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Post by gunshotglitter on Oct 24, 2012 15:01:40 GMT
Polymita picta also known as Cuban Land Snail or Painted snail, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful land snails. I have been wanting to have a few of these snails for a while, I have searched the net up and about for an eventual breeder/seller but I haven't been able to find anything at all. As much as I understood, this species is protected so it seems to be forbidden to take them from nature. Now, what makes me angry, is that I have seen a lot of these shells on ebay. I'll quote one of the sellers: "Origin: collected from a banana plantation at Cuba, February 2011" Now, it is okay to take them from nature, KILL them and sell shells, but NOT sell live snails? To me, something feels very wrong about this. I am aware that there are laws about sending live specimens (especially of pests) between continents, but I am only looking for a breeder who would sell them as pet snails.. Anyone familiar with this subject/has polymitas/has a cousin in Cuba? lol (ghaa sorry about my english)
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Post by tsrebel on Oct 24, 2012 18:05:36 GMT
It doesen't say they were collected alive. Hopefully they were dead. Collecting the live animals would be forbidden, no matter what. No guarantees of course. That aside, I think there should be a breeding programme for them. Because they are so sought after, both dead and alive. If I could get hold of captive bred snails of this specie (and other endangered and protected species) I'love to. Do you know what they eat? What habitat they should have?
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Post by gunshotglitter on Oct 24, 2012 18:41:12 GMT
They didn't specifically say they were collected alive, but how come there are millions of Polymita shells on sale all over the net? I am not judging conchology, it's just curious how someone who wants them as pets can't have a possibility to get them alive. Except if this species is difficult or impossible to keep and/or breed. " FoodThe Polymita snails feed on the confervoid algae, fungi, sooty molds and lichens which grow on subtropical hardwood trees and shrubs . Polymita do not eat the leaves or bark of the host tree. Feeding paths may be seen where the snail has scraped the algae and lichen growths with their radula. The quality of the habitat, that is, the amount of food and type of food, affects the shell growth of the Polymita. The Polymita is a welcome guest in Coffee and Guava orchards of the Oriente province as they eat the sooty molds on the leaves and branches of the trees." -source: www.oocities.org/eureka/gold/9440/polymita/polyeco.htmlI have no idea what could we give a mold and algae eating snail though... maybe mushrooms and fish pellets would do, but this would probably need more researching. I might seem persistant, but it's hard for me to take 'impossible' for an answer. It would be so sad if a species like this would get extinct just because of their beauty.
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Post by slimysnailies on Oct 28, 2012 4:34:44 GMT
I'm sorry you can't find a snailie of that type. I don't really see why they would let someone kill a snail and sell its shell. Do you happen to know if those snails live in the Florida Keys?
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Post by odysseos on Nov 12, 2012 21:24:15 GMT
i know its bad to take them out the country, but the way things are going, their habitat will be destroyed. i think privet collectors can keep the species going. i wonder why its so hard to find breeders. never seemed to stop true collectors with other species. probably really hard to find proper food for them or something? i dont know! all i know is that im really gonna try and get my hands on a few. gonna visit cuba this summer. ill keep you people posted
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Post by shaydeesnail on Nov 13, 2012 1:29:58 GMT
Maybe they are a snail that eats algae, they are always hard to keep!
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