Post by AlienSnail on Sept 4, 2010 22:47:55 GMT
What type of tank should I choose?
There are several options in housing, and each with their own benefits.
Glass Tanks and Vivariums: - These provide excellent visibility and transfer heat well from a heat mat. Although costly to buy new they can be purchased cheaply from free-ad papers such as AdMag, or you can pick them up for free from your local FreeCycle, a group run by Yahoo, though you may have to wait for one to turn up.
Many aquarium tanks come with light fitted into the lids, which can be an added bonus to the looks of you set-up, but it’s important to ensure the snails cannot reach the light itself.
With vivariums some come with variable ventilation options.
They are of-course heavy to lift, making it more awkward to thoroughly wash out, but I find that regular wash-outs are not required, and scooping the soil out followed by a thorough wipe with warm water is good for a thorough clean.
To make your own Vivarium here’s an excellent example, courtesy of Manxminx: supersnails.proboards76.com/index....read=1191691642
Be cautious though if choosing a wooden based vivarium, as your tank will be humid, and your wood may warp/split/let water through.
Plastic pet tanks: -
These are smaller than most glass tanks, but easier to lift.
On the down side they scratch easily and don’t transfer heat well from the heat mat.
Plastic storage tubs.
It’s hard to find one with good visibility, but they are cheap, often large, lightweight, and easy to drill into should you need to. They are also stackable so very useful if you intend keeping many species.
When choosing a tank please be aware that the tiny babies will grow large, and although snails do not need to run around they are healthier and grow larger with plenty of room. You will also have the added bonus of having space to provide your snails with accessories.
What accessories do snails need?
The main rules are that they should be free from chemicals, should not be sharp, and should be robust enough to not be bulldozed around the tank and tipped over by the snails.
Hides
Although your snail will survive without one, their natural instinct is to crawl into somewhere dark and enclosed to rest. Some don't use their hides, but many do and they should have that option.
Snails appreciate a dark place to hide in when they want to sleep. The choice is endless, there’s plenty of wonderful decorative hides to be found in reptile and aquarium shops, but if you want a cheaper option half a plant pot is great.
What else could I put in there?
Water Dish
Many snails also benefit from having a water dish. Some will sit in their water for ages, others prefer to regularly dip their heads. Again reptile shops stock lovely ones catering for variable depths, and are aesthetically pleasing. A terracotta dish does the job just as well though.
Please bare in mind that providing water is not essential as they will get their moisture from the damp substrate, the humidity in the air, and the food they eat, so it may be wise to not have water with very small snails, in case they drown.
Branches
Many keepers provide branches for their snails, as snails generally like to climb, and it makes for a more natural environment for the snails.
Fake -
There is an array of realistic fake branches to be found from reptile stores, including online and ebay stores. Some are even bendable so that you can position it as you choose.
Natural -
It’s worth taking precautions against pests when introducing branches into the tank. Branches can be sterilised at 100 degrees C in the oven.
Thick oak, elderberry and beech tree branches are good to use.
Plants
Many keepers furnish their set-ups with artificial and real plants. Make sure any real plants are none-toxic for the snails, and can survive in the low light levels, heat and type of substrate within your tank.
What substrate should I use?
The main rule is it must be free from chemicals.
There is a variety of substrate, which can be used.
Coir
One of the most popular is Coir, which comes in dehydrated blocks. This is economical in storage space and once water has been added it expands to make a sizeable amount.
One advantage of coir is that it is none-acidic, and therefore does not erode the shell.
Coir is made out of coconut fibres, but looks and feels like soil, making a natural and safe substrate to use. www.fertilefibre.co.uk is a tried, tested, competitively priced and popular choice for buting coir blocks.
Organic soil, found at most garden centres.
This is perhaps one of the most natural substrates I can think of.
One advantage is that it is likely to already have a good balance of helpful bacteria and enzymes, which the snails utilise, for digestion and possibly their immune system.
Coir matting.
Coir in a mat form. This has an advantage of being easy to lift out and wash. It will also discourage egg laying if eggs are not desired.
But snails often want to burrow, and cannot do so on a coir mat.
How often should I clean out the tank, and how?
The most important rules are not to use chemicals, and to wash your hands, especially after handling wild-caught snails.
Snails are extremely sensitive to chemicals, so chemical spray cleaners are out of the question.
If you must sterilise your tank then simply near-boiling water does for plastic. This is likely to break glass, so Milton baby bottle sterilising tablets may be used. These are also safe for fish. Though to be sure please rinse out thoroughly.
Generally speaking, a routine of: -
Daily removal of much of the old food and detritus (poo) (leave a bit in)
Every few days – wipe the sides of the tank with a damp cloth
When necessary change part or all of the soil if it is getting too dirty.
It is important to not keep the snails fastidiously clean, as this will upset the balance of bacteria utilised by the snails to digest their food. This can make the snails ill.
You may wish to invest in a little eco-system. Common woodlice detritus and spoiled food, thus keeping the tank cleaner and helping to prevent the growth of mould and harmful bacteria, whilst still maintaining the good bacteria balance.
Tropical woodlice can be purchased.
How warm should I keep my snails?[/size]
A range of between 18-30 °C (64-86 °F), preferably between 21-26 °C. This is comfortable room temperature, but unless your room is consistently within this range, day and night, all year, it is worth buying a heatmat. Achatina achatina (Tiger) snails thrive at higher temperatures of up to 28-32°C.
Achatina and Archachatina snails cannot tolerate cold temperatures and will die if left to go near freezing.
Snails are cold-blooded, meaning they cannot generate their own body heat. They require the correct temperature to provide their bodies with energy to move and to digest food. Eggs are especially sensitive to heat variations and may die quickly if left to go cold.
The easiest way to provide extra heat is to use a heatmat. These do vary in cost, but I have found cheaper new ones on eBay, which are excellent. (Please be cautious if buying second-hand or used electrical equipment as you will not know it’s history, or may not detect any damage to it, thus can be a fire risk).
Positioning of the heatmat
It is wise to place your heatmat on the side of the tank, as snail burrow into soil and may therefore over-heat if the mat is on the bottom.
Placing your mat so there is a warm side and cooler side gives the snails to regulate their own temperature by moving to most comfortable part of the tank
With plastic tanks you may find that the heat hardly goes through, it may be necessary to drill homes in the side to let the heat in, or even to place your mat inside the tank.
A good way to gauge the heat level is by the behaviour of the snails. If they huddle near the heatmat is may be worth turning up the heat.
Likewise if they congregate on the opposite side it may be too high.
What about humidity?
The substrate should be damp but not soggy. Heat and ventilation control humidity.
A good way to gauge the level of humidity is by the behaviour of the snails. If they burrow a lot it may not be humid enough. If they are active and thriving then you have probably got it right.
Humidity gauges can be purchased, a range of 80-90% rH (relative humidity) is generally good.
If your humidity is too low it may be worth covering some of the ventilation with bubble-wrap or cling-film
Likewise if water is pooling and dripping from the top it is worth adjusting the covering, or drilling holes in the lid.
What are those little critters in my tank, and are they harmful?
Some commonly found and harmless little creatures include little black fruit flies and fungus gnats (sciarid flies). These are roughly 2mm long and are poor fliers. They readily breed and lay eggs in warm moist soil, and feed from fruit and vegetables, so a snail tank is ideal for them. They will not harm the snails, though they sciarid fly larvae can eat young seedlings.
You may find VERY tiny grey-black creatures, roughly 1mm and slim, they may jump and crawl around old food, or anywhere else for that matter. These are likely to be springtails, which are actually useful to have, as they help to clear waste in the soil, including snail poo!
Small white or pale mites, round, slow moving, found on the snail, especially around the body near to the shell - these are likely to be parasitic snail-mites and can harm the snail. At best they are irritating and at their worst can kill the snail, or weaken it to a degree where it simply doesn't have the energy to eat. These suck the blood of the snail, and the young are particularly vulnerable to them.
If you find any of these your first step is to wash / bathe each snail, preferably in gently running warm water, wash all ornaments / tank equipment, the tank itself, and completely change the substrate.
Next purchase some Hypoaspis Miles predatory mites, this is easily done on-line, and use them straight away. This will often clear the problem, but you will need to keep checking for a while, and a second application may be necessary.
Useful link to several websites selling Hypoaspis Miles, generally sold as Sciarid Fly control........
supersnails.proboards76.com/index.cgi?board=links&action=display&thread=1054
What species can/can't live together?
If you would like to keep a communal tank there are some things to bare in mind.
Choose snails which require similar conditions
Choose snails who's size difference are not too great that one may accidently damage the other (I've not seen snails crush each other, but they DO hang off each other. When you have a little snail stuck to the lid and a large snail hanging off it this can damage the matle of the little snail, causing a tear, the snail may come partially away from it's shell which can be fatal)
Make sure each species is not negatively affected by living with others Some species like to live only with their own klind. These include Limicolia falmmea and Megalobulimus species.
Make sure one species isn't predetary. That may sound a little odd, but some species do have a taste for the flesh of other kinds of snails. One such species is Achatina Immaculata ssp Panthera
So which species can be kept together?
Through collective experience it would appear that several species do thrive when kept with other compatable species.
These include
Achatin Achatina (Tiger snails)
Achatina Fulica (and all it's colour variations)
Achatina Reticulata (though sometimes they won't breed when kept with others)
Archachatina Marginata (in all it's variations)
Archachatina 'Lagos'
Caracolus Marginella
This is not a complete list...
Can I put any other type of animal in with my snails?
There aren't many pets that can be kept with them, but woodlice, worms and springtails are commonly kept in the tank. These actually benefit from each other as these creatures will eat spoiled food and even snail poo! They don't appear to have any adverse effects on the snails at all. With the springtails though I do find that their numbers explode very quickly, but are harmless and do not escape the tanks.
Is it cruel to keep just one snail?
Oooh wouldn't you just love to be able to ask a snail if it's lonely?
No-one knows (as far as I'm aware).
A snail on it's own does not appear to pine for company, neither is it's lifespan or health affected as far as we can tell. It may be that if it doesn't mate and lay eggs it will not suffer any fatigue that this can sometimes cause a snail.
However, when you watch snails interact they appear to respond positively to the touch of another snail, coming out of their shells further, investigating each other, 'sleeping' in huddles, I have even known a few of my snails to pair off and were very often seen specifically together, even with many other snails around. Snails do react to other snails in their environment, I suspect by chemical signal but don't quote me on that! It sometimes seems that sleepy snails are awoken by active snails around them, and if you've ever seen one snail in the mood for mating you do notice that others respond the same way...
It could be said that snails kept together would be able to behave more fully.
But are they happier with company? Well there's no evidence to suggest that a snail can feel any kind of emotion, so I really wouldn't know.......
There are several options in housing, and each with their own benefits.
Glass Tanks and Vivariums: - These provide excellent visibility and transfer heat well from a heat mat. Although costly to buy new they can be purchased cheaply from free-ad papers such as AdMag, or you can pick them up for free from your local FreeCycle, a group run by Yahoo, though you may have to wait for one to turn up.
Many aquarium tanks come with light fitted into the lids, which can be an added bonus to the looks of you set-up, but it’s important to ensure the snails cannot reach the light itself.
With vivariums some come with variable ventilation options.
They are of-course heavy to lift, making it more awkward to thoroughly wash out, but I find that regular wash-outs are not required, and scooping the soil out followed by a thorough wipe with warm water is good for a thorough clean.
To make your own Vivarium here’s an excellent example, courtesy of Manxminx: supersnails.proboards76.com/index....read=1191691642
Be cautious though if choosing a wooden based vivarium, as your tank will be humid, and your wood may warp/split/let water through.
Plastic pet tanks: -
These are smaller than most glass tanks, but easier to lift.
On the down side they scratch easily and don’t transfer heat well from the heat mat.
Plastic storage tubs.
It’s hard to find one with good visibility, but they are cheap, often large, lightweight, and easy to drill into should you need to. They are also stackable so very useful if you intend keeping many species.
When choosing a tank please be aware that the tiny babies will grow large, and although snails do not need to run around they are healthier and grow larger with plenty of room. You will also have the added bonus of having space to provide your snails with accessories.
What accessories do snails need?
The main rules are that they should be free from chemicals, should not be sharp, and should be robust enough to not be bulldozed around the tank and tipped over by the snails.
Hides
Although your snail will survive without one, their natural instinct is to crawl into somewhere dark and enclosed to rest. Some don't use their hides, but many do and they should have that option.
Snails appreciate a dark place to hide in when they want to sleep. The choice is endless, there’s plenty of wonderful decorative hides to be found in reptile and aquarium shops, but if you want a cheaper option half a plant pot is great.
What else could I put in there?
Water Dish
Many snails also benefit from having a water dish. Some will sit in their water for ages, others prefer to regularly dip their heads. Again reptile shops stock lovely ones catering for variable depths, and are aesthetically pleasing. A terracotta dish does the job just as well though.
Please bare in mind that providing water is not essential as they will get their moisture from the damp substrate, the humidity in the air, and the food they eat, so it may be wise to not have water with very small snails, in case they drown.
Branches
Many keepers provide branches for their snails, as snails generally like to climb, and it makes for a more natural environment for the snails.
Fake -
There is an array of realistic fake branches to be found from reptile stores, including online and ebay stores. Some are even bendable so that you can position it as you choose.
Natural -
It’s worth taking precautions against pests when introducing branches into the tank. Branches can be sterilised at 100 degrees C in the oven.
Thick oak, elderberry and beech tree branches are good to use.
Plants
Many keepers furnish their set-ups with artificial and real plants. Make sure any real plants are none-toxic for the snails, and can survive in the low light levels, heat and type of substrate within your tank.
What substrate should I use?
The main rule is it must be free from chemicals.
There is a variety of substrate, which can be used.
Coir
One of the most popular is Coir, which comes in dehydrated blocks. This is economical in storage space and once water has been added it expands to make a sizeable amount.
One advantage of coir is that it is none-acidic, and therefore does not erode the shell.
Coir is made out of coconut fibres, but looks and feels like soil, making a natural and safe substrate to use. www.fertilefibre.co.uk is a tried, tested, competitively priced and popular choice for buting coir blocks.
Organic soil, found at most garden centres.
This is perhaps one of the most natural substrates I can think of.
One advantage is that it is likely to already have a good balance of helpful bacteria and enzymes, which the snails utilise, for digestion and possibly their immune system.
Coir matting.
Coir in a mat form. This has an advantage of being easy to lift out and wash. It will also discourage egg laying if eggs are not desired.
But snails often want to burrow, and cannot do so on a coir mat.
How often should I clean out the tank, and how?
The most important rules are not to use chemicals, and to wash your hands, especially after handling wild-caught snails.
Snails are extremely sensitive to chemicals, so chemical spray cleaners are out of the question.
If you must sterilise your tank then simply near-boiling water does for plastic. This is likely to break glass, so Milton baby bottle sterilising tablets may be used. These are also safe for fish. Though to be sure please rinse out thoroughly.
Generally speaking, a routine of: -
Daily removal of much of the old food and detritus (poo) (leave a bit in)
Every few days – wipe the sides of the tank with a damp cloth
When necessary change part or all of the soil if it is getting too dirty.
It is important to not keep the snails fastidiously clean, as this will upset the balance of bacteria utilised by the snails to digest their food. This can make the snails ill.
You may wish to invest in a little eco-system. Common woodlice detritus and spoiled food, thus keeping the tank cleaner and helping to prevent the growth of mould and harmful bacteria, whilst still maintaining the good bacteria balance.
Tropical woodlice can be purchased.
How warm should I keep my snails?[/size]
A range of between 18-30 °C (64-86 °F), preferably between 21-26 °C. This is comfortable room temperature, but unless your room is consistently within this range, day and night, all year, it is worth buying a heatmat. Achatina achatina (Tiger) snails thrive at higher temperatures of up to 28-32°C.
Achatina and Archachatina snails cannot tolerate cold temperatures and will die if left to go near freezing.
Snails are cold-blooded, meaning they cannot generate their own body heat. They require the correct temperature to provide their bodies with energy to move and to digest food. Eggs are especially sensitive to heat variations and may die quickly if left to go cold.
The easiest way to provide extra heat is to use a heatmat. These do vary in cost, but I have found cheaper new ones on eBay, which are excellent. (Please be cautious if buying second-hand or used electrical equipment as you will not know it’s history, or may not detect any damage to it, thus can be a fire risk).
Positioning of the heatmat
It is wise to place your heatmat on the side of the tank, as snail burrow into soil and may therefore over-heat if the mat is on the bottom.
Placing your mat so there is a warm side and cooler side gives the snails to regulate their own temperature by moving to most comfortable part of the tank
With plastic tanks you may find that the heat hardly goes through, it may be necessary to drill homes in the side to let the heat in, or even to place your mat inside the tank.
A good way to gauge the heat level is by the behaviour of the snails. If they huddle near the heatmat is may be worth turning up the heat.
Likewise if they congregate on the opposite side it may be too high.
What about humidity?
The substrate should be damp but not soggy. Heat and ventilation control humidity.
A good way to gauge the level of humidity is by the behaviour of the snails. If they burrow a lot it may not be humid enough. If they are active and thriving then you have probably got it right.
Humidity gauges can be purchased, a range of 80-90% rH (relative humidity) is generally good.
If your humidity is too low it may be worth covering some of the ventilation with bubble-wrap or cling-film
Likewise if water is pooling and dripping from the top it is worth adjusting the covering, or drilling holes in the lid.
What are those little critters in my tank, and are they harmful?
Some commonly found and harmless little creatures include little black fruit flies and fungus gnats (sciarid flies). These are roughly 2mm long and are poor fliers. They readily breed and lay eggs in warm moist soil, and feed from fruit and vegetables, so a snail tank is ideal for them. They will not harm the snails, though they sciarid fly larvae can eat young seedlings.
You may find VERY tiny grey-black creatures, roughly 1mm and slim, they may jump and crawl around old food, or anywhere else for that matter. These are likely to be springtails, which are actually useful to have, as they help to clear waste in the soil, including snail poo!
Small white or pale mites, round, slow moving, found on the snail, especially around the body near to the shell - these are likely to be parasitic snail-mites and can harm the snail. At best they are irritating and at their worst can kill the snail, or weaken it to a degree where it simply doesn't have the energy to eat. These suck the blood of the snail, and the young are particularly vulnerable to them.
If you find any of these your first step is to wash / bathe each snail, preferably in gently running warm water, wash all ornaments / tank equipment, the tank itself, and completely change the substrate.
Next purchase some Hypoaspis Miles predatory mites, this is easily done on-line, and use them straight away. This will often clear the problem, but you will need to keep checking for a while, and a second application may be necessary.
Useful link to several websites selling Hypoaspis Miles, generally sold as Sciarid Fly control........
supersnails.proboards76.com/index.cgi?board=links&action=display&thread=1054
What species can/can't live together?
If you would like to keep a communal tank there are some things to bare in mind.
Choose snails which require similar conditions
Choose snails who's size difference are not too great that one may accidently damage the other (I've not seen snails crush each other, but they DO hang off each other. When you have a little snail stuck to the lid and a large snail hanging off it this can damage the matle of the little snail, causing a tear, the snail may come partially away from it's shell which can be fatal)
Make sure each species is not negatively affected by living with others Some species like to live only with their own klind. These include Limicolia falmmea and Megalobulimus species.
Make sure one species isn't predetary. That may sound a little odd, but some species do have a taste for the flesh of other kinds of snails. One such species is Achatina Immaculata ssp Panthera
So which species can be kept together?
Through collective experience it would appear that several species do thrive when kept with other compatable species.
These include
Achatin Achatina (Tiger snails)
Achatina Fulica (and all it's colour variations)
Achatina Reticulata (though sometimes they won't breed when kept with others)
Archachatina Marginata (in all it's variations)
Archachatina 'Lagos'
Caracolus Marginella
This is not a complete list...
Can I put any other type of animal in with my snails?
There aren't many pets that can be kept with them, but woodlice, worms and springtails are commonly kept in the tank. These actually benefit from each other as these creatures will eat spoiled food and even snail poo! They don't appear to have any adverse effects on the snails at all. With the springtails though I do find that their numbers explode very quickly, but are harmless and do not escape the tanks.
Is it cruel to keep just one snail?
Oooh wouldn't you just love to be able to ask a snail if it's lonely?
No-one knows (as far as I'm aware).
A snail on it's own does not appear to pine for company, neither is it's lifespan or health affected as far as we can tell. It may be that if it doesn't mate and lay eggs it will not suffer any fatigue that this can sometimes cause a snail.
However, when you watch snails interact they appear to respond positively to the touch of another snail, coming out of their shells further, investigating each other, 'sleeping' in huddles, I have even known a few of my snails to pair off and were very often seen specifically together, even with many other snails around. Snails do react to other snails in their environment, I suspect by chemical signal but don't quote me on that! It sometimes seems that sleepy snails are awoken by active snails around them, and if you've ever seen one snail in the mood for mating you do notice that others respond the same way...
It could be said that snails kept together would be able to behave more fully.
But are they happier with company? Well there's no evidence to suggest that a snail can feel any kind of emotion, so I really wouldn't know.......