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Post by crucify on Oct 3, 2013 19:19:35 GMT
I had to dab a lot of water out of the 75ltr storage box tank, I went through a roll of toilet paper and a towel. The sides are dirty, the lid is dirty, the plant is dirty and ew cleaning that thing is a nightmare. There's so many (hundreds) of snails in there, can't put anything in the bin without checking it all over for woodlice/snails/slugs. It really needs a full cleaning but there's so many snails in it and it weighs so much it takes at least two people to get it up and downstairs. Anyone else hate the cleaning part of snails? 'Cause I sure do.
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Post by moon on Oct 3, 2013 19:42:49 GMT
I have 64 ltr storage boxes. There are only about 6 helix asp in each one, so it is easier now, but in the spring, I had about 50 in each box that were waiting to be released into my snail enclosure outside. I still managed to clean them out regularly. It's just a case of moving them into other containers, one by one, removing the earth, scrubbing the container (with plain water, no chemicals), then adding fresh substrate & putting them all back.
I counted them all when I removed them, to make sure each & every one went back inside!
I've also had babies in my outdoor enclosure & again, I just remove them one by one into a safe container at cleaning time. It is so time consuming checking every piece of veg & decoration for babies smaller than a pea, but It's all part of snail-keeping.
When it's all clean & your snails/slugs are in a nice clean home, you will feel so much better!
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Post by crucify on Oct 3, 2013 20:13:43 GMT
My tank is upstairs and cleaning it usually hurts my back and makes me ill, and I don't have extra substrate to use. I like the end result and cleaning makes me feel better, but the aftermath on my back/legs/blood pressure is a nightmare. Having hundreds of snails and large slugs in one place makes an incredible mess in just a day or two.
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Cashell
Archachatina puylaerti
Posts: 1,124
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Post by Cashell on Oct 3, 2013 23:02:09 GMT
I had to dab a lot of water out of the 75ltr storage box tank, I went through a roll of toilet paper and a towel. The sides are dirty, the lid is dirty, the plant is dirty and ew cleaning that thing is a nightmare. There's so many (hundreds) of snails in there, can't put anything in the bin without checking it all over for woodlice/snails/slugs. It really needs a full cleaning but there's so many snails in it and it weighs so much it takes at least two people to get it up and downstairs. Anyone else hate the cleaning part of snails? 'Cause I sure do. LOL!  I think if you were to make a poll about what people hate the most about snail keeping, I firmly believe that the "Cleaning their bins/tanks etc. out" option will indeed be the most hated aspect of maintaining these mollusks! Snails poop a lot and they like to also leave slime trails and stains everywhere! My neohelix albolabris species in particular sometimes like to sit in their poop for extended periods of time and leave slime-poo stains after they move!  Despite this, cleaning out my snail containers isn't too laborious for me. It typically only takes me anywhere from 30-60 minutes to deal with them. |
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Post by sparrow on Oct 3, 2013 23:27:18 GMT
The beauty of having only one snail in a 5 gallon tank is cleaning is a breeze! I'm one of those neurotic types and can't stand anything "untidy"!  My poor Snagglepuss already "knows" (I like to think so anyway) the every-other-day clean up. I normally clean at night after he wakes up. I have him crawl onto his "favorite" branch, out comes the spray bottle (pure spring water only) and he gets his little shower to get all the dirt off of him. I then put him on his "changing table", give him a snack of fresh cucumber or the occasional treat of a organic yam (loves it, but don't give it often because it interferes with calcium intake) and proceed to get rid of the old veggies and fruit. Contrary to what I've read, Snaggle prefers fresh fruit and veggies. I spray down the sides of the tank (spring water), wash off the live plants, clean his bark and twigs and fluff up the soil for him! Then we re-arrange his set-up a bit to let him think he's somewhere new!  He LOVES to climb and investigate new branches and twigs. I'm like a robot when it comes to cleaning. I hate cleaning the tank, but do it no matter how tired I am or no matter how much I'd like to let it go another day. I've been looking for another snail to keep him company, but have not had any luck. I saw some slime trails today, but found nothing. I did however find a saltwater snail today, which is another thread! P.S. Managed to identify my new marine snail - a Moon Snail - a quick fact that may be amusing: "The population of moon snails is difficult to control because their egg cases can hold more than 1 million eggs." I sure hope mine isn't pregnant! |
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Post by barnaclesnail on Oct 4, 2013 5:51:20 GMT
Contrary to what I've read, Snaggle prefers fresh fruit and veggies. LOL! Most of mine prefer fresh foods, but I had one who would come out to investigate whether the food was new or the old wilted lettuce from the night before, and then slime off if it wasn't up to his standards  |
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Post by wreckoning on Oct 4, 2013 7:10:41 GMT
I don't mind it too much, I change the substrate about once a month, change food daily, and I don't really "clean" the tank per se, more like spot clean a few times a day. I keep a roll of tissue and a trash bin right next to the tank, and a spray bottle of water, so whenever I am checking up on them or watching them, I automatically grab the tissue and start spot cleaning any poo I see, and spraying slime off the sides of the tank. So the tank is pretty much just always clean.
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Post by shaydeesnail on Oct 4, 2013 12:05:23 GMT
I do the same Wreckoning  Most of my tanks are fairly easy to manage with the exception of my baby tank. There are about 100 tiny albopicta in there and all those tiny little poos on the lid and up the side make an absolute mess. To keep things clean don't let the substrate get TOO wet (Keep it damp of course) and wipe down the sides regularly. That way you shouldn't have to do a full change very often at all- I hate cleaning a lot too, Especially with all my baby snails! Try and do extra things throughout the month that make it easier to do your full clean Increasing the ventilation will help get rid of some of the water over time, making the tank lighter as well as keeping it a bit cleaner and free of fungus. More ventilation helps dry up poop so it doesn't turn to pooslime- SO much more pleasant to clean! ^^ |
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Post by muddydragon on Oct 6, 2013 20:19:11 GMT
You shouldn't have to do a full clean too often as it's been suggested that cleaning too frequently can make them ill, some people never do a full clean out - they just take some old substrate out and put new in and wipe down the sides. If the tank gets too wet you can wring out the substrate into a bucket and just tip any water away. Full tank cleans aren't too bad if you scoop the substrate out first - i put it all in a bucket and put it on the compost heap. then it's much easier to move the empty tanks as they are much lighter, I can happily get my three foot glass tank downstairs and into the garden for an attack with a hosepipe after taking everything out but i wouldn't be able to carry it downstairs with the substrate in. Hosepipes are great they blast most of the gunk off so you don't have to  |
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afezy90
Archachatina marginata
Posts: 21 
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Post by afezy90 on Oct 19, 2013 20:09:44 GMT
Yeah me too.I hate cleaning my snails habitat but what comes to me is that what will I do if I don't,it will become a jungle.one time I did it for a month it became the city dump.
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Post by malacophile on Oct 21, 2013 3:48:34 GMT
I, too, hate cleaning them up. But it's my adult fulicas that cause the most trouble. They've recently decided that: 1) their water dish makes a fantastic toilet  2) they won't eat their greens when they're covered with dirt (which they put there)  3) it's fun to bulldoze everything in the bin, leaving it looking as if a tornado tore through it. Seriously. The other night I peeked in on them to find that their hidey was overturned (?!), their calcium dish was floating in the poo-filled water dish and their food plate was overturned and on the opposite side of the bin with the contents scattered everywhere. On top of that, it looked like someone went through the soil with a roto-tiller. |
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Post by wreckoning on Oct 21, 2013 11:04:21 GMT
malacophile, it sounds like your snails might be in revolt.
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Post by shaydeesnail on Oct 21, 2013 13:29:07 GMT
Oh Gosh I know exactly what you mean Malacophile. I've given up putting my fulicas hide back, I let them do the decorating. One of mine decided to tunnel through a huge egg clutch and spread them throughout the entire tank. It was so hard to find them all -.-
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Cashell
Archachatina puylaerti
Posts: 1,124
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Post by Cashell on Oct 21, 2013 17:04:25 GMT
Ouch! I've read some of the responses above and I have to say that I'm glad cleaning isn't that hectic for me! |
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afezy90
Archachatina marginata
Posts: 21
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Post by afezy90 on Oct 22, 2013 18:53:42 GMT
I pity you Malacophile but mine is not as hard as that my problem is my snails breeding attitude its just too much
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Dumbledore
Achatina immaculata
#heavily caffeinated
Posts: 251
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Post by Dumbledore on Oct 22, 2013 19:28:30 GMT
I had to dab a lot of water out of the 75ltr storage box tank, I went through a roll of toilet paper and a towel. The sides are dirty, the lid is dirty, the plant is dirty and ew cleaning that thing is a nightmare. There's so many (hundreds) of snails in there, can't put anything in the bin without checking it all over for woodlice/snails/slugs. It really needs a full cleaning but there's so many snails in it and it weighs so much it takes at least two people to get it up and downstairs. Anyone else hate the cleaning part of snails? 'Cause I sure do. LOL! I think if you were to make a poll about what people hate the most about snail keeping, I firmly believe that the "Cleaning their bins/tanks etc. out" option will indeed be the most hated aspect of maintaining these mollusks! Snails poop a lot and they like to also leave slime trails and stains everywhere! My neohelix albolabris species in particular sometimes like to sit in their poop for extended periods of time and leave slime-poo stains after they move! Despite this, cleaning out my snail containers isn't too laborious for me. It typically only takes me anywhere from 30-60 minutes to deal with them. Mine do too.... uggghhhhh....... |
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Post by ultrapoi on Nov 12, 2013 11:00:28 GMT
i dont mind it too much as they live in large light storage crates. i use (washed) old containers from fresh mince as a large food bowl and change that every day. substrate i scoop out (with a gardening scoop) about once a month and replace, keeping a scoopful of old substrate to mix. wipe down sides and they are done. but since i only have 7 snails (over 2 tanks), its alot easier than people who have lots to keep up with.
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I think if you were to make a poll about what people hate the most about snail keeping, I firmly believe that the "Cleaning their bins/tanks etc. out" option will indeed be the most hated aspect of maintaining these mollusks! Snails poop a lot and they like to also leave slime trails and stains everywhere! My neohelix albolabris species in particular sometimes like to sit in their poop for extended periods of time and leave slime-poo stains after they move! 
Despite this, cleaning out my snail containers isn't too laborious for me. It typically only takes me anywhere from 30-60 minutes to deal with them.
He LOVES to climb and investigate new branches and twigs. 
