New to snails? Start here...

[copigeon]

Same posts pop up time and time again, so to cut down on the
clutter....

If youre new to keeping snails or are interested in keeping snails, you may have a few questions regarding care and feeding.

You can find information regarding housing here:
www.petsnails.co.uk/care/equipment.html

You can find information regarding substrate here:
www.petsnails.co.uk/care/substrate.html

You can find information regarding feeding here:
www.petsnails.co.uk/care/feeding.html

The rest of the care guide on petsnails has a round up of other useful information regarding breeding etc.

Please check these links BEFORE you post, as more than likely your question will be answered by the information located on the Petsnails website.

[lisaevans]

Thanks !!!!!! You are such a star * I've printed all the sheets out and read them, they are brill, I've learn't so much from them. My two snails 'Bert & Ernie' will have a wonderful tea tonight, I have just been feeding them grass, apple and bananna for the last 3 weeks, now they can go cordon bleu. Was advised to buy a plastic reptile tank when I first brought them, but I felt sorry for them, they looked all cooped up, so yesterday I brought them a Exo Terra terrarium thingy so they can have better snail races and more plants to hide in.

Thanks again

[moni]

great pages! Thanks. I've learned so much but still have a lot to learn. Snails are facinating to me.

[Lenny.Lover<3]

Sorry bout the last message I sent to you I forgot about this lmao.
Thanks.
Very useful tis!
xxxx

[sandie]

Hello, everyone. This looks like a really good Forum. I keep four Gals, and Five Garden snails, separately, of course.

This Site and Forum is so full of interesting facts and info on these fascinating creatures.

I'm pleased that I found it.

[sarahwhitetiger]

hI, CAN ANYONE HELP PLEASE? i WAS GIVEN A GALS EGG, WHICH HATCHED SAT NIGHT, IVE PUT SOME FOOD IN AND CUTTLE FISH BUT ITS NOT EATING EITHER YET. IS THIS NORMAL?
ALSO I FEEL VERY BAD THAT ITS ON ITS OWN, CAN GALS BEE KEPT IN THE SAME TANK IF THEY ARE DIFF BREEDS?

[brgwnth]

" Young snails may stay buried for up to a few weeks, while they ingest and survive on the egg albumen and shell. It is important that they are allowed to consume their shells, as research by "Plummer" has shown (in Archachatina marginata) that failure to do so increases the mortality rate and possibly impedes growth rate. Early hatchers often predate on eggs near them so if you wish to move new hatchlings for this reason it's important to move any egg casing that still remains. Bringing to them to the surface early may result in what seems like normal behaviour but they will still probably refuse to eat normal food for at least a few days.

You should take care not to allow places where they may drown or be crushed. I'd recommend avoiding using water dishes, regular spraying will provide enough water. They're definitely not practical to keep with your adult snails. A small Tupperware tub is much better and means you can check on them very easily without trying to find a needle in a haystack. It is best not to handle hatchlings unless absolutely necessary. If you need to move them, place food in the tank and move this when they have climbed on. Another good way is to scoop them and a little soil up with a spoon. Be very careful when cleaning out, it is very easy to miss them when disposing of food. You can spray them to give them a clean if they require it but be sure to drain any excess water.

Once they reach a size of perhaps 1 cm you should be able to handle them with no problems. Obviously, more experienced owners will decide for themselves when is the correct time to handle them.

Young snails should be capable of rasping cuttlefish but there is certainly no harm in crushing some of it and sprinkling over food or even using milk powder as an alternative. Other than these pointers, young snails live in the same way as adults and require the same care."

extract from petsnails.co.uk

[sarahwhitetiger]

THANKS! DO YOU KNOW IF I KAN KEEP DIFFERENT BREEDS OF GALS TOGETHER? OR WILL THEY FIGHT?

THANKS,

ALSO DO YOU KNOW IF ITS OK TO KEEP A SNAIL ON ITS OWN?

[Deleted]

Jul 28, 2008 16:26:42 GMT sarahwhitetiger said:

THANKS! DO YOU KNOW IF I KAN KEEP DIFFERENT BREEDS OF GALS TOGETHER? OR WILL THEY FIGHT?

THANKS,

ALSO DO YOU KNOW IF ITS OK TO KEEP A SNAIL ON ITS OWN?

It depends on the species' needs whether you can keep different ones together. And no, they won't fight.

You can keep a snail on it's own.

Please don't use only capitals.

[sarahwhitetiger]

I have a Achatina Fulica that has just hatched and a friend has offered me a ten month old Tiger Achatina achatina will these be ok together? Also from what ive read I just care for the baby in the same way as an adult is this right? Ive seen on ebay you can buy a special food mix for babies is this worth buying?
Thanks

[Deleted]

Jul 29, 2008 18:37:07 GMT sarahwhitetiger said:

I have a Achatina Fulica that has just hatched and a friend has offered me a ten month old Tiger Achatina achatina will these be ok together? Also from what ive read I just care for the baby in the same way as an adult is this right? Ive seen on ebay you can buy a special food mix for babies is this worth buying?
Thanks

yes you can keep them together, and caring for adults and babies is basically the same. I don't know about that food mix.

kind regards

Mike

[nelszy]

Hi to everybody! Please I need information about snails. Our house is nearby a small river actually it is not a river I don’t know how to call it. Before I have been seeing few of snails but now they are increasing in numbers and they eat my plants rapidly. I don’t know if my idea about them is correct or not so please help me of my doubt. I want to ask you guys, who are experts in snails, ARE SNAILS BASICALLY OR GENERALLY DIRTY? I heard to somebody that they can be eaten too…ARE THEY SAFE TO EAT?
Thanks in advance! Please I want to know about snails… these are the URL of their pictures

photos-880.friendster.com/e1/photos/08/86/35126880/1_823393044l.jpg

photos-880.friendster.com/e1/photos/08/86/35126880/1_838343686l.jpg

[zoe17]

Helo im zoe im from malta(look it up)my mom is gona buy me a gient african land snail and i dont know wat 2 call it can u help pls love zoe

[coyote]

Hi Zoe! Maybe you can call it Guido?

[monday]

Hi Zoe, just to let you know that snails do best in groups, two minimum.

I named my snails with the first thing that popped into my head when I saw them I have:

Lennin, Trotsky, Marx, Detritus, Moist and Gaspode. The last three are names from Terry Prattchet books.
Really common names are Garry and Brian, it's just a case of using your imagination, but I'm sure you'll think of something when you set eyes on your snail.

[Snail Lover.]

Hello my names jasmine , i currently have 2 snails but they dont seem to be having babies or getting close,they get on but arent having babies , is this normal, they've never had any before ?

[coyote]

Hi Jasmine Sometimes snails just aren't interested in each other. I would say that it is not abnormal for 2 snails not to reproduce. That's just the way it is sometimes.

[Snail Lover.]

Ok thanks for the advice, im happy that there ok i just want babies but i guess i can just look after them and make there life as happy as possible!

[Dusk]

If you can at some point talk your elders into allowing one more snail, then you can get a baby margie nowish, which means eggs might happen in a year or two when they're both old enough.

[koreasnails]

is it okay if i feed baby snails cuttlefish bone that came straight from the ocean?

[Dusk]

Snails and salt don't usually get on well. I don't know how much they can handle, but I'd be hesitant to try it, or if you must, just try one snail and see how it does.

[Rachel]

i'd steer clear of it, it might be salty and have chemicals on them, pollutants from the sea and stuff

[vicki]

i wouldnt dare give my snails anything that could be harmful to them!! Its not worth it .... not when you can get safe stuff at literally all pet shops and big supermarkets.

[vickioconnor]

Hi. I am a science teacher hoping to collect and keep some cepaea snails to use for a school project. The problem is that i cannoy seem to find any in my region (Huddersfield area). Do you have any advice or ideas?
Thanks

[muddydragon]

if you have a park nearby which was a limestone quarry i recommend going there, it's capea central. i also recommend walking around at dusk on normal streets especially after it has been raining, you have to watch your step mind they are EVERYWHERE- Capeas tend to be climbing up something whereas H. aspera are all over the floor. I recommend the lips of walls half way up plant stems in remotish areas etc
ope this helps - happy hunting!