|
|
|
|
When your Giant African Land Snail (GALS) reaches adulthood, which can be from 9 months onwards depending on how fast your snail grows, your snail can lay eggs if it is big enough (10cm+) and if it has mated with another snail. GALS are hermaphrodites, meaning that they posses both male and female sexual organs. However they cannot fertilise themselves, they must find another GALS to mate with before they lay eggs. GALS mate by shooting a 'love dart', a mucus-coated calcium carbonate dart into their partners' flesh. Researchers now believe the dart enables the target snail to retain more of the shooter's sperm. They then join at the sexual organs, found on the right hand side of the head. They can stay like this for many hours. The two GALS will then lay their eggs in the substrate of their tank. GALS can also store sperm for quite a long period of time, so they can lay their eggs when conditions are most favourable. It is quite hard unless you've actually seen your GALS mate to tell whether or not they are 'expecting'. You'll have to keep checking the substrate in the bottom of the tank for signs of eggs! Remember not to keep too many of the eggs or you will be over run with GALS, three or four will be enough. The other eggs should be frozen to stop them from hatching out in the rubbish.
Homepage - Care - Housing - Feeding - Help! My GALS is sick...
bravenet.com