jack
Achatina fulica
Posts: 13
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Post by jack on Nov 10, 2009 21:04:53 GMT
My snails should come tomorrow or the next day.
I have powdered egg shells (which I also feed my birds) and cuttle bones (also for the birds). Do I need more calcium sources, and if so, what?
I know that calcium is very important and I don't want to harm the snailies by not giving them enough!
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Katie
Achatina tincta
Posts: 673
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Post by Katie on Nov 10, 2009 21:24:09 GMT
My Snails do just fine with no other calcium source other than a Cuttle Bone. As long as you know they eat it, they should be fine  |
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coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
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Post by coyote on Nov 10, 2009 21:57:58 GMT
Some people like to use liquid calcium in a spray bottle, either instead of or in addition to a cuttle. I use cuttle in the tank at all times, and I also spray twice a day with liquid calcium, including the food. Even if they don't visit the cuttle, they will get some calcium when they eat.
There are plenty of snails who do just fine with only cuttle, though. But for juvenile snails still growing, some extra calcium wouldn't hurt.
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jack
Achatina fulica
Posts: 13
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Post by jack on Nov 12, 2009 19:14:14 GMT
Super! WHere do you get the liquid calcium? I'm paranoid about using the wrong kind and killing my snails.  I also have heard of powdered oyster shell but wouldn't know where to begin to look for that. |
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Rachel
Archachatina puylaerti
They see me snailin'
Posts: 1,183
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Post by Rachel on Nov 12, 2009 19:19:33 GMT
liquid calcium can be got from ebay, i use exo terra liquid calcium
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jack
Achatina fulica
Posts: 13
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Post by jack on Nov 12, 2009 19:29:11 GMT
Thank you! Has anybody ever used this:  It's meant for reptiles. I'm going to look for the liquid calcium now... |
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Dusk
Achatina tincta
In ur viv stealin ur snailets
Posts: 665 
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Post by Dusk on Nov 12, 2009 19:54:33 GMT
I also have heard of powdered oyster shell but wouldn't know where to begin to look for that. <<points to signature >> |
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jack
Achatina fulica
Posts: 13
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Post by jack on Nov 12, 2009 20:03:57 GMT
Hmm...I looked at that, and it seems to coarse? I have Otala lactea, not GALS...
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Dusk
Achatina tincta
In ur viv stealin ur snailets
Posts: 665
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Post by Dusk on Nov 12, 2009 20:32:39 GMT
It's very slightly coarser than limestone flour, but definitely fine enough for smaller land snails. You could always get some oystershell grit from a pet bird/poultry supplier and grint it youself, that way you can get it as a fine as you want  |
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coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
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Post by coyote on Nov 13, 2009 2:25:45 GMT
I use Kent marine concentrated liquid calcium, which I find in the marine aquarium aisle of the pet supply store.
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Katie
Achatina tincta
Posts: 673
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Post by Katie on Nov 13, 2009 22:01:54 GMT
Thats what I use, the Kent stuff. Hasn't seemed to do much though. May try it with some baby Aspersas See if it enchants their growth at all |
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Post by Hannah-Bird on Feb 24, 2010 9:14:42 GMT
Can smaller snails overdose on calcium at all? I know it sounds silly, but I just gave mine cuttlebone for the first time and wanted to make sure I was doing it right.
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Dusk
Achatina tincta
In ur viv stealin ur snailets
Posts: 665
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Post by Dusk on Feb 24, 2010 10:21:00 GMT
No - any excess they eat will just pass right through them |
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Post by Hannah-Bird on Feb 24, 2010 10:28:54 GMT
Thanks! I was a little worried; one snail was rasping on it so much chunks got stuck to his face and made a calcium mustache! It was pretty cute. |
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danikat
Achatina achatina
Posts: 85
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Post by danikat on Feb 24, 2010 10:57:12 GMT
Mine always seem to go through phases where they go mad for cuttlefish, then they calm down a bit, sometimes I won't see them on it for days and then they're back to eating almost nothing else. Silly things.
I'm pretty sure as long as you have enough cuttlefish that they can all get to it they should be fine, but extra sources couldn't hurt. I like to grind up oyster shell and add it to their snail mix.
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aerliss
Achatina immaculata
Posts: 281
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Post by aerliss on Feb 25, 2010 0:37:53 GMT
Question; why oyster shell?
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danikat
Achatina achatina
Posts: 85
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Post by danikat on Feb 25, 2010 10:38:49 GMT
Just easier for me.
I buy it crushed and just need to grind it up a little more so it's easier than cuttlefish to add to snail mix and we don't eat enough eggs to use egg shell.
I've heard it has a slightly higher calcium content than cuttlefish, but I don't think it really makes much difference for the snails.
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Post by crossless on Feb 25, 2010 21:26:38 GMT
I always know when to wait eggs. First no one seems to be noticing cuttlefish, but same time of month everyone is attacking it and eating it like mad. So cute when they "sit on row" and eat it. |
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Post by DullEyeLama on Sept 28, 2010 17:51:08 GMT
I have water snails..golden mystery..
How do I feed them cuttlebone? I put a piece but never saw anyone grazing at it.
If not cuttlebone, how to feed them calcium supplements? Tablets dissolved in water? Do I thrust one tablet in the cucumber or something and hope they will graze that part?
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Post by crossless on Oct 1, 2010 23:10:11 GMT
Cuttlefish will float day or few after that it starts to sink in bottom of tank if it's isn't meant be floating all the time. There's too that type of cuttle that don't sink at all. Some give water snails some vocation food time to time that has calsium in it. Some water snails too need calsium in their water otherwise their shell melt, but maybe be it depets from species..
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Post by crossless on Feb 15, 2011 19:00:52 GMT
Hmmh.. I bought some mussels with shells and I took shell apart from flesh. For my tiger I saved shells. I'm now starting to boil dirty shells and I was wondering should I crush shells or keep them whole for my snail? |
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coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
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Post by coyote on Feb 16, 2011 17:29:54 GMT
Why not crush some and leave others whole, and see which ones the snails prefer?
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Post by morningcoffee on Feb 17, 2011 17:42:39 GMT
Try both and see which they prefer?
EDIT :: Oops, didn't see coyote's post... didn't mean to be an echo! ;D
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coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
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Post by coyote on Feb 20, 2011 0:38:07 GMT
I don't mind having my advice seconded! ;D
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Post by pickalilly on Jun 3, 2011 15:58:51 GMT
Oh, by the way, make sure the cuttlefish you feed your birds is SALT FREE. Birds can have some salt, but snails can't!
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