Today, the variety of Pets may surprise you. Cats and dogs have become ordinary animals. Today it is becoming more and more popular terrariumistike. The so-called content different kind of Pets in aquariums – terrariums.
They do not require special care are beautiful and unpretentious. In recent years people increasingly have snails Achatina. Unlike their conventional counterparts – they are large, beautiful shells and unpretentious.
If you have a snail
For keeping the snails do not require special conditions: this ample container of plastic or glass. It poured a special coconut substrate and sprayed with water once a day. Unlike turtles or snakes – snails are not demanding a temperature mode. But despite its apparent simplicity, Achatina demanding food. Some foods they don’t eat, and some can cause serious consequences including death.
A bit of history
Before proceeding to consideration of a question “What to feed snails?”, let’s check out its origin. Achatina homeland – Africa. In tropical forests they are found in large quantity. There their main food – terrestrial plants, woody moss, fallen leaves, etc For a good shell they need calcium and in nature they get it by eating the bones of dead animals.
Despite the belief of some Kapparov (the so-called owners of exotic animals), snails are not predators. Even in the wild they don’t eat carrion, only the remains of bones. Therefore, households are their main diet should consist of vegetables, fruits, herbs.
Competently composed diet
Home snail is remarkable for its size. For the proper development they need large container. It is believed that one specimen of sufficient volume of 15 liters. At lower volumes the snail is unlikely to be large. The condition of longevity and well – being of the pet proper feeding.
To do this, follow a few simple rules:
- Give food in the night is a nocturnal animal.
- Uneaten remnants must immediately remove, otherwise the midges will not keep you waiting.
- Any products must be fresh – rotten and poor quality of vegetables or fruits can harm the snail.
- Calcium needs to be freely available to the snails.
- Some products are controversial in safety for Achatina and give them with caution.
Over time you may notice that some snails prefer certain foods and have food habits. For this reason, it is not recommended to use the same ingredients. The diet should be varied.
Fruit
With year-round access to fruits – Kipper ever have problems with what to feed snails. At any time at the stores, you can find bananas, kiwis, mangoes and other fruits. No less useful for snails apples, pears, melons and more. But there are some reservations. The snail Achatina sensitive to some types of fruit. So, persimmons, cherries, pineapple guava, oranges and tangerines can be given only with caution and only after checking on the ripeness.
The fruit must be sweet, non-viscous, non-acidic. For the latter reason it is impossible to give any sour berries (cranberries, cranberry, etc.) and acidic fruits (lemon, pineapple, pomegranate, etc.).
Large fruit cut into slices or small pieces and put in the terrarium. So as not to spoil the soil – they can be placed in a bowl (you can buy it at the pet store).
Vegetables
In addition to fruits, to feed your pet fresh vegetables. Fortunately, they are inexpensive and available year round. It is possible to give tomatoes, zucchini, cabbage, pumpkin, sweet potato, peppers and more. Technology, such as fruit – vegetable is cut into slices or small pieces and placed in a terrarium. The owner of the snail can be observed as his pet crawls on the product and bites off little pieces of vegetable.
Try not to buy greenhouse vegetables. Because of the addition of fertilizer in cultivation they can have on the cochlea a bad influence. With care, you can give the eggplant, potatoes, turnips, olives. In any case, do not give onions, garlic and any spicy vegetables!
Calcium in the diet
In order for the snail shell was strong and beautiful, she needs calcium. It needs to be in the daily diet. It is a prerequisite the content of the snails in the terrarium.
There are several options for calcium supplements:
- Cuttlefish, or rather, its shell. The most popular option. Looks like a white oval object. Enough to put it to the snails and watch how they devour.
- Fodder chalk – inexpensive fertilizer in powder form. They can be sprinkled on fruits and vegetables.
- Milled into flour eggshell.
- Seashells.
In any case. do not include in the human diet calcium. It will only hurt the snail. It is impossible to give school chalk and mineral stone for parrots, because they have the threat to the health of Achatina.
Greens
In addition to vegetables and fruits, it is advisable to add greens in the diet of Achatina. You can give the tops of the plants and greens from the garden (except the onions) and street herbs (dandelion, nettle and more). All collected plants should be thoroughly washed in water. Collected from the street (away from roads) it is useful to scalding hot water. It is important for the prevention of parasitic diseases.
The main rule of supply – megacompany diet. For this we need to combine different vegetables, fruits, herbs and be sure to add calcium. As protein foods experienced chippery suggest to use gammarus and Daphnia. They have no problem to find in stores with goods for aquarists.