I came home today and Zoom's had a baby! I knew they were hermaphrodites but what exactly does this mean? Is Zoom able to reproduce without a sexual partner? Oh, by the way, Zoom is a Giant African Land Snail in case you didn't know. Oh my god I'm a Grandma at 28!

I do not think snails are parthenogenic. Do you have another snail around?

http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/8615/p0606080137cz1.jpg LOOK!!!

That is one hell of a strange pet. I don't get it, it doesn't do anything. What can you do with that thing?

He's (or rather she's) quite entertaining. Seriously, he comes in pissed after a night out and tells outrageous stories about how he had seventeen pints and got into a fight outside Yates Wine Lodge. Although now he's a she she'll be coming hom telling me about how she's flashed her knockers to all kinds of strange fellas on the street.

No, but seriously, I'd love to know how i came home tonight and found a baby snail in Zoom's tank. Did he go to the adoption agency while I was out? did aliens beam the little guy in there? Have snails perfected cloning? Is this the Boba Fett of molluscs? More importantly, am I going to be inundated with a trillion little snails before long? Help me sciforums, you're my only hope.

I do not think snails are parthenogenic. Do you have another snail around?

Wrong word. They are NOT parthenogenic (utilizing unfertilized ova, such as worker honeybees and others) - they are true hermaphrodites, like earthworms and are fully capabile of self-fertilization.

Wrong word. They are NOT parthenogenic (utilizing unfertilized ova, such as worker honeybees and others) - they are true hermaphrodites, like earthworms and are fully capabile of self-fertilization.

Does the vet do snail contraception because as cute as this little motherfucker is, I don't want anymore filling my house?

He's (or rather she's) quite entertaining. Seriously, he comes in pissed after a night out and tells outrageous stories about how he had seventeen pints and got into a fight outside Yates Wine Lodge. Although now he's a she she'll be coming hom telling me about how she's flashed her knockers to all kinds of strange fellas on the street.

No, but seriously, I'd love to know how i came home tonight and found a baby snail in Zoom's tank. Did he go to the adoption agency while I was out? did aliens beam the little guy in there? Have snails perfected cloning? Is this the Boba Fett of molluscs? More importantly, am I going to be inundated with a trillion little snails before long? Help me sciforums, you're my only hope.

Yes, you may be covered with them before long. As I explained to James, they are self-fertile (need no mate) and reproduce so rapidly AND are such vociferous eaters that it is illegal to own them in many countries. Their importation is banned by law in those locations.

Does the vet do snail contraception because as cute as this little motherfucker is, I don't want anymore filling my house?

I've never heard of it being done BUT a vet with good anatomical knowledge of snails could probably remove either the male or female parts. No telling what it might cost you, though.

What type of snail is it?
Does the baby ride on the mothers shell?
I keep apple snails and trap door snails. My trapdoor snails mated and I got a tank for the mom and babies. The snail family doesn't like outsiders. I put one of my apple snails in their tank when I was re arranging things and they attacked her.
Not all snails self mate.

Congrats Emmz!!! :p :cool: :D

It's a giant African land snail. The baby was getting a piggy back from Zoom before. He jumped off though, courgette apparently has more appeal than a ride on big momma's huge shell.

Congrats Emmz!!! :p :cool: :D

Thanks Sweethcheeks. I'm so excited, I'm in awe of it's utter fucking cuteness. Any suggestions for ironic/sarcastic names greatly appreciated.

I think I'm going to have to go to the library and find out more about snailZ.

EmmZ! Congratulations! The new baby is so cute! I luuv it...keep it off the hands thou as they are dry for snails...

Anyways this is so exciting...I want a snail pet too, =)

Aww draq, if you lived anywhere near me I'd give baby Zoom to you. I wet my hands thoroughly before I held them don't fret. Oh my word they are voracious eaters! Baby Zoom's only been alive a day and he's ate his way through a cherry tomato sized piece of courgette! This one's gonna big a biggun just like his Momma.

cuuuuuuuuteeee....take care of him, have you named the baby yet?

Thanks Sweethcheeks. I'm so excited, I'm in awe of it's utter fucking cuteness. Any suggestions for ironic/sarcastic names greatly appreciated.


I've kept them and know others who have also. Some of the names I came across that I can recall off the top of my head: Speedy, Andretti, Space Shuttle, Meteor, Comet, Flash, Lightening, and Sputnik.

Poopy, Uy-oy, Yappii, PimPom, BimBam, Shap, Tupac (lolz),

I wish my sea snails were hemphrodites. i keep having to buy new ones every time the hermit crabs need a new shell:(

Thanks Sweethcheeks. I'm so excited, I'm in awe of it's utter fucking cuteness. Any suggestions for ironic/sarcastic names greatly appreciated.

I think I'm going to have to go to the library and find out more about snailZ.

Gir.

You should name him Gir!

What did the snail say when it got a ride on the back of a tortoise?

Wheeeeeee!!!

(my 7 year old nephew told me that one)

Oh my god I'm a Grandma at 28!

Hm ? :confused:

Err.. that is impossible.
Those snails are hermaphrodites, but they still need to mate with another snail.
Plus they lay eggs..

Are you completely sure it isn't a common garden snail ? It looks like it..

Hmm ok, they can serf-fertilize.. although it's rare.
However, they lay eggs and the number averages around 200.
Also, it could have been fertilized in the pet store, since these snails can store sperm for up to two years.
So it may have self-fertilized or gotten fertilized at the pet store, but only laying the one egg is completely a-typical.

Weird.

"The Giant East African Snail is a simultaneous hermaphrodite, meaning each individual has both testes and ovaries. This means it is capable of producing both sperm and ova. Instances of self fertilisation are rare, and only occur in low populations. Although both snails in a mating pair can simultaneously transfer both gametes to each other (bilateral mating), this is dependent on the size difference between the partners. Snails of a similar size will reproduce in this way, however 2 of differing sizes will mate unilaterally (one way), with the larger individual acting as a female. This is due to the comparative resource investment associated with the different genders. Like other land snails, they have intriguing mating behavior, including petting their heads and front parts against each other. Courtship can last up to half an hour, and the actual transfer of gametes can last for 2 hours. A female can store sperm within her body for up to 2 years. The number of eggs per clutch averages around 200. A snail would lay 5-6 clutches per year with a hatching viability of about 90%."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achatina_fulica

EmmZ, don't set the baby snails free.
These snails are invasive species and can do great damage to the environment.

http://img383.imageshack.us/img383/8615/p0606080137cz1.jpg LOOK!!!

Wow, that is just so cute, EmmZ!

Snail Riksja.. :p

http://www.streettech.com/storypics/snail.jpg

The eggs:

http://keep4u.ru/imgs/b/070622/1ff04c1bc10f5847b5.jpg

http://www.achatina.ru/Photo/eggs050702.jpg

http://www.livefoodshop.co.uk/forum/uploadgal/1163629492/gallery_3292_3_172145.jpg

You are not really mad are you ? lol

No, that is actually a suspicious icon http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc247/x_inzomnia/embarassedlaugh.gif

Let see if I can find something else. Maybe something related with this hot summer :D

Eh, I'll do it a bit later, my bf just called me, we're going to meet out for lunch first.

Ciao, Enmos!

I luv snails, and those eggs are so cuuute

I find the whole thing slimy and gross.

To me....I could sleep amongst them...It is so relaxing

I wish my sea snails were hemphrodites. i keep having to buy new ones every time the hermit crabs need a new shell:(

can you not just pick up empty shells from the beach? or if you don't live near the sea find someone who will send you some.

It's tremendous fun when you put some new shells in a tank with hermies and watch them do battle over the choicest one. :D

Purely in the name of science of course (ahem.....)

acually its rather hard to get gradually increasing shells for them. Most of my hermit crabs die when they outgrow there shell because i cant get enough slightly bigger ones

These arnt the land hermit crabs rember (which are quite large and the shells are easerly bought) they are much smaller

acually its rather hard to get gradually increasing shells for them. Most of my hermit crabs die when they outgrow there shell because i cant get enough slightly bigger ones

These arnt the land hermit crabs rember (which are quite large and the shells are easerly bought) they are much smaller

Shame - a couple of hours beachcombing here and I could get a sackfull of all different shapes and sizes.

Is this a known problem for aquarium keepers?
Do they have to suffer the buden of regularly replacing hermit crabs due to the poor availability of shells?
If so I see a business opportunity

synthesizer-patel its reasonably common from what my pet store friend tells me. As for collecting shells i could go to the beach and collect 1000's of shells but they are all flat shells. Hermit crabs need snail shells (or cone shells i would guess) ect because they use the shells to hide there bodies in. They just dont wash up here

Where did EmmZ go ? :confused:

Does anyone know if they breed with there children?

Because if so she could soon have lots more snails be accident.

we think that EmmZ unfortuntanitly got eatten by a tired of evil space snails:p

I thought only Spongebob had a pet snail, Gary.

Where did EmmZ go ? :confused:

I ask the same question myself...and even through threads of EmmZ responses...a terrifying idea comes to mind...

...what if...

oh...what if...

EmmZ is gone...forever

perhaps the day has come

Get ready for another funeral....

i dont really think being away for 8 days qualifys for a funeral

2 more days...and that is when it is settled.

For wikipedia:


Many methods have been tried to eradicate the Giant East African Snail. Generally, none of them have been effective except where implemented at the first sign of infestation. Methods include hand collecting, use of molluscicides, flame-throwers

Sweet jesus Yes! Can you imagine the epic awesome of battling an infestation of snails with a flame-thrower?!?! If someone could get a image of that!

I would imagine what they mean by flamethrower is starting a fire on a dry grass, the fire spreads killing all insects and mollusks too...

or they could just mean a can of fly spray and a lighter:p

nuclear bombing to get rid of molluscs...

Is it too late to say those snails look awesomely cute? :D

how could you:(
they ate our friend:(

There are terrioust snails:(

Ok im joking and there would be a tongue smily here but i ran out of smilies