Introducing my common garden snail pets aka Helix Aspersa.

Snails at home on spinach

I’m thrilled to death to have these snails and have set up a temporary home for them. Their new home should be here next week.

These adult snails are larger than a quarter and can live up to 5 years, however, one snail seems weak and isn’t expected to make it. This will leave me with just one, but I’m okay with that. These snails can impregnate themselves which means I won’t have one snail for long.

In the photograph the snails are eating baby spinach and salad greens. There’s a tiny bit of apple as well as high calcium food for their shells. Unfortunately, the person who bred these snails didn’t do a great job of it because the shells of these snails are in terrible shape. Despite the condition of the shell, one of them seems strong and active. As a matter of fact, I caught ‘her’ attached to the glass with her foot in the shape of a heart.

I heart you snail

Then she did it again.

I heart you snail 1

This led me to wonder what name I could give her that meant love? I came up with Amoretta which is Latin for “little love.” There’s one more much smaller land snail in there of unknown specification who goes by the name Michelle. I don’t remember how she got that name but she got it before she became our Michelle’s pet.

Michelle land snail Sundrip

If you know what type of snail Michelle and her two babies are, please feel free to leave a comment.

Whites Tree Frog baby, 8 or 9 months old

Though frogs and snails share an environment, I won’t put these snails in my frog terrarium.  I believe a separate, closed ecosystem is best for them both.

The snails came through the mail from Greece, which I recently learned may have needed to be held by Customs. I didn’t realize this. I now know better for the next time I purchase snails.

Even though the Helix Aspersa can be found in the United States, these specific ones are not from here so I will take care not to introduce them into the environment.

So they’re here now and we intend to thoroughly enjoy them. I can tell you that my 12 year old is absolutely thrilled.

I wondered how long its been that I’ve had an interest in snails. It would appear it all started with a Japanese Trapdoor snail I got for free to put in my goldfish tank. This was 15 years ago and several aquatic snails later I’m still in love with them. Michelle the snail is one of my first land snails, so this is newer snail territory for me, but I will enjoy further learning about this wonderful creation.

Lastly, here’s an update shot of Isaiah the Dragonscale Betta with the marbling gene that is causing him to change colors. The photos are from November 8th to December 8th, 2018.

You know, one of the good things about photographs is you can see things you missed with the naked eye. I didn’t know Isaiah had a problem with his fins. Poor guy had fin rot which is being addressed. I don’t know if this was in progress when I got him or what, however, it’s being taken care of now and looks so much better.

Isaiah the dragon Betta fish sundrip-down3

Faith