AvaRose wrote:A few questions:
1) Which kinds of snails are the best feeders for BTS?
2) Where do you get them from? I have yet to see any snails available as feeders, and I imagine it isn't good to get them from the wild because of pesticides and/or parasites.
3) What other reptiles besides skinks like to eat snails? Curious if you are mostly selling the feeders to BTS owners or if there are other lizards that like them as much.
1. I would say anything in the Helix species complex. Helix pomatia and Helix aspersa (Cornu aspersum) are the usual species of snails they eat in the wild. Especially in Australia since both of these species are found there. They are large and their shells aren't too hard. Zachrysia are also good sized, but their shells are extremely hard. If you drop them, they sound like marbles. My skinks have a hard time breaking apart Zachrysia, so I've stopped feeding them. You can also do freshwater snails, such as the various species of Apple snails. Their shells can be a little hard, but my skinks have not had much trouble cracking them open. I can't really give much advice on Apple snails, as my specialty are their terrestrial and arboreal cousins.
2. You can get pre-cooked, food-grade Apple snails at your local Asian market. But as far as the live, terrestrial snails go -- it is a bit of a complicated situation. It is illegal to ship snails that are agricultural pests across state lines. And APHIS-USDA usually assumes all species of snails are pest, unless there is scientific literature stating otherwise (such as lichen-eating snails, etc.) You best bet is to find another snail enthusiast in your state or go look for them. Helix sp. can be found in various states such as Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, etc.
3. I think the quesiton is more: what reptiles DON'T like snails. LOL. Teiidae, Hemisphaeriodon, Cyclodomorphus, Tiliqua, various large species of Gekkota. etc. The list can go on and on. Even turtles like them. I haven't been selling much of them, but when I do, I usually wholesale to reptile dealers. When I get large enough, I plan to sell to French restaurants.
"The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man." — Charles Darwin
Overall, they feel kinda dry. They are not as squishy or slimy as other slugs found in Europe or America, such as the Leopard slug or Banana slug. They do have some slime to them, but it is not as much as the aforementioned species.
