----------
> From: Gary Rosenberg <[log in to unmask]>
>
> >(It's illegal to own live Achatina without a permit from
> >the United States Department of Agriculture)
>
> Correction, it's illegal to own live Achatina in the United States,
except
> Hawaii, where they are established.
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
 
...And in American Samoa, where "established" is not really a
strong enough word.  The African snails are everywhere, and
if you're out tromping around the yard at night, you will very
likely hear one or two "crunch."  I suppose they reach a length
of about 100mm here, and some are really pretty.  The local
warning is not to pick them up, as you supposedly can catch
hepatitis from handling them?  Of course, we also have the
pink Tiger snails that were introduced as a predator for the big
guys, but I think they preferred the small indigenous snails
instead.  Both species are well established.  Maybe the intro-
duced cane toads eat both of them.  They will eat almost any-
thing, including bugs, geckos, hermit crabs, bread, mangoes,
avocados, and cat food.  They can strip the peel from an avo-
cado in short order, will gnaw a chicken bone clean, and my
next door neighbors have to cover the dry dog food dish to keep
the toads from eating it all!
 
Don