Any Emphysetes udzungbensis keepers?

[strangemouse]

Hi all,

I have just given in and ordered some Emphysetes udzungbensis slugs. Just wondering if anyone here already has them and how they are finding them to keep. I have pancake and velvet slugs already and am excited to get another slug species - there are not enough around compared to snails!

Thanks

Victoria

[strangemouse]

Someone else must have them? Well here are quick photos of my new acquisitions. They spending a lot of time on the top of their box so I think they would prefer a taller one which I have ordered. I suppose this makes sense if they are a forest species.

Note the prominent keel.



This one is very pale.



At first glance when they arrived I thought this one was dead and mouldy, it is a very bright yellowish colour.



Does any one have other species of tropical slugs? I am very keen to acquire more species.

[AlienSnail]

Wow they're a lovely species I love the raised keel, rather unusual. Makes them look like a folded leaf.

I don't think very many of us keep slugs on here for some reason, though of course I cannot speak for everyone, it's just that I don't think many of us do. You could try asking Kevin if he has some?

If you don't get people answering your queries it's not because we're ignoring you!

[stixandsnailsyork]

Hi Victoria

I have pancake slugs they were from you but have never seen these so sorry i can't help you.

They are lovely slugs though if slugs can be lovely lol.

Looking forward to receiving my flemmea from you, my first egg hatched the other day but i can't find the baby. x

[fabrizio]

Hello Victoria,

I heard different reports about this very interesting species, -I would try them, too!- it seems they often are unwilling to eat anything... Please keep on, if the case, and try any possible food, algae, mushrooms, flakes fish or even animal food, if they wouldn't accept others.

Please note, that most "slugs" (belonging to deeply different families, these ones are in Urocyclidae), can have a penchant for animal food, meat, cat pellets, fish... livefood, sometimes, as earthworms; or even other snails/slugs of different species.


-Provided that, they seem to be quite prolific, too!

-Are you noticing any food preference?

-My best wishes, for wonderful results with this so unusual and fascinating species!

[strangemouse]

It's a bit early to tell any food preferences yet but they seem to be eating the sweet potato and marrow I have given them so far, have yet to try them on anything else.

I am a bit worried about the yellow one though, not being very active. The other two seem lively.

Fingers crossed they do well and breed, it's always a worry for me spending out on new species in case they do not thrive, but I guess nothing ventured nothing gained.

Will keep you all updated.

[fabrizio]

I will be eager to know about their further acclimatization and well doing, Victoria!

Please care after the inactive specimen... try some of the said different foods with it, even meat pourea (the one for babies), and try to understand if they like it cooler/warmer/humid and so on...

(btw, I joined to your facebook page and make a comment on a velvet slug... some more pictures of these would be beautiful on your album)

[strangemouse]

Well despite my efforts with different temperatures/humidity/food etc. the quiet one died

However I have had babies! At first I wondered if they were natives who came in with the substrate but now they have grown a little they definitely look like miniature Emphysetes udzungbensis although they are currently all green coloured. They seem to be growing fairly fast.

They seem to like dry dog food more than the fresh vegetables I give. I was worried that being a mountain species (they are from the Udzungwa Mountains in Tanzania) my shed may be to warm for them, but looking at climate data from the area low 20s seems about right.

Will try and get some photos soon, and keep updated.

[AlienSnail]

Thanks for the update. That's sad news about your slug, but great news that you have babies in there. Hopefully they will thrive
Good luck with them.

[strangemouse]

Hmm, the more they are growing, the more I think I may have some native interlopers! Although how I missed a whole batch of eggs in the substrate I don't know. I won't chuck them to the skink or chickens just yet though.

Suspiciously like Limax flavus. What do you all think?

[Kevin]

I agree, they look like Limax flavus to me.

[strangemouse]

What a shame. Although I was sceptical from the beginning, since from experience when things are too good to be true they usually are! At least it is a lesson to freeze the substrate first if I want to avoid contamination with native species.

[strangemouse]

Well my last Emphysetes udzungbensis has died so I guess that is the end of that. Quite down-hearted, I know that is the risk with newly introduced species but still it is a blow. Lost quite a few big snails too recently so worried it may be a problem with the shed temperature or a batch of contaminated veg. Will have to investigate, and maybe try again with this species next Spring.

[AlienSnail]

Oh no you've had a run of bad luck! That's such a shame. It's horrible when you don't know the cause too. I hope you get to the bottom of what the problem was.