Keeping common garden snails?

[VJ]

Sorry if this has been asked in the past but what do you guys think to this? I asked on another forum (not snail based) a while ago and did not get favourable replies at all. I'm not saying I want to, just wondered as snail keepers what you think to it.

[ade2009]

Nothing wrong with it there are some lovely garden snails out there, my son and i were collecting some the other day.

Ade

[Rachel]

Well I take in garden snails that are sick/poisoned/injured/shell badly damaged from time to time, and if they won't ever survive in the wild I give them a good home for the rest of their life, if they will be ok in the wild I look after them till they are well enough to be released and make a small brown (dull) dot on their shell so I know that I'd taken them in before if I see them again. At the moment I have 2 helix aspera, one that came as newborn size in with some lettuce from america, and I decided to let her stay with me, and one that had a really badly broken shell thats staying as it makes it harder for him to get around as it had started growing back weirdly shaped. I can't really say that I have a problem with keeping them, or that I think keeping them is totally fine. I think it depends on the circumstances and the quality of their life before you took them in and that they will get when with you. Obviously its better to keep captive bred than take them from the wild, as that way you know they should not have any diseases and that will be what they expect from life, releasing captive breds that are older is probally not the best idea as they won't have ever been in the wild.

[Sarah]

As well as the giant snails, I also keep Helix aspersa, Cepaea nemoralis, C. hortensis, Arianta arbustorum, and a small unidentified snail - possibly a type similar to a Garlic snail. When they have babies they get released back where I found the adults to.

I feel there is no problem keeping native snails as pets as long as you can give them all their necessary requirements, do not take so many as to affect the local ecosystem and release babies back where you found the adults - and also if you cannot keep the adults they go back where were found too.

[Dusk]

Someone a while back posted here that it's not adviseable to release c/b babies into the wild even if it's the same place as their parents were found - but I can't find the link. Anyone know where it went? I think it was something to do with local populations.

[coyote]

It may also have to do with the c/b babies not kowing how to find food on their own out in the wild.

I'll try to find that other thread and post a link.

[Sarah]

OK thanks

[lucyjames]

I used to keep Garden Snails when I was a kid.... nothing wrong with it, and you can let them go in the future should you not wish to keep them anymore...! Though ethically, I'm not sure where people would stand on that, the whole fending for themselves thing....

When my mum made me let mine go, I still went back to the place I let them loose and put food down for them!!!! Though I'm sure they were long gone!

[lizzie97444]

aw.
I luvvvvv garden snails and mmine's a speckled one
I've never rly seen anyone on this forum who has kept 1 of those besides ONE person...
but yeah I've had mine for like 8 months now and it only? grew 4cm.
Eliza is super huge than b4 but I'm not sure if thats normal or small for 8 months
so yeah :)snails!

[Katie]

I see nothing wrong with keeping Common garden snails and other natives, as long as they get given a good home, which i am usre everyone on here will give xD The snails mah even possibly gain advantages from bieng kept as a pet, tey would be given a good home, lots of fresh food, and a spray every day or two.
x x

[coyote]

Since I live in the U.S., a garden snail is about my only choice for a pet. I think they make lovely pets, and they don't need supplemental heat the way GALS do. They eat a lot less as well! ;D

[lucyjames]

Do share piccies :-)

In my early years my obsession with Michael Jackson led me to have several snails all named after him and his songs and house etc etc..... Ah, I miss them!!!!