African snails or giant African snails are the largest species of snails on earth having a shell that can grow up to 30cm in length and 15cm in diameter. This specie of snails in native to Ghana, Africa. African snails live in tropical climate region and have no natural enemy. African snails can lay twelve hundred eggs in an year resulting in their large population. Wherever these snails have their settlement, the other species of tree snails of that area go extinct. African snails have insatiable appetite for any kind of fruits and plants, making them in pests in their homeland.
Giant African snails or simply African snails can be housed in variety of containers depending upon the number and size of these snails you have. A glass or plastic container is good for these snails. Glass and plastic containers are easy to clean and the snails can be viewed through the sides of the container. Since African snails like to burrow, so do not forget to fill your tank with moist peat up to several centimeters and a large piece of bark. The bark should be soaked in water o make sure it does not contain any harmful chemical. Leaf litter and moss are also good for keeping soil damp. The tank should be kept at a maintained temperature of 20 to 25 degree C, making it obvious that small head mat or pad is necessary in winters.
African snails are very easy to feed as they eat a wide variety of stuff. However the best food that you can give them is lettuce, cucumber, apple, banana and cabbage. The most important part of African snail’s diet is calcium to keep their shells healthy and strong. Calcium required by these snails can be given in the form of cuttlefish bone. When you give them their food which include the one that goes off quickly, make sure to remove it as it goes brown as it would otherwise harm your snails. Some of the other food that your African snails can eat include Broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, spouts, potato, peas, sweet corn, turnips, green beans, blackberry, kiwi, mango, grapes, melon. Orange, plums, pear, tomatoes, raspberry, strawberry, hemp seed, oats, sunflower seeds, chicken mash, dog biscuits, raw meat, Dandelion leaves and few other leafed plantatio.
Your African snail can encounter certain health issues and illness if it is not given the right survival conditions. If the environment is too hot, dry or cold, the snail hides itself and becomes inactive. Also a membrane may appearance the surface of shell which will be unusual from a healthy shell which has clean, unbroken shell with no unusual patches or lumps on the body. Giant African snails have nocturnal nature and move around very less throughout the day and becomes active only in the early evening. The edge at the periphery of shell or shell lip is very delicate since it is where these snails add on new shell to enlarge themselves. When handling. Avoid touching it. And rest, African snail will be your friend.
by 
