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The Snail Lover's Society

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  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    I'm in the middle of setting up a new GALS palace since he's outgrown the current bug box he's been living in. It's not an ideal size long-term but should give him some room to run around for a while until I can get hold of a wider one. I'm not sure about the plant pot as a house as it might scratch his shell so I'll probably change it for a plastic one or some drain pipe instead.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    Looks very up market @wild edges - hope young GAL can afford the rent  :D

    I use terracotta pots for mine and haven't had any problems.  The pots are big enough for them to creep into and lay on the bottom for a sleep without touching top or sides. They also often use them to "sit" on the top whilst they survey their estate ( and to check what food is worth their energy to slither down and consume ). Mine are older than yours tho and as youngsters, they had old log shelters .

    @Lyn uses half coconut shells which I'm going to try when I next buy a Coconut.  They looked very comfy and each snail "parked" in it's own little garage.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    I've been meaning to buy a coconut for ages and keep forgetting :# 
    I saw this tank for a good price on Gumtree locally so snapped it up. Apparently tank prices have almost doubled since Brexit and the pandemic so there's no way I'm buying a new one anymore.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    It's nice being able to watch the snail doing snail stuff now. He spends all day sleeping right at the top of the tank then wakes up at 7:30pm, wanders around the glass sucking up all the water droplets then slowly descends to examine the contents of his food bowl. I found him submerged in food last night happily munching a basil leaf. Basil and lemon balm seem firm favourites at the moment but I gave him a rehydrated mealworm from the bird food last night and he spent ages munching that. I had to break it up a bit for him to get a good grip on it.
    You can see him sleeping right at the top in this photo. I guess he feels safer up off the ground. I found my old coconut house but he's not interested in it.
    In other snail news, the kids bought me this snail pot-hanger for fathers' day. The jute planter was last year's gift so I've put them together. I grew the plant from leaves that one of the kids pruned off another plant. I was annoyed at the time but it's a good reminder to take things slowly and look on the bright side of everything (and to keep plants out of reach of toddlers).


    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I wouldn’t use clay pots,  they do sometimes fall off the roof,  the shells crack easily and that’s a long way to fall.   Have you got a dish of water for him,  I use a small plastic lid from a jar.
    He will go in the coconut shell if there’s nothing else. 
    I think mine are fully grown now they have a 7” footplate.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    I've changed the pot for the coconut now and tucked it somewhere that he can't fall on it. The roof is metal mesh ao I hope he'll avoid that and stay on the sides. I had to make the coconut door bigger as it was originally made for a small lizard. There's a dish of water in there but I haven't seen him use it yet but I mist the tank when I mist my air plants so he's getting a lot of water from that I think.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    We don’t know what they get up to when we’ve gone to bed,  they are all safely tucked up by the morning,  judging by the compost that’s all over the walls of their container, I think they must party every night. 
    You could try putting him in coconut shell,  they seem to get the hang of things. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Add banana to the list of favourite foods.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Interesting,  they should have a varied diet but mine seem to only like cucumber and very fussy about lettuce,  Romaine at the moment, what’s the betting that mow I’ve grown it in the green house, they’ll go off it.  They don’t like tomatoes but the other one I had would eat them and spit the pips out, which was funny to watch. 
    Philippa’s are enjoying her French been leaves at the moment,  they don't seem to want to eat every day.  
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    I've reverted to a large plastic box with a lid ( air holes drilled in it ) as I thought they were outgrowing the glass tank I'd got for them.  Longer and wider but not as high so no risk of them falling.  Everything sprayed every day so they slither around quite happily. 
    Whereas before, they seemed more active overnight, I've noticed recently that they are more active and eating during the early hours and often still scoffing away when we get up and so join us for breakfast.
    Still no interest in the cucumbers - not even home grown - bean leaves are the favourite at present.  They didn't like the Basil at all but today they have eaten a Pak choi leaf.  Sods Law of course as the plants are now flowering so leaves minimal. They've got Radichio today ( also coming into flower ) - wonder if they will remember that was their favourite leaf !!
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