Caring for pet land snails
Caring for any of the snails we recommend is really quite simple, but there are a few things your snails will need to be happy, healthy and safe:
- Your snail needs a lidded (but obviously not airtight) enclosure that you can keep relatively humid - an aquarium looks nicest but a big plastic storage box does the same job. It needs to be a very big one, however, for even a single Giant African Landsnail.
- Your snail needs to be kept a few degrees warmer than we generally like it; 22-24 C is fine. Unless you like your home rather hot, this usually means having a heat mat under PART of their enclosure for most of the year and only turning it off during hot weather.
- Your snail needs a soft, deep (8cm+) and moisture retaining substrate in her enclosure. Snails of most species like to dig, want to bury any eggs they lay, and have a habit of falling, shell first, from the highest point they can reach - generally the underside of the lid. Pesticide free compost and coir make good substrates; Coir is our favourite; it's less messy and because it's purchased as dry bricks can't introduce pests, parasites or disease to your enclosure. Don't use soil from the garden because it will probably contain tiny slugs carrying snail mites that can infest your pet.
- You'll need a plant sprayer from the garden centre / pound shop to mist the substrate and stop it drying out.
- Your snail needs calcium for healthy shell development. This can most easily be provided in the form of a cuttlefish bone or two for her to munch on. Cuttle bones are easy to get hold of because budgies and cockatiels love them too.
- Your snail needs a varied diet of vegetables (basically, everything and anything you can buy in a supermarket, except onions and leeks, which should be avoided), with the occasional piece of fruit or mushroom added into the mix.
- Finally, it might be stretching it to call snails social, but the opportunity for social and sexual interaction undoubtedly enriches their lives. Snails should always be kept in groups, or at least in pairs, and Snails UK will not sell juvenile snails singly.
Your snail is happy to be handled and petted, but there area few things to remember:
- You mustn't have soap residue, hand cream, sun lotion etc on your hands when holding your snail. Always rinse your hands in warm water beforehand to be sure. Leave your hands wet for holding your snail.
- You mustn't hold your snail by, or even touch, the rim of her shell. This is where new shell is added as the snail grows; it is both sensitive and fragile, and so extremely vulnerable to damage.
- Never pull your snail off surfaces it is attached to; this risks damaging or even tearing her internally. Instead, carefully slip your wetted fingers under her body from the head down to dislodge her.
- Don't drop your snail. Pet her sat down rather than stood up.
With continued good care, most 'pocket' snails can live for a few years.
These care guidelines are basic. For more details on any of the above please spend some time at the bigger and more comprehensive pet snail sites or on pet snail forums.