Kevin
Archachatina dimidiata
Posts: 2,227
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Post by Kevin on Feb 19, 2008 12:43:30 GMT
To be fair its not only mammals that usually require company of their own species. Reptiles, Fish, and even some Inverts, like Hermit Crabs, do much better when kept in groups.
Im not sure about Snails though, I wouldnt think keeping a Snail singly would have any affect on its health, or how active it is.
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Post by ness on Feb 19, 2008 15:07:13 GMT
Agreed in so much that humanising any animal will not give us an accurate picture the true nature of it. Are snails capable of feeling any emotion what-so-ever? Who knows. Are snails capable of free choice, or is everything they do governed by automatic response to smell/touch/hormones etc?
It is unclear.
However snails do have some memory and are capable of mapping out their environment.
But do they benefit from company? I personally think they do. They appear to respond to each other's touch, and some snails actively the seek out another's company when they are looking for a place to rest. As in the wild snails will huddle together, perhaps possibly replicating an environment where they can interact and act as naturally as possible may be of some benefit.
Perhaps sensing another snail's hormones have health benfits? Who knows? Does the touch from another snail have any health benefits? Well if you watch one snail mouthing another, and the recipient coming out of it's shell further, it looks like the recipient is responding faveroubly to the touch. I wouldn't go as far as saying the word 'enjoyment', but the stimulation may or may not have some health benefit. I also think that sometimes one snail being active will make another snail more active, in my own observations.
Who knows? I don't, but I wouldn't personally want to keep one on it's own - just in case it really is missing out on something beneficial.
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Post by copigeon on Feb 19, 2008 17:19:53 GMT
Sorry Kevin, mammal as an example was a poor one, of course there are many cold blooded creatures and otherwise which will "group" or "flock" and move together and in the wild benefit from numbers. But I am seeing snails frequently treated like some pet hamster and it can be a little difficult to watch people giving advice as if they were.
Thanks ness, that was well put, and I do respect your opinion.
As a counter to the sensory "interaction between snails". The "sensing/touching" behavior I see between two snails, I also see between a snail and its food and a snail and any other object to be traversed or eaten. It can be easy to read "emotion" into what is just a creature working out whether its food or not. It may be a prelude to courtship, but this in snails is a purely "species preservation" drive, rather than anything emotional or any desire for physical stimulus.
***A side note, having started to back read on the forums activity, can I just add that we need to be careful to give accurate advice which is backed up by some explaination as to why that advice is worth listening to. Just assuming something is necessary isnt very good advice.
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Post by ness on Feb 19, 2008 23:30:03 GMT
Fair enough Copigeon, all points taken
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Post by whodoesntlovesnails on Feb 20, 2008 0:06:26 GMT
yes, i guess it would depend on the snail, and its attitude twords wanting a friend inside the habitat with him.
-miley
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Rachel
Archachatina puylaerti
They see me snailin'
Posts: 1,183
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Post by Rachel on Feb 21, 2008 13:21:05 GMT
yes, i guess it would depend on the snail, and its attitude twords wanting a friend inside the habitat with him. -miley i agree, when i had my first snail she seemed unhappy until i got another then cheered up, and Rosalind and hawthorn were less active yesterday as unfortunatly Hawthorn had to go into iso, i was in the room nextdoor and i heard the crack, earlier he'd been burrowing in the spagnum, then climbed on the wall, fallen off and landed on the bit he'd shifted the moss from, (hes fine not) i repaired his shell and put them together again (along with extra moss) and they both seem happier, but its just my opinion, some snails don't like company of any sort.
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Post by whodoesntlovesnails on Feb 21, 2008 23:52:45 GMT
as i said, it all depends on the snails and how they feel on having company. I have never had a snail that semmed aggrivated or annoyed with having another snail in with him. but some snails are sometimes "lone wolfs"
-miley
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Jen
Achatina fulica
Mum of 3 kids and 2 New Baby Snails
Posts: 7
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Post by Jen on Feb 22, 2008 1:58:18 GMT
Thanks for your replies. I have decided to stick with getting the 2 snails I set out for in the first place. I'm sure over time I'll become a dab hand at spotting and removing eggs lol. Cheers x
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Post by whodoesntlovesnails on Feb 22, 2008 2:02:43 GMT
that is good that u are getting two snails so they have company. as long as you check for eggs every week, the whole egg thing shouldnt be a problem. good luck with everything! -miley
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piestar
Achatina fulica
*slimes*
Posts: 12
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Post by piestar on Aug 21, 2010 0:10:37 GMT
I was thinking about getting a partner for my snail, even though he is really active and 'happy', I started reading on here about how snails being alone is almost 'cruel', but then I read this- To suggest that a snail "requires" company is sentimental. Humanising the creature with no true idea of its natural desires is pure guess work based on how mammals act? I have seen no detrimental effect on the health or activity of a snail when kept in isolation. Makes more sense to me than any other post, to me. I know they have 4 brains but I dont think snails feel past 'content', 'happy' and 'stressed' I really cant get a bigger tank and I feel 2 giant snails in the one I have is a bit of a squueze so if I just had the one, it would be better infact, all the snails I have seen kept in larger numbers are extremely unactive due to the small space they have. The most active and friendly snail I have met was solitary.
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Post by crossless on Aug 21, 2010 7:57:28 GMT
I haven't seen any difference in activity if snail is alone or if snail is in group.
So I think only thing in this is "myth" is that people humanises snails so that if there's more snails in terrarium than just one then people have snails have different waking times it seems that "everyone is happy and moving" when truth is there's more to look at.
Then sometimes people tell "I bought for it partner. It was sad and now happy with friend". I think as keeper gets new snails she/he may not notice that in cheer having new pet he/she improves conditions in terrarium with out noticing it and then says all to get one snail happy was buy a partner.
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aerliss
Achatina immaculata
Posts: 281
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Post by aerliss on Aug 21, 2010 20:32:31 GMT
To assume that snails 'emotionally' need company is anthropomorphising the snail. However, to go in completely the opposite direction and say they don't need company is just as spurious a claim because we simply do not know.
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Post by ness on Aug 21, 2010 21:42:32 GMT
I agree that people humanise snails and most animals that they keep. I wouldn't have thought a snail would be sad without a tank mate, I would be surprised if it's health was affected by being alone. However I still edge towards thinking thqat snails kept with others are better off, but that's just my observations. This is on the basis that many (not all) snails kept together, even of different species, will mouth each other, sleep near each other, and appear to react in a positive manner to each other's touch. I can't help but feel that an snail's life is enriched slightly with snail company, though I mean that in a none emotional way. However there may be health benefits to keeping only one snail, or at least one of it's species per tank if you don't intend to breed the snails, as mating and egg laying does take alot of energy and some snails are exhausted after laying. With some species such as Achatina reticulata it is common for the snail to die. I have some snails that follow each other around alot. I don't think there's any kind of bond between them, I doubt if they would miss each other if one was taken away, but I can't help but think a lone snail is missing out on something....
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Post by glittersniffer on Mar 5, 2011 14:12:20 GMT
Just get another species, some couldnt go together, some are carnivorous, and some need different conditions. I have three snails with no eggs and they get along happily. The best moss i think for snails is sphagnum moss, has nice colours too
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Post by crossless on Apr 9, 2011 14:52:14 GMT
I read from one forum that you should not keep tigers alone, but my tiger is happy and healthy. He is getting friend soon when it will be warmer outside. I think for babies it could be good be alone so they could grow bigger without anything disturbe their growing and older they survive better in bigger groups more energy go and sleep alone so no one will broke anyones shell by sleeping in piles etc. I think snails with partners can be better together if they need different types of cycles in their living like mating etc. to feel more comfortable in their "natural habitat". I have heard some species need some kind of dry/wet periods and different type of other sacrifices from owner so they would feel happy in their terrarium.
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Post by SojMad on Aug 13, 2011 2:08:19 GMT
I would never keep a snail alone, nor would I recommend anyone to keep them alone, if it's not necessary for some reason. I'm convinced that they're doing better when kept in pairs or groups, but what it depends on - who cares? As long as they seem more active and "happy" (whatever you want to call it), I don't care about the reason, I just keep them the way they seem to thrive the most in. I've kept my oldest A. achatina alone for more than half a year (during the winter, spring and summer), since his friend died after their journey to me, when I bought them a year ago. I then kept him with my iredaleis, since I didn't want him to be alone, and he was active all the time, but the iredaleis grew so much that I moved him to his own tank. He dug down and has almost been invisible since then - I had to dig him up several times just to check on him. He has also been so extremely afraid of everything since he became alone - if I picked him up, it took several minutes for him to stick his eyes out, and he has barely grown at all. He's a year old, and only about 4 cm in shell lenght. Last week I got three achatina-babies to make him company, and since then, he has changed amazingly. He's on his way out already during the time it takes for me to take him out from their tank and put him in my hand. He's more visible and active, and he seems a lot happier with his life now. And no, their conditions are the same, I don't get tired of my animals so that I "improve" their conditions just because I get new snails. I don't keep them any different at all, and I don't handle them much. So yes, I believe snails benefit from company. And no, I'm not humanising them. I don't think they would miss another snail in a group if the other snail died or was sold, but they would certainly notice if they suddenly were left completely alone. But I'm sure there are people that for example believe that their hermit crabs wouldn't act or feel any different being alone or in a group, but they do. And I believe it's the same for snails. Whether it depends on their interaction, that they feel more safe from predators when being in a group, or anything else - I don't know. And neither does anyone else. But I've seen that my snails are doing better in company, and as I said - I don't care even the slightest to WHY, but I see that they do, and that's enough for me.
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Post by crossless on Aug 13, 2011 21:55:50 GMT
I have noticed that tigers have sometimes when they are young and you need to lift them on food. They just some how "don't know when to eat" so I monitor their weight and scale them if they feel really light weight. It's just once a while so I keep eye on them so they get appetite back. When they are older that problem is gone.
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Post by SojMad on Aug 13, 2011 22:17:21 GMT
I've also noticed that. I use to put my A. achatinas on/near the food to make sure that they eat. They don't seem to notice it otherwise.
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Post by Gajeel Redfox on Oct 3, 2011 0:16:04 GMT
My Helix Aspersa has been alone for a year and seems to be OK. As much as id love to find him a playmate they simply do not live around here so unfortunately he/she is all by himself. I think some species do need companionship but "Nibbles" seems happy enough. He eats his food and calcium and takes a bath all fine. :3
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myrtle
Achatina achatina
Posts: 52
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Post by myrtle on Oct 3, 2011 6:50:38 GMT
My Tiger used to stay buried for days & I used to dig him out just to make sure he was ok...... Then along came Margene my Margie & what a change. They sleep together, eat together, sit nose to nose on the cuttlebone & explore together. Anyone who thinks Snails don't have feelings they are wrong. Margene,s brought Chunk out of his Shell, literally & a happier pair of Snails I've yet to find. Arfur my aspersa tends to have babies sittin with him or on his shell, he seems to make them feel safe. If I find an injured aspersa/grove snail & I want it to eat I pop next to Arfur & they look & notice Big old Arfurs eatin, it must be ok. Be Brave go get your Snail a companion.
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Post by snailloverxoxo on Mar 1, 2013 20:39:06 GMT
ive had a Helix aspersa snail alone for a week before and he didnt do a lot, as soon as i got him a friends he started to come out of his shell a lot more and move around a lot more. i think you should have a friend with him/her. xoxo
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Post by vallery on Mar 5, 2013 15:56:14 GMT
Do snails go into heat before mating? If so would this affect a snail that is alone, in anyway?
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Post by elegans on Jun 16, 2013 8:28:38 GMT
To suggest that a snail "requires" company is sentimental. Humanising the creature with no true idea of its natural desires is pure guess work based on how mammals act? I have seen no detrimental effect on the health or activity of a snail when kept in isolation. However, if the reason you do not wish more than one is due to the fact it may lay eggs, there is the possibility that even a single snail can self fertilize, so even this isn't a safe option and should not be the deciding factor. The only way to prevent being overrun is to be prepared to destroy hatchlings or eggs as and when they appear. I would be inclined to agree with what is said here. But to my knowledge, while a single snail can self-fertilize, but the eggs laid that way have less of a chance of being viable.
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Post by muddydragon on Jun 16, 2013 15:56:14 GMT
To suggest that a snail "requires" company is sentimental. Humanising the creature with no true idea of its natural desires is pure guess work based on how mammals act? I have seen no detrimental effect on the health or activity of a snail when kept in isolation. However, if the reason you do not wish more than one is due to the fact it may lay eggs, there is the possibility that even a single snail can self fertilize, so even this isn't a safe option and should not be the deciding factor. The only way to prevent being overrun is to be prepared to destroy hatchlings or eggs as and when they appear. I would be inclined to agree with what is said here. But to my knowledge, while a single snail can self-fertilize, but the eggs laid that way have less of a chance of being viable. I have found that on the rare occasions when i have had a snail on it's own they have been much less active than when with other snails.
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Post by graemepryce on Jun 30, 2013 19:41:44 GMT
My advice ( I've kept GALS for nearly 20 years now and been obsessed with snails since childhood ) - how often do you see a snail alone in the wild? They are very social animals, they like to follow each others mucus trails, taste each other and if you have a few they will easily be seen grooming each other and 'nubbing' each other all the time. Even different species seem to accept one another gladly and enjoy company.
I wouldn't even consider keeping any species alone, certainly not a more evolved larger species like GALS.
If it helps - keep different species that are similar. I have Albino Reticulata, Jade Fulica and Achatina Albopicta. I have never had any problem with eggs. The ones they do lay are infertile due to genetic difference so they won't hatch.
Don't deny your snail a buddy. Imagine spending the rest of your life never ever seeing another person again!
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