'farming' garden snails- weird or not?

[BobbyBiscuits]

I've been 'farming' garden snails for eating for several years, but what do people think about this? Most of my immediate family think it's both cruel and gross. Others think they taste lovely, and don't see an issue.

I have a patio garden that gets infested with the wee feckers. They ate my new plant to a stick before in a day. Did beer traps etc but no avail.

I researched a great deal and found a method to use them to eat, and proceeded to do so.

Basically, I catch them, put about 12 in a big outdoor container with breathing holes, and put a carrot in to feed them. I clean their area out each day and then when it's time to eat them I withdraw the carrot till they make no stools. Then I can prepare them for cooking humanely by putting them to sleep first in the fridge.
I think it's a great way to get rid of garden pests and get protein.

Then I make lovely escargots.

Apart from the fact I already eat cows and other animals but not very often, aibu for doing this?

You can pretty much measure it by observation - snails will interact, pet giant land snails come to recognise owners and will respond to them in a way they won't to a stranger. They avoid pain or discomfort (in whatever way it is they sense that, doesn't mean it feels the same to them as it does us, they just know its unpleasant and to be avoided). They'll express preference over food and substrate (where all the options are not harmful, they still prefer one over another which leads us to assume they 'like' something more than another thing)...

Its a combination of things though, and some people believe it must require a centralised nervous system which gets a bit weird when Octopuses and Lobsters for example, have a complex but very different nervous system yet are quite obviously capable of learning, solving problems, expressing likes/dislikes (watch a captive lobster reject an item from his tank and try to yeet it out and decide other items are worth keeping and place them exactly where he wants them... Leon the Lobster on Youtube shows this)...

It doesn't necessarily mean they're great thinkers, pondering the meaning of life of course!

Love this and why not! I love snails. I’m a bit odd. So I’m sad for them but as I’m not vegan, that’s very hypocritical!

Ps there is a place in hell for anyone that thinks it’s ok to microwave any living creature - to the frankly evil PP. be ashamed of yourself

@WiddlinDiddlin Wow. That was my learn of the week; how weirdly fascinating!

BobbyBiscuits

I used to collect willocks (periwinkles) when I was younger. It's not much different, good for you, if you enjoy them!

That's interesting! I might give it a go, as I love escargots but have never had them in the UK.

I have Molluscophobia, so this is literally my worst nightmare. 😬😬

@BeethovenNinth how is it different to boiling a creature!? stop being so dramatic. Lobster and crab are boiled alive. Gross but there you go.

That’s also disgusting. There creatures do in fact feel pain.

microwaving anything live is absolutely horrid.

I wouldn’t boil nor microwave anything alive. I’m amazed anyone doesn’t find it abhorrent

@BeethovenNinth Killing of all animals for food or otherwise isn't nice. Have a read of this: https://thehumaneleague.org/article/animal-slaughter
Molluscs are the least of our problems.

@BeethovenNinth and for kosher and halal meat it's even worse...

Me too

And so what sticky - two heinous wrongs don’t make a right.

anyway I don’t to sidetrack from OP’s snail chat as it’s her thread. I just happen to think people who microwave any live creature have a personality disorder

Oh too late. Derail starts here 😀

Are there any common cases where live animals are intentionally microwaved alive ? Racking my brains and the only thing I could think of (thanks to this thread) is snails.

@SinnerBoy I've not heard of those! I though periwinkles were flowers? Haha.
Is it the same type method?

Yeah, whoever is talking about microwaving animals. 🤢
It's grim and I would never do that.
I do it in the most humane way possible, put them to sleep, sometimes freezer for a few mins, and in stock. After feeding and watering and caring for them.
of course I'm killing them?!
I'm not vegan else I wouldn't eat any animal.

Dh did this many yrs ago .they were delicious. Most folks found it all a bit much .

BobbyBiscuits

They are flowers, too, confusingly! We call them willocks in Newcastle, I realised as a kid that other people call them winkles and the proper name is periwinkles.

Not my cup of tea but then again, I am a veggie.
That said, can't see a problem with it although personally, I would rather eat the carrot! 🥕

I know exactly what the snails in my garden have eaten, they've decimated my lupins!

The little yellow and brown Roman snails you find in the south of England were brought over by the romans for just that reason.

Feed them clean food (oregano or other herbs are a good choice) & water for a week, before harvesting them and they are the original escargot. 😊