Apple Snail Natural History
Size
They can be between 5 – 15cm in length and between 5 – 10cm in height.
Habitat and Distribution
Apple snails are native to tropical and subtropical South and Central America, the Caribbean and parts of Southern USA. They are primarily freshwater, amphibious gastropods inhabiting slow-moving or stagnant waters like swamps, lakes, ponds, canals, and ditches.
Age
They can live between 1 – 3 years.
Diet
Apple snails have a varied diet, happily eating vegetables like zucchini, spinach and carrots, then they also eat algae wafers and even dead plant matter.
Threats
They are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
Groups and Breeding
Apple snails breed prolifically in the wild by laying large, brightly colored (usually pink or reddish) egg clutches containing 500–800 eggs above the waterline on vegetation and rocks. They reproduce year-round in tropical areas, while in temperate climates, they breed from early spring to early fall. Eggs hatch in 7–14 days, dropping into the water. They are not generally social in a cooperative sense but are gregarious, often gathering in groups to feed and mate in their tropical aquatic habitats.
Interesting Facts
They are uniquely amphibious, possessing both a gill and a lung, which allows them to breathe underwater and in the air.
The Apple Snail During Your Day Out in Kent
Our Apple Snail can be seen in the Bug Gardens alongside a wide variety of other species such as the White-clawed Crayfish, White Knee Tarantula and Stick Insects.