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Post by theoriginalmrst on Aug 3, 2011 6:24:14 GMT
Hi everyone. I wonder if someone could help clear something up for me? I have a single Achatina Fulica who has started laying eggs. I got the snail in November and I'd say by his size he'd maybe be four or five months old when I got him. He'd been in with other snails the same age plus one mature snail beforehand. He's laying a few eggs a day, and I'd say this has been going on for just over a week. What I was wondering is whether these are just 'test' eggs (for want of a better term) through him reaching sexual maturity? I thought it was weird that there were a few eggs at a time other than a cluster. I know they can store sperm for quite some time, but I thought he'd be too young when I got him for him to have already mated. What do you think? I've been freezing them just to be on the safe side but I'm not convinced they'd have hatched anyway. Has anyone had any experience of this? Any advice greatly appreciated. : )
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Amy
Achatina achatina
Posts: 43
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Post by Amy on Aug 3, 2011 11:42:04 GMT
Hello Maybe your snail could have self fertilized, but i dont no about it laying eggs all around the place, o.O
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coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
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Post by coyote on Aug 3, 2011 17:41:40 GMT
It's possible for a snail to mate before being fully grown, same as a lot of other animals. But I don't know exactly how young that could happen.
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Post by ness on Aug 5, 2011 22:15:12 GMT
Yes I've had the same thig happen with a different species who's partner had died. this became a single snail for over a year then it laid a clutch of eggs, all fertile and hatched. The most likely cause is that the snail mated then held onto the sperm and is only now letting it fertilise the eggs. There are reports of self fertilization but this is hard to prove, and it is thought that few snails can actually self fertilize.
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Post by theoriginalmrst on Aug 6, 2011 16:43:32 GMT
Thanks everyone. He seems to have stopped laying them now, but that was probably about 40 eggs over the course of a fortnight. I have kept a few just out of curiosity and have homes for them if they do hatch. I'm not sure how long they take to hatch though. How long should I hold onto them before I can safely assume they aren't going to? Cheers again. : )
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Post by ness on Aug 7, 2011 22:19:09 GMT
They generally take a couple of weeks to hatch though it can take longer or can be sooner. Warmer eggs tend to develop quicker than cooler eggs, and sometimes snails will hold developing eggs within themselves before laying, so they may even hatch after a few days! Most likely it will be a couple of weeks. If they don't develop they will eventually start turning brown and brittle. Left long enough and they will disintigrate at the slightest touch. Healthy eggs will be white-yellow. Fulica eggs are generally tolerant of being moved about but it would still be wise to leave them alone. Baby fulica are very lovely, they hatch without much in the way of pimentation. Oh and my advise would be to raise the little ones in a small tub, they seem to grow better that way, perhaps because they are never for from their food. Just make sure there's enough ventilation and that the soil doesn't become too waterlogged.
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Post by desertfather on Aug 17, 2011 11:38:38 GMT
I have just discovered in my tank I have these green and white balls? I've never seen them before, have they began breeding and if so what should I do now?
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coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
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Post by coyote on Aug 17, 2011 22:13:10 GMT
Are they buried in the substrate, in a clump together? That sounds like eggs.
If they are eggs, do you want to raise the babies? If not, you can get rid of them by unearthing them all and putting them in the freezer for at least 24 hours.
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artorius
Achatina achatina
snails rock
Posts: 47
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Post by artorius on Aug 19, 2011 19:59:34 GMT
intresting post, has helped alot thanks to all who contributed i have found 2 eggs in my hamillei tank not sure which of the 3 laid them but have put them in a warm place to see if they hatch out of curiosity ;D
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artorius
Achatina achatina
snails rock
Posts: 47
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Post by artorius on Aug 29, 2011 14:21:25 GMT
i have found about 50 to 60 eggs in my immac tank one of my immacs is large and then other half his size i did have another (al) but he sadley passed away 21-08-11 not sure which one has laid but my assumption would be the 2 smaller ones mated before i lost one if anyoe can offer any advise about immaculata var pnathera eggs if would be greatly appreciated ;D
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JeLo
Achatina fulica
Posts: 7
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Post by JeLo on Sept 23, 2011 10:06:32 GMT
Hi everyone! I'm new on this forum and my english is not really perfect, sorry for this I have 2 Immaculatas, they are 1,5 years old and one of them layed "hers" first eggs, but only 12 pieces. Why so few? I discovered the eggs 13 days ago (maybe she layed earlier), when I cleaned the tank. They were almost on the bottom of the tank. I put them back in the soil 0.5 inch deep. They will hatch? I'm worried. I have a 20W heat-mat under the tank and the soil is pretty warm. The heat don't harm the eggs? I attach a picture of eggs. Thank you for help.
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Post by ness on Sept 23, 2011 19:19:20 GMT
Hi JeLo and welcome to PetSnails. It looks like only the top yellow egg may be alive. Sorry. The heat mat might have killed the eggs, it is best for heatmats to be on the side of the tank with something on the back of the heatmat to keep the heat going into the tank. I think there would have been more eggs but eggs that have died often break apart in the soil and end up mixed in with the soil. Moving the eggs can also damage the snail inside. I am sorry to say this. It is good that your snails have laid eggs and they may lay several more groups of eggs, perhaps every few weeks. I hope you are lucky with the next group of eggs
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JeLo
Achatina fulica
Posts: 7
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Post by JeLo on Sept 24, 2011 15:25:23 GMT
Thank you for quick reply, but I don't want to accept your answer. I use the heat mat since 2 days ago only and not all the time. On the surface of egg is only dirt. I washed them and they're almost white and clean. In the tank is 23 °C degree with the heat mat, which is outside under the tank. In his homeland the temperature is much more higher. I have a notion about few eggs. Maybe my snails don't like each other. I read on an other forum, other peoples snails are having sex all the time. My snails don't interest each other too much. Too much mystery surrounding my snails
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foghog
Achatina immaculata
Posts: 235
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Post by foghog on Sept 24, 2011 19:04:58 GMT
you can not want to accept her answer, but it was a good one, I think. the issue isn't tank temperature. the issue is localized temperature. with a heat mat under the tank the heat is trapped and concentrates, even if your tank temperature is one thing, the soil will be warmer if the heat mat is under the tank, and you specified yourself these eggs were at the bottom of the tank.....Think of it this way...is it warmer if you put your hand on the heat mat, or if you lift it away two or three inches? so I nor she knows where you are taking your temp readings. and even if where they live in their natural environment is warmer in a outside temperature, it's soil is cooler. thus why snails often lay their eggs where and how they lay them. but beyond all that, it still doesn't mean the eggs layed are fertile and alive, as eggs are layed which are not. I am sure she wishes they were all fertile for you, though. Tell us what happens with them in 30 days or so.I'm curious to know myself.
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Post by copigeon on Sept 24, 2011 20:13:59 GMT
Under tank heating wont of affected the ova - the apparent decay of the shells implies something else. I use under tank heating - although I wouldn't recommend it unless thermostatically controlled, it can be easy to "cook" a snail in a heavy substrate when subjected to uncontrolled temperatures, and I wouldn't recommend it unless the tank "floats" above the heat source, ie no direct contact with the cable/mat always maintain an air gap.
That said, the ova pictured are not healthy in appearance. From observation - either aged infertile ova, or your substrate is far too wet and the ova have drowned. Although photos can be deceptive, hatching is unlikely.
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JeLo
Achatina fulica
Posts: 7
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Post by JeLo on Sept 24, 2011 23:38:25 GMT
you can not want to accept her answer, but it was a good one, I think. That's why I can not want accept her answer. I wanted baby snails so much. When I found the eggs, and the next 10 days there was no heat mat yet. I wouldn't recommend it unless the tank "floats" above the heat source, ie no direct contact with the cable/mat always maintain an air gap. Otherwise there are spacers for the heat mat, but I didn't install them, because I wanted to keep the tank hottest as I can. So I was ignorant. Actually I want to avoid the hybernate in winter, that's why I bought the device. Is it possible? The 23 °C is on ground level, in the air. The soil is really warmer. That said, the ova pictured are not healthy in appearance. From observation - either aged infertile ova, or your substrate is far too wet and the ova have drowned. I don't hink that the substrat would far too wet. I sprayed rarely in these days. I have to accept that the eggs may wont hatch. Or can not rape the nature somehow and induce the snails to breed? Anyway thanks for the answers for everyone. I learned a lot. I'll inform you about the happenings.
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coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
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Post by coyote on Sept 25, 2011 22:42:42 GMT
I know of no way to make snails mate with each other. That's just the way it is. Either they will or they won't, it's up to them.
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JeLo
Achatina fulica
Posts: 7
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Post by JeLo on Oct 25, 2011 16:37:57 GMT
Tell us what happens with them in 30 days or so.I'm curious to know myself. Hi! Here I am, 30 days later to tell you: you were right The eggs didn't hatch... Meanwhile the snails dug the whole soil up together with the eggs. This year will be snailless, maybe next time. Anybody can, how often mates the Immaculatas?
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