These slimy creatures make great pets and are perfect for school projects and teaching young children how to care for living creatures.
Safe Food to Give to Snails
Some of the following foods can be given to snails:
- Apple
- Apricot
- Avocado
- Banana
- Blackberry
- Pumpkin Butternut Squash
- Cabbage
- Cucumber
- Dragon fruit
- Wine
- Kiwi
- Mango
- Melon
- Mold
- Nectarines
- Orange
- Pawpaw
- Prickly Pear Cactus
- Peach
- Pear
- Plums
- raspberry
- Strawberry
- Tomatoes
- Lettuce
- Broccoli
- Tomato plant leaves
- Green beans
- Peas
- wild berry
- Sprouts
- Sweet corn
- Sweet potato
- Turnip
- Watercress
- Dandelion leaves (make sure you pick them from a place away from highways. Vehicle fumes can make snails sick, or even die.)
- Sunflower seeds (ground or moistened)
- Pumpkin seeds
- Wheat
- Chicken food
- Crushed or moistened snail shells are a source of calcium for snails (which snails need to strengthen their shells)
- Raw eggs
- Wheat bread
- Milk powder
- Some raw meat cut into small pieces.
Foods that can be given whole or crushed beforehand, dry or wet:
- Dog/cat snacks
- Turtle food
Calcium Intake for Snails
Most of the foods below should be crushed into a fine powder and moistened.
- Dead snail shell
- Calcium Powder
- Oyster shell powder
- Natural lime
- Natural limestone
- Egg shell
- Bone powder
- Wood ash powder
- Cuttlefish bone
Foods That Are Dangerous for Snails
- Food that has been exposed to pesticides or contaminated with vehicle fumes.
- Salt
- Barley and pasta (causing bloating through internal obstruction)
- Foods that contain flour.
Water Needs for Snails
- Never use tap water because it can contain chlorine
- You can provide water from springs/filtered water.
- If you can't get both water, you can leave the tap water out in the sun for 48 hours to get rid of the chemicals.
- Rinse food in purified food (filtered water/spring water).
- The water dish for snails should be shallow, but actually snails don't need it
- Spray the snail cage with spring water or filtered water every 1-2 days.
Step
Step 1. Get or catch snails from the yard and put them in the terrarium
Provide a cage cover so that the snails do not escape. You can place aquarium gravel at the bottom of the cage, as long as it's not too small (gravel can get stuck in the shell if it's too dry. Snails can crawl over razor blades and not hurt because the snail's body was created that way). If the slugs are large enough, you can also place some sticks or fine river rocks for additional decoration (rinse the rocks with snail-safe water if they have been in the river for more than a year to remove any adhering chemicals).
Step 2. Place lettuce or other recommended herbs (one about the size of a snail shell) at the bottom of the snail terrarium
Step 3. Check your snails daily to make sure the lettuce is fresh and not wilting or turning brown
Step 4. Try changing the snail's diet at least three times a week or once per 1-2 days
Step 5. Relax and watch your snails
You will be entertained when you see the snails slowly climbing up the glass wall.
Tips
- Direct sunlight can roast your snails. Therefore, keep the snails in your home or in a shaded area in your cage. However, a little light is good for slugs.
- Don't forget, all living things (including snails) need to be treated with compassion.
- You can put more than one snail in the container. Just make sure there is enough room for your snails.
- Snails survive on water. If your snail is curled up and sleeping, drip filtered water/spring water into the shell and let it drip out. Water should not be intentionally allowed to pool in the snail shell. The snails will come out (during a rainstorm, they will try to hide behind something or stay above the water) and after that you have a chance to feed the snails.
- Snails are very fond of friends. You can keep five snails in a 20 x 10 cm terrarium.
- Make sure you don't leave the snails in places that are too hot, dry, or damp.
- Some snails don't want to eat lettuce (or other foods) that are ready to eat (whether washed or not), so try to give fresh lettuce and wash it yourself.
- If you keep more than one snail and want to name them one by one, you could accidentally get them confused. Snail shells are made of calcium carbonate, which is an ingredient in chalk, nail polish, acrylics, stickers, and other items that can help distinguish your snails. Don't forget that all these markers are permanent (unless the sticker can be removed), so the marks on the slugs cannot be removed. The paint remover will kill the slugs and the paint itself can kill the slugs if it touches the skin. If you want to paint a snail but it's sleeping, it's best not to disturb it. DO NOT let the paint touch the snail's shell as it can kill the snail. Be careful and don't overdo it!
- Do not expose snails to other animals that may eat snails.
- If your snails are picky eaters, give them vegetables soaked in water. For example, snails like parsley leaves soaked in water.
Warning
- Never tug on a snail's shell if it's gripping the surface and won't let go.
- Make sure you clean the snail's cage/cage thoroughly! The cage should also be thoroughly rinsed as the soap will kill the snails if touched.
- Let the snail climb a leaf or paper while picking up the snail. Usually you can take snail shells, but do so with care. If the slug is gripping something firmly, gently slide the slug along the surface until it releases. All of these things will make the snail curl up in fear of being eaten. Then you can only wait.
- Please put water in the cage, but only a few drops. Some snails like to stay and curl up in the water. However, some are not. Snails sink easily, so it's a good idea to spray the terrarium with water from a room temperature spring, or moisten the food.
- You should always keep the cage closed so the snails don't escape. Snails can slip through tiny crevices!
- Over-stimulation will make your snail curl up. In other words, the snail will curl up if you touch it too much. Snails also have various personalities, some like to be touched, and some like to be left alone.
- You can't torture and/or kill snails with salt or anything like that.
- DO NOT put water in the cage. Snails are very easy to drown, and do not need water to drink. Snails get moisture from lettuce leaves.
- If the snails are clearly not eating the given food, try using other vegetables (for example, if the snails don't eat tomato leaves, try lettuce).
- Try not to give plants from the onion family or anything high in citrus, such as limes, limes, or grapes.
- Try not to feed spinach, parsley or rhubarb. These leaves contain oxalate, which will inhibit the absorption of calcium.
