Giant Land Snails
Where can I find Giant African Land Snail Instructions?
How do I set up a habitat for my snail?
You will need to provide a plastic or glass tank with lid.
Fill the tank to a depth of at least 5cm with coir (coconut fibre)/peat/top soil/Vermiculite or Sphagnum Moss
available from pet shops, garden centres and on-line (depending on which product you decide to go with).
You need to keep the substrate damp but not wet (so it sticks to your hand but without puddles of water). Once
damp you can maintain this easily by spraying a couple of times a day with water.
Snails like to hide out, so providing a place/s to hide such as an overturned plant pot is a bonus.
To grow and maintain a healthy shell provide something like a cuttlefish or an alternative calcium product.
How often do I clean the tank out?
Around once a month the tank will need to be thoroughly cleaned and the substrate replaced.
Between complete cleans you should also wipe the inside of the tank to remove the slime.
DO NOT USE ANY CLEANING FLUIDS AS THESE CAN HARM YOUR SNAILS.
Do I need to provide a heat pad?
Heat pads are only required if the snails are being kept somewhere cool, as they will go into hibernation if the temperature is too low.
The ideal temperatures for a snail are 21-25 oC.
How long can Giant African Land Snails live?
They can live for around 9 years!
How big will the Snails grow?
They can grow as big as an adult hand!
Will my snail lay eggs?
The Giant African Land Snails are hermaphrodite, which means that they have the reproduction organs for both males and females. Although they don’t often self-fertilise, it is not unheard of, so keeping a single snail will not guarantee that you won’t end up with eggs or baby snails.
A male and female snails may begin breeding as early as 6 months old.
The snails may lay eggs several times a year, in batches of up to 200 a time. If you do not want to be overrun with snails, you will need to destroy the eggs humanely by freezing them for 48 hours before disposing of them.
You should check the soil every few days once your snail starts to lay eggs, which can usually be found at the bottom or side of the tank.
Please do not release any into nature.
My snail has arrived dead?
It is likely your snail has gone into hibernation during transit.
They will hibernate by going inside their shell and forming a crust over the entrance. You can wake them up by keeping them warm and gently running the shells under tepid water. This will help to loosen the crust and begin to wake your snail up. Keep turning the shell so that water does not sit inside and drown the snail.
When the snail feels warm enough it will become active, you may need to give it a few minutes after its shower before it starts to emerge!
What do I feed the snails?
Snails are not particularly fussy eaters, you can feed them many different fruits and vegetables (they are particularly fond of cucumbers).
Never feed them pasta, rice or anything salty.
You will also need to provide a source of calcium e.g. cuttlefish bones (other sources are available).
Can I handle my Giant African Land Snail?
Yes, snails like to be handled and have a wash!
Always wash your hands before touching the snails, and straight afterwards too.
When handling your snail it’s also a good idea to have wet hands to aid their movement.