African Land Snails...

~Chameleon~

I'm actually quite appalled that a school has been allowed to keep these poor creatures in such dire conditions. Congratulations to you for wanting to improve their environment and ensure they are looked after properly. If I were you, I'd be tempted to refuse to hand them back to the school and look to re-homing several to suitably knowledgeable homes as there's far too many in that tank and they will only continue to multiply.

I used to keep just two adults (almost as big as the palm of my hand) in a 24" x 18" x 18" glass tank with a 3" deep substrate of soil and sphagnum moss. A piece of cuttlefish will provide adequate calcium, otherwise dust their food with Nutrobal (available from reptile stores). Try to feed organic food where possible to avoid contamination of pesticides and insecticides. They love leafy greens, lettuce, cucumber, melon, strawberries, grapes etc. Avoid kale and spinach as these are high in oxalates and inhibit calcium uptake. Also avoid any cooked foods.

Have fun!

pigpen

Thanks all... OH has a shopping list for pets at home.. the one here is actually pretty good for advice .. I fell down the stairs and broke a toe yesterday so can't walk today so he will be getting a list


My oldest daughter who doesn't live at home wants a snail.. her OH is reading up on it now.. they have a large tank from previously kept fish so she could have any excess from what we get for these.. they look a bit sad if I am honest.. I love snails.. I even grow marigolds and yummy things for them in my garden .. it stops them eating other stuff too .. They just shouldn't be kept like this at all.. I'll make a start on the care instructions.. based on all your help.. thank you


I might rehome as many as possible where they will be cared for properly ... I'm sure the school won't even notice... unless I take back an empty tank lol..

Froglet

Years ago when i was a cleaner in a senior school(not for long i hasten to add,hated the job) i saw some frogs in a small tank in one of the classrooms.It was dirty,had little water and the frogs were desperately trying to climb the walls to get out.i hate to think what they they were there for but i can guess.It really upset me especially as i have a lovely nature pond full of them,living as they should.

Makes me so angry,the way defenceless creatures are kept just for man's amusement.I know the RSPCA won't be interested but do you know a few Mums so you could go collectively to the head and tell him/her what you think and what message it is giving to the children?

Icandothat

We have kept two of these alive for at least 7 years now. We keep them in a seed propagator with top soil and throw in lettuce and cucumber. They also have a cuttle fish bone. We have had eggs and babies over the years but only one fatality. Do not let them swim in water. If they are that wet they need cleaning out and new top soil (from a bag). Spray them if they look dry otherwise the lettuce and cucumber will give them moisture. They really are very easy but wet and rotten food will soon stink. It does sound like you have too many in the container but they will survive a week.

lisajane8482

We have 2 African land snails who are around 6 years old now. We use coir (around 2 inches deep) as their strata, we have tried soil from a bag but prefer coir. The coir that is in our tank is around a 4 months old as we pick out any deposits daily and change their food regularly but they are due for a full clean out. Ours are kept in a medium sized terrarium which has cork wood and fake plants in to make it look a little more interesting and to give them something to climb and hide in. They also have a shallow water bowl which they both like to slime through. The food is changed once a day unless it looks like it is wilting and if it lasts that long and they are sprayed twice daily with water (more frequently when it’s hot). Occasionally we give ours a bathe in the sink and use a soft tooth brush to give their shells a clean. We have a heat mat with a thermostat on the side of the tank which is set to around 22 degrees, putting it under the soil dries it out quicker but they do fine in a warm part of the house without one.

We feed ours most vegetables and fruit with the exception of onions, garlic and the like as that is poisonous. They love bananas and strawberries and also like a little bit of ham or raw mince as a treat every now and then. Once a week they get a cherry tomato halved with the seeds scooped out and filled with hemp seed soaked in water. We give them either cuttlefish or ground oyster bone for calcium, egg shells are good too.

ETA:

Link to care sheet
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/invert-care-sheets/821621-giant-african-land-snail-care.html

pigpen

ooh Lisajane.. fabulous thank you... are just ordinary chicken egg shells ok? I am using eggs tonight so can clean the shells and use the egg then give them the shells? .. would that be ok for them? .. It has to be more interesting than lettuce and cucumber!


Can they have a little carrot or cabbage? broccoli maybe? ... just thinking what I have in the fridge.

~Chameleon~

pigpen wrote: »

ooh Lisajane.. fabulous thank you... are just ordinary chicken egg shells ok? I am using eggs tonight so can clean the shells and use the egg then give them the shells? .. would that be ok for them? .. It has to be more interesting than lettuce and cucumber!


Can they have a little carrot or cabbage? broccoli maybe? ... just thinking what I have in the fridge.

Yes, all those are absolutely fine. Just remove any uneaten food daily. They are incredibly lucky snails to have ended up in your home for the hols :T

Froglet

Trouble is they have to go back can't you say they all escaped,or they died cos they were overcrowded.

pigpen

I'm trying to rehome some..

lisajane8482

Yep ordinary chicken egg shells. I used to bash them up with a rolling pin and then put them in a small shallow bowl or the lid off a jar or similar. They can eat most vegetables alsom g as they're not part of the onion family I believe.