Tiger snails substate and temp?

[Sally]

I am getting 3 baby achatina achatina soon from Gabi ;D and just wanted a general opinion from all of you who keep Tigers on the following -

i know they like it quite wet and have heard cocohumus and peat is a excellent substrate as it holds the moisture so well - which one do you use?

And also heating, again told between 25oC and 30oC - what are yours at?

I have to use heat mats as my house is cool!!!

Does anyone use other heating methods than heat mats?

I was going to get one of those humidity gauges (sorry - can't remember what they are called!!) - a good idea? What should humidity be at?

I want to get everything as ready and perfect for them well in advance - goodness, i am ssooooo excited!!!

any other tips would also be apprieated............

[sezzy5889]

I just use normal organic soil, cheaper and easy to get hold of, peat wares the shells and is very acidic and cocohumus i don't use because its not natural and it annoys me the way it sticks to the snails, but thats up to you...

I keep mine temperature wise at a constant 26°C which drops to 22°C at night, yes heat mats are god but they may not be enough, a lamp or another heatmat may be required

Humidity gauge is a good idea as is a thermometer...
I keep 2 tigers in a 2 foot tank, so something a little bigger may by an idea, mine also have a pool although don't use it all the time do enjoy it when they do, they also sleep for long periods of time as i don't believe in waking a snail up every night to eat, i'd say they sleep for a few days then may wake up and eat or may not eat, some times they sleep for weeks at a time, but when they wake up have grown loads and eat a lot then go back to bed, it's nothing to worry about mine have been dong it for about 9 months since i got them

[Sally]

thats great - thanks so much.

i never knew they slept like that!!! At least i won't panic when mine sleep for days!!!

Sorry if this sounds thick but when you say organic soil - do you mean like compost and where can i get it from ie Focus or B&Q?


I currently use compost for my Fulica - do you think the Tigers could go with the Fulica or would it be too moist? Their tank is at 25oC all the time.

You meantioned you drop the temperature at night time - why is that and is it best to do that with all snails?

I was thinking of getting one of those Habitat heatng set up's otherwise i will have around 4 heat mats for the Tigers tank!!! ;D

[gabi]

Hi Sally!

I keep all my snailies on cocohumus. That is the only substrate I found that can stay very wet, without getting stinky within a short time. My adult tigers need it incredible wet (there is water on the bottom of the tanks). I am using normal fish-tanks with the lid´s that come with them. The lights in their are a good heat-recourse and for getting it warmer I use additional heatmats. I keep them around 29°C and humiditiy constantly over 90%, at night they are around 26°C.
They like their water-bowl very much and each mating is done in this big enough tube. I feed them on various food and add turtle food twice a week and the snail-mixture.

The babies are kept now on a thin, very wet, layer of cocohumus in small boxes and at room temperature (but we have around 25 degree room-temp during the day).

My snails never hide or don´t eat for longer than 2 days. As soon as it gets dark they come out and eat and move around in their tanks. The babies are up all the day and night.

My tigers had already 3 more batches since that one I had let hatch. The others I haven´t let hatch, cause I would not have had the time to raise them up as those little ones are needing so much care-time. Caring for 240 snail babies (tigers, "panthera`s", lignus) is hard work and I cannot await the day it is warm enough to ship them to their new homes.

[section8angel]

I found my fulica didn't like being as wet as my margies and I think margies and tigers are kept basically the same? So you might find yours don't like it.

But, there are people that keep fulica with tigers and fulica with margies with no problems so you'll just have to try it and see

Bahh I want tigers I can't wait till I get some!! Lol good luck with yours ;D

Oh, with the temp drop mine are kept around the same temps as Sarahs, the drop with mine is just because I don't have heating for them at night lol They really don't seem to mind it though, they're always active at night ;D

[sezzy5889]

I don't drop the temp at night it does it anyway and is probably healthy as this happens in the wild,
Organic compost is yes, from B&Q

Sian are you a sheep, you like saying bahh a lot,

[section8angel]

That's Baaa I'm saying Bah (give or take a few h's lol) in a Scrooge way rofl I'm just not adding humbug on 'cause it'll make me hungry

[gabi]

Oh, Sian, my fulica´s too don´t like it wet and hot. They spend then their time up on the roof most of the time and even don´t touch the substrate for eating.

In my post I refered only to my tigers (and margies as these are kept together in some tanks).

But everybody really has to try it
self out. In some homes it works this way, in others not. No clue why.

I have done the baby-tigers from the beginning in normal temps, so they are not spoiled by african-temperatures.

[section8angel]

Mine don't mind it at 26c but they were a bit funny when it went up to 28c (Everyone else was ok though lol). They're nearly always hiding under the moss or just laid on top of it. The rest of their time is spent on the roof though.

But yes you just have to try it, I think Kevin keeps fulica with margies and they're fine.

*Sneaks 2 baby tigers away* Lol just kidding.

[Sally]

Gabi - i was talking to a guy from EuroRep and he says it is sold in blocks about the size of a house brick. From your experience of using it when wet how much flooring of a tank would a brick cover ?

Sarah - when using the organic compost do you find you have to spray through out the day to keep it moist?
I know from the compost i keep Fred and Eric Fulica it gets quite dry.

[Val]

Yes, cocohumus or coir is sold in dry compressed blocks about the size of a brick, I would think that about half a brick would be enought to cover the floor of most tanks as it swells up a LOT when you add water, but if you need more then just soak a bit more you will soon see how much you need. I know how excited you are, we all fee
l like that when there are new snailies on their way!! ;D

Val

[Deleted]

section8angel said:

Bahh I want tigers I can't wait till I get some!! Lol good luck with yours ;D

whaa? u been here since june and u still dont have tigers, why dont u get those ones off ebay that are for sale right now?

[sezzy5889]

i think shes getting some babies, aren't you Sian?

[section8angel]

I've been waiting longer than that to get some lol. It was seeing someone keeping a tiger snail that got me into wanting to keep them many many years ago!

I don't want the ebay ones 'cause as I said in that thread I can probably get them cheaper in the spring (And I need cheaper)
And yes I am hoping to get some, I know there will be quite a few around so hopefully I'll finally get some!! ;D
I've decided I don't need tiny babies though, I'll take anything 4"-5" and under lol (Preferably 4" or under though)

[Deleted]

well good luck. it took me a while to find tiger snails too

[section8angel]

Thanks