slugs/snails for sav's?

[Kyle Barker]

I am currently breeding af. land snails (i got them for my sav), i dont have any babies worth trying to feed yet. I am wondering how i should go abouts feeding them (when big enough). Do i just leave them in there and let them crawl around? My sav only *seems* to want things that twich and jerk (like a tiny rat or a mangled roach), and will not do jack if im watching him/her. Also i am able to get TONS of slugs (when we get some rain!) should i try feeding them? They are from a totally clean area with NO chemicals.
He also LOVES to eat mealworm beetles, so i dumped a few hundred mealworms in about 3 months ago and they started their own little colony (they eat the plants in the cage). is this a bad idea for any reason, or would it be a good part of a varied diet?
Thanks for any help,
Kyle

[Steeve B]

Hello Kyle
no need to worry about your SAV they will know what to do with those yummie snails, also aim really interested in banana slugs, I desperatly whant to breed them as a food stample for my Caiman lizards, they make exelent food for monitors too! role them in bone meal to ride of the slime.
shod you be willing to ship me a dozen Il be indepted to you
Rgds

[Jeff_Favelle]

Ha ha Kyle, Dean Park man. TONS of HUGE (5 inch ++!) banana slugs!!! Yuck.

But isn't the slime toxic?

[markb]

Ooooh, African snails you say??!!! I would LOVE to get a few Achatina fulica snails (= African snails).....there is a GREAT BOOK on them written in 1960 titled, "Giant African Snails" - a terrific read and informative. How could I get a few from you, if possible?

I no longer have varanids, but I would love to get a few of these to work with, and see how it goes...they are rich in calcium, are routinely farmed in both Africa and Indonesia (different species), and people eat them too of course!

For larger snails the savanna will break the shell and eat the snail (gastropod), and for small ones they will swallow the whole thing, shell and all. They LOVE them! and know exactly what to do with them. Put some fruit, leaves in the snail cage and watch them eat!

Cheers,
markb

[Kyle Barker]

I thought they were but i havn't ever read anything about it. I have been looking everywhere (even dean) and i havn't been able to find ANY since we started getting this wicked heat. Just those stupid garden snails! Ohh well off to the forest tomarrow i guess As for shipping some out, i already worked something out with Tim, so he will be getting them out to ya. After that i would be happy to get more, after all the neighbors just salt them, so whats the harm in feeding them instead

The other thing IMO, with banana's at least, is they are really heat sensitive. I have tried many times to ship them out and EVERY time, they got there as a blacky goop. really nasty.
Anyway thanks for the help i will be trying it out ASAP

[Kyle Barker]

Mark: when i get some more babies (beardeds polished off the last of them) i would be more than happy to *try* and mail them to you. No garautee they will make it across the border (international or california). May be a little tricky.

I dont know what eats more the snails or the sav. They just dont stop! Anyway i'll try and remember to let you know when more hatch, maybe e-mail me in a month or so if you dont find any.

[NiagaraReptiles]

Just as an FYI to any Canadian regarding African Land Snails.....They are illegal to keep/sell in Canada as Agriculture Canada has deemed them to be a potential threat to our native flora and farming industry.

I'm not too surprised......man can those things eat!

[Kyle Barker]

Ya i know all about it, but...

The states is even worse, and with them already having devestated crops in California (and florida i beleive), i think they may get a little upset...

[Tim and Julie B]

Hey Kyle the heat has been a killer here to. Hardly anything is moving. I think I saw a beelte with a sun burn today. I don't think I will be shipping those slugs out until the fall so happy collecting! Did that scorp have babies three of mine did so you might luck out and have a few. Keep in touch man! TB

[Kyle Barker]

No babies... Was that the tri-colour? Good idea, i doubt the slugs would have a chance in this heat.

[Tim and Julie B]

no the desert hairies. I had three pop! Tons of little ones! It is so cool.

[Dom]

I have fed many snails to my savs.. Quite entertaining .. but unless u have a sustain colony of a hundred .. it takes forever IMO (or I am too impatient) to grow them to adequate feeding sizes..

Tehy just go crazy on em'

[markb]

My albigularis, like Babe Ruth (who ate 52 hot dogs at 1 game!!!), ate 52 snails in one sitting! They love them! I wanted to see it he would beat Babe Ruth's record, and he tied...

cheers,
markb

[LurkerAccount]

CAn you feed them aquatic snails, the ones comminly found in aquariums? Cause those breed like crazy