Is your hobby breeding pet snails or do you just want an animal that is easy to care for? Do you want to increase the population of your snails without catching others? Great! Here are some instructions on how to breed pet snails.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Prepare the Environment
Step 1. Make sure your snail's home is in good condition
The soil should be 5cm deep and fairly moist. Make sure it's not garden soil. You should get the one from your garden or buy the one used for worms.
Snails need air! They are no different from you. If you put them in a plastic container, be sure to make holes in the top. Try to keep the temperature comfortable and not too high
Step 2. Take care of their basic needs
This does not mean singing for them, as they have no ears. But they do have eyes and mouths, so be sure to provide the light and food necessary for their growth.
- Snails are vegetarian; they eat whatever is natural, even if it is rotten (especially if it is rotten). So you can give them fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds and even waste. Give them everything from lettuce to wheat flour to white beans. To keep the experience exciting, see what stimulates their intestines. But don't forget the water!
- Snails are nocturnal. If you turn on the light they immediately hide in their shells. If you want to see them in action, you can do it in the evening, at night, or in the very early hours of the morning. Sprinkle them with a little water if you want to excite them a little!
Step 3. Make sure they have foliage to move around
Don't worry, they use antennas to sense obstacles (not having the sight to do it). Place a couple of sticks and leaves in the cage and be sure to spray them with water at least once a day. Put some stones, dirt, leaves and wet everything. If the snails weren't already in their cage, put them in now.
Step 4. Simulate the season
You have to be precise. Is it spring / summer? Great! It is the time when the snails mate. If not, simulate the season. Spring / summer is the season when the sun rises early and sets late. You can simulate this by placing the cage near a light source and turning it on / off as needed.
They love the dark and the damp. You could miss the act of their reproduction if you do not also adopt nocturnal habits. Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do other than making the surrounding environment hospitable
Method 2 of 2: Wait
Step 1. Be patient
Now you have to wait until the snails have "mated". When they have done so, it may take a year or a week for them to spawn. Some snails deposit them all together, others scatter them around.
Snails are hermaphrodites, meaning that each of them is both male and female. And no, they don't breed on their own. A partner is required
Step 2. Watch the eggs hatch
This depends on the species of your snails and the one they mate with. It could be a very slow or very fast process, just wait and see!
In some species, the eggs begin to hatch after 24 hours, but there are additional factors such as soil temperature and incubation time in the mother that determine the hatching time. The eggs will not necessarily open all together, and this is most noticeable in species that have a long gestation period (around 4 weeks). The first egg (usually a stronger specimen) usually hatches 10 or more days earlier than the rest of the flock, other eggs take much longer
Step 3. Make sure you add more fresh food and water
Add some calcium to grow snails with a strong shell. Do not grab the small snails by the shells, as they are extremely fragile and you could accidentally break them.
Don't forget to wash your hands after handling the snails! The drool they produce is definitely unhygienic
Advice
- Parents might eat eggs. If you have another cage available, use it to hatch the eggs.
- It may be a good idea to remove the eggs once they have been laid: it will reduce the risk of snails eating or damaging them.
- If there are no puppies, wait a couple more months.
- It is important to have a large container for the snails to move freely. Put some soil or fibers as a base; you can buy them in pet stores.
- If it's not summer or spring, put the snail house under a light to recreate those seasons.
Warnings
- Don't forget to wash your hands after handling the snails - their drool is anything but healthy.
- Be careful when cleaning their container - there may be eggs buried in the ground.
- If you don't feel like snails want to mate, let one go and go find a new snail.
