Monday, September 7, 2009

Providing calcium to snails

Snails require calcium to construct healthy shells. There are many ways to provide this calcium.

Coral sand

Cuttle bone

Plaster of Paris pucks
These can be home made of in the form of commercial "vacation feeders"

Liquid calcium
This may be purely to provide calcium or as part of a general snail health product such as "snail milk".

Tums
Tums can be used on plain or flavored forms. It can temporarily cause water to become cloudy, especially if dropped on a turbulent area of the tank such as near an air stone.

4 comments:

ALS of Nevada said...

Now that is a new one on me! Tums to give calcium to snails. Interesting.

Linda said...

Cuttlebone is used for birds and now for snails? You have got me thinking.... tums too? well, I have never heard of this. Learn something new all the time. :)

corrin said...

I used to have snails when I was in college. They were really cute and easy to take care of. Plus, the petstore used to give them to me for free. :-)

Maureen said...

I wonder if snails absorb calcium differently than humans? I know Tums are not a good source for humans. Calcium carbanate is basically ground up rocks-not an absorbable form.