in the aquarium. You can determine the degree of humidity by the behavior of the snail. If she tries to close herself in the sink, the air is too dry; if she constantly hangs on the walls, the humidity is too high.

Since the African snail Achatina loves to swim, it does not hurt to put a shallow container of water in her "house". The container must be heavy and stable so that the mollusk cannot turn it over. It is recommended to pour water into it quite a bit so that the snail cannot choke in it. Bathing water should be changed about once a week.

Since Achatina is a native of Africa, it is quite logical that she loves warmth. For her, the most comfortable temperature is around 26 degrees. Since it is usually lower in our apartments, ensure suitable climate a dim lamp will help the snail. Of course, it is quite possible to do without this, but just keep in mind that Achatina, which was kept at home at temperatures below 24 degrees, will be a little lethargic and not very mobile.

The mollusk does not need special additional lighting. Ahvtiny are indifferent to the intensity of light. However, it is important for snails that the day alternates regularly with the night. At the same time, they are more active in the dark. During the day, snails prefer to hide in the ground or other secluded places. Such places can be created by placing large stones, driftwood, coconut halves, etc. in the aquarium. In addition, live plants can be planted in the aquarium, they will also become additional food for Achatina. For this, ivy or fern is best suited.

How to care for Achatina

Achatina do not need any special care. All you need to do is change the bathing water, clean the aquarium every one and a half to three months and change the soil in it. If desired, sometimes wash the snails under running slightly warm water, and, of course, feed the pet.

What do Achatinas eat

Achatina can eat almost everything, and the taste preferences of each snail are often significantly different. However, the basis of their diet is, nevertheless, plant foods. They are recommended to give apples, lettuce, cucumbers. In summer, young leaves and herbs, such as clover or dandelion, can be added to food. In addition, snails can eat bananas, watermelon peels, bell pepper, pumpkin, tomato, melon, corn, various berries, zucchini and spinach. But most snails do not like carrots and potatoes. To diversify the diet of Akhatana, sometimes give her dry unleavened cookies, bran and oatmeal. Occasionally, you can offer her meat, egg white, or poultry.

Calcium must be present in the diet of the snail. Therefore, the aquarium should always contain ground eggshells or natural chalk, limestone or mineral stones can also be placed in it.

Reproduction Achatina

Despite the fact that Achatina are hermaphrodites, living alone, they rarely lay eggs. Therefore, if you want to get offspring from a snail, it is better to plant a “friend” with it. Moreover, for the role of a female, it is worth picking up older snails; a sexually mature, but not very large mollusk can cope well with the role of a male.

At a time, Akhatana usually lays about two hundred eggs, of which, depending on the air temperature, tiny, about five millimeters, snails appear after a week or three. They reach puberty in six months, but continue to grow almost all their lives.

Advantages of the African snail Achatina

Of course, the Achatina snail is not an affectionate cat or a playful dog, but it also has its own considerable advantages. She will not require you to take daily walks, frequent feedings, will not whine at night and gnaw on slippers, while you will practically not have to spend money on her maintenance. Nevertheless, Achatina may well deliver more than one pleasant minute. The snail is very interesting to watch, especially when it bathes, crawls on glass or slowly moves along the hand. You can even try to “train” it by developing conditioned reflexes in the mollusk.

But the main advantage of the Achatina snail is that you can easily go on vacation or a business trip and leave your pet unattended. After all for a long time without receiving food and additional moisture, Achatina simply hibernate. Returning home, you just need to sprinkle water on the hibernating mollusk and it will wake up soon. Achatina snails, care and maintenance, which fully met the requirements, can live for about ten years. Therefore, they can become your faithful companions for many years.

Achatina snails in cosmetology: reviews, photos, contraindications. How to use Achatina snails in cosmetology?

It is not for nothing that snails have been associated with eternity since ancient times. Their use helps to maintain health and prolong youth. One of the most valuable species are Achatina snails. In cosmetology and medicine, their miraculous properties are widely used.

Such procedures are most popular among the beautiful half of humanity. With their help, a wide range of skin problems are solved.

What are Achatina snails?

Achatina snails in cosmetology, reviews about useful properties which inspire confidence are already widely used in Holland and France.

Africa is considered the birthplace of these mollusks. From there they spread to other continents. These mollusks do not live on the territory of Russia, since the climate does not allow this. All available individuals are grown in conditions specially created for them.

Types of snails Achatina

To date, more than a hundred species of snails have been discovered, which can be classified as giant. Their mucus practically does not differ in its composition. Among them, the most popular, due to their wide prevalence and undemanding care, are:

• Achatina reticulum;
• Achatina fulica.

What is needed for growing at home?

You can keep mollusks in an aquarium with soil, while it must be constantly moistened. For swimming, you need to put a container of water in the aquarium. Comfortable temperature for snails of this species is 26 degrees Celsius.

By observing the behavior of pets, you can determine whether they are comfortable in the created conditions. If the habitat is too dry, clams will often hide in the shell.

At home, Achatina live 7-10 years.

How to use for cosmetic purposes at home?

In order to undergo massage and skin regeneration procedures with the help of snails, it is not necessary to visit a beauty salon. You can keep Achatina at home and independently, at any convenient time to carry out procedures. A common question that arises when Achatina snails are mentioned is how to use them in cosmetology?

In fact, the procedure for skin rejuvenation using Achatina is quite simple:

1. Yes, it is necessary to cleanse the skin of the remnants of cosmetics.
2. Then you should wipe it with a cotton pad soaked in milk.
3. Achatina must be washed with slightly warm running water. They wash not only the abdomen, but also the clam house.
4. The snail is placed on the problem area of ​​the skin, after which it is given the opportunity to move along the surface of the skin.
5. After the procedure, which lasts 10-15 minutes, the mollusk needs rest. It needs to be moved back to the terrarium.
6. The mucus remaining after the movement of the snail is evenly distributed over the surface of the skin.
7. It is necessary to allow the mucus to absorb and dry, after which the skin is washed with warm water without the use of soap.

Achatina snails play an important role in cosmetology, as their mucus has a rich composition. Therefore, having such an unpretentious pet at home, you can maintain a healthy skin condition without visiting expensive beauty salons.

Cosmetology

Achatina snails are used in cosmetology due to their mucus, which contains a large amount of collagen, glycolic acid and elastin.

Based on the mucus of snails, ointments and creams are made that make the skin soft, like in small children.

It has been noticed that people who breed snails are less likely to suffer from hand skin diseases. They heal cuts and wounds faster. Means based on Achatina mucus help to eliminate scars and stretch marks.

Achatina snails in cosmetology, photos of which are presented in this article, have occupied their niche. Procedures that are carried out with the help of snails already have a large number of adherents.

Massage with Achatina

Achatina snails in cosmetology are used more often than other types of mollusks for daily massage.

Moving along the skin, the mollusk gently massages, while improving blood circulation, relieving spasms. These procedures are also useful for those who have varicose veins. Thanks to the massage of Achatina snails, blood vessels are strengthened and blood circulation is improved.

The big advantage is the delicacy with which the procedure is carried out. Slowly moving along the skin, the mollusks gently massage without causing pain.

Achatina snails in the fight against cellulite

About what Achatina snails are in cosmetology, how to use mollusks, those who want to remove fat in problem areas and get rid of cellulite usually know firsthand. Regular massage with Achatina snails in the thighs and abdomen will help make the skin smoother and eliminate the “orange peel” effect.

If you use Achatina in the fight against cellulite at least 3 times a week, then after a short period of time equal to 1-2 months, you can get rid of this problem.

Contraindications

Anyone who does not have fear or squeamish feelings towards mollusks can use such a tool as Achatina snails (in cosmetology). These creatures do not have contraindications for use for cosmetic purposes.

But before conducting a treatment or massage session, you need to make sure that you are not allergic to the components of Achatina mucus. To do this, you need to place the clam for a small amount of time on the skin of the wrist.

If after this procedure there are any side effects, then it is best to refuse skin treatment in this way until consulting a specialist doctor.

Those who decide to get Achatina for themselves must first carry out at least one cosmetic procedure of “snail therapy” in the salon. If there is an allergy to any component of the mollusk mucus, it will manifest itself. This will save you from a rash and useless purchase.

Achatina snails in cosmetology: reviews

A large number of positive reviews on various websites and blogs suggests that the use of snails for cosmetic purposes is popular.

Users note as the main advantages:

• fast appearance of the effect;
• painlessness of the procedure;
• no need to use synthetic products.

Sometimes the only reason that causes the refusal to use snails in cosmetology is fear or a feeling of disgust towards mollusks.

Experts note that snails in cosmetology are a good alternative to expensive procedures. Due to the ease of growing snails and a small list of contraindications for preparations made on the basis of their mucus, they are gaining more and more fans.

In this regard, an increasing number of cosmetology centers have "snail therapy" in their range of services.

Achatina snail in cosmetology is just a godsend for those who do not want to resort to the help of surgeons and use various injections for rejuvenation.

Regular use of Achatina snails for cosmetic purposes will help to quickly improve blood circulation, skin condition, reduce stretch marks and scars.

What are the benefits of the Achatina snail for human health ???

✿Elena m✿

AT recent times there was a fashion for others land snails- giant African snails, or Achatina. This is the largest land mollusk on Earth: its shell can reach a length of 25 cm, and its body is all 30. Achatina is home to East Africa, but now they can be found in many parts of the world. For some countries with a climate favorable for giants, snails are unusually dangerous: they are voracious and multiply rapidly. So, in America there is a quarantine for Achatina, and anyone who would think of breeding them would be threatened with imprisonment. But in Europe, and in particular in Russia, Achatina in wild nature do not live, so they can be kept as pets.

The beauty of these snails is not only in their huge size. Achatina are real beauties, and the owner can model color scheme the shell of your pet: if you feed the mollusk something red, such as pepper, for a while, its shell will begin to turn shades of red. By transferring the snail to a green diet, you will add new colors to it. home distinguishing feature Achatina - their mind. They very quickly develop conditioned reflexes: snails get used to their owners, distinguish them from other people, they develop a clear daily routine. But most importantly, no matter what kind of snails become the inhabitants of the house - grape or Achatina, they will undoubtedly bring great benefits to their owners: calm, meditative and even majestic snails tune their owners to the same feelings.

What is the best way to keep Achatina?

vladimir

Brief recommendations for the maintenance of Achatina
African snail Achatina fulica (Achatina fulica) belongs to the class of gastropod mollusks, order Stalk-eyed, family Helicid.
In captivity, Achatina live 5-9 years, increase in size all their lives and grow up to 15 cm long.
Terrarium. A terrarium for Achatina can be made from a simple aquarium. The minimum size is 10 liters per snail. The larger the aquarium, the larger your snail will grow. The terrarium must have a lid, because snails can crawl out of it. It is advisable to organize small holes in the lid for better gas exchange, ideally insert a metal mesh. In extreme cases, you can simply lift the lid to open a small gap. At the bottom of the aquarium it is necessary to put a litter of sand, bark coniferous trees, sawdust or peat. Each of these types of bedding has its pros and cons, but I prefer to use coniferous bark. It is easy to wash, easy to get, and the dirt on it is less noticeable. You can build a small bath with fresh water, Achatina are very fond of swimming. The main thing is that the depth of the bath does not allow the snail to choke. In general, Achatina crawl well under water, but, accidentally falling into the bath from above, a small snail can drown from fright. You also need to make sure that the bath does not turn over if the snail starts to burrow into the ground next to it, otherwise the water will spread, which is not good.
The temperature and humidity required by Achatina roughly coincide with those in an ordinary city apartment.
Soil moisture is determined empirically. If snails sit on the walls of the terrarium all the time, then there is too much water.
If they prefer to be clogged (the evidence is hidden in the sink and closed with a lid), on the contrary, it is too dry. With normal soil moisture, snails crawl on its surface at night, and often burrow into it during the day. To maintain humidity, it is enough to spray the soil and walls of the terrarium from a spray gun once a day.
To wake up a clogged snail, you can pour water on its mouth and carefully remove the cap, or simply place it in a terrarium with normal humidity. It is recommended to wash the terrarium at least once a week. The exception is a terrarium with egg-laying, which has to be cleaned without water, so as not to change the humidity and not damage the laying.
It is better to keep small snails without soil, laying cabbage or lettuce leaves on them, thereby increasing the chance of finding food by the snail and to facilitate the care of the terrarium.
Feeding. There is an opinion that Achatina can be fed once a week. Let me disagree with this. Achatina survive, grow, and even often reproduce on this diet, but often live shorter lives and grow more slowly than their normally fed relatives. It is better to feed as food is eaten and dried out and to remove leftovers.
Achatina eat vegetables, fruits and herbs, but in nature they do not refuse meat. Usually in captivity, they are fed cabbages, carrots, and cucumbers, but a more varied diet is preferable. This is necessary first of all so that at any time you can switch to another type of food available. It is known that snails have certain food addictions, including many prefer cucumbers and lettuce to other foods, and if they are fed only cucumbers from childhood, they often refuse to eat anything other than them, which can cause certain inconveniences. In particular, I have had two snails that take nothing but bananas and newspapers. Large snails can be given whole cores, they process surprisingly quickly. food waste. Soft foods should be given for a short time, otherwise they flow and spread over the ground, causing it to become contaminated.
It is generally not recommended to give soft foods to small snails. There was a case when snails completely buried themselves in a banana and suffocated there. It is better to give very small newborn snails greens, thinly chopped carrots, and after a few days lettuce and apples.

Alex

I have it in coco substrate. Soaked briquette from a flower shop. They live in an old aquarium. Necessarily a source of carbonic lime, I have crushed shells of zebra mussel, chalk. I feed vegetables. Last year there was an incredible amount of juveniles!

Radmila Mordvinkina

Alexander Ananiev

AT glass jar or a container/aquarium, coconut flakes can be poured, there must be moisture, you can sometimes bathe. DO NOT give citrus fruits, raw potatoes and small bananas

How useful are snails?

™Inextinguishable Star... ®

What are useful snails - snail snail strife.



Almost ninety thousand different species of snails are known. They are found in cities and deserts. In the Sahara, for example, snails are found in places where the temperature in the shade is 45 degrees. There are snails that live in hot spring water. At the same time, they tolerate cold well.
An experienced gardener, choosing a head of cabbage for himself in the garden, will cut off the one on which he sees a snail. He knows that this gourmet unmistakably finds the best head of cabbage.



In ancient Rome, roasted snails were considered a delicacy. This is evidenced by the famous naturalist Pliny in his book "The Life of Beasts". And in our times, connoisseurs of this dish have not disappeared. AT different countries there are special farms where grape snails are bred. They are exported. Yes, and in our country the army of lovers of tender snail meat is increasing. The fact is that it contains 20 times more vitamins than in creamy meat or an egg.



Snails serve as food not only for humans. Not the last place they occupy in the menu of fish. The autopsy of Caspian sturgeons, for example, revealed that 80 percent of their stomach contents consisted of mollusks, mainly snails.
In ancient times, a substance was extracted from the glands of sea snails, needles and scarlet, from which purple was made, used for dyeing fabrics, as well as in painting and cosmetics. Ten thousand mollusks went to one gram of purple.

On some Pacific islands, shells rare species snails still play the role of money. They go to the production of buttons, jewelry. Since ancient times, these snails have been used by the natives of the islands of Oceania as a tool for drilling holes in wood and even stone products. It takes 20-30 hours for a snail, which is called the "oyster drill", to gnaw a hole in the shell of an oyster, mussel or some other shell.



An interesting use is found for Strophocheilus popelarianus snails in cigarette factories. The height of the shell of these snails reaches up to 14 cm. Its strength can be judged at least by the fact that they are used as an iron when smoothing tobacco leaves.
Representatives of the genus Trochus living in the Indian and Pacific Oceans have mother-of-pearl shells of extraordinary beauty, which are used in the button industry. And the shells of a smaller type of trochid Trochus adriaticus are used only for jewelry.
In nature, adults act as cesspools, eating decaying plant remains, animal excrement. However, young snails are very harmful to cultivated plants, eating banana buds, various fruits, tubers.
More about Gastropods, gastropods (lat. Gastropoda, gastro - "belly", poda - "leg"), or snails - the most numerous class in the phylum Mollusca, which includes about 60,000-75,000 species.
All the most interesting about snails
About the benefits of snails

Jenya Jenya

There are benefits from snails in any case, both from water and from land.
Benefits of aquarium snails
Snails are natural orderlies: they destroy the remains of food, dead fish, fish excrement, rotten parts of plants, film on the surface of the water, plaque on the walls of the aquarium.
Snails play an important role in maintaining the biological balance in an artificial reservoir, and the behavior of some snails (for example, melania) serves as an indicator of the purity of the soil or water, which helps the aquarist to notice and solve the problem of pollution in time.
Snails are beautiful in their own way and can serve as an element of aquarium decoration.
Among the ancient Greeks, they were considered a medicine and, indeed, helped with diseases. Another ancient people - the Phoenicians - used red snails to extract beautiful paint and dyed clothes for it. And in Africa and South America shells of large snails were replaced not so long ago ... money. In ancient times, people honored the snail also because its shell has the shape of a spiral. And the spiral has always been considered a symbol of life.
Beetles, birds, snakes, mice feed on snails, many predators also do not disdain to eat snails ... Both beetles, worms, and other small insects consider snail eggs the most delicious food and diligently look for them. Many fish feed on water snails
Snails are considered a delicacy in many parts of the world. Snail dishes are especially popular in France. It is in France that they prepare escargot - a special dish of snails that affects a person's sexual activity.
Snails have been eaten since ancient times. So the first written mention of the use of snails as food dates back to ancient times. In ancient Rome, a dish of snails was considered an indispensable attribute of any celebration. The snail was considered not just delicious dish but also a remedy. Decoctions from snails were prescribed as a medicine for bleeding, eye diseases, gastrointestinal diseases as a wound healing agent.
There are special types of snails that are used for cooking. The most common species are grape snails (aka Helix pomatia, Burgundy snail, Roman snail). This type of snail lives in wet deciduous forests, shrubs and ravines, where there is enough moisture.
Grape snails grow quite slowly, they begin to be used as food only in the second or third year of their life. This type of snail is able to grow up to 40-45 mm.
Snail dishes are rightly called dietary. In 100 gr. The product contains 10g of protein, 32g of fat, 5g of carbohydrates, as well as vitamin B6, B12, iron, calcium, magnesium. Snail meat is soft, easy to digest and break down. So, for example, if it usually takes 4-5 hours on average to digest pork or chicken, then 2 hours is enough to digest snail meat.
Snails are especially recommended for those who have calcium imbalance in the body, pregnant and lactating women, children and people suffering from diseases such as chondrosis and collagenosis. Snail meat improves bowel function and normalizes metabolism. It is believed that due to the content of magnesium, snail meat can have a calming effect on people and help fight stress.
Before using snails for food, they are transferred to a special diet for several weeks. During the diet, snails get rid of various harmful substances that they could absorb when they fed in the wild. In order for the snail meat to be more refined, they are fed with thyme and fennel.
The process of cooking snails looks something like this: first, the snails are thoroughly washed in water, then they are blanched, cooled, removed from the shells, boiled in a broth with spices and white wine, then put back into the shells and sent to bake in the oven. Before the shells are sent to the oven, they are poured with a little garlic oil and parsley.

So, snails occupy an important place in the food chain, they process organic residues .... But what is the use of a person is not yet clear))))

Benefit in what way?
Here in terms of cooking "On the benefits of snails" - http://efamily.ru/articles/103/1078
And here about aquariums "Snails - benefit or harm" - http://e-url.info/read10.php
Here's another "... from the narcotic poison of the pot-bellied cone, pharmacists have prepared an amazing painkiller. In its strength, it surpasses even morphine. And drugs for the treatment of epilepsy turned out to be the most effective of all known. Moreover, as it turned out, snail drugs do not cause side effects .. . "
http://www.ressina-privivka.ru/friend/gady.htm
Garden, garden In addition to harm "... Slugs and snails also perform an important sanitary function in the garden, processing plant remains that have died or are damaged by other pests ..."
http://www.gardenia.ru/pages/vribol_007.htm

Treatment with snails (snail therapy)

The giant African snail Achatina fulica is the most acceptable pet for managers and just busy people. This pet does not need to be walked, taken to the vet and spent a lot of money on his food. He will not wake you up in the morning with loud barking and will not ruin your favorite furniture. There is no allergy to it, and it wonderfully relieves stress.

In the tradition of Slavic healers, many forces of nature were used: herbs, honey, clay, stones and animals. Many methods of treatment, having made an amazing journey, returned to us today in the form of stone therapy, honey massage and even hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches) and bee therapy.

But one of the effective types of human treatment, using the forces of wildlife, was undeservedly forgotten - treatment with snails.
It is good that the carriers of the tradition of Slavic herbalists have survived to this day, so now there is an opportunity to get acquainted with the amazing area of ​​\u200b\u200brestoring human health - treatment with snails in the tradition of Slavic herbalists.

Snails, these amazing, unhurried creatures, thanks to their unique features that nature endowed them with, will help you and your patients get rid of:

- From cellulite and "heavy fats" that are not removed by any physical exercises.
- From muscle spasms and clamps (including clamps of the collar zone), and, moreover, without pain!
- From inflammation that provokes infertility and other serious diseases.
- From stress and diseases caused by nerves (dermatitis, psoriasis).
- From vegetative-vascular dystonia.

The latest discovery in the field of medicine calls the snail a brain donor, based on the positive results of careful studies of the neurons of these snails, and in particular the fact that human neurons and snail neurons require the same ionic environment when grown in culture ...

Any woman would like to have a miraculous cream that would effectively care for the skin, moisturize it and delay aging for a long time. And it would be nice if such a cream is natural. Do not be surprised, but such a remedy exists - this is the mucus of medicinal snails. Disdain?

Still, after all, not every woman can afford to try procedures using snails. And what is there, such a service is not very common with us. But those who dare and allow gastropods to roam their bodies get the same effect as mentioned above. This miraculous cream is the mucus that comes out of the snails as they "walk". In the language of cosmetologists, snails produce a mucus wrap that rejuvenates and tightens the skin.

For the first time, they started talking about the benefits of snail mucus when they noticed that the skin of the hands of snail farm workers does not age. After it was found that this mucus smoothes wrinkles and prevents dry skin.

Snail mucus contains a huge amount of bioactive substances that are probably familiar to you: collagen, glycolic acid, allantoin, natural antibiotics and vitamins, with the help of which the snail restores its body and “repairs” its “house”. Therefore, snails can heal scars, scars, burns, cuts, inflammation.

As a rule, snail mucus does not cause complications, allergies, etc., so it may be suitable for those who deny themselves spa treatments due to some kind of illness. Snails can also help get rid of stretch marks and age spots, which is very important for new mothers. And it's up to the small thing - to let the little doctors crawl over your body.

The use of snails

Given their ability to regenerate cells, as well as the positive impact of their impulses, Achatina is used as natural massagers. First, the snail must be washed in cool running water. Prepare your face and neck for the procedure: remove makeup and wipe with milk. Then put the snail on the skin. She must "walk" through the sites offered to her, after which she is returned to the house. You will evenly distribute the healing secretions over the face and neck and keep them on the skin for 15 minutes until completely dry. At the same time, the skin is significantly tightened. After washing, you will feel its extraordinary freshness and velvety. This procedure is preferably carried out every other day, or at least at least 2 times a week.

How many types of snails exist on earth and which ones are the largest?

Victoria

In addition... .

The smallest snail is the cone snail. One dose of poison can kill 10 people. And the antidote has not yet been found by scientists. Habitat: tropical zones of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, from Polynesia to the east. coasts of Africa and the Red Sea.
Pepper benefits and harm to the body

Evgeny Sedov

When hands grow from the right place, life is more fun :)

Content

The Achatina snail is now widely distributed as a pet. It is the largest gastropod lung animal in its class. Under favorable conditions, Achatina can live up to 10 years. Due to the peculiarities of the climate in Russia, these snails weigh about 130 g.

Terrarium arrangement

• Temperature. It must be maintained at a level of 26–28 degrees. To heat the terrarium, you can use external devices: thermal mats, thermal cords. It is better to place a thermometer inside to prevent overheating of the snail.
• Lighting. You can not install the terrarium on the windowsill of a window facing south. Sun rays should not fall on Achatina. Additional night lighting is not required for the snail.
• Priming. The best option is an orchid or coconut substrate, as it retains moisture well. Before filling the terrarium, the briquette is poured with boiling water, then cooled, washed and dried. Another soil option is high-moor clean peat with a pH of about 5–7.
• Additional accessories. To fill the terrarium, you can use a drinker, a feeder, a small pool container and a small house. Better if they are made of food grade plastic. Sharp objects should not be placed in the snail's dwelling, as they can damage the body or shell. Experienced Achatina owners recommend planting lettuce crops, special cat grass in their house, adding twigs, driftwood and tree bark.
• Humidity. If it is too dry, Achatina will begin to dig into the ground, if it is wet, they will crawl on top. To normalize the humidity, you can sprinkle the soil with water.
• Ventilation. To access and circulate air, you can slightly move the lid of the terrarium. It is better if there are small holes in it.

How to feed Achatina

The basis of the Achatina diet is tops, lettuce, greens, cereal shoots, vegetables. The latter must be cut into slices or grated. Food is served in a small bowl or on a tray. As the last, a regular lettuce leaf is suitable. It is better to feed Achatina once a day, in the evening. The diet of snails is based on the following list of products:

Care rules

The terrarium should be cleaned as it gets dirty, but at least once a week. Hygienic cleaning of glass is recommended to be carried out daily. Do not use conventional scouring powders. For washing, a regular dish sponge and hot water are suitable. Achatina at home requires regular water procedures. Tips for doing them:

• Install a shallow pool in the terrarium. It is important to ensure that water does not spill out, as Achatina do not like dirt.
• Give the snail a warm shower periodically. To do this, they take it on hand and pour it with a not too strong stream of water over an ordinary sink. The procedure lasts no more than 3 minutes.

Mineral Supplements

• crushed eggshell;
• calce-porridge, including wheat bran, eggshell, biovetan, gammarus;
• fish food.

reproduction

The content of Achatina snails should take into account the conditions for their reproduction. This animal is a hermaphrodite because it has both male and female reproductive organs. For reproduction, 2 snails are needed, which will mate with each other. Achatina are very prolific (they can lay up to 40–300 eggs at a time), which is why some owners even wash off the excess clutches that have appeared.

For breeding Achatina, it is important to pay attention to the maintenance of the terrarium - it should always be clean and warm inside. The main thing when caring for a house is to be careful not to damage the masonry. Newborn Achatina require special care:

• So that the snails do not suffocate in the soil of the litter, it is worth keeping them on lettuce or cabbage leaves.
• For proper growth shell, it is necessary to give calcium porridge to young animals. It is also useful to use mashed carrots.
• Achatina under the age of 1.5 years should not be allowed to breed. To do this, you need to make a substrate layer in the terrarium less than 3 cm.
• After the birth of newborn individuals, it is worth planting from adults.

Diseases and prevention

When sick, the snail becomes lethargic, completely or partially refuses food. She may clog the entrance to the sink. The discharge becomes thick or excessive. Possible reasons for the development of diseases in Achatina:

• lack of protein and calcium in the diet;
• hypothermia or overheating;
• too tight terrarium;
• dry or swampy soil;
• rare cleaning of the terrarium;
• the accumulation of rotting food debris and excrement in the snail's dwelling;
• violations of the neighborhood of different types of snails.

The most dangerous condition is the loss of a snail from its shell. This may be due to a genetic predisposition, long-term influence of bacteria, fungi, and infections on the mollusk. Falling out of the shell leads to the death of the animal. Conditions for keeping Achatina for the prevention of diseases:

• Do not often take snails in your hands. Before doing this, it is necessary to moisten the leg of the mollusk with water.
• If the snail fell off the cover of the terrarium and damaged the shell, move it to a separate box, and smear the chip with an antiseptic, for example, iodine.
• Provide a clam proper diet nutrition and care.

Video

Achatina snails are the largest representatives of molluscs. These are wonderful pets - they are unpretentious and smart, have some reflexes, making them interesting to watch. They get used to their owner and can even distinguish him from other people. Mollusks do not need special food to feed, and they do not need specific care.

Who is Achatina

Homeland Achatina - Africa. Thanks to globalization, they have spread to other continents. In Japan, they are grown industrially and eaten. In some African Asian countries and in America, these snails speak badly - they destroy sugarcane crops, young shoots of trees and other plants.

To replenish the minerals needed for shell growth, giant snails can even nibble on the fronts of houses. In our latitudes, Achatina do not live in the wild because of the too harsh climate - they are bred at home. In the photo you can see large individuals that look very exotic.

Achatina in favorable conditions grow to enormous sizes. Their body can reach 300 mm, and sink 250 mm. The mollusk has vision, respiratory and circulatory system and even a kidney. The snail has no ears, so it cannot hear sounds. She has eyes on her horns, with the help of which she determines the illumination of the area and distinguishes objects located in close proximity.

The snail can also assess the environment with the help of light-sensitive cells located throughout the body. For this reason, snails react quickly to harsh and bright light. All types of Achatina have a shell that protects them from mechanical damage and drying out. The pattern and color of the clam shell varies depending on what the snail ate and can be the most bizarre.

Animal smells with skin receptors located in front of the body, as well as the tips of the tentacles. With the help of the latter, as well as receptors on the sole, the mollusk determines the texture and shape of surfaces.

AT natural environment habitat there are over 100 species of giant snails. All of them are similar to each other, but only a few of them are used for home cultivation. They can buy at any pet store:

Achatina snails: care and maintenance

To grow mollusks in an apartment or house, you do not need to make great efforts and invent special devices. They can put in an old aquarium, jar or plastic container. It is not recommended to use cardboard boxes, as Achatina can eat through it and get out. For one snail, a space of at least 10 liters is required.

The container should be covered with a sash, otherwise you will have to look for your pet throughout the apartment. It can be cardboard or plexiglass with holes. In their absence, leave a narrow gap, as snails need fresh air. The bottom of the aquarium is covered with soil up to 10 cm thick. It should be loose - the snail will dig into it and lay eggs.

What can be used as soil:

• husks from coconuts and walnuts;
• peat;
• substrate for plant transplantation;
• sand;
• bark of coniferous trees.

An important condition is that fertilizers and other chemical additives should not be present in the soil. It is undesirable to use clay and sawdust. Through experimentation, you can calculate the most suitable option.

Regardless of origin, the soil should be slightly damp, but not waterlogged - this will ensure optimal moisture in the container. It is easy to understand the degree of humidity by the behavior of snails: if it closes in the shell, then the air is overdried, if the snail sits on the walls all the time, excessive humidity.

For the correct maintenance of Achatina, it does not hurt to put a bath. It should be a shallow container of water that cannot tip over. Very little water is poured into it so that the mollusk does not choke in it. Change the liquid at least once a week so that it does not stagnate and does not contribute to the development of mold.

Achatina care involves additional heating. The fact is that the birthplace of the mollusk is Africa, and the comfortable temperature for it is about 25º. Since the microclimate of our premises is cool, it is advisable to install a dim lamp for the snail. You can also do without it, but in this case the animal will be lethargic and inactive.

Lighting is not needed, as they are indifferent to light environment. However, they it is important that day turns into night They are most active at night time. During the day, domestic mollusks prefer to hide in the soil or other places hidden from the human eye, so good photo you can hardly do with them.

Snail diseases

Cracks and chips over time they will overgrow - during this period it is desirable to give the snails more calcium. Also, snails can eat each other's shells with a lack of minerals in the diet. To prevent this, lubricate the shells with a solution that is safe but tasteless for animals.

You can create secluded corners in the aquarium by putting large pebbles, coconut shells, driftwood and other items in it. Living plants will enliven the interior of the snail house - they will become not only an additional decoration, but also food for Achatina. The best option for this case is fern or ivy.

Special care for mollusks is not needed. The only condition for you - timely change the water, clean the aquarium every two months and change the soil in it. If desired, you can wash the snails with tap water at room temperature. And most importantly - do not forget to feed them a complete and varied food. In all other respects, snails do not need.

How to feed domestic Achatina

Snails eat anything, while individual individuals may have taste preferences. Diet basis:

1. Plant foods: pears, apples, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, green grass, alfalfa, chamomile, clover, dandelions, strawberries, sweet peppers, banana peel.
2. Dry food: crackers, oatmeal, rolled oats.
3. Animal food: chicken, beef, boiled egg white.

A prerequisite for all types of snails is a stable source of calcium. It can be eggshell, chalk, natural limestone and mineral stones. The content of young individuals involves daily feeding. Food is placed in the aquarium in the evening, as snails eat it mainly at night. Already grown Achatina are fed every 2-3 days.

Although snails do not need to mate to reproduce, one at a time they almost never lay eggs. Therefore, if you want snails to breed, add another one to a single individual. An older individual is suitable for the role of a female, but a young but mature mollusk can act as a male. With the right content, pets lay up to 500 eggs at a time.

Depending on the temperature, small, 5 mm in size, snails appear from the eggs. Such crumbs to adulthood, they grow in six months. Snails do not stop growing all their lives. With good maintenance, they grow to large sizes. For this, it is also important to have a large aquarium.

Advantages of Achatina compared to other pets

Of course, all mollusks cannot be compared with cats and dogs, nevertheless, such an animal is also has its advantages. For example, it is unpretentious, it does not need to be fed often, and it does not need special care. For a snail, all the food that a person consumes is suitable - you can use leftovers from the table. The mollusk does not need to be walked and it will not meow at night, it will not damage the property.

The cost of maintaining snails is out of the question, but the very life of this animal is very unusual - it is interesting to watch it. The photo shows how these cute creatures bathe. Unusual tactile sensations appear when the snail crawls along the hand. Some manage to train Achatina, causing them to have conditioned reflexes.

Are Achatina beautiful? Photos show that they have their own charm, they are attractive in their own way. But the main advantage of such mollusks is that you can easily go on a business trip for a long time without worrying about what will happen to them.

Not receiving food and moisture for a long time, all snails hibernate. Returning home, it is enough to sprinkle your pets with some water - soon he will wake up. Such creatures, with proper care, can live up to 10 years, so they can be your faithful companions for a long time.

Achatina snail at home

The snail always carries its home with it, but the shell cannot always protect it. Therefore, if you decide to get an Achatina instead of a cat - the most popular type of domestic snail - take care of its comfortable existence.

To keep a snail, you need a terrarium - an aquarium with a volume of 10 liters or more will quite cope with its functions. This space will be enough for one individual. If you definitely want two Achatins, respectively, the capacity should be twice as large.
At the bottom of the equipped terrarium, fill the soil. The thickness of its layer can vary depending on the size of the Achatina - from 2 to 10 cm. There should be enough soil so that the snail can completely dig into it.
Coco coir, which is sold in briquettes at gardening stores or pet stores, can be used as a substrate. Such a briquette should be poured with boiling water, cooled, washed with a sieve (or gauze), dried and then poured into the aquarium. Another option is neutralized horse peat, which can also be found in a flower shop.
It is definitely not recommended to put sawdust into the terrarium. They are unpleasant for snails, because moving along them is fraught with scratches and splinters for these gentle creatures. Pebbles and, in general, any presence of stones in the ground are contraindicated for Achatina - they can scratch their shell about them.
The soil must be periodically moistened - about once a day, spray it and the walls of the terrarium with a spray bottle. If you find a snail sitting on the wall almost all the time, then the humidity is too high. In the case when she spends most of her time in her shell, closing herself with a lid, on the contrary, she is low. With normal humidity, snails actively crawl along the ground at night and burrow into it during the day.
Do not forget to put a container of water in the terrarium so that Achatina can drink or take a bath. The container must be shallow, otherwise the snail may drown in it.
Achatina feel comfortable at an air temperature of + 24 ... + 27 ° C. To maintain this temperature, you can use an ordinary incandescent lamp. It is not necessary to constantly heat the snail - if the temperature rises above + 35 ° C, then Achatina may hibernate. The same thing happens to her when it gets very cold. The light bulb only needs to be turned on from time to time. No need to put the terrarium under the direct rays of the sun, Achatina do not like this.
On average, once a week - twice, clean the terrarium - wipe its walls with a hard sponge (without detergents), remove food debris and waste products of the snail. Once a year, you need to do a general cleaning with a complete replacement of the soil.

Achatina snail

Achatina belongs to the family of terrestrial gastropods. In nature, there are about 100 species of these snails, which were originally distributed only in Africa. At home, they are all kept in the same conditions under a common name, and the differences are mainly of interest only to specialists.
Giant Achatina is one of the largest land molluscs. Shell sizes of individual specimens can reach 20 cm, and weight up to half a kilogram. Appearance It is best to look at the animal in the photo in the text, the description in words is not so clear. Occasionally, the meat of this snail is used for food, but it is considered tasteless and dishes from it are not widespread even in Africa, the birthplace of this mollusk. Since the beginning of the 19th century, this animal, through the "efforts" of man, has been settled in various tropical and subtropical zones, where it was not found before. As an agricultural pest, it now damages various plant crops, preferring sugar cane, and sometimes light buildings, scraping off the plaster needed to rebuild the shell, while multiplying at a tremendous rate. By harsh methods, including high fines, as, for example, in America, for the import of Achatina into the country, the invasion was prevented. Fortunately, in the conditions of Russia, Achatina does not survive in nature, the climate is too harsh. Here she is usually kept in terrariums as a pet, most often brought by children. It reproduces easily and is usually distributed free of charge, but young snails need to be put somewhere. On this page of the site "Pet" we will talk about it.

The Achatina snail, when kept at home, reaches a length of 20 cm. As can be seen in the photo in the text, the shell is conical, most often it is twisted counterclockwise, although the opposite option is quite common. An adult animal usually has a shell with 7 to 9 coils. Its color depends on the menu of the mollusk, traits inherited and other conditions for the existence of the snail. Most often, the pattern on the sink consists of stripes of different shades of brown. There are also light, albino forms.

African Achatina, as well as other snails, for example, ampoule or grape snail, eats food plant origin. Likes soft and decaying parts of plants. Since animals require lime to build a shell, they can eat soil rich in it, and even scrape fragments of suitable rock with a radula. Young snails, up to 5 centimeters in size, prefer to eat live plants. With age, the composition of food changes and old specimens mainly feed on dead, rotting plant remains while the amount of food consumed also increases. At home, Achatina happily eats cucumbers, zucchini and other soft vegetables. She should also be given eggshells as a source of calcium, or perhaps adding chalk to her food, also to build a shell. The literature recommends adding calcium and protein foods to the diet, such as meat and boiled chicken eggs. If you give bananas as food, then it happens that they don’t want to “take anything else in your mouth” at all, the same situation can happen with cucumbers. As can be seen from the above, caring for this pet is not difficult and is accessible even to a child.

Reproduction Achatina

Achatina are hermaphrodites, that is, each animal can perform both male and female functions. AT extreme conditions, at a low population density, self-fertilization is possible, but this is a rare and forced measure. Mating is preceded by characteristic mating dances, which always cause amazement in a person, which can last up to 1-2 hours. If the partners are approximately the same weight, bilateral fertilization occurs, but if the animals are of different sizes, then the larger snail plays the role of the female, since the development of the eggs will require high costs. For the same reason, those who have not reached large sizes, but already sexually mature individuals can only perform the functions of a male, their eggs begin to form later, upon reaching their maximum size.

After one mating, the Achatina snail can store sperm in its body for two years, gradually using it to fertilize maturing eggs. The number of eggs or eggs in a clutch is usually about 200, and in some cases, large specimens can lay up to 300 pieces, while your pet can lay up to 6 clutches annually. The period of eggs in the mother's body ranges from 1 to 2 weeks, after which the female lays them in a mink in the ground. The size of Achatina eggs is approximately 5 mm, and in shape they are similar to chicken ones. This is clearly visible in bottom photo. Depending on the ambient temperature, after 1-3 weeks, small, up to five mm in size, snails appear from the eggs. In nature, there are also viviparous species of this animal. Depending on the conditions of detention, your pets will reach sexual maturity at 6-15 months and live up to 5-6, and sometimes even up to 10 years. They grow throughout life, but unevenly. Rapidly until sexual maturity is reached, or until about 2 years of age, and then the growth rate slows down sharply.
Achatina are mostly nocturnal snails and during the day they usually sleep, buried in the ground. But in the evening, the animals wake up and begin to look for food, "briskly" crawling around the terrarium. But with enough high humidity may be active during the day. If the conditions in the terrarium are unfavorable, it has become too dry or there is no food, this snail can hibernate by closing its shell and sleep for a very long time. Therefore, if you need to go on vacation or a business trip, your pet may well do without you and without any care. Without serious consequences for Achatina, you can count on hibernation for up to 2 months. If you plan to be absent for a long time, it is better to artificially create unfavorable conditions for your pet in advance. Change the soil in the terrarium to dry and do not feed the animal. This will give you a chance to make sure the snail is asleep. To exit hibernation, Achatina needs to be held under a stream of warm water and after 5-10 minutes she will wake up. After this, the pet must be fed immediately so that it begins to recuperate.