About protein

[Jade]

Hi guys, not sure if this is the correct section for this, but I figured here would be where I can get a reply.

I was previously feeding my GALS a little dish of fish flakes once a week, but the past month or so he hasn't been interested.

I've started sprinkling a thin layer on top of damp sweet potato and he does eat this.

My worry is that because I'm only putting like 10 individual flakes on it, is he getting enough protein that he needs? How often should I feed him it in this way?

[Cashell]

I'm not an expert on flash flakes, but maybe you could also try mashed, unsalted, nuts of various kinds?

[etana]

Usually protein snacks are given about once a week.

If a snail has appeared weak (like after egg laying) I've kept adding pieces of it in front of the snail's face till he decides not to eat it any more. I hope someone will say if that's a bad idea, my logic was that that would ensure he gets enough.

ETA: If your snail seems bored of the fish flakes, try offering soaked kitten/pup food, boiled egg (especially the yolk), or unseasoned meat. Just beware, egg & meat mean some stinky poops! 

Peanuts and sweet potato are very nutritious and good for snails, they just don't replace the animal protein in the long run.  

[muddydragon]

there's some fab advice up there. sometimes they just don't fancy it i wouldn't worry too much unless he doesn't want protein for several weeks. also think about what food he's getting the rest of the week as some of them may be protein rich. Also i would advise checking that the fish flakes haven't got a new recipe or anything like that.

[Jade]

Thank you for the advice everyone, I think I will try something different.

In regards to cat food, does it have to be kitten food or could I use normal Whiskas cat biscuits?

[etana]

Ah, usually a good guideline for choosing cat food is:

- As much meat content as possible
- As little filler content as possible (there are some available with no fillers at all, too)
- No salt, sugar or copper added.

So those are more important than whether it's for adult cats or kittens, or which brand it is. The kind I use as one of the protein sources is for kittens, so I typed it out of habit.

The biscuits must be soaked well so they're soft and mushy, so they won't expand in the snail's gut. I suppose that's probably what you were doing with the fish flakes, but it's always important to remind possible lurkers of it too.

[starcrazy19]

If you have a little mixer you can throw in hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, nuts etc and have them blitzed in no time - if not, you can crush them by hand with a mortar & pestle. Snails love this and its a good source of protein. You can mix fish food, cat/dog biscuits, oats, algae pellets, spirulina, anything you want in - just see what they like best! Best to soak this before feeding it, just incase any of the ingredients expand (ESPECIALLY with oats and biscuits.) But if they don't seem to want any for a while, don't worry about it - just have it available and they'll eat what they need when they need it

[prowljazz]

BillyBob Eats Hoppers....
I'm Hoping The Extra Protein Will Do Him So Good....

[Jade]

I assume they're dead hoppers? It would be funny watching a snail try to catch one

[Jade]

Feb 28, 2015 10:05:52 GMT muddydragon said:

there's some fab advice up there. sometimes they just don't fancy it i wouldn't worry too much unless he doesn't want protein for several weeks. also think about what food he's getting the rest of the week as some of them may be protein rich. Also i would advise checking that the fish flakes haven't got a new recipe or anything like that.

Just a thought, is sweet potato protein rich? He eats this 2-3 days a week and maybe that is what is putting him off his protein? I tried some soaked cat biscuits but I didn't see evidence of him eating them.