im thinking of breeding snails for my veiled, i fed him some wild ones outta desperationg coz he wouldnt eat anything else, he loved them
I asked this question a while back (
https://www.chameleonforums.com/snails-1666/): the general thinking around snails is that since they are commonly a vector for parasites, it was risky to use them as a feeder despite their potential nutritional value (being mainly calcium from their shells).
There is evidence that chameleons eat snails in the wild:
"Chameleons are largely insectivores. Analyses of their stomach contents and fresh droppings, as well as on-the-spot observations disclose that besides insects, vertebrates (frogs, birds and small mammals) and snails are consumed by some chameleons" (from 'The Chameleon Handbook' by Le Barre, Le Barre, Bartlett and Bartlett)
And a few sources recommend snails as feeder insects:
- The Kammers' website (
Chameleons Only: Feeding) says,
"Some chameleons like small snails but we recommend gut-loading the snails on fresh romaine and other produce for at least 48 hrs. before offering them to your animals. This allows the snail to clear it's gut content of any potentially harmful matter."
- In 'Breeding Food Animals' by Friederich and Volland, the authors state,
"the number [of animals] that accepts snails is comparatively modest", but that
"chameleons like snails as supplemental food".
The same Friederich and Volland book goes on to say however, that
"A single-celled organism from the order of Coccidida, Klossia helicana, sometimes occurs in the epithelium of the kidneys of the snails. This parasite is harmless to the snails and of no consequence to vivarium animals".
Now I don't know anything about Klossia organisms, but the fact they they are in the same order as other Coccidia worries me a bit. Does anyone know whether what the authors state (about Klossia helicana being safe to the animals) is true?
Either way, since I was initially warned off snails, I've never actually tried using them.
However, since I keep coming across literature that says chams enjoy them, and because the Friederich and Volland book provides quite a lot of detail on how to keep and breed snails, I might just give it a go in the summer. I'd feel safer feeding off snails that came from my own CB environment, rather than WC ones straight from the garden.
