Earl was awake after hibernating this morning :)

Earl, my giant land snail, was awake when i woke up this morning.. so I took more photos because im obsessed with taking photos of my pets thought kermit would like to see them anyway.

Awwww sweet Earl

What's that big white thing he's walking on?

it's a cuttlefish/cuttlebone.

they suck on it for calcium helps their shell stay in good condition. they are not essential but I wouldn't risk him getting a brittle shell.

Ah that makes sense... I've just never seen a cuttlebone shaped like that before. Most of the ones I've seen look like giant almonds He's so neat... I totally want one

haha it was originally a big almond shaped but i broke it in half soo that it wouldn't take up alot of space.. and so when it gets all yukky from the moist conditions, I have another half to use and he has sucked on it a little soo some is missing

haha i think the US should allow people with some sort of pet license to get them? .. like our dangerous wild animal act.. i know snails are not dangerous or anything, but the US customs and stuff think they are dangerous to crops and native snail populations.

Yeah snails are a HUGE deal over here esp. IN Pennsylvania... we're a LOT of farming communities around here grapes and corn being 2 of the biggest ones. Any introduction of a species that is even thought to be able to have an impact is a HUGE no no, even with fish. Biggest one recently was the importation of some type of Japanese carp came thru into lake Erie via some ship's bilge water so I guess when they dumped their bilge water the carp was introduced into the lake and is now taking over. Silly invasive species

haha

:O wow I've just seen another species of giant african land snail on ebay UK.. and I might get them. they are albino bodied ones.. albino achatina reticulata, apparently lol

they are being sold in a pair.. and they look the same size as earl soo i might get them i dont know what my mom is going to say about it though lol

Can you put up a link?

If they can all live in the same tank together does it really make caring for them that much harder? Just a lil more food and poo scooping right?

Awww man never mind... I found it.... those are really neat... maybe (and I hate to say it) but a lil more neat than Earl with how bright they are... but Earl has a prettier shell Get them if mom doesn't protest... I wish I could... wonder if he's ship to the US

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Giant-land-snails-albino-Albino-Achatina-Reticulata-/170619783701?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Reptiles_Spiders_Insects&hash=item27b9bb4a15

Well right now, earl lives in one of those bug containers/pet carriers. You don't have to clean them out very often. About every 2 or 3 months, I throw away the old soil and refill his little 'tank'. I spray it everyday or every other day.. it doesn't have to be very wet.. just so the dry soil isn't sticking to him because then he would dry up.

My dad has a tank at his house that I could use if I had more snails.. but I only have one soo there is no need to use a big tank. If my mom lets me get a more snail, I will go and get that tank for my dad's.

the only problem is.. when its hot or when i get a heat mat, they might start breeding and they can have like 100 eggs everytime or something. I wouldnt be able to sell them all. But hopefully they won't breed.. because the ones at my college live in a very hot reptile room and they still don't breed and they don't need a heat mat

Even if they did breed there's nothing saynig that you would have to let the babies develop... an ethical debate I know... or there are other lizards that love snails (like tegus)... again an ethical debate... but ask your prof. why the ones at college aren't breeding? Maybe the higher temps prevent it from being stimulated or maybe they're too young yet... idk...

the ones at college are about 6 years old.. yes, maybe its too hot for them to breed. I know the lady who i got earl from says that loads of eggs were laid by her snails and most of them she had to be killed because no one really wants to buy them over here. there are various small myerscough college centres in the UK, mine is the main centre.. but i know that at the smaller myerscough's.. they freeze the eggs if their snails have them :/

did you see the snail on the link i posted? they are soo cool, what do you think?

Yeah I saw them before you even posted the link... did you miss that in my previous post? "Awww man never mind... I found it.... those are really neat... maybe (and I hate to say it) but a lil more neat than Earl with how bright they are... but Earl has a prettier shell Get them if mom doesn't protest... I wish I could... wonder if he's ship to the US "

The to have the eggs or to cull the eggs is a huge debate. Personally I wouldn't have a problem with it. I'm not one of the "everything deserves a chance to live" group. I believe that selective culling is MANDATORY for anyone that owns 2 opposite gender creatures with the potential to breed when there is limited demand and space for what you are producing. One of the downside to raising rabbits. You really have to be semi-detached.

haha sorry i didnt notice that last bit of the message about the link they are gorgeous arent they? i love earl but i have to say they are pretty than him .. i hope i get them i will bid £2.50 and then £3 im not going higher than that because It's £2 for postage and I only have spare £5.

I couldn't be a proper breeder I don't think. maybe as I get older and get over feeding livefoods like pinkies and frozen rats and stuff to snakes, it will be less of a big issue for me. I'm just one of those people that breed for a hobby.. but it could change in the future, i just don't know.

the only baby pets, i've had die where just after birth. When i was about 6 our rabbit had seven babies and one died.. it was smaller than the rest.. the 'runt' and i dont remember what my mom did. and then when my fat-tailed jirds ended up breeding by accident.. one of the babies didn't make it.. it was all blue when it was born and i think she ate it it was horrible to watch.. i was more concerned at the time with getting my male out of the tank because she probably would have killed him. jirds are very aggressive when it comes to babies.. i wish i would have looked at their gender and released that pet shop was wrong before that happened.

Hey.. i am reading a giant land snail care sheet. it says there are many species of GALS: Achatina fulica, Archachatina marginata, Achatina achatina.

it says underneath that achatina fulica snails are illegal in the US and canada.. but it doesn't say anything about the other being illegal soo you might be able to keep other species of GALS in the US.. maybe have abit of a research on regulations online. you could maybe get yourself a GALS after all.

sorry its in italics.. it wont let me change it :S

That's great if I could find one that's not illegal here. I wll have to look into that for sure. I don't know if you could handle rabbit breeding with dwarf breeds such as netherlands or holland lops etc. As they have high mortality rates in litters between peanuts max factors and first time moms having difficult deliveries. I remember not too long ago I had to deal with my first stuck baby. It's pretty gross when you have to pull a dead baby outta a stressed momma. Then you know the rest of the litter is lost

However the successes are very rewarding

Yeah.. i'm probably going to try getting into breeding lionheads but i'm going to do alot of research first.

I'm stilling bidding on those snails

just the fact that snails are being sold on ebay makes me laugh lol.

Just such a weird thing... before i got into herps i would never have belived it lol.

haha i really hope i win them

When does the auction close?

21 hours.. I am the highest bidder

.. and I asked if the species for sale can be kept with my earl's species and they can sooo I'm very happy

and I'm so very jealous

:/ awww sorry lol
If I could.. I would send you a baby when they have some. You had a look into snail keeping in the US yet?

I WON THOSE SNAILS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Haha nice one, let us know when they arrive