Giant west African land snail - The Gastropod Shop

This group are Archachatina marginata suturalis albino juveniles, a species of giant African land snail. They are from unrelated adult parents who measure 12cm. The juveniles currently measure 4.5-5.5cm and hatched on the 15th of October 2025. This species grows a little slower than other species of GALS and matures between 10 months and 2 years. They lay small clutches of large eggs, there can be anywhere from 3-15 eggs per clutch and each egg measured between 1-2cm. These juveniles are siblings so any eggs that they lay must be culled unless they are paired with an unrelated snail for breeding purposes. It is best to crush eggs and feed them back to the adults, or freeze them for more than 48 hours before disposing of them. Suturalis are a great beginner species as they are very hardy and not very fussy when it comes to food. They will require a heat mat and this must be used with a thermostat to prevent safety hazards. The thermostat will control and maintain the correct temperature.

Care

Humidity: 90%
Temperature: 27-29°C
Adult size: 10-14cm
Lifespan: 5-8+ years with strong genetics and good care
Housing: 1L of space for every cm of shell, until the snail reaches 10 cm, then 3L per cm of shell. Side ventilation is beneficial for air flow, but avoid having too much as this will make it difficult to maintain humidity.
Diet: sweet potato, aubergine, carrot, green bean, beetroot, coriander, butternut squash, courgette, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, kale, broccoli, basil, sprouted chia seeds, apple, banana
Protein: 25% protein meals once per week, ideally use single ingredient options; rehydrated dried mealworms/river shrimp, rehydrated dried nettle leaf, defrosted frozen bloodworms, raw or boiled egg etc. Avoid fish flakes or protein mixes as these can contain harmful fillers and additives.
Calcium: cuttlefish bones available 24/7
Substrate: as deep as the shell is long. Ideally add moss and hardwood leaf litter to your base substrate.
Social: yes, they can be housed alone but may prefer to be in groups.