AIBU to think releasing a pet is cruel?

[SnailTrailtoFreedom]

We have a pet snail. He came to us on a lettuce leaf when he was so small his shell was translucent and he could fit on the nail of my little finger. He is now nearing the end of his life span. We are going on holiday in a couple of weeks and I haven't yet found someone to have him - our usual pet-sitters are themselves going away at the same time.

One member of the family (YABU) thinks we should release him into the nearby forest, or garden so he has a taste of freedom before he dies by being eaten by something

The other (YANBU) thinks this is cruel. He has been kept inside since he was a baby, his food and water falls from the sky and he sleeps outside of his shell. He wouldn't last a minute in the great outdoors. We could ask the neighbours, even if we don't know the parents all that well, the daughter plays out with and is in a class with my DC; or smuggle him into the hotel with us (travelling by car, not leaving the country). Or ask the hotel. He's in a box, he doesn't need to be taken out of it. But I don't know if snails like travelling?

This thread has inspired me to get another Snail as a pet. We plucked one from the garden yesterday and he now lives in a lovely tank set up in my DS room. I even gave him a sunflower leave to munch on. DS has named him Snoopy. Ialso read that you need to give them a variety of leaves neg, fruit and cleaned, broken eggshells as apparently they need calcium of their shells

So that's what happened to him after he left The Magic Roundabout under a cloud!

For what it's worth, I never believed the rumours . . . 😉

egg shells?
i thought egg shells were a slug deterrant? yet snails like them?

Some living plants they like in pots would provide food. Also if you leave a bucket of water with twisted cloth between it and the living plants soil it will keep the soil moist providing moisture. my garden snails love cucumber which is a great source of fluid. I’d set this all up in your kitchen.

This is a cute thread. All hail the snails.

I thought so too. That would explain why they still managed to strip my plants to stalks, though it might not have been the snails to be fair (but it usually is).

Apparently so re egg shells. You need to crush them up for them. Its a good source of calcium or you can give them cuttlefish. I am already far too invested in this snail

Someone bought DS a snail house for his birthday a few years back, all very interesting and educational, particularly when they started mating. Ended up with 40 odd baby snails, 38 survived I think, but we set most of them free. Still have eight of them.

I feel very responsible for them. Cucumber is their favourite food and I swear they refuse to eat other food offered in the hope they'll get cucumber when I'm trying to give them a balanced diet. When I clean the tanks out I try and change their surroundings so they get some variety (they have plant pots atm), I spray the tanks to keep them damp, move them about the house depending on the temperature.

If you can buy them a cattle fish they love that and it helps with their shells strength. Mine love cucumbers, sweet potato, carrot, broccoli and they LOVE spinach. My now ex snail (lived until the age of 12) was called Jimmy sNail.

*cuttle fish!!!

Am I going mad?

What on earth possesses a person to take it upon themselves to keep a wild creature as a pet?! He wasn’t too small to put outside, that’s where they’re supposed to live!

What the hell am I going to do with these cattlefish, then?

I wish people would check their posts before they press the button. I bought these in good faith . . .

🐮🐮🐟🐟

In 2,000 years time when snails are kept as loving domestic pets, raced over long distances as homing snails, and provide assistance to (very slow) people with disabilities, not to mention working as service snails with the police, army etc, people will be thanking the OP for domesticating them.

Take no notice OP - you are a innovator in the field of feral snail domestication.

Runs off to google careers for snails. Snoopy can be a pioneer for all snails. Might go have a quick motivational chat with him now and give him some spinach

You sound so kind op.

Take him with you. I think that’s what I’d do.

You sound so sweet and lovely OP.

Ive never heard of a pet snail but it’s adorable.

I agree with those who say, take him with you

Think big!

First Snail in Space . . .

🐌 🚀 🐌 🪐 🐌 🌟 🐌 🌙 🐌 ☀️

@marrymeadam @EilonwyWithRedGoldHair yes, he likes cucumber too, but I assume it's the equivalent of feeding my Dc crisps. His favourite after that is broccoli and then kale!

@MrsLargeEmbodied yes, egg shells are good for them. You need to grind them up so they don't cut themselves. I don't usually bother as I've an endless supply of cuttlefish from the beach which is far less hassle.

I think what gets me is DH has never suggested releasing him before, only now that we're going away and I'm having difficulty finding someone and he's too embarrassed to ask the neighbours to look after a snail. If it had been a constant topic for the last year then I wouldn't be so annoyed. It really seems as if it's inconvenient pet = get rid.

I've asked someone and have another neighbour to ask when they get back on Saturday (they've a 4 year old, it might work!)

What on earth possesses a person to take it upon themselves to keep a wild creature as a pet?! Is it wild if it hatched in a supermarket crate?

Our tenrec goes to a critter crèche for £2.50 per day when we go away! The owner had never heard of them but she did loads of research and our Tenrec had a great time and got loads of extra attention! Maybe somewhere like that would help if no neighbours available?

How's the little man?

You need some True Facts about snails

Just so long as you have some garlic... (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

I give the 2 African land snails currently living at my house cuttlefish bone for the calcium.
My youngest Luna had a broken shell and it's now fixed