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Post by morningcoffee on Mar 3, 2021 11:46:04 GMT
A new development; they have not laid eggs, but they have mated again. I have four adult cornu snails as I've mentioned, and all of them have mated again. What does that mean? The first pair had mated a few days ago, still no eggs. Not every mating is "successful" and results in eggs. It's not uncommon for them to mate and not produce eggs, especially at this time of year. Be patient, if they're mating regularly then you're likely to have eggs before long
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Post by morningcoffee on Mar 1, 2021 17:39:30 GMT
Hi guys, do you think that Riccardoella mites can develop or survive in the winter? My snails live outside, on the balcony, I never introduced any infected guy, I'm sure because every snail I found in vegetables this winter was checked by the vet before to be introduced and poops were analized too (you know against other kind of problems). Problem, is that I found a little white guy of shape and color resembling those hateful mites, it was walking amid springtails, and could be a different springtail kind too (since I know that also round shaped springtails exist), but still I'm worrying! I've read they need 20/25 degrees to develop, but what abt surviving? It could have been introduced together with some greenhouse plants for example I'd say that unless it was on your snail, it should be nothing to worry about for now. If you see more than one of them actually on your snail's body, it could be a cause for concern. Riccardoella mites can apparently survive on slugs and snails over winter but their activity is significantly reduced. I've also read that they can hide themselves under bark or other places to survive winter and re-emerge in spring.
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Post by morningcoffee on Feb 28, 2021 15:45:39 GMT
Most likely it wasn't a "successful" mating as it's not egg-laying season yet. Snails usually don't lay eggs in the winter as they wouldn't survive in the wild. How deep is the substrate in your tank? Are they still aware that it's winter even if they're inside? The substrate is quite deep, I'd say 5+ inches? Substrate sounds fine. Yes they are "aware" that it's winter indoors, they still experience seasonal changes like shorter day lengths etc. It's exactly the same as if you have houseplants inside, they won't flower all year long even if the temperature indoors stays warm - living things have seasonal rhythms and patterns and are affected by more things than just temperature. Don't worry too much about it for now, if they're still not laying eggs in a few months time once spring is well underway it may be worth revisiting, but for now it should be nothing to be concerned about. Also you say you clean the tank and mist regularly - make sure you are not keeping the tank too damp as most land snails don't like soggy conditions, if you pick up a handful of substrate and squeeze, no more than a drop or two of water should come out. Tanks should also not be kept too clean as this can cause snails to stop eating and die - you should only change the substrate rarely and always mix in some of the old substrate (unless there's a problem like mites) to keep the natural soil bacteria going.
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Post by morningcoffee on Feb 27, 2021 18:35:47 GMT
Most likely it wasn't a "successful" mating as it's not egg-laying season yet. Snails usually don't lay eggs in the winter as they wouldn't survive in the wild.
How deep is the substrate in your tank?
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Post by morningcoffee on Feb 27, 2021 18:32:53 GMT
I have two White-lipped Banded Snails. Both are well, active, and seem healthy, but during the past couple of months of having them they haven't layed a single clutch of eggs. This worries me as before getting them in almost all my research it said snails lay a lot of legs, and quite frequently. I think the problem might be that I currently don't give them enough protein, so I'll start doing that, but is there possibly another problem? Could it be that there's too little soil in their tank? That the temperature isn't right? Or maybe they just don't match with one another, even though they are the same species? I'd love to get some help as I'd like to make sure my two snails are fine and healthy, and I also might want to hatch a clutch to then release in my garden, as a fun little project. Unless you're in the southern hemisphere, it's winter at the moment - most snails don't lay eggs in the winter.
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Post by morningcoffee on Feb 23, 2021 18:25:08 GMT
Hello, So quick backstory, my mum bought me 3 Achatina fullica from the same place she bought hers from a while ago. She has them for a couple for a couple of days before surprising me with them yesterday. The 2 lighter colour ones are fine but my biggest one seems to retract deep in his shell. He does move around and has definitely eaten today. He doesn't move around as much as the other 2 though, and I'm worried as when researching I came across deep retraction syndrome. This photo is the most I have seen him out, I have seen his face but he doesn't come all the way out. Any ideas on what I should do? That's only slightly retracted, not deep retraction at all. If he's active and eating then it's nothing to worry about. Not sure if it's just light reflecting in the photo, but your substrate looks very damp. If you squeeze a handful of it and more than a drop or two of water comes out, it's too wet.
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Post by morningcoffee on Feb 22, 2021 16:13:47 GMT
Thank you so much for putting my mind at ease! Just one more quick question if you don't mind Is it okay to pick snails up off glass? He like suctions himself and I would feel bad pulling him off so I just don't do it and leave him be. Is there like a techinque to getting snails off glass I just don't know lol Yes it's OK to do this carefully! If the snail is out of the shell then the best way is to moisten your hands with water, then slide a finger underneath the snail's foot (at the head end is best) and then use your finger to carefully "peel" them off the glass, while gently holding the shell with your other hand so that they don't fall. If the snail is hiding inside the shell and stuck to the glass, it's OK to very carefully and gently pull them off holding the shell. If the snails are young, take care holding the shell so that you don't damage the more fragile new growth of shell near the bottom.
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Post by morningcoffee on Feb 22, 2021 14:17:07 GMT
I'm recently a new African land snail owner and I started off with a wooden viv soon to realise it wasn't suitable due to the wood warping sooooo I got him new completely glass tank instead. He's been in there for three days now and hasn't come down from the roof at all the first thing he did was go to the roof and he's been slithering around up there since. Just wondering how long snails can go without food? Should I be worrying? He'll come down and eat when he wants, right? That's fine, snails don't eat every day (they have a digestion cycle) so he's probably just getting used to his new surroundings. It's normal for snails to sit or sleep on the roof or walls of the tank and not to spend a lot of time on the ground, as climbing off the ground and resting in higher places is a natural behaviour in the wild to protect them from predators. You can pick him up and place him on food if you want, or just let him adjust to the new tank.
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Post by morningcoffee on Feb 21, 2021 16:13:14 GMT
How often do you clean the tank, and do you fully change the substrate in the tank when you clean?
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Post by morningcoffee on Feb 3, 2021 11:43:41 GMT
Are nuts poisonous to snails? Completely unsalted and unflavored? Because someone told me there were after I mentioned feeding them to my snails occasionally, but they didn't elaborate and I can't find anything saying that they are. I've fed my snails walnuts and almonds (both crushed down very fine) and there didn't seem to be any issues. I want to make sure so I'm not being irresponsible with my feeding. No, as long as they are plain, unsalted, unflavoured, nuts are fine and many snails enjoy them. Definitely not poisonous.
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Post by morningcoffee on Jan 31, 2021 19:49:13 GMT
So, sorry if this sounds dumb but, is it illegal to buy a milk snail on Amazon in the USA?? I see people saying you can do it in videos I have watched, but I’m so confused. It's illegal to transport a live land snail across state lines in the US. See this thread for more info: petsnails.proboards.com/thread/16277/shipping-snails-slugs-legal-info
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Post by morningcoffee on Jan 20, 2021 14:08:51 GMT
Hi morningcoffee, I know this thread is old, but you've helped me before so I thought I'd ask my snail substrate question here. I've been using the Exo Terra coir mixed with some of their jungle mix and a small amount of activated charcoal at the bottom. I've been trusting that the leaf top cover, droppings, etc. would naturally end up creating a soil that contains all the beneficial stuff they need, but could you let me know if there's anything I'm missing, please? Or if I shouldn't add the carbon... I did that for the isopods, but also noticed I've seen snails on charcoal in the wild. Anyway, thanks in advance! The snails do seem to be doing well, but I'm one of those people who just wants to double check. The soil set-up sounds fine to me. I'm not sure about the charcoal, I personally wouldn't add it as snails dig down, sometimes to the very bottom of the tank, to lay their eggs. Something they can tolerate on occasion in the wild can become a different matter if constantly exposed to it in the tank. However, a charcoal layer isn't something I've ever heard of doing before so there may be others with more experience of it who could confirm if it's safe long-term or not.
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Post by morningcoffee on Jan 20, 2021 14:06:14 GMT
Hi, I have two achatina fulicas. I got Florence about 4months before Arnold. Arnold is very active and seems healthy, and Florence just likes to be buried and sleeps alot. Both seem healthy, but theres one problem: very confusing poop. Arnold poops in the ceiling, and theres usually a green film/slimey thing covering the poop. Florences poops are normal, but one day the other end of the poop was transparent and kind of slimey. I'm not too worried about Florence but extremely confused about Arnold. Has anyone else had this kind of problem, or does anyone know what causes it? Sounds like it's poop containing material from the digestive glands, which is normal. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digestive_system_of_gastropods
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Post by morningcoffee on Jan 14, 2021 11:14:06 GMT
They look a bit puffy but I can't see any signs that the mantle has collapsed or is becoming loose. You might be spraying their tank too often or keeping it too damp, snails often get puffy/swollen in response to this.
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Post by morningcoffee on Jan 11, 2021 9:33:46 GMT
It's winter, they tend to be much sleepier in winter because they'd be hibernating or much less active in the wild. They will likely perk up again in spring.
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Post by morningcoffee on Dec 17, 2020 12:02:56 GMT
Would it be okay for me to house milk snails with cuban brown snails? They require different tank conditions, so I wouldn't recommend it.
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Post by morningcoffee on Nov 12, 2020 9:20:24 GMT
I plan on getting a pair of H. Pomatia in early december, and I currently keep my tank at above 95% humidity (don’t know exact as my hygrometer only reads “hi” after 95%) and I generally keep everything pretty damp. I know they don’t like things to be too wet, do you think this would be a problem? If so, how low humidity do they like? I cant go below 85% because my isopods would die and they’re a vital part of the tank ecosystem... Just want to make sure they’re the right snails for me They really don't like it damp. Your tank doesn't sound suitable for Helix pomatia with those conditions. Also, if you are in the US, you will have to source the snails from within your own state as it's illegal to import any live snails or slugs from outside the US, or move them between states. petsnails.proboards.com/thread/16277/shipping-snails-slugs-legal-info
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Post by morningcoffee on Oct 25, 2020 11:14:48 GMT
hello! i’ve had my lissachatina reticulata for exactly a month now and he usually eats the snail mix i give him (i know snails are hermaphrodites i just use he/him pronouns lol) however since last week, he’s stopped eating it? he only seems to want lettuce (i think it’s his favourite). usually when i give it to him he eats all/ most of it. could it be because he’s bored of it or fussy or is it something else? Snails should have a varied diet based mostly on leaves, veg and fruits and shouldn't be eating only snail mix. He is probably eating the lettuce because he's needing some fresh nutrition.
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Post by morningcoffee on Oct 19, 2020 8:25:33 GMT
Hi I'm Linda K. I'm predominantly a dog person and I'm active in AKC Rally and Scent work with my German Shepherd Dog, Sputnik. I love and respect all animals and when a family member started talking about getting a pet snail I jumped right in with her. My snail is right next to my work at home desk so that I can interact and observe most of the day. I'm very new to snails. I have had a Helix Pomatia for a week. It is one of two that came by mail. The other didn't make it. Her two are still snailing about at her house. I'm looking forward to advice, stories, pics, etc. from this group. This morning I cleaned the tank for the first time and winged it. I'm looking for a guide on setup, maintenance and cleaning. If such a thing exists, a link would be appreciated! I'm reading through the reference forums as well. I live in Central Pennsylvania and would like to find reliable supply sources and live snails to acquire locally. I've posted on the classifieds list.
Looking forward to talking with you. Linda K
Hi and welcome to the forum. Care is not too difficult. Helix pomatia don't need very high humidity and they don't like their environment to be constantly damp or wet. You can give their tank a gentle misting (you can use a basic spray bottle like you'd use for plants) reasonably infrequently compared to some snails - I usually give the tank a quick mist a couple of times a week. You don't need to spray like crazy or soak the environment as they don't like wet conditions. Substrate should be at least a couple of inches deep, and kept slightly moist (but not wet). I recommend coco fibre / coir, this works well to maintain moisture. You can buy dry bricks of coir online, or at pet stores. If you buy them online or at a pet store the brands they may have are Exo Terra Plantation Soil, Zoo Med Eco Earth, or Komodo Tropical Terrain. All of these are fine. You simply need to soak the dry brick in plenty of water and within a few hours it will expand to make a nice loose soil-type substrate. The substrate should not be changed too frequently as snails need to ingest the soil flora/good bacteria as part of their digestion cycle. You can keep the surface of the soil free of old food, poop etc and wipe down the tank walls and any ornaments every few days, but the substrate shouldn't be changed frequently unless it has got too wet or smells. When you do change it (I change mine about every 3 months) you should always mix in some of the old substrate to help keep the natural soil flora going. The best diet for them is a varied mix of leaves, fruits and vegetables. It is also good for them to have a high protein source no more than once a week. I would recommend starting with dark lettuce (such as Romaine, little gem, round lettuce, Batavia etc) and dark leafy greens (kale etc) on a regular basis, and also including other things such as sweet potato, carrot, courgette, tomato, apple etc a couple of times a week. Things like cucumber or iceberg lettuce are fine occasionally but are not super high in nutrients so shouldn't be their main food. Protein source can be something like a small amount of raw meat, cooked egg, soaked cat/dog biscuits (thoroughly soaked in water until mushy), or even raw unflavoured nuts like peanuts or cashews. Snails must have a calcium source in the tank at all times. This should be provided for them to eat whenever they feel the need - do NOT add it to their food or try to force-feed them, as they are able to regulate their own intake and giving them too much can cause serious problems. Many people use cuttlefish / cuttle bone for them, which is usually sold for birds and can be bought at pet shops or online. I personally use limestone flour (calcium carbonate), which I put into small dishes like an old jam jar lid, moisten, and just leave in the tank near their food. In my experience they seem to prefer this, and also cuttle can get rather stinky when it gets damp and they don't seem to like to eat it then. Limestone flour is usually sold for horses so can be bought cheaply in bags online (I get mine from Amazon usually but eBay has plenty too) or from an equestrian supply store if you happen to have any nearby. Even though you only have one snail, it could have previously mated, so for a while you will also need to check regularly for eggs. It's not laying season for pomatia at the moment, but you never know. Snail eggs can be humanely destroyed by just putting them in a container or tupperware and placing them inside the freezer for at least 24 hours. You can then just throw them away or put them in a compost bin, as they will no longer be viable for hatching. They may like a place to hide in the tank, many reptile brands sell nice hides or caves that look nice in the tank and are easily cleanable, or a chunk of cork bark, however you can very cheaply make your own by using something like the bottom half of a sturdy plastic bottle with a thin layer of coir spread over the top, or using a cheap plastic plant pot on its side. Tank ornaments such as fake plants help make the tank look nice and snails seem to enjoy climbing or hiding behind them, again many reptile brands such as Exo Terra, Lucky Reptile, and Komodo make these or you can sometimes cheaply buy aquarium ornaments. Do make sure that there is nothing too heavy/solid in the tank like stone, as snails can damage their shells on these in a fall. Polyresin type ornaments are good. Please also see this post for reference re: shipping snails in the mail in the US. petsnails.proboards.com/thread/16277/shipping-snails-slugs-legal-infoHope that is all helpful!
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Post by morningcoffee on Oct 9, 2020 13:22:57 GMT
Can very fine gravel work? Snails need a soil-type substrate.
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Post by morningcoffee on Oct 9, 2020 8:48:51 GMT
I caught a couple garden snails around 2 or 3 weeks ago after doing research for a few months on their care. However, there's one possible issue they both seem to have developed that I can't find any information about and I'm unsure if it's urgent or not-- they both have a buildup of slime near the opening of their shells. One of them has it pretty significantly, to the point where it seems like he's having trouble going back inside his shell and his body looks a bit swollen. I'm not sure if it's because they've recently mated or not, but I would love if someone could help me out with anything they know about this! I can't see any build up of slime in your pictures, the snails look normal and healthy.
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Post by morningcoffee on Oct 9, 2020 8:47:48 GMT
Hi I was wondering if anyone new how and when to clean a baby snail tank because I know you can't completely remove the soil but I'm worried about how much poo they have in there as I had them for about 4 days. I'm also concerned about how much they're eating, I put in some broccoli and carrot peeling in there but I've only seen little munches on it, I'm not sure if it's because they're so small or if they only just eat the cuttlefish bone. One last thing is that they sleep A LOT I'm not sure if it's normal or not but I only see them at night and they did seem to be moving around and eating so maybe I'm just being paranoid. You can carefully wipe the tank walls with a wet cloth, and pick up any poops from the surface of the soil. They shouldn't need too much cleaning at this stage. Small snails won't eat huge amounts of food, if you can see nibble marks then they're eating and that's fine. Try some leafy lettuce or dark greens like kale. Sleeping a lot is completely normal, snails are not the most active creatures and are very unlikely to be active every day. Being up and about only at night is normal behaviour for them.
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Post by morningcoffee on Oct 9, 2020 8:44:17 GMT
I’ve noticed that recently, he will remain in the same place in his container for an extended period of time. I used some tweezers to gently nudge him, but he was extremely firmly rooted in place, so I wouldn’t force him and risk injuring him. I’ve been putting a drop of water on him and nudging him slightly, and eventually he becomes unstuck and begins to move around. After he’s unstuck, there is an outline of dried slime where he was sitting. I’m worried that the humidity is too dry and it’s causing his slime to adhere him in place, and he can’t move. He now spends almost 24/7 stuck to the wall inside his shell. This is pretty normal snail behaviour, most species are not active daily in the wild and will spend fairly long periods of time in one place. You don't need to keep forcing him awake every day. Dried slime where they've been sitting is completely normal, this is how they adhere to flat surfaces. He has leaves, small stones, cleaned eggshell (for calcium), food, his water dish, and some small sticks, and a small bit of a bendy straw in his container. I’m unable to get substrate of any kind during the pandemic unfortunately. Is there something I can do to help him, or is this okay/normal?? Remove the stones as they could damage the shell if the snail falls onto them. Snails must have substrate, this is essential. You can order coir bricks online from pet shops or Amazon if you're not able to go out to shops, or collect some soil from outside at a push.
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Post by morningcoffee on Oct 9, 2020 8:39:57 GMT
Hi and welcome to the forum!
I would skip the pebbles entirely, your tank shouldn't be getting wet enough to require any drainage. The tank should be lightly moist but not damp or wet.
You also shouldn't cover all of the soil as your snails will need to eat it to maintain their digestive flora. Some moss in a corner would be fine.
Cucumber is fine as an occasional food but as it's not very nutritious you shouldn't feed it too regularly. Try some leafy lettuce or dark greens like kale.
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Post by morningcoffee on Oct 7, 2020 7:26:09 GMT
It's my first time buying snails (cornu aspersum if anyone wants to know) and i'm wondering if there's any sites that you guys recommend or if there's any sellers I need to stay away from. I live in the US. Sorry if this has been asked before! Please check the info in this thread first: petsnails.proboards.com/thread/16277/shipping-snails-slugs-legal-info
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