Snails!

Kaizen

Chameleon Enthusiast
Just got my new shipment of snails! I expect eggs within 2 weeks!
 

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very cool
What type of snails are they?
Helix aspersa, but I think the nomenclature has changed as of late. Anyways, they’re still commonly called helix aspersa. I think I grabbed 50 for like 35$ on eBay. There are probably restrictions on importing wild snails from Greece, but when it comes to my chams, I usually just roll the dice, and if they show up, they show up.
 
Helix aspersa, but I think the nomenclature has changed as of late. Anyways, they’re still commonly called helix aspersa. I think I grabbed 50 for like 35$ on eBay. There are probably restrictions on importing wild snails from Greece, but when it comes to my chams, I usually just roll the dice, and if they show up, they show up.
I didn't know you can feed them snails? How many do u give them at a time?
 
I didn't know you can feed them snails? How many do u give them at a time?
I should add the caveat that concerns about disease and parasite transmission have been raised about snails. While very nutritious, careful keepers, me included, allow their snails to lay eggs, then tear those eggs separately, and feed the second generation to the chams. Generally one or two 1/4-3/8” snails/week.
 
Very interesting.
What species of chameleon are you feeding ?
Do you wait for the snails to mature before feeding?
Does a chameleon seriously have the bite force to crack the shell????
 
Very interesting.
What species of chameleon are you feeding ?
Do you wait for the snails to mature before feeding?
Does a chameleon seriously have the bite force to crack the shell????
The species is Helix aspersa (but I think that name is debunked now). I let the babies get big enough to actually handle (they’re super easy to squash when they’re tiny) and make a decent meal...say, about 1/2-3/4 inch. Yes the chams can crunch snails this size, but sometimes they just slip down the whole thing. The shell is just calcium carbonate and dissolved pretty quickly in digestive juices.
 
Very cool!
I was wondering how on earth they could pass an intact shell.
Do you have a link to where to buy, and snail care?
Always looking for a new food variety for our guys!
 
I get mine from eBay. Just search “helix aspersa.” Disclaimer: check that it’s legal to bring in snails in your area. I personally don’t really care, but it’s something to consider.

As for care:

room temp, well ventilated closed container. Day and night cycles. Several inches of substrate, feed lots of veggies and throw in a cuttlebone. Commercial big diets also work.
 
I get mine from eBay. Just search “helix aspersa.” Disclaimer: check that it’s legal to bring in snails in your area. I personally don’t really care, but it’s something to consider.

As for care:

room temp, well ventilated closed container. Day and night cycles. Several inches of substrate, feed lots of veggies and throw in a cuttlebone. Commercial big diets also work.

I find they do very well with minimal ventilation as well. Saves time misting
 
Interesting! You don’t find you get a bunch of mold?

None at all once the soil becomes rich in bioactivity. I don't even use springtails(they annoy snails). Some slower isopod species could work I bet if you wanted a CuC, but established soil seems to be all that's necessary
 
Yeah mine only have one tiny hole, about an inch or less with screen over it. Stays very humid and the snails seem to like it.
 
The ONE downside is if you let springtails get in(the tiny ones are fine, the bigger white ones I'm referring to) they will explode in numbers and crawl over every surface(lid and sides included)... you'll have a clean bin, but the snails tend to seal up more often when they're bothering them.
 
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