Classification
Class: Gastropoda.
Family: Achatinidae.
Genus: Achatina.
Species: Acatina achatina.
Habitat
Tigers are found within the dense forest floors in the forest zone of Ghana and also in the humid riparian forest floors. They are believed to have a 3 year breeding cycle which is longer than other snails. This, coupled with deforestation and snail-picking for consumption has caused the numbers to dramatically fall over the last 10-15 years. Unfortunately, they are considered by many people from Ghana and other places in West Africa to be the most prized snail for eating, followed by Archachatina marginata and then Achatina fulica.
Outward appearance
Size: Average adult shell length is 18cm, with an average diameter of 9cm. In exceptional cases the shell can grow to be 30cm long but this is very unlikely, especially in captivity. Large ones may achieve a shell length of 22cm.
Boldly marked with dark chestnut-brown zig-zag streaks.
Outer lip blueish-white
Feeding
This species of land snail eats all kinds of raw vegetables and fruits; carrot, potato, leek, cellery, pumpkin, apple, tomato, cucumber, aubergine, mellon and many more.
You can just place the foods on top of the soil in the enclosure of the snails. They will eat it very soon! Do not feed them more than they can eat in about two days, otherwise the food will go bad and smell.
Breeding
Achatina achatina attain sexual maturity within 21 to 24 months and sometimes as long as 3 years. This period is halved if snails are raised under intensive feeding control in a captive environment.
According to Hodasi (1979), studies of A. achatina under laboratory conditions indicate that the species breeds from April to July, which coincides with the major rainy season and the longest days of the year. They are reportedly less abundant during this season than in the minor rainy season which occurs from September to November. This phenomenon could be a function of the complexity of the snails' reproductive ecology, growth characteristics and annual physiological rhythms.
It would seem then, that although the small rise in temperature and the minimal increase in day length no doubt play a part in determining seasonal changes, the biggest factor in triggering breeding is an increase in humidity. Eggs laid at the optimum time will hatch just in time for the major rainy season, giving the baby snails the best conditions for fast growth. It must be noted that the snails have less than 4 months to develop before the next dry season.
Reproduction is sometimes by self-fertilization and oviposition occurs in the second and third years and sometimes up to five years after the first oviposition year.
Hodasi (1982) showed that natural photoperiodism favours maximum egg production output in giant snails.
Difficulty keeping
Even in the rain forest of Liberia, which is one of the most humid areas of West Africa, the snail buries for aestivation during the drier months.
It is exclusively vegetarian, showing a predilection for decaying vegetable matter and is often even coprophagus (feeds on excrement).
Maintenance care
Tiger snails prefer warm conditions of 25-30°C with a rH of 80-95%. More information to follow. Tigers are not the easiest species to keep and this may be due to the very steady conditions they are used to in the wild. Ghana/Cameroon have a practically constant 12/12 photoperiod that only extends to 13/11 for about three months. The temperature difference between night and day is only 2-4°C.
If you are having problems with inactivity it may be wise to mimic wild conditions as close as possible.
Lifespan — up to 10 years, usually 5-7.
