Giant Ghana snail
Achatina achatina
IUCN Status: Least concern
Diet
All snails have a long rasping tongue called a radula which they use to graze on the surface of plants and leaves eating the mulm and detritus that accumalates on the surface. They can however eat a variety of food from the actual plant leaves themselves to rotting carrion, fruit and even concrete (extracting the calcium from this for their shell).
Breeding
Any one individual snail has both boy and girl organs. Sperm can be stored for at least two years and when conditions are right over 12,000 eggs can be produced by one individual each year.
At The Zoo
Our African giant snails are used for our daily encounter sessions. Favourite food by far is cucumber and three 15cm adults can demolish a cucumber in two days! These giant land snails are considered a dangerous invasive species and are an impressive sight up close and personal with their both their antennae and foot extended! They are often collected in Western African countries as a food source!
Habitat
This is the giant African land snail from principally Ghana in West Africa. They inhabit the moist rainforests of the region and are widespread throughout.
Fun Facts
Snails are hermaphrodites - which means they get to chose if they want to be a boy or a girl when they meet one another! They carry their own home around with them and this grows as they do and if conditons become too dry they seal themselves inside for up to six months emerging again with the onset of rain! These Ghana snails are definitely the largest known snail alive today and have been found up to 30cms long and 15cms wide!
Behaviour
Like most snails they are most active at night during the coller periods but can easily be found due to their size and often travel immediately after rain during the daytime. They prefer concealed areas and their eggs can often be found under leaves or rocks on the ground.