Achatina Fulica maintenance and care of the snail

The fascinating Achatina Fulica, also referred to as the Giant African Land Snail, can add something unusual and low-maintenance to your home. Both new and seasoned aquarium enthusiasts like this snail because of its remarkable size and kind temperament. Knowing what to take care of one if you’re thinking about adding one to your collection will help you keep a happy, healthy snail.

A habitat that closely resembles the natural tropical surroundings of Achatina Fulica is necessary to provide the species with the ideal habitat. These snails do best in a warm, humid habitat with lots of room to move around. You can guarantee your snail has a long and healthy life by becoming knowledgeable about their food requirements, housing requirements, and general care. We’ll go over the best ways to take care of and maintain your Achatina Fulica in this guide, so you can build the ideal habitat for this amazing snail.

Description and size of Achatina Fulica

Achatina Fulica belongs to the Achatinidae family, genus Achatina. The shell of this African snail grows on average to 10-15 cm, but there are also individuals with a shell of more than 20 cm. The shell has a conical shape, in adult representatives of the species it has from 7 to 9 turns. The apex is pointed, sharply tapering towards the top, light in color – usually yellow or sandy. The shell color can have different colors. In adults, as a rule, it has a reddish-brown color with light yellow stripes. The last large turn can be completely monochromatic, sometimes with a greenish tint. There are also individuals with white shells. In general, the color of snails is influenced by environmental conditions and diet. The columella is white or bluish-white, without the slightest sign of a pink tint. The color of the soft body can also vary – from light beige to dark brown. Albino forms are also found. If you dream of growing a huge snail, keep in mind that the mollusk grows intensively in the first six months of its life. Then growth slows down and continues for about a year. But you will be able to judge the final size of your pet only after a year.

The Giant African Land Snail, or Achatina Fulica, needs particular maintenance in order to survive in an aquarium. These snails can be kept healthy and active by providing them with a suitable habitat that has high humidity, a varied diet that includes fresh fruits and vegetables, and regular cleaning. A flourishing and fascinating addition to your aquarium will result from knowing their specific needs and creating an environment that suits them.

Habitat and lifestyle

• thickets of bushes,
• forests,
• river valleys,
• coastal areas,
• fields of agricultural crops.

In its natural environment, fulica consumes plant matter.

• vegetables,
• fruits,
• leaves and stems of plants, giving preference to soft and decaying parts.

Achatina can eat calcareous rocks, animal bones, eggshells, and the shells of deceased relatives to replenish their calcium stores.

The Achatina fulica snail is regarded as both an invasive species and a crop pest in many nations.

Conditions for keeping Achatina fulica

Achatina Fulica is not particularly picky about content when she is at home. You will need the following items for this mollusk.

• A horizontal glass or plastic terrarium, with a capacity of 10-15 liters per individual.
• You can use coconut substrate, neutral peat, or soil from a deciduous forest as a filler. Read more about permitted types of soil here. You can also use mats. And as an addition to the soil or mat, as well as to maintain humidity, you can use sphagnum moss, ground moss, or leaf litter. The soil layer should be from 7 to 10 cm so that the snail can easily burrow into it. You also need to ensure that the substrate is moist, but not waterlogged, for this purpose it needs to be loosened periodically.
• The temperature in the snailaria should be at 24-27 degrees.
• Humidity must be maintained in the range of 60-80%. But keep in mind that Achatina Fulica does not tolerate high humidity, especially individuals aged 1.5 years and older. And if the terrarium maintains high humidity for a long time, the snail may die. To prevent this from happening, the snail cage must have good ventilation.
• Achatina Fulica does not need hibernation. Hibernation is extremely dangerous and harmful for the animal.

While Achatina immaculata, Achatina Panthera, and Achatina Iredalei are species that this species gets along well with, you should exercise caution when adding it to these other species.

Their dietary requirements are not strict, and they gladly consume nearly every fruit and vegetable on the approved list. Snails should always have access to calcium. and moderate amounts of grain mixtures, daphnia, and gammarus, which are protein supplements.

Reproduction

Fulicas can reach puberty very early; at around 4-6 months, they can start reproducing. However, sexual maturity is typically determined by a mollusk’s shell size rather than its age. As a result, prepare for rapid progeny if your young snails have grown to a size of 7-9 cm in their homes. If this is undesirable, separate the pets.

Cross-fertilization takes place during mating, and eventually both partners lay eggs in the earth, nearly all the way to the terrarium’s bottom. This species reproduces quite frequently; a clutch may contain as many as 300 eggs on average, and occasionally even more. Also, Fulica has a six-month clutching cycle.

The 4-5 mm in diameter eggs of Achatina Fulica are white or yellowish in color.

The incubation time, which is typically 10 to 15 days, is dependent on the surrounding temperature. However, because they can "carry" eggs, snails will emerge sooner. And the incubation period lengthens in proportion to the clutch’s non-full term.

Ninety percent of people survive on average. Thus, heed the counsel of more knowledgeable snail breeders and avoid freezing the masonry.

Offspring

Babies don’t need any special care from birth; they are entirely self-sufficient. The same care is given to them as it is to their parents.

Young people are in good health, can endure harsh environments, and get enough food. They commence procreation and egg laying early, even under such circumstances.

In the wild, Achatina Fulica typically lives between five and seven years. The body ages when kept in captivity due to unfavorable circumstances and frequent clutches. And these gastropods start to deteriorate and eventually die at the age of 1.5–2 years.

As such, it’s critical to establish the right environment for Fulica from an early age and formulate the right diet. Furthermore, prevent early reproduction and promptly separate them. In this situation, you can extend the pet’s life to three, four, or even more years. Snails older than 1.5 years should not be transported, and selling them or making sudden changes to their confinement is not advised. Fulica typically react very negatively, becoming stressed and moving outside of the coil. Sadly, there is little chance of a cure, so they pass away.

Young fulicas require stable environments because any changes cause them to stop growing and result in scars on their shells, which detract from the pet’s appearance. Achatina Fulica need to be seated from an early age and kept apart until they have finished growing actively and fully formed. This prevents early reproduction, early aging, and physical wear and tear.

Young people will accept the offered treat because they are not picky eaters. However, they particularly adore lettuce leaves and cucumbers.

Snail organisms require more calcium as they grow. Grain mixtures and protein supplements should not be overlooked.

Subspecies

Because there hasn’t been enough research done on the diversity of gastropod species, different sources may contain entirely different information. We will attempt to enumerate the species of Achatina fulica, some of which thrive extraordinarily well in domestic settings, while others are essentially unknown and are only known from museum-stored shells.

• Achatina fulica fulica;
• Achatina fulica var. hamillei;
• Achatina fulica var. hamillei f. rodatzi;
• Achatina fulica var. hamillei f. rodatzi albino body;
• Achatina fulica var. «White Jades»;
• Achatina fulica castanea;
• Achatina fulica coloba;
• Achatina fulica sinistrosa;
• Achatina fulica umbilicata;
• Achatina fulica rufensis.

Private collections are typically home to Achatina fulica fulica, Achatina fulica var. hamillei, and Achatina fulica var. «White Jades».

Achatina fulica fulica (Achatina fulica standard)

The hue of the shell can be changed. mostly reddish-brown or uniform brown with black or dark brown stripes on a yellow or white background. Columella can be white or bluish white in color. There is also a range in body color from light brown to brown-black.

Achatina fulica var. hamillei (Achatina fulica hemeli)

The color of the apex of Hemeli is different from the Fulica standard. The apex of Fulica hemeli is pink. Furthermore, the color of the shell can vary more. White Columella.

Achatina fulica var. hamillei f. Rodatzi (Achatina fulica rodatia)

These snails are distinguished by their pale yellow albino shell, which contrasts dramatically with the mollusk’s dark body.

Achatina fulica var. hamillei f. rodatzi albino body (Achatina fulica rodatia albino body)

With a pale shell and a white body, the rodatia albino form is entirely albino. With age, members of the albino body subspecies develop a yellow leg due to the presence of the pigment pheomelanin.

Achatina fulica var. «White Jades» (White Jade)

The shell of this subspecies is a standard color, but it generally has a more pronounced striped pattern. With reddish-brown to mahogany stripes, the base color is yellowish. The entire body is white. Moreover, the columella is white.

Aspect	Details
Housing	A large, secure enclosure with a lid is essential. Provide a tank or terrarium with plenty of floor space for the snail to move around.
Substrate	Use a deep layer of moist soil or coconut coir. This allows the snail to burrow and helps maintain humidity.
Temperature	Maintain a temperature between 75-85°F (24-29°C). Avoid sudden temperature changes, as they can stress the snail.
Humidity	Keep humidity levels high, around 70-90%. Mist the enclosure regularly and provide a shallow water dish.
Diet	Achatina Fulica eats a variety of foods including leafy greens, vegetables, and fruits. Avoid citrus fruits and processed foods.
Calcium	Provide a calcium source such as cuttlebone or calcium powder to support shell health and growth.
Cleaning	Clean the enclosure regularly, removing waste and uneaten food. Replace the substrate as needed to prevent mold and bacteria buildup.
Companionship	Achatina Fulica is generally peaceful and can be kept with other snails of the same species. Avoid mixing with other types of animals.

Taking care of an Achatina fulica, commonly referred to as the enormous African land snail, can be a fulfilling endeavor. Although these snails need little care, they do need certain circumstances to survive. Their health and well-being depend on having the proper environment, such as a humid terrarium with a suitable substrate. You can maintain your snail’s comfort and activity level by routinely checking the temperature and humidity levels.

For your Achatina fulica to grow and develop its shell, you must feed it a varied diet that includes fresh vegetables and calcium supplements. Prevent mold growth by not overfeeding and making sure that any uneaten food is removed. Your snail can thrive and become an interesting, low-maintenance pet with the right care and attention.

You can relish having these interesting animals in your house as long as you provide them with the right habitat and food. They are a delightful addition to any aquarium setup because of their unusual behaviors and kind disposition. Always keep in mind that maintaining a happy and healthy Achatina fulica only takes a small amount of work.

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