Garden snails

AirNomad99

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 31, 2017
Messages
39
I recently went to the white plains reptile expo in NY and saw a stand that was selling garden snails, Im not so sure on the exact species but I know for a fact im going to pick one or two up at the next show, does anyone have any experience or tips on keeping garden snails? id love any information, sorry i don't have the actual species name
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
11,044
Just try to make sure these are not wild caught snails and if they are, there are no rats living in the vicinity. Angiostrongylus cantonensis is pretty common where the two mingle.
 

WildSpider

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 14, 2018
Messages
465
I used to keep Cornu aspersa (which could be the one you're getting) when I was little, which were really easy to take care of. When you know the species you can check on diet but I just fed mine a variety of leafy greens if I remember right. They also like carrots (and apple I believe) I've found. The fact that they're considered pests in the garden is actually kind of great for us because then they will eat a lot of different things.

If they were forgotten for a while they would go dormant. All you need to do to get them out of dormancy is mist them with some water. Dormant snails can be mistaken for dead snails. Be sure to look carefully before throwing out dead snails. You can google "dormant snail" and "dead snail" to see the difference. Also, sometimes when they're dormant, they sink way back into their shells so the front door of the shell looks hollow, but they can still be revived by misting them.

I don't believe I kept them on substrate when I was little but when/if I tried them again I would probably like to try substrate. For substrate, my best guess for a good one would be some organic potting soil.

Also note that some snails (including Cornu aspersa) are hermaphrodites which means that you put any two snails of that species together and you could have some eggs soon.

Good luck!
 
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AirNomad99

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 31, 2017
Messages
39
Just try to make sure these are not wild caught snails and if they are, there are no rats living in the vicinity. Angiostrongylus cantonensis is pretty common where the two mingle.
Ill be sure to ask the vendor when I see her at the next show, thank you for the heads up
 

AirNomad99

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 31, 2017
Messages
39
I used to keep Heathergehan (which could be the one you're getting) when I was little, which were really easy to take care of. When you know the species you can check on diet but I just fed mine a variety of leafy greens if I remember right. They also like carrots (and apple I believe) I've found. The fact that they're considered pests in the garden is actually kind of great for us because then they will eat a lot of different things.

If they were forgotten for a while they would go dormant. All you need to do to get them out of dormancy is mist them with some water. Dormant snails can be mistaken for dead snails. Be sure to look carefully before throwing out dead snails. You can google "dormant snail" and "dead snail" to see the difference. Also, sometimes when they're dormant, they sink way back into their shells so the front door of the shell looks hollow, but they can still be revived by misting them.

I don't believe I kept them on substrate when I was little but when/if I tried them again I would probably like to try substrate. For substrate, my best guess for a good one would be some organic potting soil.

Also note that some snails (including Cornu aspersa) are hermaphrodites which means that you put any two snails of that species together and you could have some eggs soon.

Good luck!
I looked up picture of Cornu aspersa and from the really quick glimpse of the snails that I saw from the expo they look to be the same species. Also thanks so much for the info, do you remember how big they got and how long they lived for?
 

WildSpider

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 14, 2018
Messages
465
I looked up picture of Cornu aspersa and from the really quick glimpse of the snails that I saw from the expo they look to be the same species. Also thanks so much for the info, do you remember how big they got and how long they lived for?
Since it's been awhile I googled it to double-check my facts. Here is a quote from https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/26821 which was absolutely chock-full of info:

"Precise estimates of the longevity of C. aspersum are not available. Observations in natural conditions indicate a life span of 3-5 years but the species is known to live up to 10 years in artificial conditions (Taylor, 1914; Comfort, 1957). Indirect observations (growth breaks and inner layers of shell peristome) show that giant individuals collected from natural populations in North Africa have a longer life expectancy (>10 years)."

All sources I can find measure by shell size. These are another couple quotes from the same source as above:

"Maturity requires about 2 years in natural populations, with the snails attaining a diameter of 16-20 mm within the first year, and 26-33 mm by the second year in North Africa; 3 or more years are needed for the larger form maxima."

"Adult shells (4½ to 5 slightly convex whorls) measure 28-45 mm in diameter, 25-35 mm in height"

From memory :eek: I'm going to take a guess and say the body length of the snails (from where I live) is about 2 inches.
 
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Marika

Arachnoangel
Joined
Feb 7, 2016
Messages
777
They also need some sort of calcium source, like a cuttlefish bone.
 

AirNomad99

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 31, 2017
Messages
39
Since it's been awhile I googled it to double-check my facts. Here is a quote from https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/26821 which was absolutely chock-full of info:

"Precise estimates of the longevity of C. aspersum are not available. Observations in natural conditions indicate a life span of 3-5 years but the species is known to live up to 10 years in artificial conditions (Taylor, 1914; Comfort, 1957). Indirect observations (growth breaks and inner layers of shell peristome) show that giant individuals collected from natural populations in North Africa have a longer life expectancy (>10 years)."

All sources I can find measure by shell size. These are another couple quotes from the same source as above:

"Maturity requires about 2 years in natural populations, with the snails attaining a diameter of 16-20 mm within the first year, and 26-33 mm by the second year in North Africa; 3 or more years are needed for the larger form maxima."

"Adult shells (4½ to 5 slightly convex whorls) measure 28-45 mm in diameter, 25-35 mm in height"

From memory :eek: I'm going to take a guess and say the body length of the snails (from where I live) is about 2 inches.
that sounds perfect honestly, thank you so much for all of your info and help :)
 

Morgan Rodgers

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
Messages
2
Facing snails infestation is a headache for the gardener. And if they are in large number, they need to react fast! A gardener may try few things to manage to keep them under control.

1. Barrier

You may use barrier around plants. Make sure to put down many of them without any gaps.

2. Traps

Using beer traps are very effective in dealing with both snails and slugs.

3. Predators:

For biological control, use nematodes- microscopic parasites that kill the slugs. You may also adopt some chickens or ducks as they love eating slugs.

After trying all these methods, if the problem still exists, its time you consult the pest control Loomis CA professionals as they have the right knowledge and equipment to get rid of the pests without affecting your garden.
 

The Seraph

Arachnolord
Joined
Sep 14, 2018
Messages
601
Facing snails infestation is a headache for the gardener. And if they are in large number, they need to react fast! A gardener may try few things to manage to keep them under control.

1. Barrier

You may use barrier around plants. Make sure to put down many of them without any gaps.

2. Traps

Using beer traps are very effective in dealing with both snails and slugs.

3. Predators:

For biological control, use nematodes- microscopic parasites that kill the slugs. You may also adopt some chickens or ducks as they love eating slugs.

After trying all these methods, if the problem still exists, its time you consult the pest control Loomis CA professionals as they have the right knowledge and equipment to get rid of the pests without affecting your garden.
. . . But not only do we like the snails (us without a garden) we also deeply oppose chemical pesticide use. Also, in my experiance, chickens prefer to eat everything in your garden then the snails.
 
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