How to Look After Snails

This spotty green guide will teach you how to look after snails. Keeping snails is easy so long as you follow some simple rules.

1. Keep out of direct sunlight: Snails hate sunbathing, so don’t leave the tank in direct sunlight at any time in the year. If you think the snails may be getting cold moving them into the sun is definitely not the best thing to do. If snails get too hot they will overheat which can be fatal!


2. Don’t get them too wet: Despite what you may think, snails don’t actually like being too wet! Keep the soil a little moist but stop it from becoming soggy.


3. Keep food clean and fresh: It is important to clean food well to get rid of any pesticides as snails can be particularly sensitive to chemicals. Replace the food daily to stop it from becoming mouldy and smelly!


4. Have a source of Calcium: Snails eat calcium to encourage their shells to grow. Without it a snail shell will start looking very unhealthy. The best source of calcium to use is some well washed cuttlefish.


5. Clean the tank regularly: The tanks should be cleaned at least once a month. This is quite easy to do. Just empty out the compost, wash thoroughly with warm water and fill up again with new compost! Don’t use any cleaning fluids as this can harm the snails.


6. Wash your hands: Wash your hands with water before handling snails and with soap after handling them to avoid infections.


7. Don’t release into the wild: Although “Free Willy” is great “Free Sammy the Snail” would make a far less impressive movie as Sammy would probably end up damaging the local ecosystem or dying. If you cannot look after your snails any more then look for a new owner or send them back to the breeder.

And there we have it. Simple but effective tips on how to keep healthy, happy snails! Please read our snail F.A.Q’s for more information.