Q&A for How to Breed a Pet Snail

For a breeding snail, you will want a glass or plastic tank that is spacious enough for snails to move around freely. A good starting size for smaller snail species is about 7 inches high and 10 inches long. But here’s the deal: the size of the enclosure really depends on the type of snail you're breeding. If you're working with larger or giant snails, you’ll need to scale up the tank to make sure they have enough room to thrive. Always think about how much space they need to stretch out, explore, and lay eggs comfortably.

No, not necessarily, but it does increase the likelihood quite a bit.

The eggs are round, sometimes oval-shaped, and range in color from white to light brown/yellow.

You should give them a source of calcium. Calcium can come from cuttlefish bones, egg shells, and special calcium supplements.

Yes.

Depending on the breed of snail, it could take as little as 4 to 6 hours, or as long as 24 hours or longer.

While they may be laid without soil, snails need soil to protect the eggs and maintain the proper temperature.

It will have a "love dart" sticking out of it. A love dart is a little white thing.

It is best not to touch the eggs because they are so delicate. If, however, you absolutely need to move the eggs, try using small tweezers to pick them up and be very gentle.

Snails are hermaphrodites. They have both male and female reproductive parts.

These snails grow up to 10 mm per month. After 6 months, the Achatina fulica is about 35 mm long and may already be sexually mature. Sexual maturity takes 6 to 16 months, depending on the weather and the availability of calcium. This snail lives 5 or 6 years, sometimes as many as 9 years.

Yes, just make sure to create a suitable exterior terrarium. Make sure to dig down and put fencing in at least 1.5 feet deep.

You can keep them indoors if they are pets.

Yes you can do hybrids with snails and make odd looking ones. Some might have two shells.

No. They are afraid or are just getting used to the environment around them.

A local pet store might be a good place to start.

Yes, because the snails are hermaphrodites and can self-reproduce.

1-6 weeks depending on the temperature, humidity, climate, ventilation and species.

They can reproduce throughout their entire lives.

Yes, if you wash your hands, you should be fine.

Things like lettuce, tomato, and carrot are all great calcium food for your snails.

No. Snails need light changes and airflow. A fridge won't give the snails that. It will also be more susceptible to mold, fungus, and/or bacterial growth.

No. They are completely different species. If you did manage to mate them they wouldn't lay any viable eggs.

Yes, snails like to be high up because they think it's safer.

Yes, as long as they are all the same species.

Probably. The best thing to do in this situation is to take the eggs to a different habitat because, even if you're feeding them more, there is still a possibility of the other snails eating the eggs.

That's the snail's feces. This is nothing to be alarmed about.

Most land snails have both male and female organs so they are able to breed with themselves, but if you want to speed up the process put a few snails together so they breed with each other.

Yes, they can, so make sure to always cleanse their food before you feed it to them.

A snail is both male and female. They have both male and reproductive parts to ensure the survival of the species. It is natural for one snail to suddenly lay eggs without warning.