Does anyone use snails as a feeder?

[bluesox68]

I am curious on how they get fed to our chams? I don't love the idea of them roaming around so I was hoping I could find something like Nicks feeder cups but for snails? Any suggestion welcomed, Also what are the general thoughts of chameleons eating snails as a feeder?

 

[Virgil1972]

I have never fed snails but I would think you could just put them in a cup. Snails in the mail is a site sponsor but when I last checked they were out of snails.

 

[jamest0o0]

They can be fed, the tricky part is getting the snails in the first place. I would just hand feed

 

[bluesox68]

They can be fed, the tricky part is getting the snails in the first place. I would just hand feed

I've got the snails and i'm finally getting eggs now

 

[JacksJill]

I hand feed them. Snails can climb out of anything and will eat your plants.

Move your snail eggs into a clean container away from the adults so they don't pick up parasites after hatching.
Bon appetite.

 

[jamest0o0]

In that case, give me some snail eggs

 

[bluesox68]

I hand feed them. Snails can climb out of anything and will eat your plants.

Move your snail eggs into a clean container away from the adults so they don't pick up parasites after hatching.
Bon appetite.

Thanks and yup they are separated! I actually really enjoy the snails lol they are eating machines!

 

[Virgil1972]

I can never find snails outside only slugs.

 

[bluesox68]

In that case, give me some snail eggs

lol I would if you were local, you don't happen to be Canadian eh?

 

[jamest0o0]

I'll be whatever you want for some snail eggs

 

[Bush baby]

Snails are one of my 3 main feeders for my Jacksons. He loves them.

 

[bluesox68]

Snails are one of my 3 main feeders for my Jacksons. He loves them.

Cool, I've read they have great nutritional value.

 

[Digby Rigby]

Hello,

Its been a while since I posted. Snails are an excellent feeder. They are also a good source of calcium. I am referring to clean pathogen free snails as well as nontoxic species. The chameleons I have seen don't use any tongue action. They just go right up to them and pick them up and eat them.

 

[Bush baby]

Cool, I've read they have great nutritional value.

Sure are and they're easy to breed.

 

[Franquixote]

current sources? Can they be discussed here?
I have 2 dozen OTW and will try breeding but would like a source for feeders.
Also, seems to be legal issues selling across state lines- true or false? Anyone know if escargot for human consumption is excluded?
In any case they take about 2 years to get a regular breeding colony to produce enough for skimming feeders without cutting into principal so I hope other keepers will try and start colonies soon as there is currently little out there as far as I can see. I enjoy escargot and snail caviar is THE MOST expensive on the planet so hoping others will invest.

 

[Tortdad]

Snails... that's interesting. How can the Exoskeleton of a mealworm be too much but the shell of a snail be fine?

 

[Tortdad]

And where do I get some snails, lol

 

[ChamLB]

In California and Florida there are Brown Garden Snails, helix something, can be collected and isolated til they lay eggs. They might be in Texas. Remove the eggs to a clean container of organic soil to hatch. Feed them good gut load and feed them off.
I don't know how they digest the shell but they even to do it and get the calcium. If you give the snails a good calcium source then that goes to your chameleon.

 

[jamest0o0]

@Tortdad mealworm chitin isn't too much for Chams, as long as they are hydrated and healthy impaction isn't likely. They can still be difficult to pass if fed too many though. The reason we all tend to bash mealworms isn't because they'll kill our Chams, but because their nutritional value and gutloading ability is near non existent. It'd be like eating peanut shells. Fiber with little/No nutritional content isn't beneficial.

 

[jamest0o0]

Anyone know of decent sized snails local to PA?