Raising snails. Will these sufficie?

[TheLetterAfterP(Q)]

Yesterday as I was taking my GSD on a walk around my neighborhood I came across these amazing snails.

I've been reading @snitz427 thread on raising snail and I was wondering if these would suffice? How can you determine the sex?

 

[JoXie411]

Perfect take them all!! They can be both sex’s I don’t remember the term off the top of my head but @snitz427 has a good thread going about them

 

[TheLetterAfterP(Q)]

On it!! I need to make a little enclosure first though. Time to get this done!!

 

[JoXie411]

I found two a few weeks ago. Still waiting on those. No babies yet. But they eat like monsters

 

[TheLetterAfterP(Q)]

I found two a few weeks ago. Still waiting on those. No babies yet. But they eat like monsters

Exciting!! I am definitely going go be doing this. Could you post a picture of your snail enclosure?

 

[JoXie411]

Nothing to fancy just in a storage container I got at the dollar store and organic soil. I want to set up a nice aquarium enclosure for them eventually

 

[TheLetterAfterP(Q)]

Nothing to fancy just in a storage container I got at the dollar store and organic soil. I want to set up a nice aquarium enclosure for them eventually

Neat, it's very simple, I should be able to do it today! @JoXie411 what are the temps/humidity set for?
Also, I already have some eco earth loose coconut fiber, as well as hydroponic clay balls, would this combination be good for their enclosure?

 

[JoXie411]

Neat, it's very simple, I should be able to do it today! @JoXie411 what are the temps/humidity set for?
Also, I already have some eco earth loose coconut fiber, as well as hydroponic clay balls, would this combination be good for their enclosure?View attachment 234475

The coconut fiber should be good. I wouldn’t add the hydro balls. I just check the container everyday to make sure the soil it moist. I think temp is around 70f and 50-60% humidity

 

[snitz427]

Snails are hermaphrodites so they can be both male and female when it comes to mating! Great find - crazy what these Chameleons make us notice on peaceful walks!

Just make sure you seperate, rinse and hatch any eggs in a seperate container as wild snails can carry parasites.

@jamest0o and @Andee have been great resources!

 

[extrajordinary]

Can snails be feeders?

 

[snitz427]

Can snails be feeders?

Yep, high in calcium! Just dont use wild caught (see above)

 

[Zevil]

The most common snail I see here is the African land snails. I always see some after a rain. Is it suitable as a source of food? Will it destroy the enclosure live plants?

 

[Highway61]

Do the chams eat shell and all? I know the baby snail shells are delicate and break down easily but the adults?

 

[TheLetterAfterP(Q)]

Do the chams eat shell and all? I know the baby snail shells are delicate and break down easily but the adults?

Yeah, they eat the shell and all, but only as babies. They are pure calcium, however the adult snail shells are far to hard for a chameleon to consume.

 

[cyberlocc]

The most common snail I see here is the African land snails. I always see some after a rain. Is it suitable as a source of food? Will it destroy the enclosure live plants?

What? where do you live?

GALs ARE MASSIVE, but I doubt thats what you have around, Do you know how big those are? They are bigger than most Chameleons.

This is an African Land Snail, adult and a baby.

Anyway, snails are fine feeders you cant feed WCs though, and African Land snails, are severely illegal in the US, and way way to big to feed to any chameleons.

Yeah, they eat the shell and all, but only as babies. They are pure calcium, however the adult snail shells are far to hard for a chameleon to consume.

Have you tried that? C. Aspersa are too large as adults for common chams, but there is no reason they cannot eat an adult snail. There is another snails that are smaller as adults. The shells are always brittle, and they are pure calcium carbonate its the same thing we use to dust feeders with.

Sandra fed juvis, as full grown was too large for panthers, but a parsons could eat a full grown C. Aspersa, and likely do in the wild.

WC Jacksons don't even shoot their tongue at them, they know to walk right up and scoop them up, there has been many of threads about it here.

 

[Highway61]

WC Jacksons don't even shoot their tongue at them, they know to walk right up and scoop them up, there has been many of threads about it here.

Precisely what my 9 month Jacksons did today when I placed a baby snail on a vine in his viv! (he's not had them in my care before)

 

[JacksJill]

WC Jacksons don't even shoot their tongue at them, they know to walk right up and scoop them up, there has been many of threads about it here.

My only wild caught will shoot them from anywhere in his cage. It's the only thing he will eat in front of me. They have a very nice crunch.

 

[cyberlocc]

My only wild caught will shoot them from anywhere in his cage. It's the only thing he will eat in front of me. They have a very nice crunch.

Hmm, is he able to get them up by shooting? I am assuming yes. I saw a video on here one time, of a first snail fed to a Hawaii WC Jackson's and he just walked up and scooped it lol, seen quite a few others say the same.

He clearly knew what it was and how to eat it though right? That was the point I was getting at, they seemingly are on the wild menu .

 

[JacksJill]

I do agree with you. He just has a different approach. Oh, he knew what it was and he knew he wanted it. He just wasn't going to take the time to leaf walk over and get it in front of me.
They are all such individuals.

 

[cyberlocc]

I do agree with you. He just has a different approach. Oh, he knew what it was and he knew he wanted it. He just wasn't going to take the time to leaf walk over and get it in front of me.
They are all such individuals.

Good to know, I have been very intrigued by snails, as a semi staple for a little over a year now.

For mine the breeding has been hit and miss, I am working on getting a good clean productive colony. I spoke with a few experts in the field, and I want to try to use snails, to replace calcium dust. To do so, will require a constant supply of snails though lol.

I wish there was a way to get an accurate measurement, how much they need, how much is on bugs when we dust and how much of a snails weight is Calcium, in doing so, we could get a steady, easy way to perfectly provide calcium.

I feel like a mid sized snail, is quite a bit of dust. 1 snail a week, in my mind would likely be enough to replace dusting altogether.


Do you dust and feed snails often? Or did you beat me to the idea .