Foraging Behaviour Responses in the African Giant Land Snail <i>Achatina Achatina</i>

Feed preferences and feeding behaviour of two species of African giant land snails

“…The elongated consumption of inappetent feeds by A. marginata snails indicate that this species has greater tolerance for these feeds while the consistent high number of snails associated with the most appetent feed stuffs indicate retention of feeding knowledge or memory in the two species (Watanabe et al, 2008;Ebenso and Adeyemo, 2011). The distinguishing features of the appetent and inappetent feeds could be in their attractiveness and/or palatability (Scott et al, 2005).…”

“…Farmed snails will perform best if the most preferred feed materials are provided at the optimal period of feed intake. Field and On-farm feed preference studies (Iglesias and Castillejo, 1999;Chevalier et al, 2000;Chevalier et al, 2003;Ebenso and Adeyemo, 2011) have demonstrated the capacity of snails to choose their feed when given free choice feeding and to retain memories of preferred feeds. How animals develop feed preference is complex however, this has been linked to post ingestive effects (satiety or malaise) and their interaction with mainly the senses of taste and smell (Provenza, 1995;Kimberly and Salice, 2012).…”

Preferencias y comportamiento alimentario de dos especies de Caracoles Terrestres Gigantes Africanos

“…Our results indicate that with continuous presence of the appetent feed stuffs, consumption of the inappetent ones will eventually cease. The elongated consumption of inappetent feeds by A. marginata snails indicate that this species has greater tolerance for these feeds while the consis-tent high number of snails associated with the most appetent feed stuffs indicate retention of feeding knowledge or memory in the two species (Watanabe et al, 2008;Ebenso and Adeyemo, 2011). The distinguishing features of the appetent and inappetent feeds could be in their attractiveness and/or palatability (Scott et al, 2005).…”