Welcome to the Science Department!

Please have a look around our Science Department Minisite by using the navigation on the left hand side of this page and if you would like any further information please contact Will Skottowe on:

 

Email:  wrs@portregis.com

Tel (D/L):  01747 857847

 

AUTUMN TERM TOPICS		DEPARTMENTAL NEWS
A form	CE revision topics	SCIENCE CLUB	Miss Montgomery has started a Junior Science Club during hobbies on Friday. Please ask Mr Dawson if you are keen to join.
B form	Chemistry - Periodic table, elements and compounds Electricity - Series and parallel circuits, circuit building, production of static and current electricity	GIANT AFRICAN LAND SNAILS	Speedy’ and ‘Gonzalez’ the two Giant African Land Snails have bred! If anyone is interested in having some snails as a pet, please contact Mr Skottowe.  You will need a tank and heat mat!   Please see below for more information on the Giant African Land Snail (GALS).
C form	MRS GREN - Life processes, cells, skeleton, heart and lungs, 5 senses, reproduction and nutrition
D form	Forces - Gravity, friction, air resistance, balanced and unbalanced forces Electricity - Simple circuits, static and current electricity
E form	Chemistry - Physical and chemical changes Physics - Light and sound
F form	Materials- Natural or man-made, metals and non-metals, solids, liquids and gases

Giant African Land Snails (GALS)

Species:  Achatina fulica (East African Land Snail), Achatina marginata (West African Land Snails), Achatina achatina (Tiger Snails). Care for all is similar. A common abbreviation for Giant African Land Snails is GALS.

 

Size:  The smaller of these snails (Achatina fulica) grow to be about 3-4 inches long (shell length), while the larger ones (Achatina achatina) can have a shell up to 10-11 inches long (in a snail this size the body stretched out would be about 14-15 inches!).

 

Life Span:  Average about 5-6 years, but can live up to 10 years. Giant African land snails are hermaphrodites, meaning they possess both the female and male reproductive organs. Two snails are still needed for breeding, but they are very prolific breeders. A fulica can reportedly lay 1200 eggs per year.

In Africa, giant land snails are used as a food source.

 

Feeding:  GALS mostly need a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits, such as cucumber, lettuce (remember, dark leafy types of lettuce such as romaine are more nutritious than head lettuce such as iceberg lettuce), peppers, apple, nectarine, grapes, banana, peach, plums, melon, papaya, leafy greens (e.g.spinach, kale), green beans, corn on the cob, tomatoes, etc. Some will also eat brown bread and moistened dog biscuits.

Calcium Source: Snails need calcium supplementation to keep their shell strong, so we have provided a piece of cuttlebone.

 

Water:  Providing water in a bowl is not a strict necessity as long as the tank is misted regularly (they get lots of moisture from their foods).

 

Handling: These snails do not seem to mind being handled, but you must be gentle with them and avoid damaging the shell. Moistening your hands before holding them is recommended by some owners. The shell is most fragile at the base where it is next to the body, so try to avoid picking them up by this part of the shell, and be careful to provide solid support to the body and shell.

 

Warmth:  Due to the climate the snails originate it is necessary to provide a heat mat attached to the back of the housing to produce the right temperature and humidity.

 

FEEDING	CLEANING	HANDLING
Cucumber Lettuce Cabbage Cuttlefish Layers mash	May also have mite, which is OK. Spray daily with water.	Be careful not to damage new growth at the edge of the shell.