#mealworm pasta pea flakes & dried carrot

[swagging-back-to]

ok so the birdseed i got the girls is shitty so i ordered my own blend

[snail-care]

Snail Feeding

Hello I'm finally back! I'm gonna run over a few things you can feed your snails, and things to avoid. Let's gooo

SAFE FOODS

Most vegetables, some good ones are carrot, pumpkin, sweet potato, spinach (see calcium section below), broccoli, corn.

Most fruits, some good ones are apple, pear, banana, peach.

Certain herbs. Safe ones include coriander (cilantro), basil, mintand dill.

Mushroom (don't feed wild mushrooms, stick with ones from stores)

Cooked oats

Egg

Wet cat or dog food (LOOK AT THE INGREDIENTS. get organic and avoid high sodium)

Goldfish flakes (again, look at ingredients. some have garlic and salt, do not feed these!)

Small amounts of unseasoned raw meat

Certain outdoor plants. Ribwort and Broadleaf plantain, dandelion (see calcium section below), grass, chickweed, clover, marigold flowers and rose petals are some safe ones. If in doubt or you can't 100% positively identify the plant, just don't feed it to them. Make absolutely sure there are no herbicides or pesticides.

Algae wafers/tabs for aquatic snails. Feed in moderation but can be good as a backup food if you have no produce!!

UNSAFE FOODS

you need to absolutely avoid these!! they can seriously harm or kill your snail.

Anything salty. for obvious reasons. salt draws out the moisture they need to live

Anything sugary. Sugar has a similar effect to salt.

Processed foods. This will essentially avoid the first two things, as processed foods are usually very high in salt and/or sugar. Includes meats like ham, bacon, etc.

Anything with garlic or onion. Both dangerous to snails. This includes other things in the garlic/onion family like chives, leeks, shallots, spring onions etc.

Starchy foods or things made of grains. This includes pasta, rice, bread, and such. Starchy things absorb water and expand inside the stomach and can cause impaction (a blockage in the digestive system), dehydration and death.

Certain vegetables - Celery, leek, rhubarb.

Certain fruits - Citrus (Orange, lemon, lime), Avocado, Chilli peppers (bell pepper or capsicum is fine, just not spicy ones)

Canned foods. Canned foods, even vegetables or fruit, are preserved with high amounts of sugar or salt.

EXTRA NOTES

Just some important things about snail feeding and nutrition!!

Calcium

Snails ALWAYS need a calcium source available. the best option is cuttlebone, you can get this in pet stores, usually in the bird section. Don't collect cuttlebone off the beach, it will be full of salt. If you don't have cuttlebone yet, finely crushed hen eggshells is okay, but I would only use that short term.

You can make a calcium "brick" out of pure calcium powder for reptiles by adding a little water, shaping it then leaving to dry. Make sure there aren't any other additives if you do this.

Don't sprinkle calcium powder, cuttlebone powder or eggshells onto their food. They will eat the calcium as they need it, and giving them too much can cause a condition similar to kidney stones and can be dangerous. Just keep the calcium available 24/7.

Be wary with kale, dandelion leaves and spinach. They are quite nutritious but high in oxalates which can interfere with calcium absorption. Feed only once or twice a month, and in small amounts.

Protein

Snails need protein once or twice per week.

Protein rich foods include:

Beans, spirulina, peas, sunflower, hemp and pumpkin seeds, lentils.

Eggs, raw meat, cat or dog food.

Bloodworms, mealworms or crickets (dried, frozen or freshly killed, live bugs can bite)

Fish food and algae wafers/tabs

MISCELLANEOUS

Some foods are better than others. Things like lettuce and salad leaves as well as cucumber, watermelon and zucchini are mostly just water and don't have many nutrients. Give in small amounts a couple times a month.

On a similar note, snails have been knows to get "addicted" to cucumber and refuse to eat anything else, becoming malnourished and starving. Feed very rarely and with caution, as a treat.

Higher nutrient foods are: Carrot, sweet potato, mushroom and broccoli. Sweet potato and mushroom are the main staples of my snail's diet.

Vegetables will be the main food source for your snail. Fruits are a treat, and protein is supplementary.