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Post by heydihoo on Nov 21, 2009 10:00:00 GMT
megalobulimus oblongus are becoming rarer in the wild due to over collection so we as snail breeders must make an even more active effort in trying to breed these snails in captivity
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aerliss
Achatina immaculata
Posts: 281
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Post by aerliss on Nov 21, 2009 10:55:53 GMT
Just been reading up on these beasties. I'd love to get my hands on a pair, probably some time in the new year... when I can afford to buy another big set-up.
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coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
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Post by coyote on Nov 21, 2009 21:01:52 GMT
It is well to give some thought to avoiding inbreeding as much as possible. It would not serve the species if lots of inbred lines were to become established.
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Post by heydihoo on Nov 23, 2009 3:38:15 GMT
al of this species currently in capivity are wc specimens apart from 2 that i know of so inbreeding shouldnt be a problem in the forseeable fututre
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aerliss
Achatina immaculata
Posts: 281
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Post by aerliss on Nov 23, 2009 10:58:49 GMT
I wouldn't say all of them. Other people have posted, on other forums/sites, about their successes in breeding them, including successful hatchings of eggs produced through homogenises.
The main problem in breeding them seems to be down to the fact that they are very reliant on seasonal changes to influence their breeding behaviour; extreme dry periods and extremely wet periods. That and I've read of eggs hatching up to 18 months after laying... most people wouldn't leave eggs that long.
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coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
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Post by coyote on Nov 23, 2009 22:52:29 GMT
Eighteen months?!? Holy smokes!
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aerliss
Achatina immaculata
Posts: 281
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Post by aerliss on Nov 24, 2009 22:35:14 GMT
Yeah, that was the face I made. It appears that they lie dormant until the rainy season. Reply 12
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coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
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Post by coyote on Nov 25, 2009 7:26:44 GMT
Ah, they lie dormant, that explains it.
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fluffy
Archachatina marginata
Posts: 30
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Post by fluffy on Mar 9, 2010 7:40:16 GMT
Eggs lie dormant for a while. During that period they look like frosted glass and sound just like that when you touch it. After a while (weeks, months, years? )the color and consistence of the eggshell changes. That is when the baby snail starts growing inside. And from then on it still takes at least 4 - 8 weeks for the snail to hatch. Temperature and humidity of the ground the eggs are borrowed in seem to influence the length of the dormant period, but I haven't found a reliable correlation yet. But cheer up! It's possible to breed megas. It just takes lots of patience and a little bit of luck.
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aerliss
Achatina immaculata
Posts: 281
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Post by aerliss on Mar 11, 2010 0:57:06 GMT
Possible if you can get yourself a breeding pair Not that I'm ready to give it a go yet... but one day.
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fluffy
Archachatina marginata
Posts: 30
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Post by fluffy on Mar 11, 2010 14:33:41 GMT
Well, about half a year ago I was completely frustrated because whoever I had contacted told me how impossible it was to get megas. And then I was offered megas by two different sources almost at the same time. Of course they were quite expensive but they cost less than what I had been told before. I didn't miss the chance and now ... I got my first mega baby in February, a lot earlier than I had expected after all the things I had read about megas. So megas are always good for surprises
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aerliss
Achatina immaculata
Posts: 281
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Post by aerliss on Mar 12, 2010 0:37:46 GMT
Wow, congrats on that!
I have seen, dotted around other forums, old sale posts, so I know it is possible to get your hands on them. You just have to be ready to snatch them up when they come along.
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Post by ness on Oct 24, 2010 21:23:00 GMT
Right now there is a film being edited with the aim to inform the local population of the M.oblongus' plight. Basically their rarity is mainly due to an invasion of Giant African Land Snails, possibly in part to the competition for food, but mainly because of the local's efforts in getting rid of the GALS in an indiscriminate manner. Being as the M.oblongus only lay one or two eggs at a time and only seasonally, their numbers just aren't recovering. It is increasingly important to try to breed these lovely snails, so the above information is very useful.
From my experience my snails laid after introducing running water into their environment. I had to take the waterfall out again when I found the eggs due to the vibration it causes, but water seems the be the key. I'm not sure about temperature changes.
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