LisaLQ
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Post by LisaLQ on Dec 1, 2005 9:26:35 GMT
I'm wanting to put Gary and Sally back on compost, but am not able to get the type we used to get for them any more. Hubby went looking for some yesterday, and in Do It All they had compost, but it was all John Innes, which, although I'm not sure, I think I read isn't suitable? They had all different types including peat free. So I was just wondering if peat free John Innes was safe for them? Failing that it means keeping them on sphagnum moss which might be part of the problem with their shells/feet. Either that or there's sterile reptile bark (didn't say from what tree) in Jollye's, but I'd need several packs and it would work out very expensive.
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Post by copigeon on Dec 1, 2005 10:11:03 GMT
Dont use multipurpose... john inns is probably the same, they often contain fertizilers and chemicals. Peat, just plain irish moss peat, is fine, as long as you have no moral objections. Although it is a more acidic soil, have not seen any issues with it. I think most people use coir though? if you only have a few tanks, try... www.wigglywigglers.co.uk its in the shop section under gardening/soil improvement. Saying that I did read that some coir is soaked in salt water? I'd imagine this lot was safe as it is for a wormery, and worms react badly to salt.
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LisaLQ
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Post by LisaLQ on Dec 1, 2005 13:52:23 GMT
I didn't want to use peat as I read it was acidic and damaged shells, and my two dimis already have damaged shells for some reason, and I'm trying to get them back into full health. Sadly that site you posted dont take my debit card. If I had my new tank (coming after Christmas) I'd buy the capilliary matting.
So is all John Innes full of pesticides?
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LisaLQ
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Post by LisaLQ on Dec 1, 2005 14:37:12 GMT
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Post by Daniel on Dec 1, 2005 16:39:40 GMT
i use t-rex beding somtimes my snails quite like it
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2005 16:56:35 GMT
no no i think john innes is good because it does not contain a powerful pesticide called Intercept. many other types of compost contain this pesticide which can harm many small creatures. intercept is not only powerful but long lasting, being active for a whole year.
personally i love coir. it smells so nice when u first prepare it, and lasts so much longer than compost. and compost goes so smelly after a while.
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Arno
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Post by Arno on Dec 1, 2005 16:58:31 GMT
I didn't want to use peat as I read it was acidic and damaged shells, and my two dimis already have damaged shells for some reason, and I'm trying to get them back into full health. Sadly that site you posted dont take my debit card. If I had my new tank (coming after Christmas) I'd buy the capilliary matting. So is all John Innes full of pesticides? found this about the ingredients: www.howtodothings.com/ViewArticle.aspx?Article=54so it doesn't look that bad at all
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LisaLQ
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Post by LisaLQ on Dec 1, 2005 19:04:07 GMT
Fab, shall get hubby onto the case tomorrow. So should I go for the peat free, or is a smaller amount of peat ok? I know it's safe, but dont want any more damage to their shells, considering they're already pretty bad. Their shells only show their colour when they're wet, when they're dry they're scratched looking like this: The two on the right: As we've got no idea what's causing this - or their burying under the moss and refusing to eat, I dont want to make them worse by putting them on something that would damage their shell any more. Or am I worrying too much?
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Post by copigeon on Dec 1, 2005 19:12:42 GMT
My dimis have that texture, infact out of all the pictures Ive seen, all dimis seem to have that texture. Young ones at least. Maybe its a species or genetic trait? Or they need a specific setup which hasnt been found yet.
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LisaLQ
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Post by LisaLQ on Dec 1, 2005 19:56:30 GMT
Yeah, I thought it was odd that other people had had the same problems yet they didn't all get theirs from the same place as us. I wonder if the appetite problem is also a sign of them having different needs to other GALS? Must say I'm relieved in a way as it means I've not done something wrong, all my other snails are looking great (even if I do say so myself *lol*).
I did find one thing that they like, I usually give them gem lettuce, and they ignore it - but got a normal cheap round lettuce the other day, and they've been wolfing it down. Fussy beggars!
I've had loads of help and advice here though, dont know what I'd do without you all - I'm sorry if I go on about them a bit, I just worry too much sometimes.
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Post by section8angel on Dec 1, 2005 20:53:07 GMT
John Innes is meant to be one of the best for being organic and/or free of everything. When I started keeping the snails, it was that brand that I was pointed to by everyone, online and in the shops.
Lisa it's ok to worry, I'd be scared if you didn't lol. My dimis shells aren't like that (I don't think anyway lol they're hard to find as they do like to burrow) but mine are sort of fussy eaters.
They only seem to nibble a little at everything, but they're growing so it must be enough lol
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LisaLQ
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Post by LisaLQ on Dec 2, 2005 0:25:02 GMT
Thanks Sian - you've been a real help Gary and Sally aren't growing as quickly as Cooper the fulica has, they're lagging well behind - Sally is about 2cm, and Gary is 4cm max - whereas Cooper was 5cm last time I meansured him and he's grown some since then. Considering he's younger than them, I've been quite concerned about them. Kathy's dimi (same batch) is the same, not as small as Sally though - she's a tiny little thing - and yet she eats better than her big brother *lol* They're odd little things - on a plus note they've had more lettuce, so at least I know one thing they like!
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LisaLQ
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Post by LisaLQ on Dec 2, 2005 0:26:19 GMT
Ps. In the last pic I posted earlier, Cooper is on the left, and that's an old piccie - he's grown since then, whereas the two dimis haven't.
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Post by Paul on Dec 2, 2005 0:55:16 GMT
It is known that the periostracum (the outer shell layer) is easily worn off immaculata so that would explain their shells. It's only recently that we have discovered the dimidiata are immaculata so we never put 2 and 2 together. I'm not saying that is the reason because I've seen pictures of them with nice shells but this species seems more prone than others, and then you have variation within the species anyway. Just have a look on google for immaculata shells, some of them look pretty scuffed. For example:
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Post by section8angel on Dec 2, 2005 10:43:52 GMT
Me help?! It's a miracle! lol It's probably already been said (I can't remember everything you know ) but I think the slow growing, hiding a lot and not eating much are to do with them as a species, not them being ill. Paul has said about the shell, and how it could be a species thing not an ill thing, and I think the rest is too. As I said mine are eating and growing, but compared to my fulica babys, they are slow. The fulica were born first (not by much), but when I got the dimis they were only a few mm smaller, now it's way more than that and they've had exactly the same food/water/cuttlefish! The tanks are the same too inside, both have matting, moss, a flowerpot and some fake plants! In fact thinking about it more now (I take a while to warm up rofl) My panthera baby is now the same size (might even be bigger) as my dimis, and I'm pretty sure my dimis are older!! My dimis eat, but only small amounts of everything I give them - except the cuttlefish, they wolf that down. They hide a -lot- and their shell is slightly rough. It isn't like Gary and Sallys, they still have a lot of red/brown stripes on them, but it is slightly rough. So maybe all our dimis are just slow, shy and fussy? lol
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Post by eric2 on Dec 2, 2005 10:46:20 GMT
all the panthera i hae had and still have are shooting up
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LisaLQ
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Post by LisaLQ on Dec 2, 2005 12:04:08 GMT
That's relieving to hear Sian, I honestly keep thinking they're going to die, then they surprise me and do a few laps of the tank and eat something *lol*
I've got compost today, it's peat free multipurpose with John Innes, organic, no pesticides, but it does have Perlite in it - I looked it up and apparently it's a natural occuring rock, so I think it's ok - anyone know for certain?
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Post by Paul on Dec 2, 2005 12:48:46 GMT
You should be ok with Perlite but it is very drying, it is used to increase drainage. As long as it is damp it should be fine.
Regarding immaculata appetite, I've never had a problem except a few ill ones. They are quite greedy and they grow pretty fast. On the other hand, the panthera I had were very fussy from the minute I had them so it's all swings and roundabouts.
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LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
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Post by LisaLQ on Dec 2, 2005 12:56:40 GMT
Ahh right, well my two are fussy little things, and aren't growing, but at least now I know the shell damage is normal-ish, and it's only the appetite and size that are wrong. Wish I had a magic wand to wave *sheesh*
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LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
Old friend (emphasis on the "old")
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Post by LisaLQ on Dec 2, 2005 13:52:21 GMT
They're in their new tank now (I say new, basically I mean the same one cleaned out and swapped onto compost):
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Post by sezzy5889 on Dec 2, 2005 13:56:24 GMT
I thought you weren't going to post on these other threads
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LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
Old friend (emphasis on the "old")
Posts: 2,995
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Post by LisaLQ on Dec 2, 2005 14:02:45 GMT
Oooh apart from this one because it was the compost thread, not the "oooh no my snails are ill/too small/dont eat/etc etc" ones. ;D
Cheeky moo.
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Post by sezzy5889 on Dec 2, 2005 14:08:11 GMT
lol
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Post by eric2 on Dec 4, 2005 22:50:01 GMT
can i buy John Innes from focus diy? my snails dont like the coir and the compost i used to use from wilkinsons have mites thats the only stuff they liked aswell
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Post by section8angel on Dec 4, 2005 22:51:25 GMT
Yes. I've seen it at every garden center I've been too.
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