The giant African land snail, is the largest species of snail found on land and generally grow to around 20 cm in length and around 7 cm in height. The shell has a conical shape, particularly tough and has the highest heavy metal content of any snail species.
The specie is native to east Africa but have been introduced to other parts of the world through the pet trade, as food resource and by accidental introduction. The giant African snail is a macrophytophagous herbivore; it eats a wide range of plant material, fruits and vegetables. It will sometimes eat sand, small stones, bone from carcasses as calcium source for its shell and on rare cases the snail will consume each other.
This species is a simultaneous hermaphrodite although instances of self fertilization is rare, each individual has both testes and ovaries and is capable of producing both sperm and ova. Adult size is reached in about 6 months after which growth slows, but does not cease until death but the snail can live up till 10 years. They are active at night and spend the day buried underground.
During periods of extreme drought, the giant African land snail goes into aestivation (summer sleep). The giant African land snail seals itself inside it's shell to retain water and giant African land snails do this about 3 times a year, depending on the areas in which they inhabit.
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