Achatina panther: description, content, care and photo

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

If you want to have a pet that is unpretentious to the conditions of detention, you can consider purchasing a giant snail. Achatina panther can have a beige, brown or reddish shell. The shell of a young Achatina is brighter, but over time it becomes dark in color. The body of the snail is smooth, light, with a mesh pattern. It differs from other varieties of Achatina immaculata in that a dark brown stripe runs from its very head to the shell.

Content Features

The content of the Achatina panther does not imply any difficulties. Caring for her is so simple that even a child can handle this task. Snails need to be fed daily, in the evening, and in the morning the terrarium should be cleaned of food debris.

What are the growth rates of the Achatina panther? These snails can be up to18 cm. It all depends on the size of the container in which they are contained. It is not necessary to purchase a special terrarium for these gastropods. They can be kept in a glass aquarium or a non-toxic container. It is advisable to choose a lid under the container in which you need to make holes. Ventilation windows should not be too large, the main thing is that the diameter does not exceed the size of the mollusk itself, otherwise the snails will get out of their homes.

As for the soil, it must be of high quality, because snails like to burrow into it for daytime sleep and egg laying. It is not recommended to use untreated peat, as it creates an overly acidic environment. The substrate must be kept moist. Clay and crushed bark should not be used as a substrate. An alternative to peat can be loose sand or pieces of partitions from walnuts.

The soil should be washed every 30 days and periodically mixed with fresh soil. In addition, you will have to regularly clean the terrarium, remove old branches and snags. The snails themselves must be washed in clean, warm water.

Tropical countries are considered the birthplace of the Achatina panther, so it is important to provide them with comfortable living conditions. The air temperature should be 24-27 degrees, humidity indicators - at least 80%. The substrate should be sprayed with water every day or put a small bowl of water in the terrarium. It is important to ensure that there is no waterlogging.

Achatina snails should not live intightness. The terrarium for them must be selected in such a way that each individual has at least 15 liters. It should be located away from heating devices. It is also important to protect the snails from drafts.

Lighting

There is no need to place lighting devices in the terrarium. Lighting does not play a major role in the content of the Achatina panther. Snail activity is shown at night, and during the day they prefer to burrow into the ground. Lighting will only help if the terrarium has plants that need it.

Accessories

Moss, pieces of poorly rotting wood, fragments of flower pots are suitable as accessories. These items must be washed before being placed in the terrarium.

Live plants can be planted in a container in which Achatina panther snails will live. They will be an excellent decoration of the terrarium, and will also purify the air. Preference should be given to plants whose leaves are covered with villi. It is possible that snails will feast on vegetation, so it will have to be updated frequently. The most affordable and unpretentious care is ivy and various types of ferns.

What to feed pets?

Feeding Achatina immaculate panthers will also not be difficult, because the representative of this species is unpretentious in food. The terrestrial mollusk will gladly accept fresh fruits, vegetables, greens from the owners.

In order for snails to fully grow and develop, their food needs to be flavored with top dressingbased on protein and calcium. Such additives strengthen the shell and allow the immaculate to gain mass. As a top dressing, eggshells, cottage cheese, a piece of chalk, store-bought vitamin and mineral mixtures are suitable. It is unacceptable that sweets, semolina, s alt, flour products are present in the diet of Achatina.

Feeding newly born mollusks is practically no different from the diet of adults. Their first food will be pieces of the shell of the eggs from which they hatch. In addition, babies need to be fed vegetables, fruits, herbs.

Water

In the terrarium, be sure to place a bowl of water. If the snails are small, water will have to be poured into a shallow container, because clams that have recently been born can drown themselves. The walls of the container and the soil will have to be periodically moistened using a spray gun.

Achatina panthers themselves are very fond of water, as they need it for the secretion of mucus. From time to time, snails can arrange water procedures.

Reproduction

Achatina panthers are hermaphrodites. In order for an individual to give offspring, it will need a partner. The first laying is possible after the snail is 6 months old. A he althy mollusk can produce up to 4 offspring per year.

Achatina's pregnancy lasts 2 weeks. The number of eggs in a clutch can be about 150 pieces. If you want mollusks to be born from them, you will have to move them to another container and maintain optimal humidity and air temperature in it. To avoid breeding Achatina, the eggs will have to be destroyed.

Diseases of Achatina

If the snail is brought from its native habitat, there is a risk that it is a source of parasites and other diseases. To protect yourself from danger, it is worth buying snails that have been grown at home. Prevention of infection - washing hands after each contact with the shellfish.

Achatina can break off the cover of the terrarium, which will lead to cracks in the shell. An antiseptic should be applied to the chipped areas. After a few days, the body of the mollusk will begin to release substances that will tighten the chip and make its edges not so sharp.

It is also worth considering that the Achatina panther is able to scrape its shell or the shell of those snails that live next to it with a radula. As a result, depressions form on the surface, into which infection can enter.

It is not recommended to often take snails in your hands. If necessary, try not to touch vulnerable parts of the body.

The life span of giant snails is 5-9 years. The better the conditions of the mollusk, the longer it will live. If it is kept in improper conditions, it will cause illness or injury.

From time to time, these creatures will have to be carefully examined. So it will be possible to detect the disease in time.

The following leads to the main causes of death of Achatina:

• prolonged hypothermia or overheating in the sun;
• infectiousdiseases;
• feeding illegal foods.

S alt and household chemicals can cause burns on the mucous membrane. The cause of the shell disease is a lack of calcium. If the snail is affected by mold, it must be treated with a reptile agent or chamomile decoction. To remove parasites, you need to introduce pumpkin seeds into the diet of Achatina.

Conclusion

Maintaining Achatina is an exciting activity that does not take much time. Before you get such a pet, you need to study the description of the Achatina panther, its features and the basic rules of care.