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?

Salad drawer in the fridge?

Ask your ndn to pop in and give him water and a few lettuce leaves a couple of times each week. I can't think why a person would refuse.

@FlosCampi yes, apparently it's a thing they do if they feel safe, the environment is right (not too dry) and they're not around predators. I assumed he was ill or dying the first time he did it. Now I think he's too daft to set free!

They get their water from their food though, don't they? So a tray of living salad or herbs with one of those slow release water things should do him fine.

Do they go into a summer hibernation?

Aestivation. I don't know if snails do (though I have an idea they can take themselves off under a shady stone or flowerpot, tuck themselves in to their shells and dort of seal it over with slime until temperatures cool, or they fie, but I might be making this up.) But there are dpecies of tropical bats and other animals that assisted to avoid the worst of the heat.

That's a great measure of trust in that case! If your holiday doesn't involve your luggage being scanned, I would take him!

I wouldn't advertise on fb that you are going away unless you want to get burgled

dort=sort
fie=die

I would take him!

Otherwise, where are you based, OP?

Because I would look after him for you if you're in the south West!

*take him with you on holiday, I mean!

This reminded me of how we used to do pet rescue animal ambulance with DS when he was little. He would be on his trike and we would rescue small creatures in a take away box that he put in the bucket on the back of his trike. Our best was reviving a bee with sugar water. We took an injured bird to the vets once.

This is the sort of pet you would take to the pet sitters house, they wouldn't need to know where the op lived.

I am not sure if some posters have misunderstood and think it’s a dog or something

Of course you can’t release him, poor snail! You can’t just get rid of a pet when it becomes inconvenient no matter how small it is. That wouldn’t be a very good example to set for your children.
Take him with you, is his box portable and how long is the drive? Obviously if it’s hot you can’t leave him in the car if you stop at services so would need a smaller box to put him in too.

I’d take him with you.

Don't take him with you if you're staying at the seaside. The consequences of him being taken out for a cuddle whilst the cuddler has sea water on their hands, clothes or hair could be traumatic. I'd suggest an upturned terracotta plant pot in the darkest corner of the balcony.

He'll die if you release him. He won't know how to look after himself.

If you're going away in the UK could you take him with you? If not leave him with ANYONE but this relative.

He can't be left alone for a fortnight, he needs someone looking after him. Is there a reptile kennel somewhere nearby? If they look after lizards etc they can easily look after a snail!

Is there a local Facebook mums group you could post on - there will probably be a few families that would be happy to look after a pet snail.

I rehomed my friend’s giant African snail with the school I worked at. He/she/it was actually pretty cool and super easy to look after. I wouldn’t mind another.

how do you the recommended size of his living conditions?

I don't know how everyone has skipped over this.

Fucking brilliant 😂 👏 👏 👏

😂

Quick google reveals snails can’t leave their shells…..

😆😂🤣