I want your pest snails to feed my snakes! :)

[Leafmite]

Those are really cute snakes. I'm sure finding food for them will work out. You could attract slugs by growing lettuce. Pick a shady, cool, spot and keep the dirt moist (can grow in a pot). The slugs will appear like magic. A pond supply store will often sell snails (cheaply, unlimited quantities). They are shipped live. Just ask about the average size. Specialty aquatic stores may sell snails, too, but they will probably be more expensive so I'd use them for breeding. Do a little research to find easy, fast-growing/reproducing ones of the right size that eat algae. Mine stay small but live in a large glass bowl with some aquatic plants. They were multiplying well until I moved the betta in with them. They prefer the algae as food so need no care but bright light is necessary. Food for algae eaters might also work. Good luck! Keep us posted on those beauties of yours!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Forgot to mention...

I've tried worms. They don't eat them.

It's just snails and slugs.

[Vanda lover]

What a bummer! I hope you find some. Do you have a local paper where you could advertise free, like a pennyworth or something? I'm sure people would give you permission to get their slugs and snails under control on their properties.

[Baz in Oz]

Philip,do you, and your snakes do house calls?

Baz

[Paul]

Cute/silly faces on those guys.

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

I still simply don't understand how these snakes could afford to be such obligate feeders of what on the surface seems to be unsustainable prey items over the duration of their entire lifespans, (which is approximately 20 yrs)!

Philip, snails & slugs are actually quite nutritious. Very high in protien if memory serves. Certainly far more nutritious than worms.

Will the snakes eat dead snails? If so, you might be able to find raw packaged snails more easily.

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

I am willing to try the aquatic snails out.

Aquatics should be very easy to raise and some get very large.

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

I've thought about farming both terrestrial snails and terrestrial slugs, but they're actually a bit more difficult to do than I thought they were.

The common brown garden snails and slugs appear to be mellow and unassuming creatures, but they're actually aggressive and cannibalistic. It's just difficult to fathom because they move so slow. This is one of the biggest problems with heliculture.

The other problem is, depending on the species of snails or slugs, they have varying degrees of hardiness. I've found Grove Snails to be very difficult to keep in captivity for any reasonable length of time for some reason. While the Common Brown Snails are extremely hardy, and will even go dormant when conditions are not ideal.

Hmm, that is surprising. I have never come across that issue unless decollate snails are in the mix.

What size container are you using?

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Triggering them to breed is another challenge. I haven't figure out how to do that.

Quite possible that they may require a dormancy or significant change in conditions (temps, humidity, etc.) in order to trigger breeding. I do know with many snakes, for example, a cooling period is required for breeding to occur.

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Snails and slugs are also not very tolerant of dirty enclosures. They die very easily because of this. In order to keep snails alive, you've gotta keep due diligence just like with any exotic pet.

Have you tried having living plants in the enclosure? They would serve as an additional food source as well as further breaking down wastes.

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

If there should be any snail farms out there in the US, ....

There are though most (? all?) in the US are for aquatic snails. (The following is all from a relatively quick Google search.)

snail farming sites that might prove useful:

Slugs (and Snails) as Pets

Raising Snails, SRB 96-05

Snail farming, snail management, snail rearing e-book, horse feed, rabbit feed, cattle feed

Snails for sale:

Try the two listed here:
United States Snail Farming, United States Snail Farming Manufacturers, United States Snail Farming Suppliers and Companies on Alibaba.com

snails for sale - iZito

Aquarium snails are very easy to find (in many respects easier than terrrestrial). If it turns out that your snakes will eat aquatic snails:

feeder snails - BuyCheapr.com

*Check with baits shops too.

[Tindomul]

What about the chineese super markets, are there any by you? They sell snails by the bucketfulls.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Baz in Oz

Philip,do you, and your snakes do house calls?

Baz

Hmmm...

I must just give that a serious thought...

---------- Post added at 05:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:38 PM ----------

Paul - The snakes absolutely refuse dead snails. They smell different - (live snails don't smell like rotting flesh). They look different - (these snakes have excellent eyesight; they're not "blind" and I've had one of them snatch a live slug from between my fingers without it striking my fingers at all). Each dead snail is not sufficient in size to satisfy each snake's hunger - (each dead snail is about the size of a large bb). And it's difficult to simulate their movements close enough for them to recognize me jiggling the dead animals as prey. Not to mention, they're dehydrated. The snakes love the moisture from the live snails.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I just threw in a couple of Apple Snails in the snake tank and to my unpleasant surprise realized that the snails have operculums that seal up the shell openings.

Guess if I tried aquatic snails, I have to find some that are large enough, reproduce like a bunny rabbit, and don't have trap doors.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Paul - The snakes absolutely refuse dead snails. They smell different - (live snails don't smell like rotting flesh). Not to mention, they're dehydrated. The snakes love the moisture from the live snails.

Hmm, bummer. I had assumed that packaged snails would be "frozen for freshness" rather than dehydrated -- especially something like escargot snails.

Wonder how difficult it would be to do an operculum-ectomy with a razorblade on the apple snails ... (realizing one would have to get to it before the door closed)

[Vanda lover]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

I just threw in a couple of Apple Snails in the snake tank and to my unpleasant surprise realized that the snails have operculums that seal up the shell openings.

Guess if I tried aquatic snails, I have to find some that are large enough, reproduce like a bunny rabbit, and don't have trap doors.

My niece had one of those trap door type snails that closed on the leg of her turtle and drowned the poor thing.