|
Post by ade2009 on Apr 27, 2009 16:13:15 GMT
Picked up some limestone today so will see how it goes, did a little research and found that hens ( yes i know they have feathers and arent snails ) who were fed on limestone produced better quality eggs ( thicker shell and better embryonic development ). so im hoping the limestone is preferred by my snails, especially as it is coniderably cheaper than cuttlefish and doesnt need brushing every few days.
Ade
|
|
lucyjames
Achatina immaculata
I iz da King...
Posts: 323
|
Post by lucyjames on Apr 27, 2009 18:45:29 GMT
Where have you gotten it from...? I could use some - I have noticed Ken and Barbara's shells are quite soft
|
|
Dusk
Achatina tincta
In ur viv stealin ur snailets
Posts: 665
|
Post by Dusk on Apr 27, 2009 18:50:21 GMT
You can get buckets of it, usually about three kilos, as a supplement for horses. A Bailey's 3kg bucket is usually somewhere around a fiver. Local equine and farm supply shops, or my favourite online pet shop for random stuff : www.gjwtitmuss.co.uk/You can get it in larger sizes but even huge snails take a while to get through a few kilos
|
|
lucyjames
Achatina immaculata
I iz da King...
Posts: 323
|
Post by lucyjames on Apr 27, 2009 18:54:48 GMT
Thanks, I'll keep an eye out...
Maybe someone should (*hint hint*) package it up into small 100g packets or something and sell it on ebay for us snaily peeps ;D
|
|
Dusk
Achatina tincta
In ur viv stealin ur snailets
Posts: 665
|
Post by Dusk on Apr 27, 2009 18:59:50 GMT
I have small blocks of it and small bags of it with powdered oystershell listed on ebay right now - if neither of those suit I can happily put up a listing for just the limestone I hadn't intended an advert but since you mention it... search.ebay.co.uk/_W0QQsassZduskdreamerQQhtZ-1
|
|
|
Post by ade2009 on Apr 27, 2009 19:00:23 GMT
lol, yes either of us could. But Dusk already does a limestone and oyster shell mix is it Dusk?
I actually have limestone ( as in chunks of it) for them to gnaw at
|
|
lucyjames
Achatina immaculata
I iz da King...
Posts: 323
|
Post by lucyjames on Apr 27, 2009 19:03:17 GMT
Thanks Dusk and Ade... I will check out your ad now, Dusk... Where did you get the chunks...? Local Quarry... ? ;D
|
|
|
Post by ade2009 on Apr 27, 2009 19:06:19 GMT
bagged up locally, couldnt believe it actually as it seems really hard to find. cost me 2.40 for a 10kg bag lol
|
|
lucyjames
Achatina immaculata
I iz da King...
Posts: 323
|
Post by lucyjames on Apr 27, 2009 19:12:40 GMT
Hmmm.... business venture for you, me thinks ;D hehe
|
|
Dusk
Achatina tincta
In ur viv stealin ur snailets
Posts: 665
|
Post by Dusk on Apr 27, 2009 19:24:50 GMT
I can't find a local source for the solid type. Unfortunately it's so heavy that sending it any distance ends up costing a fortune I keep an eye out though.
|
|
|
Post by ade2009 on Apr 27, 2009 20:04:36 GMT
yep Dusk thats the only problem postage, also you cant exactly sprinkle it over their food.Mine is broken down into pieces approx the size of the end of a finger
|
|
Dusk
Achatina tincta
In ur viv stealin ur snailets
Posts: 665
|
Post by Dusk on Apr 27, 2009 20:10:46 GMT
I'm happy to take a hammer and chisel to it if all I can find is a 1kg lump
|
|
lucyjames
Achatina immaculata
I iz da King...
Posts: 323
|
Post by lucyjames on Apr 28, 2009 5:54:09 GMT
Thats good for anger management too ;D
|
|
|
Post by ade2009 on Apr 28, 2009 6:15:30 GMT
I hope you mean take a hammer and chisel to the limestone, and not the end of my finger ;D
|
|
Dusk
Achatina tincta
In ur viv stealin ur snailets
Posts: 665
|
Post by Dusk on Apr 28, 2009 8:08:58 GMT
Hmm, you're right, I should probably clarify that... nah, I'll leave it as it is
|
|
Dusk
Achatina tincta
In ur viv stealin ur snailets
Posts: 665
|
Post by Dusk on Apr 28, 2009 14:35:10 GMT
I had a bit of a grumpy morning and on impulse headed out to the local garden centre in search of limestone. My request involved much conferring among staff and eventually waiting 20 minutes until Pete got off lunch (Pete being someone who, for example, could tell me if they stocked limstone). Pete was baffled but entertained when I explained what it was for and why it had to be limestone. The only thing he could show me right then was a bag of pink limestone cihps, presumeably intended for gravel paths or something. I decided to purchase it and then had the task of lugging a 20kg sack home, since they had no smaller sizes. It is not egregiously pink, and if it's no use for the snails it can liven up the garden. Anyone have anything useful to tell me about pink limestone chipss, approx 20mm in size? Perhaps it will give my snails a pinkish glow. In the spirit of experimentation I shall see what they make of it. If anyone would like a smaller sample bag of the stuff, well, I have quite a lot now! I also got some interesting mints to put in the garden. Mint seems resistant to my lack of gardening skills, in fact my plant it my parents' garden once survived papa building a bonfire two feet away from it. I have no idea what variety that is but I found a pot of the exact same stuff today - the smell and texture are indelibly burned into my brain And some valerian for the cats. Oh gardening people, does the live plant hold the same fascination for them that the dried stuff does? We shall see if I end up with a dozen stoned neighbourhood cats outside my back door.
|
|
Rachel
Archachatina puylaerti
They see me snailin'
Posts: 1,183
|
Post by Rachel on Apr 28, 2009 15:07:45 GMT
can't help with the pink stuff, but I just had an image of stoned cats that'll never go away.
|
|
Dusk
Achatina tincta
In ur viv stealin ur snailets
Posts: 665
|
Post by Dusk on Apr 28, 2009 16:18:56 GMT
If you've never whiled away a dull evening by watching cats get stoned, try and scratch themselves and miss, fall over, get the munchies then fall fast asleep, well, you've never lived Catnip and valerian. Most entertaining training aids ever
|
|
coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
|
Post by coyote on Apr 28, 2009 19:30:11 GMT
I don't know about valerian, but live catnip is just as intoxicating to cats as the dried leaves.
I can attest to the hardy vitality of mint family species. A neighbor gave me some spearmint cuttings and said, "Don't put them in the ground, or they'll take over!" I had an 8' x 3' patch of dirt full of weeds in the back yard that needed something low-maintenance in it, so I went ahead and planted the cuttings.
The spearmint ran riot, sending runners under the cement walkway to sprout up in other parts of the back yard. It survived several frosts last winter. It drew honeybees to its flowers all last summer, as well as all kinds of other fascinating little insects (bumblebees, carpenter bees, paper wasps, green bottle flies, skipper butterflies, hoverflies, great golden digger wasps, etc.). It smelled heavenly and refreshing on a hot summer day. I've never tried to have a bonfire near it (it's right next to the house, after all), but it wouldn't surprise me if it survived that too.
|
|
Dusk
Achatina tincta
In ur viv stealin ur snailets
Posts: 665
|
Post by Dusk on Apr 29, 2009 6:17:36 GMT
I put some chips in with the retics (since they're bombproof) and this morning several of the young'uns are nomming away at it, and nobody is dead of pink yet. Tomorrow I shall see what others make of them.
|
|
Rachel
Archachatina puylaerti
They see me snailin'
Posts: 1,183
|
Post by Rachel on Apr 29, 2009 12:13:17 GMT
lol, just had an image of people hiding behind a platoon retics holding hand grenades and machine guns. I think I must have sniffed catnip . My cat does the whole tries to scratch and fall over thing anyway. Hes so uncoordinated. Last night he tried to jump off the sofa and ended up falling over on landing, then when he stood up he tried to walk to his bed and walked into a cupboard. Either hes just stupid, or hes so stuck up he thinks the floor and cupboard/ my feet / the earth should move out of his way. And there is the whole rule the roost thing. If I put his water dish to the left of his food dish not the right he refuses to eat until I swap it round. Hes one weird kitty. I luv him though ;D
|
|
|
Post by ade2009 on Apr 29, 2009 20:35:17 GMT
Hi Dusk, I have some regular limestone chippings if you want lol. you know pink snails etc its just not manly, its like arnie in a pink tshirt! just doesnt work lol
|
|