How the shell of a grape snail grows. Wintering of grape snail. Grape snails are used in cosmetology

Grape snail (Helix romatia) is a terrestrial species of gastropod mollusk belonging to the order of lung snails and the helicid family. Today it is the largest snail in Europe.

Description of the grape snail

The body of the grape snail, along with other representatives of the class Gastropods, is externally divided into such parts as the shell and the body, consisting of a leg and a head. The internal organs of the snail are surrounded by a special protective mantle, some of which is quite clearly visible even from the outside.

Appearance

The shell of an adult individual has an average diameter in the range of 3.0-4.5 cm, and its volume is quite sufficient to fully accommodate the body. The shell is characterized by a spiral curvature of 4.5 turns. Shell coloration can vary from a light yellowish brown to an attractive brownish white.

Five dark and the same number of light stripes run along the entire length of the first two or three whorls. The saturation of staining directly depends on the soil and climatic conditions in the habitat, the characteristics of the diet and the intensity of lighting.

It is interesting! The shell of the snail is distinguished by a highly visible ribbing, which increases the total surface area and significantly increases the strength indicators.

As a rule, the total leg length of a fully grown individual does not exceed 3.5-5.0 cm, but such a mollusk may well stretch up to 8-9 cm. to dark grey.

The surface of the body is covered with numerous wrinkles, the areas between which have the appearance of quadrangles. This feature allows the mollusk to retain moisture very effectively.

A pair of tentacles is located above the mouth opening, and their length may vary. The size of the labial or olfactory tentacles is 2.5-4.5 mm, and the size of the eye tentacles does not exceed 10-20 mm. Vision allows the grape snail to distinguish well the intensity of illumination, as well as to see objects located at a distance of no more than 10 mm.

Along with numerous other representatives of the Gastropoda class, the snail has a digestive system represented by an ectodermal foregut and an endodermal midgut. The type of breathing of the above-ground mollusk is pulmonary. The heart is located above the hindgut, and includes the left atrium, ventricle, and pericardium. Snail blood is colorless. The reproductive system of the grape snail is hermaphroditic, therefore, cross-fertilization is carried out to obtain offspring by a mollusk.

Lifestyle and character

In the warm summer period, during the daytime, grape snails try to hide in a shady and humid corner of a garden or forest, and also often clog up in various cracks or holes. At nightfall, the snail leaves its hiding place and goes in search of food.

Snails that live in central Europe fall into a natural hibernation in winter and summer a couple of times a year. Hibernation is similar to the torpor that a terrestrial mollusk falls into when climbing inside its shell. In a period that is too cold or hot, the snail remains inside its shell, and the abundantly secreted mucus serves as a fairly dense protective film for the mollusk.

Lifespan

Grape snails are not long-lived pets. As a rule, in conditions of competent care, the average life expectancy of such a domestic mollusk is no more than eight years. Nevertheless, a record life expectancy was recorded on the territory of Sweden. In this country, the grape snail won fame, which lived for a little over three decades.

Range and habitats

The natural habitat of the grape snail is represented by valleys and mountains, the edges of deciduous forests, park areas, meadows and ravines overgrown with shrubs, as well as vineyards and soils that have an alkaline reaction.

On dry and hot days, the very moisture-loving snail is able to hide under stones or in the shade of vegetation, and often buries itself in cool, damp moss. Such an unusual pet may well be plunged into a state of stupor by high and too low temperature conditions.

It is interesting! In the so-called hibernation, grape snails may well fall not only individually, but also in large snail colonies, and the weight loss of the mollusk at this time is about 10%.

With the onset of the spring period, grape snails wake up en masse, but, as practice shows, such mollusks spend most of their lives exclusively in a state of hibernation, and wakefulness takes no more than five months a year. Before plunging into natural hibernation, a large colony of snails is able to gather in one place, choosing for this purpose the space under a stone or fallen leaves.

In summer, such snails, just before sunrise, stick to the trunk of a tree or on a bush, which allows the mollusk to easily wait out the midday heat. In the place where such a snail crawled, one can easily see the trail of mucus left by it. The snail, thanks to its mucous glands, is able to glide very smoothly over the surface. The presence of mucus protects the body of the snail from getting all kinds of damage.

Grape snails as a pet are so unpretentious that their content is quite accessible even for beginners. The acquisition of accessories and housing for the maintenance of such a snail will also not be ruinous.

Choosing an aquarium and filling

To keep a grape snail at home, you can use a glass or plastic container with a fairly large bottom area and very good ventilation. A moistened mixture is laid on the bottom based on six parts of soil and one part of activated carbon. It is very important to regularly clean the windows and walls, as well as remove the mucus from their internal space. It is recommended to provide a pet with daytime temperature at the level of 20-22 o C, and at night - within 19 o C.

A terrarium or aquarium for keeping a grape snail should be equipped so that the terrestrial mollusk feels like in natural habitats. It is quite possible to decorate the inside with green small twigs or almost any living plant that is securely fixed in the ground.

It is also very important to install a shallow reservoir inside for bathing such an unusual pet and some moistened moss. To strengthen the shell of a snail, you need to pour a small amount of limestone into the aquarium or terrarium. The terrarium should be tightly covered with a lid, which will not allow the snail to crawl out. In the lid, it is imperative to make medium-sized holes through which a sufficient amount of air will flow.

Important! The habitat of the domestic grape snail is very important to keep constantly moist, performing mandatory spraying of all internal surfaces from a conventional household spray bottle a couple of times a day .

The diet of the grape snail

Nutrition of a grape snail at home should be as close as possible to the natural environment. The herbivorous ground mollusk readily eats almost any vegetation, including grass, foliage, and even humus.

Care and hygiene, cleaning

In the process of keeping snails at home, it is very important to completely eliminate the risk of damage to the shells, and also observe the following care rules:

• use only fresh and high-quality plant foods for feeding, as well as make the pet's diet as diverse as possible;
• regularly give snails crushed eggshells, as well as any other components containing a sufficient amount of calcium;
• daily, preferably in the evening, spray the walls of the terrarium and the soil with clean water at room temperature from a spray bottle;
• carefully monitor the indicators of the level of humidity, avoiding the strong drying of the bedding soil or its waterlogging with the accumulation of a large amount of liquid at the bottom;
• the water in the bath installed in the terrarium must be replaced daily;
• replacement of fillers and soil inside the terrarium or aquarium is carried out as necessary, partially or completely, depending on the degree of contamination;
• terrarium for grape snails should not stand in direct sunlight, as well as near heating appliances.

It should be noted that the maximum possible cleanliness must be maintained inside the terrarium or aquarium with grape snails, which will reduce the risk of infection of pets with nematodes or mites, as well as various pathogenic microflora that provokes the development of diseases.

Snail breeding

All snails are hermaphroditic creatures, which combine not only male, but also female sexual characteristics. In order to lay eggs, adult and fully mature individuals of the grape snail must necessarily exchange germ cells with other individuals. There are two periods of reproduction of the domestic grape snail:

• from March to June;
• from the first decade of September to the onset of October.

First of all, the maturation of male germ cells is carried out, which are transferred to partners and stored inside special seed receptacles until the maturation of female germ cells. Mating games, as a rule, continue for several minutes or hours, during which grape snails feel partners, wrap their bodies around them and squeeze their soles.

Subsequently, the snails lay eggs surrounded by a gelatinous substance that allows them to be fastened into cocoons or clusters. When born, newborn snails have transparent shells with only a couple of coils. With age, the number of such turns on the shell gradually increases.

The grape snail leads an active nocturnal lifestyle. Everyone is familiar with its spiral shell, in which the soft body of a mollusk is hidden.

   Class - gastropods
   Row - stalk-eyed
   Genus/Species - Helix pomatia

   Basic data:
DIMENSIONS
Sink: up to 40 mm wide and 35 mm long.
Body length: 8-9 cm.

BREEDING
Puberty: from about 2 years old.
Mating period: warm wet summer nights.
Number of eggs: 20-50.
Incubation period: one month.

LIFESTYLE
Lifespan: up to 10 years old.
Habits: hibernates in winter and on hot summer days.
Food: leaves and other vegetative parts of plants.

RELATED SPECIES
About 50 species of snails are known, to the species Helix belong Helix vulganis, Helix pomatia and Helix buchi.

   Snails live not only in gardens, they can be found in various biotopes - on the sea coast and in high mountains, in shady parks and in dense dark forests. Previously, several million snails were harvested annually in Central Europe.

FOOD

   Snails feed on plants: primrose, nasturtium, lettuce. In captivity, they enjoy eating dandelion leaves.
   Grape snails eat the leaves of many other plants in large quantities, but they do not refuse lichens and algae. Some types of snails are carnivores. They prey on other, smaller snails, small insects and mammals. Snails are very attached to the "hearth", so after each walk they return "home" every time - to their shell.

LIFESTYLE

   On warm summer days, snails hide in shady and damp corners of gardens and forests, clogging themselves into all sorts of cracks and holes. At night, they leave their hiding places and go in search of food.
   Snails living in Central Europe hibernate twice a year - in winter and in "summer". Both of these hibernations are similar to a state of torpor. In both cases, the snail climbs into its shell, where it waits for more favorable conditions for it .
   If it is very cold outside or vice versa - too hot, then it "closes" in its shell, and from the mucus that is released in large quantities, after solidification, a dense protective film is formed.
   For protection, the snail uses sticky mucus.
   Grape snail and garden snail live in Central Europe.

BREEDING

   All snails are hermaphroditic creatures. They combine male and female sexual characteristics. All of them can lay eggs, but for this they must exchange sexual products with another individual.
   Male germ cells mature earlier. They are transferred to partners and stored in seminal receptacles until the time of maturation of female germ cells. Mating games usually last from several minutes to several hours. Snails feel each other, wrapping their bodies around and squeezing their soles.
   The exchange of pricks of love arrows acts as a signal of readiness for the transfer of sexual products. Subsequently, the snails lay eggs, surrounding them with a gelatinous ore-carbohydrate substance and fastening them into cocoons and clusters. Newborn snails have transparent shells with only two coils. Gradually, the number of turns on the snail shell increases.
   Snails fertilize each other during mating. Their eggs are like pearls. Tiny newborn snails are completely transparent.

SNAIL WATCHING

   Grape snails of the genus Helix return to their shell after a night walk. In a humid, shady place, their return can be observed even during the day. Before going into hibernation, a large colony of snails gathers in one place, such as under a rock, under fallen leaves, or in ivy thickets. In summer, snails can be found almost everywhere, because before sunrise they stick to the trunk of a tree or bush to wait out the midday heat. In places where the snail crawled, on the ground or on a tree trunk, you can see the traces of its travel left by it - paths of mucus. Snails, thanks to the mucous glands, glide smoothly over the surface. The slime of snails protects their bodies from possible damage.

  

DO YOU KNOW WHAT...

• The shell of a snail is composed of a calcareous substance. Therefore, many snails are often found on alkaloid soils.
• The colors and patterns on snail shells vary greatly. Browns or pinks are found in woodlands where these colors blend in nicely with the environment and camouflage; their yellow or striped patterns are common in open spaces, such as valleys, where sunlight falling on the grass makes them invisible. This color variation is a great way to protect yourself.

  

THREE TYPES OF GRAPE SNAIL

   Three types of snails of the genus helix similar to each other, so it is easy to confuse them. They differ in places of residence and color of shells. These are the types: grape snail Helix pomatia, a common floodplain forest snail helix buchi and garden snail Helix vulgaris.
   1. Shell of a grape snail Helix pomatia brown, with black longitudinal stripes.
   2. On the shell of a common snail in floodplain forests helix buchi about five dark brown stripes. The edge of the shell is black.
   3. Garden snail shell Helix vulgaris small size, yellowish color with white edging. There are five dark stripes on the shell.

PLACES OF ACCOMMODATION
Snail Helix pomatia distributed throughout Europe, up to the Scandinavian countries. It is found in warm regions of Austria, especially in Eastern Europe.
PRESERVATION
The meat of these snails is considered a delicacy, but this does not threaten the extinction of the species.

Hello Masha!

Grape snail for an active life needs warmth and moisture. If the temperature and humidity are insufficient, the mollusk "falls asleep".

Winter hibernation of a grape snail

Under natural conditions, at a temperature of about 12 degrees, the mollusk begins to prepare for wintering. He is looking for loose soil, where he burrows to a depth of about 5 or 10 cm. Sometimes a snail can be found even at a depth of 30 cm. Every year in nature, it hides in the same places found before: the roots of rotten trees, alien and abandoned minks, ravine slopes. Closing the shell, the snail waits out the cold season.

The optimum temperature at which the snail feels good is 25 or 28 degrees. At 23 and even 20 they are quite active. A drop in temperature, overheating, or a decrease in humidity levels can cause the snail to become clogged in the shell. At home, your pet, already at a temperature of 19 degrees, can fall into suspended animation. For the well-being of this natural process, the owner must create comfortable conditions. A substrate should be placed at the bottom of the terrarium or container where the snail lives. The optimal solution is a coconut analogue or sawdust of a rather large fraction. Suitable soil for begonias - thanks to the low content of fertilizers and neutral pH. You can also use a mixture of humus and peat. If it is necessary to rest, the mollusk will use the substrate as a "bed". The soil should be moist, but not too much. Before placing the soil in the terrarium, it should be disinfected. The substrate is treated with boiling water or incubated for several minutes in the oven (7 - 10 minutes) or, alternatively, in the microwave (4 or 6 minutes). This will get rid of insect larvae.

How does hibernation happen?

• The snail before falling asleep can also attach to the substrate, curl up inside the shell. Later, she tightens the opening of the shell with mucus and removes her leg inside. The mucus hardens and clogs the mouth of the shell.
• All life processes of the animal slow down. Heart pulsations reach one contraction per minute. This is the time for complete rest.
• It is important for the owner not to disturb the pet and not disturb his sleep in any way. First of all, it concerns temperature and humidity. During hibernation, the snail needs a low ambient temperature and low humidity. Place the clams terrarium in a cool place.
• Hibernation lasts for these animals for about 3 months. In the conditions of Belarus, the winter rest of the mollusk takes 5 months or more. During this period, the individual loses about 10% of its weight.

How to wake up a snail?

Helixes (from the Latin Helix pomatia Linnaeus) calmly endure a frosty winter, and when the temperature rises to plus six degrees, they wake up from sleep. After suspended animation, they are hungry and need fresh greenery. It is also important to provide the mollusk with the opportunity to replenish the loss of moisture, because without replenishment of fluid reserves in the body, the snail will not be able to eat despite the winter hunger strike.

By the way, even in the summer, if your pet lacks moisture, it will immediately be noticeable by a decrease in its activity. He may even go into a daze. A snail can "fall asleep" even if you become too lazy to clean its terrarium. A large amount of mucus that this creature secretes in the course of its life and movement has a depressing effect on it in a limited space.

After a successful winter holiday, having woken up and refreshed themselves, the snails go in search of a partner in order to leave offspring.

Sincerely, Galina.

Today it is becoming fashionable to keep at home not quite ordinary pets. And here - who and what will have enough imagination. Someone has a crocodile in the bathroom, others give birth to exotic fish, others - cockroaches, scorpions and spiders. This is all for an amateur, but you can’t take a fish and a poisonous scorpion out of the aquarium to stroke it, and the dog needs to be walked at least twice a day. Therefore, many are looking for an alternative, and there really is one. Grape snail at home feels great, willingly crawls into his arms and takes a shower in the hands of the owner, does not require much care. And if the conditions of your life suddenly change, for example, a move is coming, you can simply release it in the garden. Most likely, she will successfully adapt to free conditions.

Where to get a snail?

They are sold in pet stores, so buying yourself a new friend will not be a problem. But keep in mind that they are found in large quantities in the south of Russia, so if you are going to rest in Sochi, then you have a good chance of bringing a pet from there. At the same time, the grape snail at home is so unpretentious that its content is available to any beginner. Today we will look at what these snails eat and what conditions these snails require so that the future owner can easily cope with caring for a new pet.

But let's get back to the topic of how to catch a snail yourself. The child will gladly support this idea, especially since the process itself is more than exciting. To do this, in the vineyard, which is plentiful in the south of Russia, even during the day you need to leave a juicy fruit, preferably overripe, fragrant. In the evening, the mollusks begin to crawl out of their hiding places - now you can start hunting. Therefore, after dark, grab a flashlight and go looking. Most likely, several individuals will already be sitting on your fruit. By the way, the grape snail at home is quite voracious, so if you do not live in the south, where fruits are available all year round, think about whether you need such a pet. When choosing a snail, you should not take small ones, these can be cubs or sick individuals. Pay attention that there are no cracks on the sink, such a simple selection will allow you to bring home a friend who will live long enough.

New home for the snail

First of all, you need to take care of where the grape snail will live at home. An old aquarium or a large, transparent box is best suited for these purposes. The volume should allow the snail to move around normally, so do not keep it in a very small box or jar. Be sure to close the jar with a lid so that the mollusk cannot escape. However, make sure that there are air holes in the lid.

What to feed a grape snail?

Snail care

We have already said that the walls of the aquarium in which snails live are periodically covered with mucus. They must be wiped, otherwise it will be difficult for you to observe the life of your ward. Uneaten fruits and vegetables should be thrown away in a timely manner, otherwise flies will start in them. It is very convenient to have a special saucer for feeding. Then all the leftovers will be in one place.

Few pets love water as much as the snail. The content of these mollusks implies the presence in the enclosure of a small bathing room, only shallow, because the snail cannot swim. She really does not like dry air, because it is not in vain that her natural habitat is moist, shady thickets, vineyards, where she crawls out in the evening and actively crawls in search of food until the morning. Therefore, you need to purchase a spray bottle and spray the walls and the ground in the aquarium every day, as well as the snails themselves.

Interaction with snails

Why has the grape snail become so popular? Home maintenance of this mollusk is quite simple, you can pick up a snail and stroke it. Over time, she will get used to her hands and will feel them with her horns. You can feed it from your hands, the snail will gladly eat fresh fruit. If you need to leave, then you can put her to bed. To do this, you need to choose a cool place and stop feeding it. The mollusk will perceive this as the onset of cold weather, go into the shell and close with a special film. In nature, anabiosis of a snail lasts up to 3 months. Waking her up on her return is easy enough. Transfer the aquarium to a warm place, and wash the snail in warm water. It is especially necessary to withstand hibernation if you want to get offspring.

Snail breeding

Today, many pet stores sell grape snails. The price of such a pet is from 50 to 500 rubles, depending on the size and region. To get offspring, you need at least 2 individuals. Snails usually mate in autumn and spring. Under favorable conditions, they can breed several times a month. Usually, a snail ready for mating begins to travel around the aquarium, strongly stretching its body. She examines him in search of a partner, when two snails meet, a love game begins. The process can last up to 6 hours, and the act of mating itself takes about two hours. During mating, the snails press their soles tightly against each other. At the end of sexual intercourse, the snails connect the genitals and exchange male cells. After that, the snails go about their business to lay their eggs.

offspring care

Growing grape snails is a simple matter. Adults lay white eggs underground, in a pre-prepared place. After that, 3-4 weeks pass before the offspring hatch. A newborn snail first eats the shell from the egg from which it emerged, and then goes upstairs. After about ten days, the snail gets out. All this time they feed on useful substances that are in the soil. At this time, it is necessary that her shell gets stronger so that she can hide in it in time of danger. Toddlers are fed finely grated fruits and vegetables so that they grow faster. It is also necessary to give mineral supplements.

Growing snails on an industrial scale

Grape snail farm - it sounds rather strange. However, there is a demand - there is a supply. Since many people want to keep shellfish at home, then they will be sold on the market. However, resourceful entrepreneurs supply snails not only to pet stores. Snail meat began to be in great demand. This is a fashionable novelty that restaurants and cafes are happy to use to attract customers. Moreover, it is the grape snail that has a special, exquisite taste, much better than the Achatina giants.

Profitability of a snail farm

How much profit can a grape snail give? The price of one queen bee is $3. To expand production, you need at least 300 pieces. To feed them, you will need at least 2 kg of feed, the cost of each kilogram is about 300 rubles. Several times a month, each individual (they are hermaphrodites, but the mating process is necessary) lays 20-50 eggs, from which young snails hatch after 3-4 weeks. They ripen after about 6 months, after which they can be taken to restaurants. Each kilogram of shellfish costs about $10. Snail caviar is even more expensive, it is purchased at a price of $ 120 for 50 g.

Snails, as pets, have more and more fans. Someone starts these creatures out of curiosity, and then gets so involved in caring for and caring for them that they cannot imagine their life without Achatina. Someone deliberately decides to take this step. In any case, in order for your snail to be comfortable next to you, and you are not tormented by remorse that it was you who caused her illness (more about), we invite you to find out interesting information about these pets on the pages of our website.

And, today we will talk about hibernation in snails. Why do these creatures need a dream, how long can it last, how to put a snail into hibernation and how to wake it up? We will try to answer these questions in our today's publication ...

Do snails hibernate

It will be useful for beginner snail growers to know that their pets can hibernate. Being in it, they completely draw their body deep into the shell, and the shell entrance (it is called the mouth) is sealed with a special adhesive substance. Such a protective film - experts call it an epiphragm - is formed with the help of mucus, lime grains, which produce the sebaceous glands of snails, protein substances. When cured, such a film seals the shell securely and guarantees the snail that its peace will not be disturbed.

It is noteworthy that if the snail's sleep lasts a long time, then it can form not one, but several epiphragms. However, with each such protective layer in the mouth area, the chances that you will be able to wake the snail become smaller. Therefore, it is better not to allow such a long sleep and make sure that your Achatina does not turn into a sleeping beauty or a handsome man.

Causes of hibernation in Achatina

Well, we have established that snails can fall into a state of sleep. But, what is the impetus for the mechanisms to go to sleep to start in the body of the snail? Experts identify several possible reasons. Among them:

• Low humidity- if the air in the snail is dry, then in order to protect itself from dehydration, the snail will try to fall into a state of hibernation in order to save water consumption. You can read more about comfortable conditions for keeping snails at home, in particular about humidity indicators.
• Wrong diet- if you feed your Achatina not what she likes or the snail does not receive enough nutrients from her diet, she can plunge into a state of sleep in order to reduce the body's intake of vitamins and nutrients.
• Low air temperature- if the air temperature is low in the ulitarium where the snail is kept, and your pet, even hiding in its shell, feels uncomfortable, the snail may try to sleep.
• Stress- often, as a result of a stressful situation, most often it is associated with the period of acclimatization of the snail in a new place, these creatures fall asleep, hoping that when they wake up, everything will be as before. Stress and sleep can also provoke changes in the soil, conditions of detention, short-term hypothermia or overheating.
• Painful conditions - as a result of injuries received by the snail, or food, chemical poisoning, the pet can also plunge itself into a state of sleep.

How to hibernate a snail

As you can see, almost all the reasons explaining the sleep of a snail are associated with discomfort and discomfort for Achatina. As such, the snail does not need sleep - this is the protective mechanism of her body, which Nature invented for her. Therefore, experts still do not recommend specifically immersing the snail in a state of sleep. And, although during hibernation all processes in the body of Achatina slow down, it loses a lot of strength, and there is always a risk that you may not wake up the snail. Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, you should not immerse the snail in hibernation. You must be aware of all the possible risks associated with such a dream. In addition, if we are talking about immersing young snails into sleep, then you should understand that while at rest, snails stop growing, so when they wake up, they will be smaller than their peers who did not sleep.

However, if you still need your Achatina to fall asleep - for example, you are leaving for several weeks, and there will be no one to look after your pet (although you can use the services), you can artificially provoke a state of hibernation in a snail ... To do this transplant it into a ulitarium, where the soil is absolutely dry, stop feeding and do not moisten it with water. In the very room where the ulitarium is located, there must be a stable temperature and a stable level of humidity. Once in such an anti-comfortable environment, in order to survive, the snail will be forced to sleep. However, it is not recommended to extend such a dream for a period longer than 1.5-2 months. Otherwise, Achatina may die, or you may not wake her up.