Raising snails - learning experience
- Thread starter snitz427
- Start date
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
I'm still working it all out, myself. No expert, just sharing my learning experiences / trials. I am going to move them over to my bug rack where it's just a litttttttttttle bit warmer. I only spray a few times a week... maybe 2-3x. They seem active for the most part.
My little food serving platter was a nice thought, but doesn't work well. The snails just drag the food and knock it off into the dirt, anyway, so I'll probably either remove it entirely, or add a large plastic lid and ground level. It's not so much to keep the food clean, as it is to make it easier for me to remove the old stuff.
GoodKarma19
Chameleon Enthusiast
Snails are my next project once I get some roaches up and running. Eagerly reading along! Thanks for sharing your experiences. 
Rst_Cham
Chameleon Enthusiast
YES!!!
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
Rst_Cham
Chameleon Enthusiast
OK, I just resetup my snail habitat. I moved them into a bigger terrarium with about 5-6" damp organic soil/coco coir substrate, added dried leaf litter on top plus climbing branches and a cork bark hide, a cuttle bone and some greens. Misting with a pressure mister.
I think I had them too cold because they were hibernating. Waking them now. I have the whole enclosure on a heat mat now, hooked to a thermostat set to 73. Hope this works better!
I think I had them too cold because they were hibernating. Waking them now. I have the whole enclosure on a heat mat now, hooked to a thermostat set to 73. Hope this works better!
GoodKarma19
Chameleon Enthusiast
I want to make a cute snail habitat, now!
I wonder if I could make an aesthetically appealing roach enclosure, too... man, this hobby is doing strange things to me haha!
I wonder if I could make an aesthetically appealing roach enclosure, too...
man, this hobby is doing strange things to me haha!
Rst_Cham
Chameleon Enthusiast
I want to make a cute snail habitat, now!
I wonder if I could make an aesthetically appealing roach enclosure, too...
They're super cute. They're awake now and cruising around their new place. They definitely like the climbing branches. Thermostat is keeping it nice and warm and it's really humid in there too. I hope it doesn't get funky!
snitz427
Chameleon Enthusiast
I moved mine closer to the crickets to get temps closer to 75. I didnt read the current temps but they’re much more active. They get slightly more light here, too. Maybe I’ll find them a little branch... they aren’t interested in the cork but seem to like the little plastic nursery pots.
Rst_Cham
Chameleon Enthusiast
I have four adults. Three came out of hibernation yesterday just fine and were cruising around their new habitat this morning. But one is definitely alive but not wanting to move around. It's warm, it's humid, not sure what to do now to get him going. I gave them all warm baths yesterday to wake them up. I even bumped their thermostat up to 75. Any ideas?
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
I want to make a cute snail habitat, now!
I wonder if I could make an aesthetically appealing roach enclosure, too...
Could probably make a cool snail habitat, but obviously any plants or moss will get murdered lol. They're also messy like no other. Springtails love snail enclosures though, but unfortunately they stress the snails.
Roach enclosures you could for sure do, most roaches will nibble more or less at most plants. Gyna species tend to be arboreal and come out often, plus they are very colorful! I have thought of adding a small colony to a very large enclosure for a cham. Occasional cham snack, but hopefully enough hiding spots that they can reproduce and add life to the viv.
GoodKarma19
Chameleon Enthusiast
Annnd I went and fell in love with Chrome roaches (gyna caffrorum) immediately, haha! They're very pretty... I could stand to make a little bio viv just for them! ... I'm going to end up with way too many enclosures, arent I?
I bet I could make something interesting for the snails, even if I couldn't make it permanently green! Maybe install some little planter ledges to rotate nutritious plants in or something. Hmm!
Rst_Cham
Chameleon Enthusiast
Agree! I had a tall terrarium for my giant cave roaches, like an exoterra with front opening doors, and corkbark panels along back plus some plants in foreground. They LOVED climbing up the corkbark. I really liked them though my friends and family thought I was really weird having them in my living room like pets. LOL
jamest0o0
Chameleon Enthusiast
Annnd I went and fell in love with Chrome roaches (gyna caffrorum) immediately, haha! They're very pretty... I could stand to make a little bio viv just for them! ... I'm going to end up with way too many enclosures, arent I?
I bet I could make something interesting for the snails, even if I couldn't make it permanently green! Maybe install some little planter ledges to rotate nutritious plants in or something. Hmm!
Could make like snail houses out of something lol. Chrome roaches are awesome, I have a bunch, they're hardy and colorful. I'd imagine they'd do less damage to plants compared to something like hissers.
GoodKarma19
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hahah oh noooo! I could totally make little snail houses! Like a fairy garden, but for snails.
I'm not sure where I'd be able to get the more extravagant roach species in Canada, though... that might be tough.
oh well! Orange heads aren't so bad. I can probably still make them something nice!
JoXie411
Chameleon Enthusiast
I was just add the dollar store trying to build a “snail” house lol I still haven’t had any eggs from my snails yetHahah oh noooo! I could totally make little snail houses! Like a fairy garden, but for snails.
I'm not sure where I'd be able to get the more extravagant roach species in Canada, though... that might be tough.
Franquixote
Established Member
I have had them go from eggs to breeding new snails and laying eggs in 4 months.
plastic tuppware 40L, just vented w/ screen substrate coco coir, misted one a day and fed roach food, cuttle bones, veggies.
IME they need nothing else, thrive on neglect- just maybe put springtails in there to eat their poop.
Went from 6 eggs to 600 snails in like 7 moths.
Has to be the springtails. I gave away my colony because they just don't stop- be sue not to release them!!
They move fast, don't clean outside!
plastic tuppware 40L, just vented w/ screen substrate coco coir, misted one a day and fed roach food, cuttle bones, veggies.
IME they need nothing else, thrive on neglect- just maybe put springtails in there to eat their poop.
Went from 6 eggs to 600 snails in like 7 moths.
Has to be the springtails. I gave away my colony because they just don't stop- be sue not to release them!!
They move fast, don't clean outside!
Rst_Cham
Chameleon Enthusiast
What kind of Roach food did you feed them? Thanks!
