My Snail Adventures

[Dakota]

So, as of the last few years, snails have been starting to pique my interest. Started out with the humongous Apple snails, then branching into the others. I am currently developing a feeder business in my state (sadly, only in my state), so with me catching breeding stock, I am finding other awesome snail species here in SW Florida. Here are some pictures.

Drymaeus multilineatus (Lined tree snail)


Zachrysia provisoria (Cuban brown snail)


Zachrysia provisoria (Cuban brown snail)


Bulimulus guadalupensis (West Indian Bulimulus)


F1 Zachrysia provisoria (Cuban brown snail)


Exhumed Zachrysia provisoria egg


More Zachrysia


You've seen the one before, but Mangrove Periwinkle


We are unsure if this is a different species in the genus Bulimulus, or maybe a morph of Bulimulus guadalupensis. For now, I will call them Ivory Bulimulus


Bulimulus guadalupensis expressing hypomelanism on the shell, but has a hypermelanistic skin tone.


I hope you enjoyed the photos.

[alichamp]

Cool, Dakota!

[Dakota]

Yup! Good thing about this hobby is that they donft require 3 ft+ caging. I have been getting a lot into small invertebrates lately. Recently just caught some giant Vinegaroons. They are cool.

[splashy07]

Nice! Always liked them, and in Florida you've got a snail haven! Inverts were (and still are) my hobby as a child before I discovered reptiles. Glad they were, as I am able keep and breed all my own feeders. I even keep them for friends that will not keep them in their house! No one that hangs with me ever has to buy live feeders! I could not bring myself to feed live snails to my blueys though, even knowing how much they like them. They are just too cute. Have you seen many of those huge snails that they say have been invading Florida? I think they're cool!

[Dakota]

Achatina? I wish! Giant African land snails would be a prize to find! However, they made it a federal law saying that ownership of these snails be illegal (period!). They carry meningitis! Just ask all the European keepers of Achatina who often kiss their snails. They all have meningitis now, dying left and right. Poor Euros.

I hope you picked up on the sarcasm. There is only a small recorded population. Their numbers are hyperbole like with the Burmese pythons. Their regulations are based on pseudoscience.

[splashy07]

I'd love to have one....I promise not to kiss him....well, unless he turns into a prince or something....!!

[rico]

I absolutely love snails. I had a few in with my fish, to help with algae and like that. I quickly realized I was enjoying watching the snails more than anything. My first was a black mystery snail I named Tommy. I got him at Petsmart. He got big and outlasted everything. He seemed to live forever. When he did actually die, I was honestly heartbroken. I miss having snails. I haven't had any in a few years now. I'm thinking getting a couple in the near future. Your collection is awesome

[Dakota]

The only aquatic snails I ever kept were the Island apple snails. I liked their huge size, but not that fact they lived in water. I much prefer their terrestrial cousins.

Here are some more pictures.

New baby Cuban brown snail that hatched out Monday night:


Cuban brown snail just minutes after it came out of the egg:


Another picture of the Lined tree snail:


Wish there were more hobbyists here so I can have a buddy to hunt and trade snail species with, but it is just me so far.

[splashy07]

Awww! I love them! I see some nice ones on my building when I visit Florida. That little baby Cuban is adorable. Such nice pics.

[Dakota]

I got the first ever known color morph of Zachrysia!


I believe it to be a hypomelanistic.

You want to talk about small? This, I believe, is a hatchling Bulimulis!

[NickBrahz]

Those snails looks awesome, and dam i looked at the ruler and was thinking if the image was cut out or something because there was nothing next to it.

[MissDigger]

This is one out of 7 total Achatina Fulica (African Giant snail) i got. There still really small atm but can get as large as 5 inches. There great to see, while munching on greens.

[splashy07]

They are VERY cool. Are they easy to keep?

[Dakota]

I am looking very hard for a large species of snail named Zachrysia trinitaria. They are doubled the size of my Cubans, which are the size of quarters. I think they would make great feeders for large lizards, such as caiman lizards, large Varanus, etc. They are not common in my state, so it is hard finding them... I so wish I could have Achatina. America treats them like the plague. European snail keepers do not realize how lucky they are. Good looking snail.

[MissDigger]

I know im lucky i can keep the Achatina but its only because they won't survive our winters. Even if they go underground they will freeze. Don't think they would be legal if they could survive here.

[Dakota]

Some new additions.




Caracolus marginella! Pictures do not do justice on how gorgeous these snails are. New favorites of my collection!

[Dakota]

Here is another picture of the maroon Caracolus marginella:

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Babies! Possibly first in captivity in America:

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The whole group, reminds me of skittles!

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[Dakota]

I got two new snails. They are called Rosy wolf snails. They eat other snails!

Eating a Bulimulus

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All stretched out

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[skinks101]

How cool

[Dakota]

Thought I'd give this thread a little update.

Turns out my snail hobby has become a profession. I am breeding snails for hobbyists in my state, and escargot for French restaurants. Escargot species I breed is Helix pomatia.

This one is a new one for me! Bulimulus sporadicus. They look like mini-Achatina to me. I have three of them - two of which are large adults. Found in Fort Myers, Florida.



Now for some Bulimulus guadalupensis. I love their variation! Yesterday I even found a new locality of the "Ivory" living along side the tans and darks. All Fort Myers locality.





And a quick picture of the Caracolus I produced. Still have all three of them. I think I have one "maroon", one "orange", and one "yellow". They seem to be slow growers.


Guess I am living up to my "title"