What is happiness? ..adding a new food group to a parsons menu- yay!

[Twitchet]

No point to this story lol- but I had to tell people that would understand such pleasures- I just got both the parsons to eat a de-shelled snail- left the male with his and when I returned 20 mins later it was gone-as he won't eat if you are near by- he's recently changed where he sleeps- so when it's feeding time he used to be in some leaves and I could feed with forceps and hide behind the leaves- now he's in a different less leafy place when he sleeps and so there's no cover for me when I feed him so he's not eaten a roach for a while which freaks me a little but is eating locusts,
the female is far more relaxed so feeding is easy and her appetite has always been excellent but lately she eats quickly and strikes quicker which is great- anyway both ate a snail each so I'm a very happy bunny today!
I'm guessing we all feel the same when they have eaten something-
that moment of waiting- will they? won't they? feeling and then the worry is over and they take the food. Phew.

 

[Action Jackson]

No point to this story lol- but I had to tell people that would understand such pleasures- I just got both the parsons to eat a de-shelled snail- left the male with his and when I returned 20 mins later it was gone-as he won't eat if you are near by- he's recently changed where he sleeps- so when it's feeding time he used to be in some leaves and I could feed with forceps and hide behind the leaves- now he's in a different less leafy place when he sleeps and so there's no cover for me when I feed him so he's not eaten a roach for a while which freaks me a little but is eating locusts,
the female is far more relaxed so feeding is easy and her appetite has always been excellent but lately she eats quickly and strikes quicker which is great- anyway both ate a snail each so I'm a very happy bunny today!
I'm guessing we all feel the same when they have eaten something-
that moment of waiting- will they? won't they? feeling and then the worry is over and they take the food. Phew.

Why deshell?

 

[Remkon]

@Twitchet good to see you got em to eat snails... I think the shell would provide some nice calcium tho!

Why deshell?

Dno if it's true but I've read the helix aspersa can have a pretty thick shell so it may not be 'safe' to eat.

I've been looking for snails for my cham's but could only buy them as 'escargots petit gris' (helix aspersa) for 25€/kilo, I'm not about to do that... I don't want a kilo of snails (~110 snails)
Besides they crawl outside here so I may just catch some early spring and breed them myself.

To further high jack this topic, anyone knows if it's okay to feed Cepaea nemoralis to yer cham?
It's a land snail that's also pretty common here, slightly smaller and softer shell compared to the helix.

 

[Twitchet]

Yes- I think the shell is a worthy ingredient to the meal but for a 'novice' snail feeder i felt more comfortable this time deshelling-
the image of a parsons clutching it's throat with a snail stuck or doing a Heimlich manoeuvre on one of them was too much at this stage
I have a snail eating anole and he's very adept at crushing up large snails but I'm taking the parsons easy! I'm plucking up the courage!
Looks like I might be snail farming Remko! I do agree with you about the shell being thick- I tested it with my fingers and there's a lot of shell there, so I'll check the Cepaea.

 

[Blang]

I use the adult snails for breeding and just feed the smaller ones to the chameleons, the shells can be crushed between your fingers! I haven't tried feeding them to my Parsons yet but eventually will! Mine are the escargot kind!

 

[Twitchet]

Thanks Blang, I can get petit Gris helix aspersa easily here, certainly the smaller ones I would definitely try and not be worried about, these I had for my anole so a larger she'll size, thought I'd give it a good and it worked, they seemed to appreciate the change in food, and it's always great to add a different type to their nutritional intake and also it caused some excitement..not sure that's a word that I would use when it comes to a parsons though..
A parsons version of excitement maybe.
Definitely added to the list now, Remko I will be in touch with you before I buy any, see how you are doing finding some.

 

[Miss Lily]

You are braver than me, lol! I couldn't imagine removing the shell from a snail, it sounds positively disgusting!

 

[Blang]

You are braver than me, lol! I couldn't imagine removing the shell from a snail, it sounds positively disgusting!

They are good boiled in salt water and you make garlic butter and pour it over the snails and eat! Very good!

 

[Miss Lily]

Nope. Definitely not. Not ever! Blah!

 

[jpowell86]

Glad you're expanding your menu...well done Tabitha!!