Post by snegledame on Jan 10, 2007 14:56:47 GMT
Hi snail lovers!
My interest in snails started quite serendipitously last Sept. (2006): frustrated one afternoon by my failure to catch any fish at my favorite fishing site (a small recreational island just outside of Oslo, Norway), I spotted several large-shelled, plump snails on the rocks above the coastline and further into the woods. I collected 18 specimens -- not knowing, at that time, the maturation signs of a thickened aperture "lip" -- which were later revealed to be 9 matured and 9 "adolescents" of the Helix pomatia variety.
Over the course of 4 exciting and information-packed months my 'stable' has grown (by natural reproduction) to some 420(!)H.P.s (the original 18 plus their offspring), while several batches of eggs are currently in incubation.
Following the advice of heliciculteurs on the "Passion Escargot" website [http://escargot.free.fr/fra/index.html and that site's tremendously helpful forum at escargot-blond-des-flandres.com/cgi-bin/forum/forum.cgi], I have maintained my brood active during these so-called winter months (we're having an abnormally mild winter here in Oslo... not even any snow!) - forgoing hibernation.
The adults and recently matured adults (all from the initial collection) continue to lay eggs (35-65 per batch), the largest of the earliest hatchlings (4 months old) are already 20-23 mm in diameter and all are thriving. At this rate, I'll have to move them from my kitchen corner into their own 'bedroom' in several months' time!
I consider that I must have a lucky experience as -- until my impulsively-begun project was well underway -- I did not know that it is believed to be nigh unto impossible to manage full-cycle cultivation of the H.P. variety. Of course, the full-cycle has not yet been achieved; my juveniles must first mature and reproduce to make that claim. Yet the progress hereto is highly promising! Besides, I am having great fun in experimenting with feed and environment combinations amongst the various growth stages and in observing the meritorious effects of specific methods in the field of accelerated growth.
I welcome the feedback and relevant experiences of other Helix pomatia cultivators. Thanks for reading!
My interest in snails started quite serendipitously last Sept. (2006): frustrated one afternoon by my failure to catch any fish at my favorite fishing site (a small recreational island just outside of Oslo, Norway), I spotted several large-shelled, plump snails on the rocks above the coastline and further into the woods. I collected 18 specimens -- not knowing, at that time, the maturation signs of a thickened aperture "lip" -- which were later revealed to be 9 matured and 9 "adolescents" of the Helix pomatia variety.
Over the course of 4 exciting and information-packed months my 'stable' has grown (by natural reproduction) to some 420(!)H.P.s (the original 18 plus their offspring), while several batches of eggs are currently in incubation.
Following the advice of heliciculteurs on the "Passion Escargot" website [http://escargot.free.fr/fra/index.html and that site's tremendously helpful forum at escargot-blond-des-flandres.com/cgi-bin/forum/forum.cgi], I have maintained my brood active during these so-called winter months (we're having an abnormally mild winter here in Oslo... not even any snow!) - forgoing hibernation.
The adults and recently matured adults (all from the initial collection) continue to lay eggs (35-65 per batch), the largest of the earliest hatchlings (4 months old) are already 20-23 mm in diameter and all are thriving. At this rate, I'll have to move them from my kitchen corner into their own 'bedroom' in several months' time!
I consider that I must have a lucky experience as -- until my impulsively-begun project was well underway -- I did not know that it is believed to be nigh unto impossible to manage full-cycle cultivation of the H.P. variety. Of course, the full-cycle has not yet been achieved; my juveniles must first mature and reproduce to make that claim. Yet the progress hereto is highly promising! Besides, I am having great fun in experimenting with feed and environment combinations amongst the various growth stages and in observing the meritorious effects of specific methods in the field of accelerated growth.
I welcome the feedback and relevant experiences of other Helix pomatia cultivators. Thanks for reading!
