Giant African Land Snails

[Dadie]

My snails have laid some eggs.
I am thinking about microwaving the soil again, but, if anyone would like a snail as a pet I would leave a few of the eggs and see if they hatch.
The eggs are about 5-7 mm so the baby snails will be small but they will grow to have a shell about 15cm or so measuring from tip to the lip (nearest the head).
I only have a couple of weeks at most before I will microwave the soil as 4 snails is plenty for us!
And I dont think I could kill them after they hatch.
You will need a small tank with a good lid and a heat mat for the snails (they dont need a light really) and will need a calcium supplement to give them a healthy hard shell apart from that they are very easy quiet pets that live long and need minimum attention ..a quick scrub with a toothbrush ever so often and a mist with water and are cheap to keep...my costs are a cucumber every fortnight and that bit on a banana the kids dont eat!
Oh and if you dont want to micowave/scald the soil every so often you are best with only one snail as they are each both male and female but do need another snail to mate, but both can lay eggs!

[brandy]

if the hatch ill take one

[Dadie]

One or is that 1 lot that hatch?
Could be lots of shellys, more than Iona can count!




Pencilling in Brandy for 100 snails..........

[brandy]

dons already horrified but accepting.. so more than likely just one.. possibly two... depends on what i can get by with

[Kathy@watten]

Moira says under no cirumstances are you to be allowed ownership of a snail, as she refuses to look after them when you go on your hols.... LOL

[brandy]

lol.... dont plan any holidays in the foreseeable future.. *laughs* amy may be getting one for Christmas! *grins*

[Dadie]

As Brandy is the only one interested ... the soil is going to be nuked on saturday (Im sure to miss one or two of the eggs) but I thought I would let people have a chance at an interesting easy to look after pet beforehand!
They will take a while to grow, but, are apparently tasty with garlic butter also.....I have never tried that as I have never managed to chew on a snail (in the french restaurant I only managed to rest one on my tongue then had to spit it out..I know you wouldnt want me on your team in Im a celeb get me out of here) but they may start of really small about 5-7mm but they grow fast!

[Leanne]

If you grow them on I'd buy them but for the table Mmmmm garlic snails!