Akhatina is a tropical snail, characterized by impressive sizes. It is often chosen for maintenance at home. To mollusk felt comfortable, it is necessary to provide him with the right conditions. How seriously the owner comes to choosing a terrarium and soil, affects the life and health of the snail, as well as its ability to reproduce.
The value of the soil for snail
The filler for aquarium plays a very important role. It is with it that it is possible to partially recreate natural habitats. In addition, the soil has other useful functions. It is the soil that allows you to maintain moisture in the dwelling of the mollusk at the proper level. The drying is extremely undesirable, however, it is not worth remarking with moisture. Stating water will hide. It is enough to produce a spraying with a pulverizer several times a day.
The soil layer should be sufficient so that Akhatina can break into it entirely. To do this, it is necessary to pour it with a thickness of 5-12 centimeters.
It is in it that egg laying are made. Also, due to the soil, mollusk is ensured. With a random fall, he will help soften the blow, and the snail will not hurt the shell. For this very reason, it should be avoided into aquarium of solid objects.
Types of substrate
Soil for snails of this species can be chosen different. It all depends on the preferences of the owner and material opportunities. Imagine the most popular and reliable options. Often the owners of Akhatin prefer to use coconut meal. It is also convenient for the fact that it is easy to clean and dry, therefore suitable for re-use. This substrate is for sale both in finished form and briquettes. If the choice is made in favor of the second option, the meal must be prepared independently. For this, the briquette is filled with hot water, cooled, washed through gauze, after which it will be thoroughly dried.
Also in the form of soil can be peat. It is sold, for example, in flower shops. However, it is necessary to clarify that the peat does not contain flower fertilizers, since some of them can seriously harm the ahatine.
Natural material assembled in the forest independently, you need to hide in the oven at a temperature of 200 degrees for 15 minutes. Warming will help disinfect peat, remove bacteria and parasites. You can use ordinary earth, but in this case, the calcination is also carried out. In this embodiment, there are posses, since a similar type of soil saves moisture well, besides, it is very loose.
Owners of Akhatin often use peat moss. It does not develop flies and bacteria.
Also, Moss perfectly keeps moisture, which, in turn, simplifies care. You can add to it or other types of soil dry leaves. However, experts do not recommend that it is carried away, since the absorption of moisture deteriorates. Leaves must be preheated and dried. As mentioned above, most types of soil are not required to buy in the store, it is easy to get in natural conditions. However, processing in these cases should be mandatory, otherwise the use of the filler may be unsafe for mollusk.
Unsuitable types of filler
Despite the fact that the types of soil suitable for the content of the snail is enough, the owners need to know which litters cannot be put. Forbidden material can harm the mollusk and even lead to his death. Under the ban of wood sawdust. They not only can scratch snail, but also are dangerous by zanozami, which lead to inflammation and even a fatal outcome. Also because of such a filler, the sink is covered with a white bloom, which is subsequently impossible to remove. At the bottom of the aquarium, moisture will be collected, which threatens the advent of midges and mold.
It is also not recommended to use sand. He scratches a gentle mollusk taurus, and falling into the esophagus, not excreted from there completely.
Even among the backs of this type of filler - the inability to keep moisture, scratches on glass and plastic. As for pebbles, it also does not absorb water. If the snail falls on such a filler, it can split the sink. It is impossible to glow into the pebbles because of its weight, besides, it is problematic to hide eggs. Clay is not suitable for the reason that when contacting with water turns into dirt. Also, movement on such a surface is not very convenient for snail.
Also, snail will not hurt swimming in warm water. Despite the fact that the filler was chosen for mollusk, once a year it must be replaced. It is worth hiding the container from direct sunlight. If the room temperature is insufficient, the use of electric heaters is allowed.
Replacement of soil
Replace the soil in the aquarium is completely simple. However, the process requires compliance with the basic recommendations. Snails need to be moved to another container. Feeders and decorative elements are thoroughly rinsed under a jet of warm water. With severe pollution, you can quote them with boiling water. The soil is poured with gloves and scoop. The aquarium itself is rinsed without the use of chemical compositions.
Old primer can be quinetted, rinse well, dry and retain to the aquarium, but it is necessary to add at least a little new material.
An exception is cases when parasites appear. In this situation, the filler is thrown out and completely replaced with a new one.
It is best to change the soil 1-2 times a month. This is necessary, since the waste of the snail is accumulated inside and begin to smell unpleasantly. There is a risk of insects and parasites. If there is a laying of eggs in the aquarium, it is impossible to change the soil. Otherwise, the humidity changes, which can lead to the death of the offspring. The exception is also the appearance of parasites.
Useful advice
Snail can be considered a rather specific homemade pet, however, and she has its own fans. Owners note unpretentiousness in care and the ability to quickly multiply. As for Europe and Russia, in the natural mollusk environment here do not meet. Most often it is given in decorative purposes. If you want to decoratively arrange aquarium, it is easy to do it. The main thing is to think about mollusk safety. You can use natural elements, for example, moss or beautiful snags. However, you can not forget about disinfection.
To wash the aquarium, it is impossible to use chemical compositions, it is enough to wipe the walls with a damp cloth.
As for the care, adult individuals it is advisable to establish a bowl with clean water. In order for humidity to remain at the required level, the lid should always be tightly closed. First, care is not burdensome for the owner. Secondly, she does not require walks. Also, it is impossible not to note the minimum costs of content.
Akhatina is a very quiet pet, it is especially active in the dark day, however, subject to sufficient humidity may appear during the daytime. If the temperature drops below +9 degrees, the mollusk flows into the hibernation.
When creating a microclimate, it is impossible to forget that Akhatina is a tropical mollusk. To ensure comfort, he needs warmth and moisture. It is best if the air temperature stays at 25-28 degrees. If the room is cooled, the snail will be less active. We must not forget to regularly spray the dwelling of the pet with water. The optimal mollusc house is glass or plastic containers. It is necessary to ensure ventilation so that there is sufficient access of fresh air. It is also necessary to take care that the upper capacitance cover is severe and does not move, otherwise there is a risk that Akhatina will run away.
The lid should also have ventilation holes. However, the ventilation is not to overdo it.
As far as sufficiently sharp water, you can understand in its behavior. Hidden in the sink, mollusk signals about dryness in the aquarium, and sitting for a long time on the walls, on the contrary, about excessive humidity. If the owner needs to leave for a while, you can provoke a snail in the hibernation. For this, dryness is created in the container. To wake the mollusk, it should be placed under the flow of warm water. It is necessary to focus on the sizes of the snail, too small individuals can squeeze into the holes, because they are perfectly moving along the walls and the lid. Also, experts recommend to abandon the bark and sawdust. A gentle pet caller can easily scatter.
Feed snails vegetable food. Excellent fit soft plants. In the young age of Akhatina will give preference to live plants, increasing residues will fit more solid. Most often, the houses of the mollusks are fed cabbage, cucumbers, zucchi and other not too solid vegetables.
The pet will not be able to actively grow and develop without protein and calcium. Therefore, it will be useful to occasionally pamper it with pieces of boiled chicken. The porridge from the cereal mixture is suitable. Under the ban of pickles and smoked products. In gentle age, it is impossible to give snail a lot of food, as they will strive to break into it, which can lead to suffocation.
Ahather is a land mollusk. Its length can reach 30 centimeters, which is an impressive value. Natural habitat - tropics. As for France, there are very popular with Akhatina. They reconcile very quickly and grow. This allows you to actively use such snails in local cuisine. As for living in a natural environment, snail badly harms agricultural cultures. Her favorite delicacy is a sugar cane. Besides, Akhatina suffers from lack of calcium, so scraping the sink lime from the walls of buildings . It makes them significant harm.
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