Effect of dietary proteins on the growth of the snail Achatina fulica (Bowdich, 1720)

Two hundred and twenty-five snails Achatina fulica, of approximately three days old, were subjected to two diets made up of green fodder (R1 and R2) and three concentrated floured diets (R3, R4 and R5) with variable contents of proteins (10,5% (R3); 14% (R4) and 17,5% (R5)), during 50 weeks in breeding. This work aims at studying the effect of the diet and its content of proteins on the growth of this snail, in captivity. The diet R1 consists of Lactuca sativa (Asteraceae), Carica papaya (Caricaceae), Brassica oleracea (Brassicaceae), Cecropia peltata (Moraceae), Laportea aestuans (Urticaceae) and Phaulopsis falcisepala (Acanthaceae). In addition to the sheets used for the diet R1, the diet R2, is added with sheets of Leucena leucocephala (Fabaceae-Mimosoideae), a plant relatively rich in proteins. The growth and the survivals rates of snails subjected to the concentrated floured diet rich in protein were definitely better than those subjected to the diets made up of green fodder relatively low in protein.