Got my first snails

[happiness]

I don't mean to hijack your thread but I just wanted to know if a crack in the shell kills the snail? I noticed one had a big crack in it the size of a dime and it sunk it a little, kind of like when you open a can of beans and the top of the can sinks in, thats what it looks like. Is this one going to die? Or is there a way to fix it?
Can I put some tape on it or something?

 

[Lathis]

I don't mean to hijack your thread but I just wanted to know if a crack in the shell kills the snail? I noticed one had a big crack in it the size of a dime and it sunk it a little, kind of like when you open a can of beans and the top of the can sinks in, thats what it looks like. Is this one going to die? Or is there a way to fix it?
Can I put some tape on it or something?

Not sure. One of my snails arrived with a cracked shell, but he was also oozing his insides. If he hadn't been oozing, I would have given him a chance to survive.

 

[pigglett79]

I would give extra calcium and see if it can repair it's shell. The are able to repair some damage, but of course if it's too severe they won't be able to.

 

[Psychobunny]

Okay, they are moving around a lot more now.
I think it was just too cold for them.

They are crawling around all over the place

They have a large petri dish (see the pic I posted in the first post) with water and a few rocks to climb on.
Is that enough?

I am misting 3 or 4 times a day.

 

[jurjenfromholland]

BUT.. again what kind of snails are they?
which ones are safe for chamaleons? thx

 

[Lathis]

BUT.. again what kind of snails are they?
which ones are safe for chamaleons? thx

You want land snails not the aquatic ones. I bought some Helix aspersa, which I think is the common garden snail around here. It will probably depend on what is available to you. Snails are agricultural pests, so shipping them around is somewhat restricted.

 

[jurjenfromholland]

well i can buy agate snails no clue that
is bad nor good??

 

[Lathis]

well i can buy agate snails no clue that
is bad nor good??

Is that the Giant African Land Snail or a smaller snail of a similar type? I would contact the seller and ask for the scientific name. That is the only way to be sure. The Giant African Land Snail gets huge - like 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) big.

I THINK (I'm not certain) that all land snails are edible. The thing to be concerned about is whether the snails are carrying parasites that can infect your cham. That is why most people recommend removing the snail eggs to another enclosure to raise separate of the adults. Some even recommend doing that through several generations before feeding anything to the cham.

Hope that helps. Find out the scientific name of the snail you can get, and we will try to find out if it's safe.

 

[PressurePro]

I think any which are commercially available would be alright. The thing to consider would be the size. If the shell is too thick that might be a problem.

 

[PressurePro]

If you get a colony going, I'd be interested in trading a colony of turkish roaches for a couple snails so I can set a colony up.

 

[Psychobunny]

Is that the Giant African Land Snail or a smaller snail of a similar type? I would contact the seller and ask for the scientific name. That is the only way to be sure. The Giant African Land Snail gets huge - like 20-25 cm (8-10 inches) big.

I THINK (I'm not certain) that all land snails are edible. The thing to be concerned about is whether the snails are carrying parasites that can infect your cham. That is why most people recommend removing the snail eggs to another enclosure to raise separate of the adults. Some even recommend doing that through several generations before feeding anything to the cham.

Hope that helps. Find out the scientific name of the snail you can get, and we will try to find out if it's safe.

I asked the guy at snailsinthemail about the parasite, separation thing.
He told me there is no need to separate the babies.
He gets his snails from a organic snail farm in California, they are clean, captive farm raised, NOT wild caught.

 

[pigglett79]

Okay, they are moving around a lot more now.
I think it was just too cold for them.

They are crawling around all over the place

They have a large petri dish (see the pic I posted in the first post) with water and a few rocks to climb on.
Is that enough?

I am misting 3 or 4 times a day.

Misting this much will likely keep the soil wet all the time and lead to issues w gnats, and other nasty things growing in there. I mist once a day at feeding time in the evening.

 

[Psychobunny]

I put the plastic cups, cut in half in there for them to use as little huts.
Someone suggested it to me, it's a great idea.
They like their huts, and they are not crawling to the top of the tank anymore.

They still do not eat a lot, and I noticed they slime their food!!
I took the old food out and it was covered with slime!!

I'm keeping them at 75F, is that okay?

I covered 3 sides of the glass tank to keep it dark.

They are eating slices of squash as I type this post