African land snails - what equipment is needed?

9 replies

schnapps · 03/07/2006 20:12

Hello

DD has been offered some baby snails, just wondering what equipment we'd need to buy for them. Tank? Anything else? What food do they need? I'm assuming they're pretty cheap to look after?

OP posts:

MrsBadger · 03/07/2006 20:27

as far as I know just a tank, some peat, a cuttlefish budgie thing and a lot of fresh veg!

Useful care sheets with more info here and here

snorkle · 03/07/2006 21:31

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snorkle · 03/07/2006 21:31

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bluebear · 03/07/2006 21:38

Tank, compost, cuttlefish and veggies (keep compost damp). However.......watch out for the BABIES! - after about a year they start laying eggs - hundreds of eggs - and then you have to find homes for all the baby snails.
(My nanny has finally rehoused the last of her snails - and we have just the one, but it is at egg laying age now - we are picking out the eggs and destroying them (when the kids can't see) as I couldn't kill a baby snail.

snorkle · 03/07/2006 21:42

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snorkle · 03/07/2006 21:43

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MrsBadger · 03/07/2006 21:43

easiest way to deal with the eggs is put them in the freezer for 24h, which stops them developing.

easier than squishing and more responsible than binning - you're not meant to release them into the wild

Original poster

schnapps · 03/07/2006 23:20

Thank you for all the replies
Yuk! to crushing eggs - would it be ok to have one snail on it's own, or do they get lonely?

OP posts:

CarolinaMoose · 03/07/2006 23:23

god, who'd have thought so many people keep snails as pets.

Are those the ones as big as your hand as featured on Come Outside?

Flip