Range

The native home of the giant African land snail is east Africa. Here they can be found in Mozambique in the South through to Kenya and Somalia in the North. While this is the African giant snail’s native home they are highly invasive.

Giant African land snail’s have also spread to a range of other countries across the world including islands in the pacific and Caribbean, Asia and the United States. They have moved there through a range of mean’s such as attaching to vehicles, agricultural transport and introduction from past pet’s.

Habitat

They are adaptable and can be found in a wide range of habitats. Their natural environment is tropical rainforests. They have become an invasive species in a range of temperate, coastal, wetland and forest environments as well as modified habitats such as farmland and urban areas.

Reproduction

Mating occurs year-round with snails able to breed once every 2 to 3 months allowing for numerous clutches in a year. Mating take’s place at night.

Giant African land snails are hermaphrodites and as a result both may produce eggs when they breed. If one is smaller they may take on the role of the male and not produce eggs. Unlike some other snail species they can not self fertilise they need to mate to produce offspring.

The number of eggs produced following mating will vary based on the snail’s age. These eggs are laid within 8 to 20 days of mating occurring. They may produce up to 500 eggs.

These eggs only take 11 to 15 days to hatch. This interval is determined by the climatic condition’s in the area where they are laid.

It takes 6 months to reach adult size though their growth rate slows at this size instead of stopping. They will grow slightly until the end of their life.

Behavior

Outside of mating giant African land snail’s lead a solitary existence.

They are active at night. During the day they bury under the ground away from the elements and potential predators.

Predator’s of the giant African land snail include rats, crabs, ants, wild boars and other snails. Their hard shell helps to protect them from being eaten by a range of animal’s.

When water is scarce this specie’s can enter aestivation where they seal their body in the shell to retain water for long as possible. This process may last for up to 3 years’.

Quick facts

In some places giant African land snails are kept as pets while in several places they are invasive pests and owning them is against the law. They are considered one of the top 100 most invasive species in the world.

Giant African land snails are also used as a food source in some places though they can carry some diseases.