Although the colour variants might make them all look very different, they are all the same species and the care they require is the same, they can be housed together and breed without problems. They are commonly referred to as Giant African Land Snails, or GALS for short. There are other species that are commonly known as GALS which require slightly different care, here we are specifically referring to the species Achatina fulica.

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Temperature: 20 - 25°c

 

Your GALS should be kept around 20 - 25 degrees Celsius. If the room you keep your snail enclosure in is fairly warm and a consistent temperature then you shouldn't need any heating equipment. It is ok if the temperature drops a little overnight.

 

However if it is regularly cooler than this you can either use a heat lamp or a heat mat. A heat mat is preferable for snails as they are not fond of too much direct light and heat lamps can cause the enclosure to dry out a lot more quickly.

 

If using a heat lamp this should be above and outside of the enclosure, not touching the top and be situated to one side to give a warm and cool side. The warm and cool side is not a necessity if you are keeping them without heating equipment, just a precaution when using an "artificial" heat source.

 

If using a heat mat, this should be fixed to the side of the enclosure on the outside, or underneath to one side. It should never be on the inside.

 

Any heating equipment used should always be connected to a thermostat and always use caution if using heating equipment with plastic enclosures. Care should also be taken if using any heating equipment that it does not dry out the enclosure.

 

Humidity: 60 - 80% 

This species likes a fairly high humidity, 60-80% is an ideal range. Although it should be noted that smaller, younger GALS generally prefer a higher humidity than adults, however they can be housed together and it is perfectly acceptable to keep them at a "central" humidity level - around 70%. This can be achieved by spraying the enclosure well every day.

 

Any water used for your GALS should be around room temperature. It is fine to use tap water, but would be preferable if it was boiled and then left to stand in an open container for 12-24 hours, this allows the chlorine to evaporate.

 

It is always recommended to measure the humidity in the enclosure with a hydrometer (digital is usually more accurate than the analogue dial hydrometers.) Or if you are more experienced keeper/know that you have a high baseline of humidity in the room they are kept in then you can measure it by eye. The best way we have found to do this is look at the substrate, it should be damp but not mud, if it has turned to mud the humidity is too high, this can be combated by adding more ventilation.

 

It should also be noted that some substrates are better at holding on to moisture than others, and some will turn to mud more quickly and at lower humidity levels. If in doubt use a hydrometer, you can pick one up from Amazon for about £10 if you don't want to buy the more expensive branded ones typically sold for reptiles and amphibians.

 

Housing

There are a few different options to choose from when deciding on an enclosure for your snails, many things could be suitable so we'll just cover the basic requirements and most common enclosure types here. The enclosure should be kept out of direct sunlight.

 

GALS will require a few different sizes of enclosure across their lifetime. It is best to keep babies in a smaller enclosure and re-house them as they grow, this makes it easier for them to access their food and calcium source and means they won't use as much energy trying to get between them so they will grow properly. Once they are fully grown the minimum recommended size of enclosure for one or two adults would be 36 litres or about 40x30x30cm. If you have more snails you will need to increase the size of the enclosure accordingly.

 

Plastic RUB (Really Useful Box)/Storage container -

These are by far the most popular choice for GALS enclosures and what we use. They are not the most aesthetically pleasing option but they are very practical and budget friendly. They hold heat and humidity well, come in a variety of shapes and sizes, are easy to add ventilation holes into, are easy to move around if needed and can be opened from all sides (no fixed hinge) if your snail is sat between the lid and the wall.

 

Glass tank -

While this is one of the better looking options they can be more expensive and slightly less practical. Depending on what lid comes with the tank it may be difficult to add ventilation to the lid, or even provide too much top ventilation so the enclosure dries out. It can be even more difficult to add ventilation holes to the tank itself. You may need to replace the lid entirely with something a little easier to put your own ventilation holes in.

 

Substrate

This is a burrowing species, they tend to burrow more when they are young and less as they get older. They will burrow as adults after mating to lay eggs, more on that later.  They should have enough substrate to completely bury themselves at least, but preferably a little more if possible. It should be compacted a small amount, just enough so that it is not completely loose and falls back in when they try to burrow, but not so much that it is too solid for them to push their way through. The substrate may become more or less compacted depending on the relative humidity of the enclosure and water content of the substrate itself.

 

The gap between the substrate and the roof of the enclosure shouldn't be too big. GALS like to hang from the top of their enclosures an can sometimes fall off, so to reduce the risk of them damaging their shells leaving a gap of around 1.5x their shell length is ideal when they are fully grown. This will differ a little for younger, smaller snails as they grow relatively quickly

 

We would recommend using Coir/Coco fibre bricks, you can find these in most pet shops and garden centres. They usually come peat free as standard but make sure to check to be on the safe side.

 

Hides should be provided for your GALS especially as they start to grow and burrow less, they will still appreciate somewhere readymade to hide. Common hides include plastic plant pots, coconut shells and cork bark, there are lots of things would be suitable as hide, however nothing hard should ever be placed in their enclosure such as pottery or rocks. Keeping any hard items out of their enclosure can reduce the risk of them damaging their shells when they fall.

 

Live plants can be placed in their enclosure, as a source of decoration and food, please make sure they are safe for them to eat, also keep in mind that many plants won't do well inside a GALS enclosure because of the lack of sunlight. If placing fake plants on their enclosure as decoration please make sure they are plastic and not fabric as there have been cases where a GALS has tried to eat the fabric plant, this can be fatal.

 

Bath Time

Many GALS like a bath! You can place a shallow dish of water in their enclosure for them, this should be room temperature water and should only be placed in the enclosure for medium to fully grown snails. The water should be shallow enough that it doesn't reach the breathing hole under their shell, and should be below the top of their foot. Babies can drown very easily so it is best to avoid open water sources in their enclosure. This can be a good source of enrichment for your larger snails, it will help them to keep themselves and their shells clean, and help to keep any parasites away. If you don't feel comfortable leaving a bath in their enclosure then you can offer one occasionally while supervised, or you can clean their shells every now and then with a clean cloth or some kitchen roll and some room temperature water. NEVER use any soaps, detergents or any other chemicals, etc. on your GALS.

 

 

Diet: Omnivores

Their mouth is located on the underside of them, just underneath their face, they "rasp" on food to eat it, similar to scraping your teeth on something rather than biting it. (Don't worry if and when you handle them, this won't hurt you.)

 

GALS do not need drinking water, they will get all the water they need from their food and when you spray the enclosure. As mentioned above you can place a shallow dish of water for larger snails as a bath, while it can be a good source of enrichment for them, it is not a necessity and should be avoided for smaller or baby snails as they will drown.

 

The diet of GALS is not quite as simple as many might assume. Their ideal diet is actually quite similar to ours in that they require a balanced and varied diet made up of Vegetables, Calcium, Proteins, Fats and Fruit. They are omnivores and don't eat only leafy greens like lettuce as is the common misconception.

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A great website to look at for dietary and any other information for your snails is www.giantafricanlandsnails.com

A little from them below, and a great list from them of what foods to feed and not feed your GALS 

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Click here - - - > Food List