Giant African Snail

Hi Robyn!

I have a snail that we call giant african achat snail...it's an achatina fulica.
We have already talked about apple snails and their breeding. How about achat snails? To tell you the truth, I don't really want small snails It will be big enough alone:) Is it possible for Apache (that's his/her name), to lay eggs on it's own?

Can you give me any information (maybe a link, or some advice) about snail breeding? I like snails, but I'm far from being an expert
I searched the net, but I couldn't find anything useful.

Thank you!

I don't know much about them but found a lot of hits using the scientific name and Google. They are hermaphrodites but don't normally "breed" with themselves like some aquatic hermaphroditic snails do (when there's nobody with which to mate).

Here are some:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achatina_fulica
http://www.petsnails.co.uk/species/achatina_fulica.html
http://giantlandsnails.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/

There were 6720 hits on Google for Achatina fulica!

You are absolutly right!
There are a lot of hits in English, but I simply can't understand them. I have trouble understanding biological terms in English. (I will do my best, to learn them)
It means a lot to me,that I can ask somebody about it!

Sorry for bothering you with that...

Hi!

Apache is still with me, and he is still alone. I don't think I have enough room for more than one snail:)
Now his shell is 12 cm long, but he is still young. He might get more than twice this big. Some snails can reach the 25-30 cm length.

This is how Apache looks like now:

http://s213.photobucket.com/albums/cc5/kes...nt=IMG_0574.jpg

http://s213.photobucket.com/albums/cc5/kes...nt=IMG_0587.jpg

keszi

Wow! What a magnificent specimen. That's a whopper.

Don

I had no idea that snails could grow to be that large! I see your feeding a cucumber? How cool.
Thanks for posting the links Keszi.

Hi!

Yes, cucumber is one of his favourites
He eats a lot of fruits as well, like apple, grape or banana.

keszi

WOW that snail is huge. I thought our mystery snail was big about the size of a golf ball but I think yours is biggier. By the way. Does anyone know what the life span of a snail is?

Hi,

well, i think it depends on the species.
I have read that the african snail I have, can live even for 7-8 years.
But I haven't heard of anyone, who had a snail of this age.

keszi

I love your snail! Is he (or she?) kind of tame and used to being picked up - does he come out of his shell right away?

Hi,

yes, he loves being in the center of attention.
At first i did not believe when i read that snails can be "bored". But yes. If i dont place new things in his box, or pick him out for a walk , after about two weeks, he stops going around. He stays in one corner, eats a lot less, and finally he does not come out of his shell.

I dont know why he does this, but makes a kind of "door" on his shell, just like for winter. I have read that, if I leave my snail like this, he might even die! He wont come out on its own, and it is not cold, so his lifesigns wont slow down. He can starve to death.
When Apache built up a door like this, i used some warm water to wake him up.
(It was during summer, so it could not be a winter-sleep.)

If I just pick him up, he seems to be interested in the situation. When we took the picture with my boyfriend, it was a hard task, to get Apache to look in the right direction. If I turned him, to look in the camera, he simply turned around, and watch me again, and tried to climb on my arm:) He is a very brave and friendly snail

keszi

Oh so this isn't a pond snail this is a land snail, is that right?

Yes, he is a land snail.
He needs wet conditions, and some water to drink from, and also likes soil. There is a plastic box filled with soil where he sometimes buries himself.

keszi

Your snail stories are fascinating! The part about the snail being bored, and wanting attention, especially. What a lovely creature!