O.K. I admit it - I'm interested!!!

[snailgal]

Emma perhaps you can help me out here, so I put my heated pad in the bottom of tank, then a nice thick layer of bedding material, now the question..........Do I have to keep this bedding moist??? or is it just the snails which you spray to keep moist!!!

Val

[Emmachan]

U have to keep the bedding moist too! most these snails live in enviroments of moisture and the moisture in the soil helps to prevent the snails from drying out!

[snailgal]

Just HOW moist do I have to make it?? Or would a small bowl of water in the tank make it humid enough??

[pheonixx]

Val love I could not be more chuffed ;D another Gal newbie we can learn together...Linda
PS Not sure about the bowl of water I would be scared of them drowning I use a water spray and use it twice a day.

[pheonixx]

I have bought a heat mat also but not needed to use it yet so I would not get one until october but it depends what type of Gal you are getting..I think some need it warmer than others...Linda

[snailgal]

2 Dimidiata - the 'blond' beauties!!! ;D How will I know when to use the mat? How do you know what the temperature in the tank is?

I'm getting 'cold feet' already!!!!

[Paul]

The best way is to get a cheap plastic, analog thermometer.

paul

[Paul]

Hi,

You don't need to worry about when to use the mat, you'll know and if you left it on all the time it wouldn't matter as long as it doesn't get too hot,

That is unlikely coz heat-mats only raise the tank temperature by a few degrees. If you put it under the tank, this is not the case. People do report success with this but the mats come with warnings against this, the substrate stores the heat and can cause the mat to overheat. So you run the risk of cooked snails, unless you have a thermostat.

paul

[Paul]

The blondies do well at room temperature of 20c+. You don't need a heat mat in a centrally heated room. However, like all invertebrates, they will be more active at higher temps.

Personally, if you use central heating or it is warm in summer I would try them without a heat mat frist. Now I realise you have no benchmark but if you think they are very inactive, get a heat mat then.

Also, I have been asked about, power cuts. Snails are quite hardy, if the temperature drops slowly they go through physiological changes to cope. You won't kill them because a heat-mat fails or your heating goes off. They just become more and more inactive.

One of the hardest thing to describe is how damp/moist the soil is. But I will do my best.

I now have my soil fairly wet, it helps to keep the humdity up. And I don't have as much ventilation as I once did.

I would say that, mix the soil with water, throroughly so it is wet but not dripping. You don't want any water pooling at the bottom. When I have mixed it up, I pick up a handful and squeeze it, if I can squeeze a lot of water out, that is too wet. Mainly coz the excess water may go sour. The snails don't seem to mind a little, some perhaps more than others.

Imagine you water a plant, with good drainage. A day later the soil is wet but not holding a lot of excess water. That is how wet I aim to make it. After that, spraying to keep it moist is fine, it may dry out a little.

The humidity in tank matter mores, and damp soil helps with this immensely. I put a generous amount of sphagnum moss in also, this holds a lot of water but the snails can still burrow in it, in that respect it isn't like very wet soil. And it keeps he humidity up in the tank. You'll find if you use that, they tend to go under that rather than burrow in the substrate.

I do supply a water dish, I wouldn't for the babies you receive, but when they get bigger put a shallow dish out. The depth of water you put in should be relative to the snails, they could drown in a deep dish. But my large snails actually flatten out to get themselves completely under water. But because they are big, they reach the other side well before drowning. Besides the breath from their air hole which may not even be under water and they don't breathe a lot.

My point is that for small snails, a small, shallow pot is needed. If they somehow did get in trouble, they'd make it across the bottom and out the other side easily.

They do love the water dish though, some love to sit in it.

paul

[pheonixx]

Hmmm I may try this Paul I was a tad worried about them drowning but giving them a bathing area sounds good to me..going to see what I have now..I do know I have a reptile feeding dish but its made of ceramic and I was a bit worried they may fall off the tank and damage their shells but after saying that I have not seen them fall yet not like the water snails that seem to enjoy doing this..Linda

[snailgal]

Paul, Thanks SO much for the info, I understand completely about the soil, now I know how wet to have it, still a bit confused as to where is the best place to put the heat mat though. I would think that standing the tank on it would not be a good idea, and putting it under the substrate may make the tank too hot, so where would you recommend poutting this darn piece of equipment? It can get very cold down here in the south I don't want my snailies getting goose bumps!!! ;D

[Paul]

It depends what type it is, mine all heat up when you contact them, Emma has one that is just warm all the time.

I would put it on the outside of the tank, with a layer of polystyrene on the back to insulate it, to make the heat go into the tank. I'd avoid putting it under soil unless you have to.

What is the tank made from, plastic or glass coz that makes a difference? Plastic obviously insulates better so it doesn't work as well. However, I find that it does still work, it just takes longer to get the tank warm. I leave mine on 24/7.

What I'm saying is that if you use plastic and you find it doesn't work, inside the tank is your only option. I'd still connect it to one side first though, if the mat you have is a heat-on-contact type the mat will heat up because the other side is touching the tank.

And if that still does nothing, put it under the substrate. Personally, I'd not have as thick a layer where the mat is and you must leave plenty of tank free of the mat so the snails can get away from it.

paul

[snailgal]

NOW I understand, thanks so much for your patience The tank I shall use is glass it's a spare aquarium and measures about 18" x 10" x 10" high. the polystyrene idea is great I already have polystyrene on the backs of my tanks so I can just sandwich a heater between half of it leaving the other half with just polystyrene SORTED!!

Cheers everyone.........can't wait to get my babies noiw.

[pheonixx]

He he you are good you know Paul..we are learning all the time from you and our Emma also

[Paul]

that's what I'm here for, lol.

fire away....I'm still learning and it's nice to share the info.

paul