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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think releasing a pet is cruel?

273 replies

SnailTrailtoFreedom · 23/07/2022 09:16

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?

OP posts:
CallOnMe · 23/07/2022 11:13

How long are you away for?

I’d just leave him with a load of food and water and he’ll be fine.
Things like cucumber are water based so he can get water from it too.

If the tanks big enough then you could put a potted lettuce in there as well and one of those upside down things that water it and then it should continue to grow as he’s eating it, if he’s not too greedy.

shortandpaleandoldandugly · 23/07/2022 11:14

The shell is part of the snail's body OP. It's not a hat it takes on and off... but I suspect you know this.

3WildOnes · 23/07/2022 11:14

BaggaChip · 23/07/2022 11:08

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

I presume she meant with his head out of the shell, not his whole body!

toomuchlaundry · 23/07/2022 11:15

Yes I assume she didn’t mean the snail puts the shell to one side when it goes to bed!

SpacePotato · 23/07/2022 11:19

I'm amazed at the people who think it won't be able to look after itself in the wild.

It's a bloody garden snail that knew what it was doing before the op 'rescued' it.

It won't starve. The little fuckers can find my dahlias from miles away.

heathspeedwell · 23/07/2022 11:19

Snails can live for quite a long time without food or water - they put slime on the entrance to their shell which dries into a papery layer which keeps them moist inside. They can tell when there's more moisture around and they re-emerge.

3WildOnes · 23/07/2022 11:20

I can't believe people are getting so worked up about this. I had a bug house as a child which was basically a giant fish tank that I fillet with all sorts of insects before later setting them free again.

ultraviolet4753 · 23/07/2022 11:20

Why are you even asking, just take him with you? The hotel won't care, it's not like he's a big dog.

Take him with you.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 23/07/2022 11:21

i dont think you should have given it a home in the first place

KarmaComma · 23/07/2022 11:22

Think you need to let us know where you live so an MNer can snail sit for you. (Not one of the ones who said "ffs it's just a snail).

WhenDovesFly · 23/07/2022 11:23

OP you do realise that all the millions of snails that live in the wild were once one of these micro sized snails, don't you? He would have been fine to release when you found him.

He'd probably survive fine if you released him. It's not like it's a dog that needs particular food. Snails hide in the undergrowth and eat any vegetation they come across, so he's not going to starve.

daisychain01 · 23/07/2022 11:26

You could always buy a load of colourful lupins from the garden centre and plant them in the garden then put Shelly underneath.

If its anything like my lupins, the little bugger will have enough food/moisture to feast on for the entire holiday and it'll be double the size by the time you come back home!

Somethingneedstochange · 23/07/2022 11:28

Snailsit😂😂😂

Original poster
SnailTrailtoFreedom · 23/07/2022 11:29

@MrsLargeEmbodied but I did, and I can't change that now.
@Bootothegoose said relative (a.k.a. DH) is coming with us. Although it has to be said, the week I was away with the DC earlier this year, he did eat a meal based on one veg he dislikes...because it's the snail's favourite!
@WhenDovesFly yes, but I assume they hatch into a relatively safe space that I wouldn't have a hope of re-creating. He was so little his shell was see-through 😍
@SpacePotato I rescued it from a lettuce I bought at the supermarket, so I'm not sure it did know what it was doing.

OP posts:
AngelfishDecay · 23/07/2022 11:30

The majority of people on this thread seem to have mental issues - it's just a fucking garden snail, for God's sake!

Somethingneedstochange · 23/07/2022 11:30

When I read the title I thought you ment something like a pet bird or rabbit.😂😂😂This has to be a joke.

Circlesandtriangles · 23/07/2022 11:34

@SpacePotato this 😂😂 Snails are very resourceful at eating all my flowers!

BeingATwatItsABingThing · 23/07/2022 11:34

I’m with you, OP. You can’t release him now.

Please tell us his name!

k1233 · 23/07/2022 11:36

I think it's very kind you've taken an animal most see as a pest and have looked after his needs and care what will happen to him when you're away. It's a wonderful thing to teach your children that all living things matter and have a place.

Floralnomad · 23/07/2022 11:36

@SnailTrailtoFreedom i can’t see where it says you have no garden so sorry if I’ve missed that , if not do you have no family with a garden , you only need a small patch of vegetation to put the cage on .

drinkingwineoutofamug · 23/07/2022 11:37

Where abouts are you @SnailTrailtoFreedom . I keep African land snails and would be happy to look after him for you.

Thekormachameleon · 23/07/2022 11:39

If you're anywhere near the West Midlands I'll look after him for you. I've kept snails before - they are fab 😍

YourUserNameMustBeAtLeast3Characters · 23/07/2022 11:39

How do you know he’s a he?

And as a pp asked - what’s his name? It’s hardly going to be outing when we already know you have a pet snail!

My 11 year old would also want to keep a snail-on-lettuce as a pet.

Emotionalsupportviper · 23/07/2022 11:39

You do know that garden snails can go into a suspended animation state when there are food shortages or very dry spells, don't you? They withdraw into their shells and attach themselves very firmly to a smooth surface to minimise moisture loss

This is how they survive dry spells and winter.

If you have a couple of edible plants in pots* put them into the tank with it, Also a bowl of water and somewhere shady to shelter underhand give the entire tank a good spray with water to make it nice and moist

*snails can eat practically anything - stick a carrot in or something.

Otherwise, put it in the garden (as long as this IS a garden snail, and not one of those giant things - NEVER release a non-indigenous species of ANYTHING - animal, plant, fish, bird) as they can wreak havoc on local flora and fauna.) Will it get eaten? Who knows, but it will stand a reasonable chance as its instinct will be to seek out dark, damp places to rest. It will probably have the time of its life, finding a mate and laying a million eggs

When I saw your topic I thought you were talking about a cat or a dog or a rabbit or something, which would have been incredibly cruel - but honestly - a garden snail will be fine.

BUT - what do you mean by "sleeps outside his shell"? Snails are attached to their shells - they can't come out.

willowbears · 23/07/2022 11:39

We've taken caterpillars with us when going away (UK) before. I don't see it would be a problem and no need to mention it to the hotel if you don't want to (can't see them minding in any case).

I wouldn't release it for this reason (holiday) or risk leaving at home. Though we use local pet sitters (for cat) and I can't imagine they'd charge much at all to pop in to check a snail a couple of times while you're away.