My snails won't eat their veggies!

[shaydeesnail]

Well 2 days ago I got 6 banded snails, 2 adult/nearly full grown ones and 4 smaller ones, they all look about the same age and were all together, it's nice to know they all knew each other beforehand x]
Not really the point though. They are in a nice warm, humid (though a little small- 15cmx25cm and 10cm high) temporary tank, while I wait for my new larger tank, they all seem relatively happy and active sliding around all over the place, only problem is.. none of them seem hungry for plants... on the first day I put in some plants from around where I found the snails, dandilion leaves, and a few other leaves I'd seen them munching on. As a little treat I put in some soggy oats, as in the past I have known snails to love this... they all ate a tiny bit of the oats but none of the leaves! Then I tried them with some peppers (I've had snails munch through half of one in hours) and mushroom, and they didnt even touch it. I've put in some cucumber (another food I've seen snails completely demolish), a brussel sprout and some of the tender leaves at the centre of spring greens. They are showing no interest at all... I shall have a look in the morning but all the other snails I've kept have been really hungry little buggers!
Are there any reasons why they might not be eating up? I haven't kept snails in some years.

I will post some pictures of them soon, they are so cute!

[axoloa]

Hi shaydeesnail. By banded snails am I right in thinking that your talking about Capaea species? If so, then personaly I would try them on a little cucumber and sweet potato. I know this is not their natural diet, but like most land snails they do love this. They also enjoy letuce. Where do you live? If your in Europe then the chances are that they are getting ready for hybernation. This would certainly explain why their not eating. Mine are all eating next to nothing at the moment and some have already bueried theirself and taped themselfs into their shell and are now hybernaiting
hope this helps.

[vallery]

Hi axoloa,

I have Cepaea nemoralis and cepaea hortensis (banded snails)I had difficilty findind something they would eat. I tried alot of things, Now I keep a small hosta in the terrariums at all times, I have a food dish and everyday put fresh food in it. I use crushed brown egg shells I use a mortar and pestal to really powder the egg shells (for calcium) and slices of English cucumbers and small parts of cellary split open and found that was what the would finally eat. Also clover. They gobbled that. I often find one in hibernation on the tank side or top and I always put him into the food dish and on a piece of fresh slice of english cucumber peel and he will automatically revieve and eat. I am going to get a spritzer so I can spritz water on the snails because allowing a little water to drop onto the hybernating snail always revieves him. All of my snails that have burried themselves have all been ones laying eggs beneath the earth. It has been alot of trial and error. I just keep trying things. Good Luck Vallery

[vallery]

Hi axoloa,

Sorry I meant to give the last reply I sent to shaydeesnail. Hopefully it will help you out to. Thank You Vallery

[axoloa]

dont worry about me mine are a happy breeding colony, plenty of babies and plenty more to come currently hatching eggs to their just going into hybernation now becuz its that time of year thankyou though

[shaydeesnail]

Mine are Cepaea Nemoralis I live in England so maybe they are just sleepy from the cold... A bit like me x]
I'm going to give them some cuttlefish for calcium and see if they like that, but they are going to have to wait until the start of the week when I get paid! -Just a random question, where do they find calcium when they are in the garden?
I've seen a tiny little nibble out of the cucumber, so looks like at least one of them is eating!
So are they likely to be hungrier in the summer? I just love watching snails eat

[shaydeesnail]

Oooh axoloa, do you have any pictures of the cute babies? I'm hoping mine will breed one day, that should work them up an appatite rofl.

[foghog]

snails in the wild gain most of their calcium from the foods they eat by far. but in high calcium areas they gain it from the ground and rocks as well.
To get some of my snails 'used' to different foods I typical take a few grains of fast acting active yeast and sprinkling it on the food and I find I can get them to eat pretty much anything. just a possible idea. also it shouldn't be to cold. if it is the snails will want to hibernate, but you should be able to see them not moving or trying to bury themselves,etc.

[axoloa]

@ shaydeesnail, though some people dont always realise this, in the wild Capaea Nemoralis and Hortensis can be quiet carnivourouse towards other snail species (their own to but only after death). If you ever find Capaea shells in the wild about 80% of the time they will have most of their colouration eaten away and sometimes will be full of holes and very brittle. This has allot to do with other Capaeas eating at their dead shells (often other species to 'garlic snail', ocasionaly garden slugs and helix aspersa). This is how many Capaea get their calcium in the wild Also like foghog has said, they can get calcium from their food when living in high calcium areas as well as from absorbing it from the ground and rocks. If you ever see white washed or white painted fence (both wooden or stone) snails always seem to love it due to the fact that most man made 'white' products are made up of about 30% calcium and powderd lime.

I dont currently have pictures of the babies unfortunatly because my webcam is broken. Il be getting a new one very soon and when this happens il be sure to photograph them right away

[pinkunicorn]

Could try allowing the food wilt down a bit, too. Some species seem to prefer wilted food over fresh food. I just found out that my aspersas will only eat wilted rucola and dried out mushrooms, for example. They don't touch those foods fresh.

[coyote]

In the environment, snails are detrivores, helping to process decomposing vegetation. Some snails will eat only rotting vegetation, while other species like fresh vegetation in addition to what's decomposing. I don't think there is any snail that prefers fresh food exclusively. I too let my snails' food get a little wilty before removing it from the tank, but I usually keep a mixture of fresh and wilty food there so they can take their pick.

[shaydeesnail]

All very helpful! Thank you!

[shaydeesnail]

They do seem to like slightly rotten cucumber... This is the only thing I've seen noticeable nibbles on! But considering there are 6 snails, it's barely been touched. Could this be due to it being winter? I brought them some cuttlefish bone back today, and they seem to be munching that more than they are eating normal food.

[axoloa]

Hi shaydeesnail, I would say yes, its most likely because of winter. In the wild Capaea species would be in hybernation already. I have let my indoors kept Capaea species go into hybernation now and have moved their enclosure to a cooler room (dont usualy survive hybernation if their kept to warm). My outdoors kept Capaea species started going into hybernation about this time last month, I noticed this on the 8th of november to be precises, last year it was the 12th. my advice would be to let their enclosure cool a little and allow them to hybernait.

[coyote]

Winter will definitely have an effect on snails. My aspersas are sleeping a lot more and are barely active. I still keep some food in the tank in case they wake up, but not as much as I do when they are more active.

[pinkunicorn]

Since we're on the topic of hibernating... My aspersas are sleepy most of the time, but not actually hibernating. They come out almost every night to eat and go about their snaily business. But should they hibernate, like should I artificially lower the temp to let them sleep or is it OK if they continue throughout the winter without hibernating?

[axoloa]

Dec 13, 2011 19:40:15 GMT pinkunicorn said:

Since we're on the topic of hibernating... My aspersas are sleepy most of the time, but not actually hibernating. They come out almost every night to eat and go about their snaily business. But should they hibernate, like should I artificially lower the temp to let them sleep or is it OK if they continue throughout the winter without hibernating?

I dont know about Helix Asperas specificaly, but in general, its not essensial for most snails species to hybernait. Most snails will hybernait some time during the winter just in system anyway regardless of the temperature, so you may find that they do decide to hybernait anyway. If they do decide not to hybernait at all, it shouldent directly harm them but could posibily affect their sexual activity in the following ways: eggs laid less often, lower quantities of eggs per batch, higher percentage infertile eggs per batch. Bottom line, if its convinient to artificialy lower the temperature then it would be a good idea to do so (gradualy over a number of weeks). If its not convinient then, just let nature take its course and usualy they will hybernait anyway unless forced to stay awake by constantly being disturbed. I know were not talking about african species hear, but just as an example, GAL's in the wild somehow manage to hybernait in Africa and temperatures their im not 100% sure about, but lets just say it never gets cold over their lol (even thrugh the winter).

[coyote]

I do not put my aspersas into hibernation. I keep them in the coolest room in the house and if they go dormant, I let them be. If they remain active, I let them be. Either way, I keep a little bit of food in the tank even if they are all sleeping in case they wake up and want to eat something. Having a bite to eat will make it easier to get through another long sleep if they need to.