Helix aspersa sinistral

[Tigs]

Iv been chatting to a guy in South Africa that has found Helix aspersa sinistral. He is asking for advice on breeding these.

Do they need any special treatment or the same as normal Helix aspersa? Iv not kept these so cant really help much.

Hes been really helpful - Here is a quote from one of his latest emails

"I have found some live Achatina Zebra Albino's and Albino Achatina varicosa.
I know of a place in the Transkei where the albino Achatina varicosa are
quite easy to find. There is a colony of mixed Achatina zebra normal ones
and albino's near my home here in East London.
I just had a quick look at the site you recommended. thank you this is
great.
Some of the Achatina's I have found are as follows:
Achatina zebra
Achatina varicosa
Achatina immaculata
Archachatina (cochlytoma) wigleyi. (newly named secies) I found the first
live one.
Achatina species?? probably a new species.
Achatina semigranosa"

These are illegal to export but he is finding out whether i can bring CBs out.

Many thanks

Tigs

[Kevin]

I havent heard of sinistra, by the name i'd guess theyre a sinistral shelled aspersa?

[Tigs]

yep - Cut n pasted and left an L out

[LisaLQ]

It's a good job you said he was in SA to start with, cos I could see folks getting on the first train to East London

Care for the sinistral will be the same as normal, they're just a genetic freak. For want of a better word! Lovely pic

[Joshuaa]

i like the sinistral snails, they look cool ;D

[Tigs]

I would have been the first on the Train Lisa.

Looks like i will have to fly down to Cape Town when im over there in July and the dealers all seem to be on the coast and thats two hours flight from where im going in January.

I will send him a caresheet for the Helix's

Tigs

Yeah they are quite funky arent they JakerN? ;D

[Joshuaa]

yeh they are!! where did you say they come from? south africa? if they do d'ya think they would survive in our country? (i'm not thinking of letting any into the wild so don't get that idea lol!)

[Tigs]

Yep they are from South Africa.

Im struggling to get GALS exported so dont think the Helix would be available either.

The guy that found them is trying to breed a pair at the mo

[LisaLQ]

No point importing helix from there, just head into your back garden and find some Or buy some captive bred from over here

Sinistral just means the shell is..erm..backwards, the body opening at the other side...erm..you know what I mean. It's not a special species, just a genetic anamoly (I love that word, never get to use it LOL). Normal garden snail, just rare to find them with a sinistral shell

[LisaLQ]

Grows in the opposite direction...not backwards...erm..oh just look at the pic, left is sinistral, right is normal LOL ;D

[Joshuaa]

ooooohhhh ok lol soz i don't know much about big words or that much about snails either

thanks for telling me!!i will go and have a hunt in a bit for some sinistrals!!!!!!

hehe

i will rule the world with my army of sinistral snails!!!!!!!!

[Tigs]

Being truthful i googled it to confirm.

Looking at the shells available there are Leftie Zebras near Durban - Where i happen to be going SCUBA diving in February. ;D

[Joshuaa]

ooohhhh if you manage to collect some and bring them back to the UK, remember to keep me in mind! thats illeagal tho aint it? o well hehe ;D

[goose]

The sinistrals look great - kind of makes your brain boggle a bit though!!

[LisaLQ]

Could you tell when I tried to describe them? *lmao*