Giant African Land Snails are native to East Africa. They grow to 25cm / 10" in length. In countries where they can be legally kept, they can make good pets, as they are relatively low maintenance and fascinating to watch. Unfortunately, they sometimes get accidentally released into the environment, where they can become a serious pest to agriculture.
Step 1
Keep your snail in a well-ventilated glass or plastic tank. Ensure that it has a secure lid. One snail needs a tank about 40 centimeters by 25 cm by 25 cm / 16" x 10" x 10".
Step 2
Fit a heat mat with a thermostat and thermometer at the back of the tank to check the temperature is kept at about 25ºC / 77ºF.
- Place a thermostat sensor over the heat source.
Step 3
Line the floor with a thick layer of substrate. Use material such as cocoa fiber. This should to be kept damp. Don't use soil from your garden, as it may contain stones or chemicals.
Step 4
Provide bark for your pet to climb and hide under.
Step 5
Spray the tank every other day with warm water to maintain the level of humidity at 60-70%. This can be checked with a hygrometer.
Step 6
Handle with care.
- Snails should be picked up gently by their shells. It is best to pick them off the floor rather than when they are stuck tightly to the glass.
- Snails don't mind being handled but make sure your hands are clean and damp, as sweat or chemicals are easily absorbed by your snail, and can be harmful.
Step 7
Feed your giant snail leafy greens every day such as lettuce, cabbage and spinach. All vegetables should washed to remove all traces of chemicals. Remove any food that hasn't been eaten within a day.
- Snails need calcium. Provide a cuttlefish bone, natural chalk or crushed eggshells for an easy source of calcium for the snail.
- They will need a shallow bowl of fresh water, but can drown if it is deeper than a few millimeters.
Step 8
Clean the tank of snail trails and change the substrate every week. Wash the tank only with warm water as detergents may be harmful.
Step 9
Keep your snail healthy. Your snail should have few health problems if kept in the right conditions. It is critical that it is not exposed to any chemicals around the home. If the environment is too hot, cold or dry, your snail will hide and become inactive, and a membrane may form over the aperture of the shell. A healthy snail has a clean, unbroken shell, and no unusual lumps or patches on its body.
