Cutting apples injures me too much -.-

[inky]

Hi,

I keep slicing my fingers whilst cutting up apples for my snails, and if I have enough left over, to put outside of other snails.

Is there any other was of cutting my snail food up without cutting all my fingers off? Some of the slits I've given myself are quite painful for an 11 year ond =/ And don't do the whole "Well don't play with knives ask your mum or dad!" thing, it gets quite tiresome sometimes, and I know how to use knives.

[inky]

Sorry for all the mistakes up there, at the time I was typing left handed, so =/

[ness]

Oooh ouch! especially when citrus gets into your cut!

Well even when you have the know-how to use a knife it gets easier as you get older. It's not necessarily an age thing, it's more of a strength thing - even with proper technique if you are having to use force to cut the apple (or what ever) then it's harder to maintain control, plus as you know the more force you have to use the worse the cuts are. The stronger you are the less effort you have to put into it, so cutting with the same force takes less of your strength, so you have far more control and are much less likely to slip up.

So as tiresome as it is when people say "ask your parents" it's not just because you're a kid (not in this case anyhow), it's because physically you're not as able as someone older and stronger than you, much in the same way that it's easier for my husband (or most men) to open the lids on jars than it is for me to do it. Just my tough luck that I don't have the strength of a man (even though I exercise), and unfortunately you just don't have the strength to cut an apple as easily as your parents can, even with a good technique.

Have you got a peeler? Sometimes apples are easier to cut once the skin is off. Other than that there are gadgets that slice things up for you, but if you don't have one then I'm not sure what to suggest.

I tend to simply eat the apple and give the snaiils the core with plenty of apple still attached to it, it is perhaps the easiest method of all! No need for cutting if you're just feeding one tank of snails, though not enough for the ones outside I have to admit.

Sounds like you're sensible and you know when something's not working out. Perhaps you could ask your parents to give you extra tips on ways to grip the apple whilst keeping your fingers out of the path of the knife?
Plus starting the cut with a gentle sawing motion gives more control and it's much less likely for the knife to slip off at an angle and into your hand/finger.

It's great to do things for yourself but sometimes asking your parents is the best option, even if it's an irritating one! When you risk cutting yourself better to swallow your pride than to slice your skin, or worse - a ligament. My taekwondo instructor did just that and he'll never be able to bend his finger properly again, or feel the tip of his finger (nerve damage).

So yeah - you'll be annoyed at me, but it really is best to be guided by your parents when it comes to cutting things, once you have a few extra tips from them you'll have to rely on them less for preparing your snails food. And I suggest just accepting that it's not because you're young, it's more strength than anything, so using the knife may be best left until you're stronger

[rosiesnail2]

I have one of these:



My parents got ours from Ikea whilst they gave out a bag of free apple! So anyway, I suggest getting one. You can get them also from food supply shops such as Lakeland.

[inky]

It's fine ness! And cool apple cutter rosie! I'll see if I can get some of them.

Quick question: If apples have citrus, why do snails like them? Is it just really small amounts?

[ness]

Glad you don't hate me!!!!

Apples contain mainly malic acid and some citric acid, perhaps other acid too - I can't remember but could Google it later perhaps? Oh and Ascorbic acid (vitamin C). To be honest I'm not sure which is more painful for cuts - malic or citric I should have simply said acid because saying citric acid was a bit misleading being as it's not the main acid in the apple.

[rosiesnail2]

As it is not a main acid as ness has said this is not a problem for snails. In-fact mine love it! It contains vitamin C (also said) which is needed for nutrients so it is reccomended.

[inky]

Oh ok!

[saki114]

Feb 6, 2012 18:48:17 GMT rosiesnail2 said:

I have one of these:



My parents got ours from Ikea whilst they gave out a bag of free apple! So anyway, I suggest getting one. You can get them also from food supply shops such as Lakeland.

hey, i have something like that 2, except i got it from walmart it works really well except my snailies would MUCH rather have romaine. lol