URGENT! Slugs mating or fighting?

[slugs]

One of my slugs (quaja, my smallest) has been chasing one of the others (deximr, my largest) around and biting him... I assumed it was a protein thing so i offered some egg, but he just wants to chase his tankmate. They circled a little but Deximr seems annoyed with Quaja and is whipping his tail away every time Quaja nips at him. I broke them up and encouraged Quaja to eat egg, but Quaja seems to be searching for Deximr again. Is this territorial, or mating behavior?

[slugs]

Update: Everyone ignored the egg. Quaja and Deximr just chowed down on some lettuce. I think it was probably just Quaja mistaking Deximr for food (as much as we love them, they’re a little thick ) and nothing aggressive, but I’m going to keep a close eye on the two.

[daniele]

It is more likely to be a kind of mating behaviour in my opinion, their courting rituals includes walking in circle for some species. I don't think that she could mistake her mate for food, they know their tank mates in my opinion hahaha! There is a chance it may be an aggressive behaviour though, I remember reading abt slugs (leopard slugs if I remember well) that attacked another kind of slug in the tank, I think I read it here on this forum somewhere...are they the same specie?

Have you tried to give them beans for proteins? My Deroceras totally love them!

[slugs]

Nov 13, 2020 14:01:49 GMT daniele said:

It is more likely to be a kind of mating behaviour in my opinion, their courting rituals includes walking in circle for some species. I don't think that she could mistake her mate for food, they know their tank mates in my opinion hahaha! There is a chance it may be an aggressive behaviour though, I remember reading abt slugs (leopard slugs if I remember well) that attacked another kind of slug in the tank, I think I read it here on this forum somewhere...are they the same specie?

Have you tried to give them beans for proteins? My Deroceras totally love them!

Thank you for responding!

They are indeed the same species, as far as I’m aware, and they certainly look it. I haven't tried beans- does it matter what kind of beans they are? Should they be cooked or uncooked? Thanks!

[daniele]

Beans should be boiled and peeled and then just wait for them to cool down before to serve!

All kind of legumes are ok, but the one I use to give to mines are: common white beans, common red beans, cannellini beans (I'm sorry I don't know the english name, probably they are the same as common whites), mung green beans (i think is an asian variety I buy them as they are quick to cook, and they love them), long green beans.. But I think they like all kind of beans actually!

Since they are the same kind it should be a mating thing, but do you know what kind they are?

I think the one I read fighting was or a leopard slug or a banana slug, and in the thread I think that she was attacking everything in the terrarium in fact... It was a non common case anyway, unfortunately i am not able to find the thread..

[slugs]

Nov 13, 2020 14:43:29 GMT daniele said:

Beans should be boiled and peeled and then just wait for them to cool down before to serve!

All kind of legumes are ok, but the one I use to give to mines are: common white beans, common red beans, cannellini beans (I'm sorry I don't know the english name, probably they are the same as common whites), mung green beans (i think is an asian variety I buy them as they are quick to cook, and they love them), long green beans.. But I think they like all kind of beans actually!

Since they are the same kind it should be a mating thing, but do you know what kind they are?

I think the one I read fighting was or a leopard slug or a banana slug, and in the thread I think that she was attacking everything in the terrarium in fact... It was a non common case anyway, unfortunately i am not able to find the thread..

Mine are Deroceras reticulatum, commonly known as a gray garden slug. Mine have left eachother alone since, i think it may have been a stress thing from being in such a small tank? I put them in a very small bug-catcher thing thats like 6x2x3 inches, and they’re around 1-2 inches themselves, whenever i have to do stuff in their tank and I had them in there for a lot longer than I planned (2hrs as opposed to 5-10mins) as i ended up completely drying out their tank and starting over to balance humidity- which it ended up not actually needing to do, because apparently my hygrometer is actually just really bad and reads 18% higher than the actual humidity... *sigh*

I’ll definitely look into getting beans for them, and hopefully they’ll not munch on eachother after that! I would hate to have to separate them, especially since I plan on adding another species into the tank in around 4 weeks here and they’ve all enjoyed sleeping in the same hide and eating together up until now.

[daniele]

Mines are Deroceras too, even if I don't know the precise specie! I found them as a surprise after setting my balcony to host my snails, I think that they were simply eggs in some plant that I bought, and then they hatched without I even noticed.. So when I realized i had those slugs, they were already a bit growing..

I am not sure abt their needs: when I found them I simply asked if they could be fine living together with Cornu aspersum, and I was told yes, and indeed they are doing pretty well and already giving me a second generation (btw babies are extremely cute, and as small as pin head..maybe 2 mm long as newborn ahahah so cute); so, unfortunately I cannot give you any advice over humidity level and other set up stuff, as I simply let them do what they want in the balcony, and they choose a plant and mostly live there!
Only sometimes I found them moving from their vase!

[slugs]

Nov 14, 2020 13:41:58 GMT daniele said:

Mines are Deroceras too, even if I don't know the precise specie! I found them as a surprise after setting my balcony to host my snails, I think that they were simply eggs in some plant that I bought, and then they hatched without I even noticed.. So when I realized i had those slugs, they were already a bit growing..

I am not sure abt their needs: when I found them I simply asked if they could be fine living together with Cornu aspersum, and I was told yes, and indeed they are doing pretty well and already giving me a second generation (btw babies are extremely cute, and as small as pin head..maybe 2 mm long as newborn ahahah so cute); so, unfortunately I cannot give you any advice over humidity level and other set up stuff, as I simply let them do what they want in the balcony, and they choose a plant and mostly live there!
Only sometimes I found them moving from their vase!

Oh, how cool! I gave my guys a green bean last night (only sort of bean i had in the house, figure might as well give it a try!) and they seem to enjoy it

[daniele]

that's nice! so at least you found a protein source they like! then you can try other kind of beans, I think they will eat them happily... Just remember to peel the other kind of beans (green long beans are fine only boiled)

Ah btw, I was told that deroceras courting ritual is very interesting, but unfortunately i was never able to observe it as they are a bit shy and the balcony is big and full of snails that I have to avoid to step ahahah

[slugs]

Nov 14, 2020 14:44:43 GMT daniele said:

that's nice! so at least you found a protein source they like! then you can try other kind of beans, I think they will eat them happily... Just remember to peel the other kind of beans (green long beans are fine only boiled)

Ah btw, I was told that deroceras courting ritual is very interesting, but unfortunately i was never able to observe it as they are a bit shy and the balcony is big and full of snails that I have to avoid to step ahahah

Yep! I’m hoping to observe it at some point, though I know my slugs are older and probably don’t have too terribly long left, if I’m being honest. The downsides of a short-lived species, I suppose. But, I hope I’ll get lucky!