Land snails: maintenance and care

There are many types of Achatina fulica or the giant African snail and you really need to be aware of the main rules about how to take care of land snails before getting one. It's a quite unusual and rare animal for keeping at home, but unlike other exotic pets they don't cause much trouble.
A novice breeder can find out everything he needs to know about the temperature and choice of ground in the article "Terrarium arrangement for land snails". But how do you take care of your pets when they finally arrive?
Achatinasnails like high humidity, therefore the ground and the sides of the terrarium need to be sprinkled 1-2 times a day. The ground must be humid to the touch, but not wet. It's not a good idea to "flood" the terrarium: the snails might think that the raining season has begun and their activity and appetite will become much lower.
It's normal for snails to dig into the ground for their daytime slumber, so if your pets prefer hanging on the walls of the terrarium it's a sign of a too dry or a too humid ground.
You need to clean the terrarium from the excretions every day. By the way, they may be not only on the surface, but also in the ground. Besides, you need to loosen up the ground.
You need to wash your hands before and after you interacted with snails. Achatinasnail is quite friendly and after it gets used a little to its owner you can easily hold it in your hand or pet it (your hands must be humid) – they won't hide in their shells.
If you want to remove the snail from the side or the cover of the terrarium the first thing you must know is that you cannot pull them by the shell! You can damage its body and leave a fracture on the shell. In the first case, the damage can be lethal and in the second, you'll leave an ugly scar on the shell.
So how do you remove it then? It's not hard at all. You need to humid the snail with water, carefully place a finger underneath its head and carefully unstick it from the surface.
Bathing is one of the most interesting procedures when it comes to taking care of a snail. Achatinasnails love baths and it's a great way to wake the snail up after its daytime slumber. You can wash the snail in tap water with a thin stream or in a shallow plate. The water should be warm, but not hot – about 25°C. Do not leave your pet alone and do not let it "wander" in the tub, sink and other surfaces – there may be some household detergents left which are extremely dangerous for the snail. Snails should be bathed every day or once in two days.
Shell tendance
The shell is the pride of your snail. Its size and looks depend from the owner of the animal. Besides a special diet, you need to know how to take care of it right.
During the active growth period, the shell is fragile. You need to be very careful with your pet and not to damage the growth area – the edge of the shell in which direction a new loop is growing. The freshly grown shell is very thin, almost transparent and easily breakable. You need to keep the snail safe from falling and prevent any injuries.
While bathing your snail, clean the shell with a soft brush – but don't get carried away and do it carefully. It must be done every day. The surface should be completely cleaned from the ground, pieces of food and other impurities. The growth area should be cleaned with extra carefulness.
Sometimes the surface of the growth area can become dry and begin to flake. In this case common fish oil will help (you can buy it at the drug store). Wash the snail, wait for it to dry and apply some fish oil to the problem area of the shell. As a rule, a couple of such procedures once in two days are enough to solve the problem.
Walks
You don't need to take snails for a walk like other pets, but fresh air is good for them – it heightens their activity and appetite. You'll have to take the snail outside in a container and not on a hot day. A small walk will do – about half an hour is enough. You need to pay attention that the skin of the snail doesn't become dry and sprinkle it from time to time. Keep the container away from direct sunlight.
It's not the best idea to let your pet out on the grass – it can allure predators or, what's even worse, get infected with parasites. Snails are fragile creatures. It's hard treating them and veterinarians for such pets aren't that common. Don't risk their health.