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Post by Schnäggli on Aug 3, 2010 14:29:27 GMT
Hi. I'd like to know if Rumina decollata will prey on juvenile African snails too.
Thanks.
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Post by fabrizio on Aug 3, 2010 16:08:17 GMT
Hello Schnaggli (are you I suppose?), I see sometimes Rumina decollata (native here) feeding at night within the large-mouthed shells of some Cantareus apertus or Cornu aspersus, so I suppose they would prefer large access ways to their "food". Yet it would be worthwhile to try... do you intend to use them as a population control for Achatina ? -I know there are some species, -sadly I never saw any as available since now-, as Gonaxis sp., smaller, roundish snails that prey Achatina (even adult ones) in the wild. Euglandina would do, too, yet it is not easy at all to rear and breed, as I learnt from experienced peoples. Gonaxis would be their "true" natural enemies, and perhaps easier to rear and breed, provided some Achatina is available. Hopefully, someone would breed and introduce them -making before all an interesting addition to reared species range, too...
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Post by Schnäggli on Aug 4, 2010 9:16:49 GMT
Hi Fabrizio. Yup, it's me. ;D
I am considering various options to put unwanted eggs/hatchlings to good use, before I start breeding my mutant fulica. And since my Rumina would benefit of a carnivorous diet, if it worked it could be a win-win scenario.
Another option would be feeding the eggs to some of my local carnivorous snails, such as Oxychilus.
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Post by fabrizio on Aug 4, 2010 13:53:14 GMT
Hi Schnaggli Yes I believe Oxychilus would be surely good feeders upon them, as they are "carnivorous" even to a higher degree than Rumina, it seems... -Othrwise, some slugs could "help" you, as Arion sp., or others even in Limacidae, although I couldn't tell what is the most "voracious" one...
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Post by crossless on Aug 4, 2010 14:08:11 GMT
One keeper in Finland feeds ruminas with a. fulica babies too. So they might anything when hungry and don't they eat eggs too?
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coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
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Post by coyote on Aug 4, 2010 21:39:34 GMT
My Oxychilus eat any aspersa eggs almost as soon as they are laid. (They are also the first to devour fish flakes.)
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Post by fabrizio on Aug 5, 2010 20:42:53 GMT
There is a related family (Gastrodontidae ), whose members are quite specialized in eating other snails' eggs..
You too have them in the USA, for sure Zonitoides arboreus (very similar to an Oxychilus)
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Post by pleurdonteisabella on Aug 5, 2010 21:17:35 GMT
I have decollata and they will eat any thing i put in for them, Not tried the eggs though
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coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
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Post by coyote on Aug 5, 2010 21:46:16 GMT
Zonitoides arboreus is found in parts of California, but not in my part (San Francisco Bay Area), according to Roth's Checklist of the Land Snails and Slugs of California, second edition. They are indeed very similar to garlic snails.
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Post by fabrizio on Aug 6, 2010 19:27:23 GMT
Very similar indeed, and the respective families are quite strictly related, although "distinct".
Gastrodontidae have a non-calcareous love dart, as a main difference. Here in Italy I am not sure Z. arboreus do live (perhaps accidental in some greenhouses), yet I found here outside -almost identical- Zonitoides nitidus; next time I'll find some, I'll try snail eggs (provided I get some in the meanwhile!)
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Post by fabrizio on Aug 6, 2010 19:55:48 GMT
Here's a picture, of one of the Zonitoids nitidus I found, in a muddy sewage near a nursery greenhouse (but the species is local). Perhaps they didn't survive so long, just because of I didn't provide them with snail eggs... I feed them chiefly dog pellets, with some lettuce and sliced carrots...
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Post by Schnäggli on Sept 22, 2010 10:31:31 GMT
I brought home a few Oxychilus specimens the other night and put them in a small terrarium of their own. I left a few aspersa hatchlings in the same terrarium, but so far the Oxychilus haven't shown any predatory behaviour towards them and have fed on non-live food instead. I'll keep an eye on them...
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