New to snails? Start here...

[hector2008]

One thing you guys seamed to have over looked is that clear perspex (plastic clear sheets) can easily be bought from diy stores, glue for this is also readily available and so is water tight sealents. It is always an option for you to easily make a tank your selfs, or if you are the younger keeper get your parents involved in making one. But remember lids and adequate ventilation are a must, you could also put holes where the heat mat is located making for better heat transfer into the tank. Some sealents may cause your pet harm so I would read the label carfully or opt for one used on fish tanks.

[snails4eva]

hi well i don't own any snails but i was thinking of rescueing some garden snails from my garden. how can i tell what gender they are ? and any tips on an enclosure i don't want to spend to much money i'd rather not spend ANY money if possible.

[Bumblebee]

Well snails are both males and females, with a fancier word called hermaphrodite.

Well you will be spending some money on them Any enclousure that is big enough and transparent, like glass. I got some garden snails myself and they live in a glass jar that we used to store flour in, so its not that huge, but big enough for my snails

sv.tinypic.com/r/8xlmyo/6
sv.tinypic.com/r/30i9egx/6

You will also need to get them cuttlefish bones, that can be bought at sort of any petstore and is found in the birdsection. Limestone flour works too, or crushed eggshells but unless you eat alot of eggs at your place that could be more expensive than cuttle.

[coyote]

It's going to be difficult not to spend some money on them. I suppose it's possible to improvise with materials already on hand or with freebies, but I don't suspect that would be easy. However, you can provide quite well for your snails, especially garden snails, with only a modest outlay of cash.

The care recommendations here are a good place to start (except garden snails won't need supplemental heat the way GALS do, and don't require as large a tank). Browse through the forum sections for habitat ideas, etc.

[alexdwsn12]

I show all snails which are very pretty.
Nice work!
Thanks for sharing.

[crazynovie]

I have Black Snails in mt aquarium ...lately i have noticed they are developing an open slit or crack in their shell starting at the opening of the shell...anyone have any idea on whats going on and anything i can do to stop this?

[crossless]

Have you checked water values? Some snails need kalsium added to water because their shell might melt otherwise in soft water?

[snailgals]

will different varieties of snails breed with each other if you have a "community tank" or will they only breed with their own species. I love the idea of having a community tank, would different coloured fulis cross breed?

[ness]

Species may only breed with their own species. Successfully anyway.
Mating between different species is rare and NEVER results in eggs.

Some sub-species may mate, for example Archachtina marginata sutralis may successfully breed with and Archachatina marginata ovum.

One common confusion is between the different types of Achatina fulica. You may come across various types of fulica being referred to as Jades, Rods, Rodatzi, Jadatzi, Hams, Hamillei, Fulis - basically these are shortened names for different colour varieties and/or genetic lines of Achatina fulica, but if you didn't know this it would be easy to think that they are different species. They're not. All of these may breed with each other.

Many keepers keep mixed tanks successfully, some prefer not to. It's personal choice, but the basic rule is to keep species that thrive in similar environments. Fulica often make good tank-mates to more fussy snails, as they usually adapt well to conditions preferred by the others. Another nice addition to a tank is Pleurdonte isabella as they will also happily live in most of the conditions favoured by other species.

[snailgals]

thanks ness thats interesting

[jojonic]

Hiya,

I see above someone said snails get on better in groups (oh please give me an excuse to get some more!!) but I dont want to be responsible for hundreds of babies or for freezing unwanted eggs to get rid of them. If I was going to get Simon some company would it be better to get a different species to ensure they dont breed?

Just curious!

[coyote]

Hi jojonic, I don't keep GALS but I do keep small snails, and I keep separate species in the same tank to avoid unwanted eggs (as long as they have the same temperature and humidity requirements).

I have seen snails of different species mating with each other in the tank, but the mating did not produce eggs. Even if it did, I doubt the eggs would have hatched.

[jojonic]

Thanks coyote... anyone got any suggestions as to what would go well with a fulica? Can it be another type of Achatina or does it need to be something very different?

[coyote]

There's a discussion about the different needs of the various species here, worth poring over:
petsnails.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=habitat&action=display&thread=4769

[sorh]

Hello,
I am interested in keeping snails, namely Fulica to start with, and I have a few questions. Where is the best place to buy substrate, like loam peat and coir?
Also I have quite an interest in freshwater molluscs, how would I set up a tank to keep aquatic snails?

Thanks!

[coyote]

Hi sorh, welcome to the forum. A few of our members here do keep aquatic snails, but most of us keep land snails, so I'm not sure if your questions about aquatic snails will be answered in a timely manner.

WRT the best place for tank supplies, that depends on where you are, as these things can vary from place to place. Is the lowest price a priority, or convenience? If the best price is the priority, I would imagine the nearest discount pet supply store would be a place to start looking at substrates such as coir.

[sorh]

If theres varying quality in products such as coir etc id rather pay more, im visiting a local waterlife centre in the next few days who stock terrestrial and fresh water snails, I think il be looking at keeping plants in an aquarium as well as Pomacea bridgesii apple snails as from what ive read they wont eat live foliage.

Just realy excited to start getting things together! Think I will be getting a land snail set up reasonably soon, so I will probably have many more questions in the near future!

[sorh]

Hi again,

Just curious do different breeds of african land snails require large variations in care? For example between A. fulica and A. reticulata and also species such as Limicolaria flammea. Where can I find information on this?

Thanks again!

[ness]

Most Achatina and Archachatina species require very similar care, though there are variations. Certainly most of the commonly kept species require similar care and some may even be housed together, though opinions on mixed-housing varies from keeper to keeper.
As a quick rule Achatina fulica are a bit less fussy than most other species and have a wider tolerance to temperature and humidity variations than many other species. Therefore in mixed tanks you could set up the tank to suit the other species and the fulica will most likely adjust well to it.

The best way to look for information is to search through the species specific section of the forum.

Limicoloria require similar conditions to fulica but must be housed only with their own kind, else they will suffer from stress after a while and are likely to retract and die.

reticulata also require similar conditions to fulica, and can be housed with fulica, but they do like a humid environment and appreciate a dish/bowl of water.

[sorh]

Ah super thanks for your post!
Im looking at getting two young Fulicas (about a 2cm shell lenth at the moment) and i found a tank which is 40x40x40cm which would be the right size for the adults, but would it be too big to keep 2 such young snails in? Like, should i start with a smaller tank to raise them in?
Also, im having difficulty decided what to do for heating, is it important to have a thermostat? Will heat mats overheat the tank? and are all mats compatible with thermostats?

Sorry for the barrage of questions!

EDIT: These are the ones im looking at to get the ball rolling

vi.ebaydesc.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemDescV4&item=200568871336&t=1299850134000&ds=0&js=-1&ssid=3&seller=arkstoresuk&category=1285&bv=msie&nv=2&caz.html

www.seapets.co.uk/products/reptile-supplies/reptile-terrariums/terrariums-by-exo-terra/exo-terra-glass-terrarium-45x45x45cm.html
Thank you in advance

[ness]

Personally I would go for the galss tank because heatmats work better with them than with plastic tanks. However there are people who prefer plastic....
I do recommend a thermostat, especially a pulse stat, as this will keep the tank just at the right temperature without risk of overheating or being too cold. However not everyone uses stats and I have to admit I generally don't and haven't done for years - I just go on what feels right and how the snails are behaving, my mats are not fixed to the tanks and i can adjust the heat by sliding the mats around. But really yes thermostats are the best idea.
You will need to place your mat on the side of the tank with an insulating 'something' behind it. I use either plastic chopping boards or cardboard covered in bubble-wrap and tin foil, others use polestyrene - there's various things you could use to insulate the back of the mat. Never place your heat mat under the tank, as snails naturally bury and have been known to literally cook themselves to death over under-tank mats.

[sorh]

Ah grand, thanks for the info, which heat mats do you use? Im having trouble deciding ( especialy with the exo-terra mats) Is there a specific model thats best?
Once again thanks for helping!

[sorh]

My snail babys arrive tomoro! Il post pictures Cant wait!!!

[rosiesnail2]

awesome well done!

[jjovan]

I have a ground snail and I have noticed with in the past few weeks that it forms a hard white layer at the opening of the shell and my snail stays inside for a few days. I've noticed it twice now and not sure what it is or why my snail is doing that? Any one else ever experience that?....please help