Snailkeeping

Description

Snailkeeping

There are several species to choose from, and subspecies as well. The most important is to find out how to take proper care of the species you own. They often need different humidity and heat and also the habitat might look different depending on species.

Snails are offered/for sale on different platforms but to make sure its a healthy snail you buy, make sure its a serious breeder. Often the breeder gives you information about the specific species that youve bought. Often you have the right to get a new snail if it after delivery shows sign of poor genes or so.

If you buy from a private breeder, make sure to get photoes of the snail that you reserved so that you can check if its heathy and with good genes, and of the right species that you are interested in.

Species

There are many species, and its important that you dont let then co-exist in the same tub since they can often breed and have hybrids that might just die too early. Also crossing species might be harmful to the adults.

Here is some habitual guidelines of the most common snailspecies.

Lissachatina Reticulata (Albino, two tone, Wild colour)

Temperature: daytime – 27-28C, nighttime – 23-25C,

Humidity: 80-85%

Lissachatina Fulica (Caramel, adatzi, Rodatzi, White Jade, Wild colour)

Temperature: daytime – 24-26C, nighttime – 21-23C

Humitidy: 80%

Achatina Achatina

Temperature: daytime 27-29C, nighttime 24-26C

Humidity: 80-90%

Achatina Immaculata

Temperature: daytime 24-26C, nighttime 22-23C

Humidity: 80%

Archachatina Marginata Ovum (creme, dark, albino, silver, leucustic)

Temperature: daytime 26-29C, nighttime 23-25C

Humidity: 85-90%

Archachatina Marginata Suturalis (creme, dark, albino, silver, leucustic)

Temperature: daytime 26-29C, nighttime 23-25C

Humidity: 85-90%

Breeding

To breed snails you need to learn more about snails genetics before keeping any eggs. We are sad to see that so many species has become smaller and with poorer genes due to bad breeding, inbreeding and the lack of culling the clutch.

To breed and sell snails please make sure they are not siblings, that they are of the same species and that the size and genes of your adult snails are good. Also be sure to cull the runts and do not sell before a good shell size, ofter 4cm.

Measure snails

Sometimes you need to measure your snails. This is how you do it.

Identifying the species

To identify your snail you have a certain things to look at. Down below you will see some examples of part on the snails you’ll gonna have to take a look at.

Columella?

Columella is the part on the snail where the body is attached to the shell. It has different colours depending on species.

Apex?

Apex is the tip of the shell. It can be pointy or blunt/rounded

Shell?

The shell can be in v-shape, pointy or round

The body?

Depending on species the body can look quite different. Archachatina species for examples have a dragontail, so they are easy to identify.

Here you can see the most usual species and their specific identification points.

Lissachatina Reticulata (Albino, Two tone, Two tone Albino, Wild colour)

Columella: White —–>

Apex: pointy

Skal: cone

Kropp: colour variety

Albino Wild colour Tv: Two tone middle: Two tone Albino

Lissachatina Fulica (caramel, jadatzi, rodatzi, White Jade, Wild colour)

Columella: grey —->

Apex: pointy

Skal: cone

Kropp: colour variety

Caramel White Jade Jadatzi Wild colour Rodatzi

Achatina Achatina

Columella: red —->

Apex: pointy

Skal: cone but wide

Achatina Immaculata

Columella: pink —->