Caring For Giant African Land Snails

Giant African Land Snail Caresheet

I thought I would make a caresheet to inform first time snail keepers about the essential husbandry requirements that their new exotic pet needs. This caresheet will cover:

Housing & Heating,
Substrate & Cleaning,
Furnishings,
Feeding,
Supplements,
Health Issues & Handling,
Species Available,
Where to obtain a Giant African Land Snail,
And, Breeding.

Firstly, I should start off by telling you what a Giant African Land Snail is and a few basic facts about them. Giant African Land Snails, or GALS for short, are a species that originate from the hot, humid forests of Africa. They are the largest species of snail on the planet and there are over 60 species of them. All GALS belong to the family Archachatinidae. There are two main species that belong to this family: Achatina and Archachatina. GALS can live up to 10 years, but the average lifespan in captivity is around 6 years. The largest species of GALS is Achatina Achatina, and the most commonly kept GALS is Achatina Fucila.


Housing GALS
GALS can be kept in a variety of different housing. These include:

Glass Tanks: Glass tank are great for housing GALS. They provide a large space for your snails to move around in and give you the option of housing multiple snails together. The bigger the tank, the more snails you can keep. You must ensure that your tank has a lid so that your snails don't escape.



Insect 'Keepers': These are cheap to buy and easy to maintain. They are available in a wide variety of colours and sizes. They are great for housing baby snails or one adult GALS. They are also well ventilated as they have vents in the lid of the container.



Plastic Storage Containers: These are another popular housing for GALS. They are available in many sizes and colours. You must drill some holes in the lid so that your snails can breathe. The only problem with plastic storage containers is that they are hard to thoroughly clean. If they are scratched, bacteria can harbour there and cannot be destroyed by simply cleaning the area.







Heating

It is essential that you research the temperature requirements for your chosen species of GALS before purchasing it. Different species need different temperature requirements to thrive and reproduce successfully.If the temperature is too hot, it could seriously harm your snail. Most snails can be kept at room temperature, but it is best to use a heat mat to supply your snail with adequate heat. The perfect temperate for most GALS species is 21-26C. You must use a thermostat to control the temperature given off by your heat mat.




Substrate & Cleaning

There are a variety of different substrates available on the pet market.The best to use for GALS are: rainforest/plantation soil, eco-earth, chemical-free compost or peat. Never use sand or gravel as a substrate for your snail as it can stick to them and cause them to dry up. You can mix sphagnum moss in with the substrate to hold the moisture and keep humidity within the tank. The bottom of the tank should be
lined with 10cm of substrate, but you can add as much as you want.

The substrate must be kept wet. GALS naturally live on the moist forest floor and thrive best in wet conditions. You must make sure that the substrate is not too wet. There should be no puddles of water on top of the substrate. You should spray the substrate and sides of the tank twice daily. Make sure you spray using warm water.

You should thoroughly clean out your snails housing once a month. Remove the old substrate and wash the tank/container with hot water. Never use any cleaning agents to wash the tank or furnishings as snails have extremely porous skin and will absorb the chemicals. This can be fatal for your snails so keep chemicals away from your snails and its tank. You should wipe the sides of the tank once a week to remove any dirt or slime.


Tank Furnishings

You must include a water bowl in your snails tank. Some snails enjoy bathing in their water bowl. You must make sure that you use a shallow water bowl and fill it with only about 1cm of water to make sure that your snail does not drown.

You can place damp sphagnum moss in a section of your tank as a 'bedding' for your snails. You can add many different furnishings to your snails tank. You can choose to add fun, colourful items such as ornaments and toys. You can also add pots and jars but make sure they are big enough for your snail to move in and out of easily. You can
design your furnishing to resemble a specific theme. In my opinion, the best tanks has natural furnishings. It will provide a great source of environmental enrichment for your snails if you make it resemble their natural environment. You can add items such as cork bark, wood and rocks to the tank. Be careful when using sticks and rocks from your garden as your countries native snails can carry parasites that may be fatal to
your snail. If you are using any items from outside, make sure that you thoroughly scrub them with boiling hot water. You can also use hides for your snail.






Backgrounds made for reptile and fish tanks also make your tank look nice


Feeding your GALS

Giant African Land Snails are very easy to feed as they will eat a variety of different fruit and vegetables. Many owners find that their snails LOVE eating romaine lettuce! Other fruits and vegetables that your snail can eat are: banana, aubergine, apple, cucumber, carrot, mushrooms, pear, sweet potato and dandelion leaves. You must never feed your snail vegetables from the onion family, including leeks.

You should present fruit and vegetables to your snail on a plate to keep them off the substrate where bacteria may be. You should thoroughly clean the plate when you remove old food and replace with washed, fresh food. Snails can eat slightly rotten food so you can leave food in the tank for a day or two, but you should avoid this if possible.




Supplements

It is very important to include calcium in your GALS diet. Without calcium, your snails shell will become brittle and will not grow properly. Calcium ensures that the shell stays in its best condition and grows healthily as the snail grows. Even fully grown GALS require calcium to prevent their shell from becoming weak and easy to damage.




There are many sources of calcium available for snails. These include: cuttlefish bones, crushed egg shell (remove the skin from the back of the shell), crushed oyster shell and calcium powder (used for herps). Cuttlefish bone is the most commonly used form of calcium for shells. Its cheap to buy and easy to locate as many pet shops stock them for birds. You should keep a cuttlefish bone in your snails tank at all
times, and should wash it with warm water and a toothpaste about every
month.

Heath Issues & Handling
Common factors that cause ill health in GALS are incorrect housing, accidents, poisoning and calcium deficiency. Snails can also suffer with a torn mantle. The mantle is a sac of muscular tissue that attaches the snail to the body cavity. Health issues are discussed below.


Incorrect housing: If the conditions within your tank are too dry, your snail will hide inside its shell and burrow under the substrate. This can trigger your snail to enter into a dormant stage and clear/blue layer will cover the entrance to its shell. If this happens, place your snail in 1cm of warm water and it will slowly emerage from
its shell. Some species of GALS can become ill if the conditions within the tank are too wet, especially Achatina Fulica.

Accidents: You should make sure that you never drop your snail. If your snails shell breaks completely, it will not survive . If the top of snails shell breaks, it can be severe but may heal with the correct husbandry. When handling your snail, you should be careful as the tip of its shell is very fragile and can easily break off.

Poisoning: You must keep chemicals, such as deodorants, paint, cleaning agents and flea sprays away from your snail and its tank! The skin of a snail is very porous and it will absorb anything on the surface of its tank.

Calcium Deficency: If your snail is not getting enough calcium, its shell will stop growing properly and this can cause some serious health problems. The shell can start become brittle and deform. You should always make sure there is a constant supply of calcium within your snails tank.

Torn Mantle: This is when the mantle tears away from the rest of the body. Many snails will recover from this condition if the correct husbdandry techniques are followed. This condition is common in old,weak snails as they often develop muscle-wasting disorders or are too weak to carry the weight of their snail. If your snail has a torn mantle, you should move it into a small container where it cannot climb and make
sure that you clean the container often so prevent your snail getting an infection. Humidity is essential as your snail may have difficulty retracting back into its shell and could dry up.


Handling your GALS: Some people consider snails to be slimy and wet, but when you hold a snail you will discover that they are not as slimy as they look. You must wash your hands before and after handling your snail. You should also wet your hands
before holding your snail to make it easier for them to move around. Never pull your snail off the sides of its tank as you can damage the mantle.You should spray your snail and surrounding glass with water and gentlyslide your snail off. Be very very careful not to drop your snail!







Species of GALS

Achatina Fulica,
Achatina Fulica Rodatzi,
Achatina Achatina,
Achatina Immaculate,
Achatina Iredalei,
Achatina Reticulata,

Archachatina Marginata,
Archachatina Marginata Marginata,
Archachatina Marginata Ovum,
Archachatina Marginata Suturalis,
Archachatina Degneri,

And many many more!

Where do I get my GALS from??

There are not many GALS available in pet shops, although some will sell Achtina Fulica.
These snails can be purchased: £1 for a baby, £2 for a juvenile, and £3-£5 for an adult. Other species of GALS can be obtained from online pet and exotics retailers. Some species can be purchased using eBay.

Certain species of GALS are illegal in some countries, especially in the US and Australia. You should research which species are banned in your country, and which you are allowed to import. Most countries have banned Achatina Fucila as it is seen as a very bad pest and invasive species!



Breeding your GALS

Giant African Land Snail are hermaphrodites. This means that all species
of snail have both male and female sex organs. If two GALS are kept in
the correct conditions, they will breed rapidly. Due to them having both
sex organs, they will both lay a clutch of eggs. Achatina species of snail will lay around 100 eggs in every clutch. Some will even lay up to 300 eggs every time they lay! Archachatina species are generally larger than snails of the Achatina species, so they lay fewer and larger eggs. They have around 6-15 eggs each clutch.


The gestation period of the eggs depends on the species to GALS you own.
This is why research is essential before you purchase your GALS. Eggs
must be kept in warm, moist conditions. They can be kept in the tank
with their parents but it is recommended that you move them into a
container as they require seperate needs and attention. The containers
should be filled with damp soil, sphagnum moss or vermiculite. You
should store the container in a warm place, such as in a cupboard, and
spray daily. Once hatched, the baby snails will live under the substrate
for about a week and live off their remaining egg.