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Post by simplement on Aug 11, 2014 20:16:41 GMT
Bonjour ! Hello !  Let me introduce you to these cutest snails that live in the wild here. Those one are simply from my garden (well hidden behind strawberries and nasturtiums), except for the "small", with darker skin and shell, that we picked up in the forest with the cepaea sp.  The two biggest measure more or less 5 centimeters, which is the maximum for this species.  We improvised their habitat with a plastic box (40 cm x 30 cm x 20 cm). Soil : peat Two hiding places with plastics plants pots, some branches, naturel moss from the forest, some leaves, and small pieces of a cuttlefish bone (boiled and dried).  We have kept to please our children, who are looking forward (who are eager ?) to the arrival of my baby Archatina marginata ovum. I don't know yet if we will keep long, may be do we release them after a few days of observation. Feel free to give me advice and comments ! and please excuse the quality of my english...  Thank you for reading ! |
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Post by cliath on Aug 11, 2014 20:25:53 GMT
They are lovely snails, I wish we had them here  your habitat looks great too! |
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Cashell
Archachatina puylaerti
Posts: 1,124
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Post by Cashell on Aug 14, 2014 2:11:59 GMT
Gorgeous!  Pomatias have always been on my dream list. |
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Post by simplement on Aug 17, 2014 20:46:16 GMT
Thank you Cliath and Cashell. There are some days I had the chance to see an interesting scene :   Mating ritual lasts a long time for Helix pomatia. It was very interesting to watch that, I would rather know the english to describe better... Anyway, this means that with a lot of luck it is possible that in a few days snails concerned can lay. To put them in the most favorable condition possible, I will replace peat habitat by humus, and we'll keep them for another two weeks. After this time, we let up, they laid or not. I think Helix pomatia resent captivity, and I do not want to hurt themselves. Two observations about these beautiful snails : - Those we have here love to eat leaves of dandelion, zucchini, cucumber, thin strips of carrots. They also appreciate the fresh leaves of spinach, chard, latiue and plantain. All this comes from our garden. - One of the fascinating side of these giants of the gardens is their imperturbable serenity. When you want to lift one which is moving, even if you handle it is just a bit if they retract their eyes, they are not scared of anything. And when you drop them again they continue on their way as if nothing had happened. They are very curious to observe, they are really amazing animals. Thank you for reading ! |
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Post by simplement on Aug 19, 2014 20:00:27 GMT
Hello ! Today i changed the substrate of the habitat of my Helix pomatia. It was peat, and i replaced it by humus, which should be more suitable to this snail species, which prefers calcareous soils (therefore the opposite of acidity of the peat). I also changed the layout of their box to create an open space with a thickness of humus than 10 centimeters, to allow them to dig if one of them wanted to lay. I took some pictures, here are two :   At dinner, leaves of : chard, radishes, greens beans, lavatera, and young shoots of lettuce. They eat readily and copiously, probably because all are plants of my garden, so their regular menu : they usually ! And for the fun, a "bonjour" from the wood's snail :  Thank you for reading ! |
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Post by etana on Aug 20, 2014 8:36:28 GMT
I really enjoy your updates! Lovely photos, and I like your ideas too And hello snail in the last photo!  |
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Post by malacophile on Aug 21, 2014 4:54:05 GMT
Hi little pomatia! Aww, I want to feed him a piece of sweet potato.  |
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Post by cliath on Aug 21, 2014 8:44:48 GMT
They are super cute. They look so much bigger than my snails. |
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Post by simplement on Aug 22, 2014 13:03:13 GMT
Thank you Etana ! I try hard to write comprehensibly, i'm pleased if you like my updates (I'm not sure to use the right words). Thank you Malacophile, it's your avatar that inspired me to the "hello photo" ! I find it so much fun ! Thank you Cliath ! Yes they are big snails, of course less fat than larger Africans, but such a lot bigger than Helix aspersa, for exemple. I think Helix pomatia are the biggest european snails ? Today an interesting update ! Not for the quality of pictures but for the subject of my message. On Wednesday it seemed that one of the snails is buried. Wednesday night :  I put the centimeters beside the box to show the depth. I had read that the Helix pomatia needed 8 cm of soil, i put 10, and we see that it is not enough After this observation period, now i think they are snails that require a very large habitat to live in good conditions. Thursday night :  The egg chamber is created. I covered the corner of the box with a dark cloth to the snail is in the dark. Friday morning, so this morning :  I am very very happy ! For now I leave quiet the snail, i will look better tonight. I decided that when he emerges from his hole i let him recover strength (eating, sleeping) and then we let up all. But we keep these eggs, hoping that once installed in a small pot and under the right conditions they can hatch ! Thank you for reading ! |
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Post by simplement on Aug 22, 2014 19:50:01 GMT
Picture taken just now :  Eggs are enormous ! |
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Post by cliath on Aug 22, 2014 21:55:51 GMT
Congrats on the eggs. Good luck with them. Baby snails are great!
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Post by etana on Aug 25, 2014 6:46:59 GMT
Congrats from me too! That snail must feel very happy and safe, for laying eggs that soon after mating. |
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Post by simplement on Dec 21, 2014 15:45:06 GMT
Hello ! I regret i have not written for a long time. If you remember, two helix pomatia were mated, and one had laid in the corner of the box on august 22. On September 6, the eggs began to change in appearance, I thought they were trying to become damaged... But ! no ! September 7 :  September 8 :  We were really pleased ! Next step : wait until they emerge. Fortunately we could see them, because we had to wait 18 long days. September 26, the exit :   We can see how the shell is well colored. They are therefore remained underground without eating during this period, but they consumed the shell their eggs after leaving. I think that all the eggs have hatched : on arrival twenty Helix pomatia babies. Since : they grow up ! I gave 10 to the school of my children but I regret a little because they do not occupy much. The others stayed at home in their box, and grow very well. The larger shells reaches 1.5 cm in diameter. In recent weeks they are less active, they seem to plunge into a winter condition. December 8 :  Thank you for taking the time to read me ! |
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Post by Liguus on Dec 21, 2014 16:06:39 GMT
Those young snails look very nice! Congratulations!
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Post by etana on Dec 21, 2014 16:12:19 GMT
Welcome back, Simplement. Great photos and lovely baby snails! I'm glad to hear things went so well. |
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Post by saskia1982 on Dec 21, 2014 16:13:04 GMT
They are so cute |
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Post by cliath on Dec 21, 2014 19:21:50 GMT
They are beautiful! I love these snails so much! Please keep us updated |
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Cashell
Archachatina puylaerti
Posts: 1,124
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Post by Cashell on Dec 21, 2014 20:56:29 GMT
Lovely pictures! Glad you returned to update this wonderful thread.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2014 22:21:43 GMT
I'm super jealous! Your tank and snails are so perfect! |
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Post by muddydragon on Dec 30, 2014 13:46:20 GMT
welcome back lovely to hear how they are doing and wonderful photos |
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rolo
Achatina fulica
Posts: 2 
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Post by rolo on Jan 18, 2015 16:42:30 GMT
Your snails are very nice! I really like the babies and their robust parents.
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Post by pilsburypie on Jan 18, 2015 19:17:06 GMT
What great pics of the burrowing, egg laying and hatching....really great.
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Zorst
Achatina tincta
Posts: 734 
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Post by Zorst on Jan 19, 2015 9:06:37 GMT
Great Snail photo's and I love the tanks set up. How big are the baby snails now?
Zorst
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your habitat looks great too!
Pomatias have always been on my dream list.
