Achatina fulica are the most commonly seen species of Giant African Land Snail (GALS) in captivity, whenever a snail needs to be identified there’s a very good chance its this species, as its so common, especially in pet shops in the UK.
At one time there was confusion whether this species was known as Achatina fulica or Lissachatina fulica, Lissachatina is the subgenus of this species, there was discussion that Lissachatina should be promoted to full genus (Achatina iredalei are also subgenus Lissachatina) but this has yet to happen officially, and so the correct name for this species is Achatina fulica.
It breeds very quickly, can lay hundreds of eggs, of which many will hatch, a large percentage will survive and grow to adult size under adequate conditions, since this species is so common and difficult to find suitable homes for, many keepers freeze the eggs of this species because of this, or only hatch them in moderation. Though it is more desirable to hatch the eggs of confirmed Achatina fulica hamillei and the albino bodied form of this species, more on this will be explained on the individual subspecies/forms pages linked to below.
This species Is also very commonly auctioned online, whenever a snail is auctioned on the various auction sites online unless it clearly states otherwise its almost certainly this species, and even then it may still be Achatina fulica, as this species is commonly sold as other commonly seen and kept species like Achatina Achatina (tiger snails) and Archachatina marginata, even though the differences between all three species are clear to see.
In the wild this species is native to East Africa, in Tanzania and Kenya. It has spread to many parts of Africa, and many other tropical regions of the world, including the Caribbean, South America, Hawaii, Indonesia etc, an albino form known as “White Jade Snails” are bred in they’re thousands each year, and are eaten in parts of China.
Achatina fulica are one of the largest species of snail in the world, they can have shells around 20cm in length, though in captivity snails with much smaller shells are more commonly seen, that are usually adult at just 8-10cm shell length. Achatina fulica with a shell of over 12cm is considered very large in captivity, this may be because of continued inbreeding, though it isn’t proven. Wild caught Achatina fulica usually grow much larger than captive bred snails, if you are breeding this species it’s a good idea to source snails from different places, or try to find for sale and breed wild caught snails, this may also help eliminate health problems in this species (retracting, stunted shells etc..) which could be caused by continued inbreeding.
Their shells are variable, they can be ventricose, or elongated, striped or plain, light or dark etc.. their body colour is also variable, they can be light or dark skinned, and even albino, they have a white, or blueish white columella, unlike any other commonly kept Achatina species.
Since this species is able to grow fairly large its best to give them large housing, the larger the better, a 2 ft x 1ft tank is ok for a pair of these snails though, extra large storage containers are also great for keeping several of these snails. Coir is a very good substrate to use for them, it is sold as dried blocks in garden centres etc.. when soaked in water It expands, and so is very good at retaining moisture. Peat/Soil can also be used, moss can be used as a base substrate, personally I use a layer of moss on top of the substrate, to help keep the humidity up. Decaying hardwood leaves can be collected and mixed with the substrate, collecting from the sides of roads isn’t recommended though, as pollution caused by traffic would be very harmful to the snails.
These snails benefit from a water bowl, it also helps keep the humidity up in their housing, it would need to be rinsed and the water replaced whenever the water is soiled.
Unlike many other African species, Achatina fulica are tolerant of a wide range of temperatures, and can be kept cooler than other species, and at lower humidity, it is still recommended to keep them at, at least 24-25c though, in the winter a heat mat may be necessary depending on which room they are kept, keeping them in a room that is usually warm, and doesn’t fluctuate in temperature that much is recommended, they must also be kept at least fairly humid, moss, moist substrate, a water bowl and limited ventilation help keep the humidity up.
Achatina fulica are active both in the daytime as well as night, and under ideal conditions should be active at many times of the day, though the albino form of this species (White Jade Snail) seem much more likely to be only active at night, this may be because higher temperature and humidity may be needed for this particular form.
They can be fed a range of fruit and vegetables, it is worth trying them on many different foods, a staple diet of lettuce, cucumber, apple and sweet potato is fine for them, avoid feeding them salty foods, spinach and other vegetables that contain high levels of oxalates.
Like all other snails they must have a supply of calcium, cuttlefish bone is a good option, they can also be sprayed daily with liquid calcium, which is available online (auction sites etc..)
The housing can be decorated with plant pots, plastic plants, cork bark etc.. which also create good hiding places for the snails.
Achatina fulica f. "White Jade"
Achatina fulica hamillei
(above) Achatina fulica wc (wild caught) in Tanzania.
(above) Achatina fulica wc in Bali, Asia.
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