Snails are easy and inexpensive to care for, needing only minimal attention. Their life span is fairly long, about 3-7 years in captivity so be prepared for a long-term pet.
Care
Snails can get bored easily and require diversions. One way to accomplish this is to keep a number of snails together in the same cage. Second, the cage should have nooks and crannies the snails can hide in. A plastic tank which is escape-proof with good ventilation is an ideal home for a snail.
The snails and their tank both need to be washed about once a month. About every other day you need to check for eggs and destroy them if you want.
Snails enjoy being handled alot. It is important to wash your hands before and after handling them. They are pretty robust and safe to handle, so children can play with them freely!
Nutrition
Before you feed anything to your snail it needs to be washed. Snails like fruits and vegetables which are best served to them raw. Beware of salty foods since their tiny bodies can’t absorb much sodium.
Snails need a steady supply of calcium to build and repair their shells. Keep a piece of cuttlefish bone in their tank at all times so that the snails can rasp away at it. They will also sometimes sit on it since they can absorb calcium through their feet.
Snails don’t need drinking water but if a bowl of water is left in the tank for them to bathe in (they need to stay humid) they will also drink from it. The bowl must be shallow to prevent drowning.
