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Post by CelticCraftress on Mar 12, 2006 14:50:20 GMT
I come this doesen't drive you experienced folks crazy, it looks like keeping a GALS is pretty basic, but I do have a few questions to understand the difference between their care and my little garden snails: 1. Do they need companionship? Or should a single snail be happy? 2. I used the calculator, but had some problems getting an idea of what the minimum aquarium size is for a single snail. Or for two, if it's best to have a pair. 3. What is the average age/size that GALS are offered at? I mean the babies of course. 4. What is the most common species of GALS? I did try to look this up, but no luck 5. What species of GALS is Kathy Morris's "Sherman" on the main page of the website? He's a big boy! I would love to have a GALS that big.  6. Are GALS strong snails? Should I be concerned with making sure I have a secure lid? 7. And finally, just a random question. By chance...are eggs ever sold? This might sound crazy, but I woulden't mind trying to hatch my own GALS. It might be complicated if all the eggs are attatched to each other, but if anyone doesen't mind giving me a chance to try it, I would be SO thankful! Knowing not all eggs hatch, my plan would be to just keep trying until I have a winner. Thanks everyone! Oh, and don't forget. There's still a couple of months to go before I will be across the water, so I am certainly not ready for my GALS yet. Much appreciated!! Im really exited ;D |
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Arno
Archachatina puylaerti
Posts: 1,493
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Post by Arno on Mar 12, 2006 15:09:40 GMT
1)They don't need companionship,but most people here experience that snails do better with other snails.
2)Difficult question,that depends on the size of the snail really and the species.
3)Probably around 1-2 cm.(or roughly half an inch)
4)That would be Achatina fulica
5)He is Archachatina marginata ovum
6)Yes that would be good,adult snails can be quite strong.
7)That happens yes,most of the time people will actually give you the eggs and you only have to pay postage.
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LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
Old friend (emphasis on the "old")
Posts: 2,995
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Post by LisaLQ on Mar 12, 2006 15:18:46 GMT
Yay, another Sherman fan I've met him in person but forgot to ask for his autograph *lol* And yep, he's a margie - and they're lovely snails, I've got 4 currently. If you're after a big margie rather than a baby - there's Brixton snails in warmer weather. But if it's babies you want, there's been loads of folks who have margie eggs recently, some albinos too. Sherman's getting a girlfriend too but we'll have to wait and see if they get jiggy with it ;D |
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KathyM
Achatina tincta
Posts: 709
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Post by KathyM on Mar 12, 2006 15:38:32 GMT
Sherman will be delighted that he has another admirer - he's very much a lady's man ;D Here are some more pics of him for you:  Scoffing his porridge  Saying hello  His "best side" ;D |
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Post by CelticCraftress on Mar 13, 2006 0:31:45 GMT
Oh how darling!!!  Thank you! ;D I simply love the idea of raising my tiny garden snails, then having a big ol' giant as my big buddy, or even better, a pair! I do want the best for my snails, and if they seem better with friends, then a pair would be wonderful. I would also be able to offer babies this way too, another snail breeder in Scotland  Actually, im cureious who is breeding snails in Scotland, anyone? Awesome! That's so exiting! I would love to hatch my own baby snails, I plan to hatch a pet chicken as well, so it will be so fun being able to raise both from birth! Is anyone here on the forum breeding Achatina achatina by chance? I just figured out their scientific name. I would love to have a captive bred unrelated pair. They are simply beautiful, and I love how big they are! Otherwise, those lovely Archachatina marginata ovum would be my second choice. Sorry Sherman, im still a big fan! I really appreciate everyones help! I am SO exited! Wait until my boyfriend finds out, haha! Don't worry, he's cool with the snails. He just doesen't know two of them will be giants...yet ;D Edit note: sorry everyone, just as I wrote all that the answer about the Tiger GALS was thrown at me by google. Go figure, only took a second try! |
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Post by Paul on Mar 13, 2006 0:42:49 GMT
Tigers are the largest. Achatina achatina.
Followed closely by Achatina reticulata. In fact, reticulata on average are recorded to be longer, but they have a much slimmer shell giving achatina the edge. The largest ever recorded in length however, was a tiger.
You'll have no trouble getting both species, this year lots of margies and tigers were rescued from Brixton market where they are sold as food. Not expensive either. At other times of year, they can be expensive. But... there's more babies than ever at the moment, and with all the new ones there's bound to be loads more.
I'd get the babies rather than eggs, otherwise you'd need to take more than 2 eggs to ensure they hatched and survived. Getting some at say 4 weeks old will mean you'll not need to do that.
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LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
Old friend (emphasis on the "old")
Posts: 2,995
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Post by LisaLQ on Mar 13, 2006 0:46:41 GMT
Reticulatas get bigger than margies? I knew they grew big, but thought they'd not quite top the margies *lol* Says Lisa with an 11cm retic, long and thin - but the biggest in the non-margie tank already... |
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Post by CelticCraftress on Mar 13, 2006 0:49:38 GMT
Tigers are the largest. Achatina achatina. Followed closely by Achatina reticulata. In fact, reticulata on average are recorded to be longer, but they have a much slimmer shell giving achatina the edge. The largest ever recorded in length however, was a tiger. You'll have no trouble getting both species, this year lots of margies and tigers were rescued from Brixton market where they are sold as food. Not expensive either. At other times of year, they can be expensive. But... there's more babies than ever at the moment, and with all the new ones there's bound to be loads more. I'd get the babies rather than eggs, otherwise you'd need to take more than 2 eggs to ensure they hatched and survived. Getting some at say 4 weeks old will mean you'll not need to do that. Oops! You're too quick for me. lol. Thank you so very much, I really appreciate it! I'll be honest, this probably makes me sound insane, but I really don't mind trying again should one of the eggs not hatch, especially if they would only charge shipping. I will simply make sure I know which egg is who's, so when both, either, of none of them hatch i'll know what to tell my source. I know if I get extra eggs just in case, and more hatch, i'll get attatched and before I know it im tiger swamped! It's easier when it's my pets babies because I just tell myself "it's time for them to fly the nest and find their humans." Oh hey, while we are on the topic, is anyone here breeding Tigers? Should I make a post under wanted? Actually, I better wait until I am in Scotland. But I really woulden't mind knowing who to talk to so my boyfriend can stop me trying to get my eggs the moment I land at Glasgow airport. ;D  |
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Post by Paul on Mar 13, 2006 0:53:57 GMT
Yes, the largest reticulata Bequaert studied was 208 mm. long (shell) whereas the largest margie was 176 mm (shell).
His largest achatina was 194 mm.
His largest albopicta specimen was 176 mm.
I'm not saying that is the max size for any species, obviously a larger achatina was found, but he studied a wide range of specimens so just as there was a giant achatina found, there are likely to be giants of all the species.
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LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
Old friend (emphasis on the "old")
Posts: 2,995
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Post by LisaLQ on Mar 13, 2006 1:00:25 GMT
Well he's showing no signs of stopping growing for now, he's a beastie  Far left:  |
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Post by Paul on Mar 13, 2006 1:00:44 GMT
Oh hey, while we are on the topic, is anyone here breeding Tigers? Should I make a post under wanted? Actually, I better wait until I am in Scotland. But I really woulden't mind knowing who to talk to so my boyfriend can stop me trying to get my eggs the moment I land at Glasgow airport. ;D It's not that simple, because they tend to breed when they want. No-one has a successful way of doing it, though loads of heat and humidity seem to be a common factor when they do. And there isn't much warning before they lay in a lot of cases. Anjie's have just laid, but'll they'll be hatched shortly; they can hatch after just 5 days depending on how long the parent has kept them internally. You'll just have to wait until someone has success or put a request in for tiger eggs. In fact, if you join the website (if you haven't already) you can add a permanent request for whatever you want. We're trying to encourage people to check the list before keeping eggs so they have an idea of what is wanted. And to check to make the job easier for anyone selling them. That way, people who've wanted them for ages perhaps won't miss out in the stampede. The page is here: www.petsnails.co.uk/species_owned_list.phpI can't find the instructions of how to add a link to your entry in your forum signature. I'll try and find it.... |
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Post by CelticCraftress on Mar 13, 2006 1:05:47 GMT
Ah, thank you. Im really sorry Paul, I was given the impression they were very prolific. Im sure i'll sound less like newb when I get a better understanding of snail culture (as in, the culture of snail keepers, like lingo and common knowledge). And I didn't even think to use the website, ive already made an account. I will make a post and see what happens. After I am in Scotland I will also post a wanted post in the Classifieds as well in case that helps too. Even if the Tigers have been outbeat by other species as far as size, I still find them very beautiful. So don't worry everyone, it's not just size that matters. |
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Post by Paul on Mar 13, 2006 2:06:32 GMT
Ah, thank you. Im really sorry Paul, I was given the impression they were very prolific. Im sure i'll sound less like newb when I get a better understanding of snail culture (as in, the culture of snail keepers, like lingo and common knowledge). Don't worry about it, I was a newbie not that long ago. But as you'll discover, snails aren't like most other pets in that, not a great deal is known about them at all. A lot of the knowledge about species and how to ID them has only just come to light, and we have a long way to go. We still know very little about them really, particularly when it comes to illness. Well, the largest ever recorded is still a tiger, and even if reticulata sometimes beat them on length, tigers have larger shells overall. They really are distinct snails and very charismatic, particularly the skin which is unusually rough-looking and extremely distinct. |
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Post by CelticCraftress on Mar 13, 2006 2:23:13 GMT
Well, hopefuly in the near future someone will be fortunate to have some tiger eggs, and *fingers crossed* wont mind sending me a single egg. I don't know if anyone has two pairs, so I will assume they have one pair and i'll need to find my other egg somewhere else. Now that we have a species on topic, what size aquarium do you suggest for a pair of Tigers? I will play with the calculator to try to get an idea, but to be honest, it doesen't like me very much. lol. darn, need to get off the inches! I really appreciate all this help, really do. |
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Post by Paul on Mar 13, 2006 3:26:23 GMT
I'd go for eggs from completely different owners because although there's quite a few of us with numerous tigers, it's almost impossible to tell what pairing any eggs are the result of. Snails can store sperm for up to 18 months, and choose which to fertilise their eggs with.
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Thank you! ;D
Actually, im cureious who is breeding snails in Scotland, anyone? 
