Feeding: Species or Locale Based Diet?

[MLO]

Just got done reading "The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating" and had some thoughts/questions about what I've been feeding the snail I rescued from the middle of a sidewalk.

I posted an earlier thread about my snail only eating cucumber (currently in the Feeding subforum). I've managed to get it (now them) eating mushrooms and pepper. I was going to try them on moistened algae flakes next but then I, in addition to reading the book, fed them a piece of portobello mushroom, which they liked much more than the generic mushrooms I'd been feeding them. They came out in the daytime to munch on it...something they'd only done with cucumber.

Which made me wonder: is it possible the snails are eating foods that duplicate...or are close to...what they would eat in their natural habitat? Should I really be switching their food to get them to eat different things, or should I instead try finding foods that are similar to what they would be eating in the wild?

I'm not saying I'd go back to feeding them only cucumber all the time, but I am wondering if I should try to mimic what they'd have access to in the wild and stick to that. I was able to identify the snail (with about 95% accuracy) as a polyagra tridentata and, based on the little I could find about their habitat and where I've observed snail trails, they might have a diet of mushrooms, grasses and a flowering plant I have yet to identify. This may explain how they instantly started in the portobello, while only nibbling at the banana, arugala or even the generic mushrooms. Maybe I should stick to foods similar to those and not try to get them to eat everything edible.

Thoughts?

[crossless]

Snails eat mostly in wild leaves and bigger species eat leaves and some vegetables that have high water content.

Smaller species might favour more leaves because they are easier to eat. Then small species live their lives hanging in one bush/tree/plant and get from it food, protection and water from morning/evening dew.

But when having example huge snails at home it's really hard to provide for them in winter some leaves when like 10-12achatina fulicas eat litre of leaves per day. Big storage issue so I feed them mostly with vegetables.

Some feed to their pets some houseplants too but it's hard to find those kind of plants what snails would love to eat.

Then it would be really hard with example give Africa species vegetales that are originally from Africa because now days you can plant what ever vegetables anywhere in the world if right condititions.

LImax species example eat different type of mushrooms only so maybe their diet is only based on protein. If you get them eating mushrooms. Have to tried them any peas or beans they are high in protein too?

[MLO]

I didn't know that mushrooms were high in protein; the generic package of mushrooms I got at the store said they were high in Vitamin D

I haven't tried peas or beans, as I wasn't sure about the packaged versions and the fresh versions are hard to find and probably expensive.

I was thinking of getting a sample of the flower the next time I walk the dog and making a stab at identifying it. Maybe there's a plant that is similar to it that I could get.

[crossless]

I think very well soaked dried beans could be ok to give snails at least I'm giving them a try someday when I buy dried beans cheaper use in cooking than canned beans.

[coyote]

I would aim for a combination of the 2: some wild plants from its native habitat and some regular fruits and vegetables. I always keep a couple of leaves in my tanks, and my snails will nibble on them only once they've begun to decompose a little. But they like eating fruit and veg as well.

If you know what your species of snail eats in the wild, go ahead and try to provide that for yours as best you can. Keep in mind that your species might eat things that are not obvious to a casual observer, such as microscopic algae found in the soil, and also that the nearby plants might be cover plants and not food plants. If you can consult with a biologist who can identify the things that species actually does eat, then it might be worth trying to replicate that as best you can in your tank.