|
Post by morningcoffee on Aug 4, 2014 10:49:00 GMT
Not 100% certain, but I suspect Trochulus striolatus.
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Aug 4, 2014 10:33:49 GMT
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Aug 3, 2014 8:27:13 GMT
Hi puku, welcome to the forum!
How about bringing the slug with you in a small plastic travel tank that you can easily carry?
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Aug 2, 2014 16:54:42 GMT
Why is it that they don't grow as big in captivity? Possibly due to stronger/more varied genetics in the wild and only the big strong snails surviving? I don't know for sure though.
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Aug 2, 2014 13:37:42 GMT
He looks like an adult snail and is probably around his full size from the photo (quite small pic so hard to see but he looks mature). Don't expect any snail to be the same size as a wild-caught margie - fulica are smaller anyway, but the wild-caught African margies are particularly enormous. Not even another margie is likely to be anywhere near the same size if it's captive-bred.
Unfortunately you will have to freeze the eggs as you will have a very hard time even giving away fulica babies and otherwise you will end up over-run with snails.
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Aug 1, 2014 15:20:06 GMT
muddy dragon. I tried 5 different pound shops in Romford, Essex and had no luck. I went in Wilkinsons and the spag moss was too much just now so I bought a tropical terrain compact brick from a make called komodo. The bag of spag moss would have hardly scattered the surfice. The Komodo Tropical Terrain is coir / coconut fibre and should be perfect.
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 31, 2014 13:33:21 GMT
Looks like he's doing very well Pretty sure (from the size and look of him) that he's originally wild-caught. He looks exactly like my wild-caught margies that I rescued from Brixton market. I saw that you're in Luton and apparently there's a Luton market with west African stores. I suspect that someone probably bought him from one of those stores as a curiosity then ended up irresponsibly leaving the poor thing in the park. Thank goodness you found him and adopted him
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 31, 2014 8:56:52 GMT
Zorst: Do you know what's daft about that; the fact that it's almost impossible to get peat in england now, everything has to be peat free or peat reduced nowadays (with a plan to phase out entirlerly by 2020) which means that for plants that cannot grow on anything other than peat (my carnivorous plants for instance) it's almost impossible to buy stuff to pot them in *sigh* some nurseries are saying that they'll have to quit growing entirely even though there are a few sustainable peat sources, and other countries are gearing up production of peat in expectation of bringing more plants which need peat into the country. (it is true however that a lot of gardeners were using peat stupidly - like for improving soil). I might have to come over to ireland and stock up For my carnivorous plants (a couple of droseras and a Mexican pinguicula) I usually use Growth Technology Carnivorous Plants Repotting Mix (you can get it on Amazon!) - it's peat and sand, I usually add a bit of coir and perlite too to make it slightly more "airy" and this seems to work really well. More sensitive plants like Sarracenia might need something a bit more specific though! The bags are quite small, 2 litres, which is perfect for me with only a few plants, but if you have lots or very big plants then you might want something that comes in bigger bags If you're willing to buy online though you can find big bags of peat quite easily to make your own potting mix with - although they seem fairly expensive to me :/ The local garden centre had a couple of really lovely looking Venus flytraps the other day, I'm very tempted... when I was there previously there was a really nice pinguicula that was flowering, but I talked myself out of it... when I went back, it was gone I'm really fond of my carnivorous plants and want to get a few more different kinds for some variety, but I worry about keeping them fed properly! Do you put yours outside to catch insects or do they do OK indoors, muddy? I previously had a load of fungus gnats breeding in the soil of my Saintpaulia, and a couple of drosera either side of it were getting extremely well-fed, but the gnats seem to have all died off now, so my source of insecty noms for them has gone! Anyway, to get the thread back on topic a bit (sorry for derailing!), coir = coconut fibre which should be the same as what you were using previously, Johnny. In pet shops with reptile sections, you may also see it sold as EcoEarth or Plantation Soil. You can get cuttlefish at pet shops, or look on eBay to find some cheaply, or you could try swapping to limestone flour (calcium carbonate) which you can buy on eBay in quite big bags very cheaply as it's sold for horses. My snails have always loved it and seem to prefer it to cuttle.
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 29, 2014 9:05:15 GMT
Hey Guys, Sorry i've not been around much lately - just checking in for pending members etc. I've just been swamped down in a load of PhD related deadlines, but they're over for now and i have a week and a bit of holiday, so i should be able to catch up on forum posts hope you're all having a lovely summer Good to see you Hope all your deadlines etc went well and you enjoy your holiday time!
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 27, 2014 19:10:05 GMT
Soini, Mannerheim and Kekkonen Finnish, historical/recent political figures, great names for snails I had a snail called Jari-Matti for a while, after the Finnish rally driver Jari-Matti Latvala
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 25, 2014 16:59:52 GMT
Hi, I have just changed my snail's tank to a bigger one, so now he has more room. I have a food dish, a small log and a plant pot, but the plant pot is quite light and he keeps moving it around the tank. What other things are good hiding places for snails that they can't move around very easily? Thanks Try a reptile hide from a petshop (or Amazon), they come in all different varieties that look very nice in a tank. Some fish hides for aquariums are also suitable if they're large enough.
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 24, 2014 19:09:20 GMT
I bought a bag of volcanic dust today, as the best (only!) care sheet I could find for Edentulina Obese recommends adding it to their substrate in order for them to thrive. question to you fellow snail folk is could it be beneficial also for my Achatina and Limicularia? More importantly, could it be harmful? if it may benefit them, I'll add some, as got a huge bag from B&Q for just over £5. Don't add it to the soil for other snails. It's used for Edentulina because they come from a volcanic area (Mount Cameroon) and adding volcanic ash more closely mimics their home environment.
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 23, 2014 17:40:03 GMT
I was going to take a picture for you but he has passed away I'm afraid because it really smells but thank you for all your help I'm sorry to hear that.
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 22, 2014 16:30:09 GMT
No it doesn't smell someone says it's due to the humidity in the tank i need to spray with tepid water is that best Without properly understanding what the problem is, I can't really give any advice. If you can answer a few questions, that might help. What type of snail is it? Has the shell suddenly become green all over, or has it just developed a slight greenish tinge or some green colouring? Is the shell actually slimy? Can you wipe it? Does the snail become active/awake if bathed in shallow warm water? Has the snail been eating normally?
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 22, 2014 15:16:14 GMT
You both have good points. Perhaps I am trying too hard, I took him in because I'd have felt bad if he was out on the sidewalk and someone stepped on him because of how uniquely I found him and I wouldn't want it to end that way and be wondering if something happened to him so when I took him in, I wanted to make sure I was doing a really good job of taking care of him which perhaps turned into me trying too hard. The substrate may be too damp now. I'II keep an eye on it and maybe not spray it for a day or so. Take a handful of the substrate and give it a good squeeze - if water drips out, it's too wet. If the substrate is fairly crumbly, feels moist and only sticks to your hand a little, it should be fine. You've done a really good thing by taking the little guy in and caring about him enough to want to get everything right for him. There's nothing wrong with that and I personally think it's very good to try and have an optimal environment for pets, including wild snails. Just try not to be a "helicopter snail parent" while making still making sure he is healthy and happy, and you'll be fine - the same advice applies to everyone!
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 22, 2014 14:28:20 GMT
I agree that not fussing over them too much is definitely a good thing, but there is a difference between "being able to survive" and "being in an optimal environment". I don't see anything wrong with giving snails the best possible setup for their health, growth and well-being, especially if you're going to bring snails in from the wild and put them in the much smaller environment of a tank. If that includes using "fancy" substrate that doesn't have any parasites or mites in it, and providing a varied diet, I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 22, 2014 11:30:38 GMT
Help one of my snail's shell has gone a green slimy colour is it dead the snail doesn't seem to want to come out Can you take a picture to show what you mean? What type of snail is it? Does the snail smell bad? When snails are dead, they have a very unpleasant odour to them. Does the snail move at all or come out when you place it in shallow warm water?
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 22, 2014 8:20:53 GMT
Should be OK yes but make sure the substrate is not getting too damp or wet with twice a day spraying, and be sure to feed him other things than just lettuce and cucumber. You also don't need to change the food every day, if some is uneaten it's OK to leave it for another day unless it's getting mouldy or stinky.
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 22, 2014 8:17:28 GMT
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 21, 2014 22:19:45 GMT
I woke up from a nap and found him laying on his back with his foot completely retracted into his shell. Could see above where his slime detached. I'm not sure how long he was like that since I was napping. Sprayed him with water and put him right side up and he woke up and was normal again. I've seen him a few other times completely retracted. Is he trying to go dormant? Is there some need of his I might not be meeting? I spray him and his tank twice a day, I change his food every day and I change his substrate once a week. You should not change substrate that frequently. Snails need natural bacteria and microbes in their environment and some studies suggest that they actually require these to be able to digest food, and this is why snails sometimes eat soil/substrate. You can do a "spot clean" every couple of days or every few days to remove poop, any uneaten food and wipe the tank walls but you should only be doing a full tank clean once a month maximum and probably even less frequently than that. When you do change the substrate, you should add some of the old substrate in to keep the natural bacterial flora going. If you keep a tank environment too clean it can be detrimental to snails' health and they can actually stop eating, retract or even die because of this.
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 21, 2014 17:26:46 GMT
Hi Jordon, welcome to the forum!
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 21, 2014 17:00:36 GMT
Thanks for the links! Now that I think of it...I was trying to maintain a relatively clean environment for them. I wash the whole terrarium and replace fresh coconut coir weekly. But a while ago I added some Bark/sticks/moss I found in the forest. I'm guess this may have introduced some nasty parasites. You shouldn't do a full clean that regularly. Snails need natural bacteria and microbes in their environment and some studies suggest that they actually require these to be able to digest food, and this is why snails sometimes eat soil/substrate. You can do a "spot clean" every couple of days or every few days to remove poop, any uneaten food and wipe the tank walls but you should only be doing a full tank clean once a month maximum and probably even less frequently than that. When you do change the substrate normally (not while harmful mites are present!) you should add some of the old substrate in to keep the natural bacterial flora going. If you keep a tank environment too clean it can be detrimental to snails' health and they can actually stop eating and die because of this. Adding things from outside could have introduced mites but it's possible as the snails are wild-caught that they may have been present when you got them and you just didn't notice as they were hiding (or in egg form) inside the snails' shells. If you want to put in twigs, bark, leaves or anything from outside, it's best to soak them for a while first to remove any bugs or nasties.
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 21, 2014 16:33:15 GMT
Yes! the mites look/run around on them like those. I will try to sterilize the terrarium the best I can, and as for the predatory mites i will look around if any US seller has them. I imagine there might be a problem trying to import those mites to the US, although I'm not certain. As for bathing snails, Do you guys use regular tap water? I have tried to avoid using tap water because I thought the chlorine would harm them. A quick Google shows that the Hypoaspis are available in the US from various places: www.evergreengrowers.com/stratiolaelaps-scimitus-womersley-hypoaspis.htmlwww.biconet.com/biocontrol/hypoaspis.htmlwww.everwoodfarm.com/Organic_Pest_Control/Beneficial_Insects_Listing/ENTOMITE-M_Hypoaspis_milesI'm sure you should be able to look around online to find the best value In the meantime I would start bathing your snails straight away and throw out the substrate right away too. A coir brick soaked in boiling water (and left to cool) would be ideal as a new substrate once you've bathed and washed the snails thoroughly. Don't use compost, potting soil or anything like that as it could have more mites or bugs in it. You want something as sterile as possible. Use boiling water to clean the tank and any ornaments (you can let them soak for a while to remove any nasties). I use tap water to bathe my snails without any problems though it could potentially depend on what your local water supply is like. I used to put my huge margies in the bathtub and let them slime about under the shower and never had any problem with them If you're worried you can always use bottled water instead.
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 21, 2014 15:41:26 GMT
I looked this morning and there are white mites on them. I'm not sure if thats the issue or how to kill mites. Do the mites look like the ones in this video? www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-cd7GG2mEMIf yes, then your snails are infested with Riccardoella mites and this could easily be what's killing them. These are very common in wild snails and slugs. There is a good page on the PetSnails website which deals with these mites. www.petsnails.co.uk/problems/mites.htmlFrom Wikipedia: "Slug mites are a concern for commercial and hobbyist breeders of snails; as little as six mites can sicken an individual and make it susceptible to infection by threadworms and bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa." The only fully effective way to get rid of them is to completely clean the tank and everything in it, soak it in boiling water, throw away the substrate. Bathe the snails, put them back in the tank on a thin layer of sterile substrate without any ornaments etc, and introduce Hypoaspis miles predatory mites. You can get these from various online stores including www.defenders.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/25/products_id/47 . These will eat the harmful mites on your snails and should end the infestation. There is no other fully effective way to eradicate a Riccardoella mite infestation as they can hide inside the snails' pneumostome and mantle cavity where you cannot reach them, and they lay their eggs inside the snails' shell. Bathing the snails under running water may be a temporary solution to remove the worst of them but it's very likely they will return unless the tank is treated with Hypoaspis miles.
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Jul 21, 2014 7:53:51 GMT
I'm hoping someone may be able to help me out because I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I started with 20 pet Helix aspersa snails, and now I'm down to 5. They were wild caught snails someone sent me. I keep them in a 10 gallon clear plastic box with holes drilled into the plastic lid on top. I put in an ultrasonic fogger to raise humidity because i thought they were "drying out" (I found them upside down on the substrate many times dead in their shell.) I use a coconut fiber substrate. I also feed them organic and thuroughly washed lettuce and dandelion greens, sometimes sprinkled with calcium powder. The death rate has dropped since I added the fogger, but some have stilled slowly passed. Any body see what the issue might be? How much ventilation is in the tank? Aspersa should not need a fogger to keep humidity up if the tank's being sprayed regularly enough, so it might have far too much ventilation if it's drying out especially in summer. Snails don't need a constant large flow of fresh air - a few small holes in a tank lid are sufficient. Is the tank kept in sunlight or in a hot place? In summer they prefer somewhere cooler and the tank should never be left in direct sunlight. Do any of the snails have visible mites on their bodies? Any visible parasites or worms in their poop? Is the substrate dry, damp, or wet? Are the snails active? Do they eat? Do any of them regularly aestivate in their shells? They need to be fed more than just lettuce and dandelions - they need a varied diet. Snails have nutritional requirements as does any other creature. Give them a greater variety of fruit and veg, plus an occasional protein snack like wet fish flakes, boiled egg or a bit of meat. There is a good food guide list here: petsnails.proboards.com/thread/9416/feed-snailsDon't sprinkle calcium powder on their food. Give them a constant source of calcium to help themselves to - limestone flour or cuttlefish are fine. They are perfectly capable of regulating their own calcium intake at the correct levels.
|
|