General Discussion

I dont know know why I love the name "Buttercup". Maybe you should give it one and see how it reacts (it could think "hey, thats me!")

Also, best of luck on finding your pen! I know that harsh feeling ;-; sending you my power of finding random things!

Oh my gosh I love them all!! Beautiful little guys!

I vote either Chestnut or Buttercup for the cutie!

*squeals* I want to keep snails so much, but have been struggling with finding resources on how to keep them. What resources would you recommend to learn more about them? Do you have any tips? I never even thought about the potato bugs, are they difficult to keep alongside the snails?

Also, Buttercup is such a perfect name for that snail.

@kaijubluee
Snails don't like getting bothered by other little guys so I wouldn't recommend anything with them in there little houses. They are also picky eaters, so they have a tendancy to not eat if they don't want a certain type of food (you should vary it, it's simple to do aswell, you could change it depending on your diner for expl :p ).
If you wanna have info about how to keep them:
-the place u keep them should be transparent with a lid but air should pass through (no one wants the cuty to roam arround)
-keep it quite warm and humid, depending on the species of snails too so depending on what you want, be sure to check these!
-calcium is very important for snails, as the use it to make/repair their shell. As such, in their cozy home, you should put a cuttlefish bone or sprinkle so broken egg shell
-water isn't necessary. if you put any, careful tonot make it deep!
-NO SALT OR SALTY FOOD!!!!!
-keep them in a rather bright place (careful, too much sun will dry them out)
-"normal" soil is fine for making a comfortable home, and don't hesitate to add branches, logs, leaves, plants to make its even better

here's a few tips, I hope those help! :D (i don't have anymore comming into my mind rn ^^" might have others later)

@KryoMichli

Ahhh thank you for all the tips!!! It just makes me all the more excited to bring the lil critters home. For 2 snails, would 10 gallons be enough?

I have a good window ledge with bright, indirect light. Would that suffice?

I eat like a rabbit, so feeding them lots of different veg shouldn't be a problem at all :) lol the dog and cat are already spoiled, a snail or 2 would get the same treatment.

Awwwwww I love snails [emoji=guardian love size=1] This is the best thread ever, I too hope to own some snail friends one day <3

@kaijubluee
if they are garden snails, I believe it should be fine, yes :D both in size and for th light :) (just make sure to keep it humide by spraying distilled water into the tank :p)

snails have a big temper, they hide, make bubbles when angry... having two, carefull with the eggs, they tend to make a lot x) (maybe you can have a "snail lair"? lol)

Forgive my lack of editing as I'm typing this stealthily while at work! *evil laughter*

@Kaijubluee KryoMichli gave some great advice! I have potato bugs in with my snails in a 10 gallon tank, as a cleanup-crew, and there are also springtails. I like this because I can leave smaller bits of food in and they will take care of it- I have to do more cleaning out of the newest snail's home because I have no cleanup crew, but he's in a smaller quarantine tank still. I have heard some people who keep isopods and snails say they like keeping them separate for various reasons. They can be kept together happily just fine. The snails and bugs I caught wild seem to cohabitate fine, they do not bother each other. But if you're not looking to have a bioactive terrarium they aren't strictly necessary. I would consider both snails and potato bugs an easy pet to keep, as long as they have food, moisture, good surroundings, they're happy.

My best resource for snail care is actually reddit. r/snails is really active and you can post questions and pics and get lots of information. For example here is a guide on snail housing I found on the r/snails reddit: (link here to google doc about snail enclosures!) This guide covers tank size, substrate (soil), moisture, ventilation, and cleanup crews like isopods and springtails.

You NEED a calcium source in there 100% of the time. Cuttlebone is the best, eggshell can be alright but is not quite as high in calcium.

For food you want to give them a variety like was already mentioned, and make sure their options are nutritious.

Good foods:
Carrots
Sweet Potato
Kale
Peas
Green bell pepper
Various squashes
Zucchini
Broccoli
Asparagus
Green Beans

All can be fed raw.

Sometimes foods:
Cucumber
Spinach
Lettuce

Cucumber and lettuce are tasty treats but not very nutritious and snails can get addicted to them. Spinach is nutritious but also has an ingredient that makes it harder to absorb calcium, so you can totally avoid it if possible.

Do not feed:
Fruits (in generally the sugar isn't good for them and they don't have the same nutrition as veggies- they won't hurt them but I'd just avoid unless you don't have anything else onhand)
Avocado (heard this in various places, some say it's okay some say it's not)
Garlic
Onions
Citrus

Additionally, snails need a source of protein once a week or so! They will eat dead bugs such as crickets and mealworms which you can get at a pet store and soak them in water for 30 minutes or so to re-soften them. My snails also like freshly killed earthworm. Another great option is bloodworms, you can buy them frozen from your local pet store and thaw out a little once a week. Some people feed them hardboiled egg; I've heard various things about this and it will definitely work if you're in a pinch, though a bug source is preferable just for being higher in protein.

I will do some update pics tonight and respond to more peeps when I get home ^o^