How to Care for Garden Snails

Garden snails are one of the most affordable and easiest animals to take care of, as they are commonly found in large numbers and feed on the leaves in your garden. You should provide them with food and water at least every two days, but if you understand their needs, caring for them becomes quite simple. With proper care, garden snails can live for several years.

Use any container with ventilation holes if you're keeping snails temporarily. If you only want to observe the snails for a few days before releasing them back into the garden, you can use a jam jar or pickling jar with ventilation holes as a home for them. However, be cautious of using metal lids, as they can injure the snails. Instead, you can cover the jar with a piece of mesh fabric and secure it with a rubber band.

• Keep in mind that snails can crawl on vertical surfaces and escape if the container is not properly sealed.

Use a larger container or glass tank, such as a Kritter Keeper, if you plan to keep snails long-term. If you intend to care for the snails for more than just a few days, you'll need a container that suits their size. Plastic tanks are only suitable for young snails or very small adult snails. Most species of snails require a spacious tank to thrive and remain healthy and clean. You can buy a glass tank that meets these requirements at a pet store to create their home.

Ensure the tank has ventilation holes. Just like humans, snails absorb oxygen from the air and expel carbon dioxide. Therefore, your snail tank should have ventilation holes, preferably multiple holes around the sides to allow for better airflow. Many people report that snails become more active when air circulates through small gaps at the bottom of the tank.

Maintain the tank at room temperature. Many garden snail species can tolerate a range of temperatures as long as the environment remains humid. However, they are most comfortable and safe at room temperature. Keep them in the shade during hot weather and avoid exposing them to extreme cold.

Buy soil to place in the tank. To reduce the risk of harmful bacteria, pesticides, and other threats, you should purchase soil from a pet store for use in the tank. Alternatively, you can use soil from your garden that is free from pesticides or chemical fertilizers. This soil should cover the bottom of the tank completely.

Cover the soil with a layer of natural materials. You can add moss, peat, compost, or mineral fertilizers on top of the soil. These materials will help retain moisture in the soil, creating an ideal environment for the snails to thrive.

Decorate the snail's home. Place a few objects in the tank where the snails can hide and climb. This will make them more comfortable and visually appealing. Most pet stores sell faux wood pieces for small animals to crawl through, or hamster tubes that snails may also enjoy. You might even find something useful in your own garden! However, never use decorative rocks in the tank, as snails may fall from the tank’s edge and break their shells if they hit the rocks. Bark and twigs tend to degrade after a few weeks, so you will need to replace them.

Cover the tank with a heavy or securely fastened lid. Snails are surprisingly strong for their size; they can climb the edges of most containers. You should use a tank with a lid that has a lock to prevent them from escaping. If the tank’s lid doesn’t have a lock, you can place something heavy, like a stack of books, on top to keep them contained.

Find snails to keep. You can find snails in damp areas of your garden, old flower pots, or other moist spots. If you can’t find any snails, try placing some leafy greens in your garden and check back after a while to see if they’ve come to eat. After heavy rain, snails often emerge, making them easier to find during or right after a storm.

Spray water to keep the tank moist. Mist the moss, peat, and other items at the bottom of the tank whenever they start to dry out. These materials need to stay damp. If you can't spray water at least every two days, you can place an ice cube, a piece of fabric, or a sponge soaked in water inside the tank to maintain humidity.

Gently spray water onto the snails. Snails may become healthier if you mist them once a day or every other day. However, be mindful of the water temperature. During cold weather, use warm water, and in hot weather, room temperature water or a heating system is ideal.

Feed the snails clean food daily. Most snails are not picky eaters and enjoy various fresh vegetables and fruits. Make sure to wash the food thoroughly with clean water before offering it to the snails, and cut large pieces into smaller slices. You can also boil certain foods, such as carrots and potatoes, for a few minutes to soften them. Always let the food cool completely before feeding it to the snails.

Learn about foods that can harm snails. There is still limited research on the perfect nutritional diet for snails, and snail owners have differing opinions on what foods may harm them. Below are some foods that can be dangerous to snails, listed from most to least harmful:

• Salty foods can kill snails. Avoid feeding them anything with salt.
• Do not feed snails noodles, rice, or millet. These starchy foods can cause digestive blockages, so it’s best to avoid them.
• Homegrown vegetables exposed to car emissions can also harm snails.
• Acidic foods like citrus fruits, tomatoes, and kiwis can be harmful or neutral to snails. If you offer them these, do so in small amounts alongside other foods.

Provide the snails with materials to build their shells. You can offer any clean calcium source. Many snail owners use crushed eggshells and shells of deceased snails found in the garden as good calcium sources. If you plan to breed snails, you may want to purchase more concentrated calcium sources, such as cuttlefish bone or pure calcium supplements from pet stores.

• Always keep a calcium supplement in the tank. Replace it when depleted, but use calcium sources with over 20% calcium content in moderation.

Keep the snails clean. If the snails' shells get dirty, you can use a toothbrush to gently clean them. However, avoid using soap, and be sure to brush gently to avoid damaging the shells. Afterward, drop a few water droplets on the shell to remove any remaining dirt.

Clean the snail tank monthly or whenever it gets dirty. Gently lift the snails by sliding your fingers underneath their heads, then place them on a cloth in a temporary holding tank. After removing the old soil and placing it in the garden, use a wet sponge with mild soap to scrub the tank walls and bottom to remove snail slime and other dirt. Rinse the tank thoroughly to ensure no soap residue remains, as soap can harm the snails.

• Do not neglect snail care if you are using a small tank.
• Ensure the tank is properly ventilated.
• When changing the soil or other materials in the tank, follow the same steps you used when setting up the initial snail home.

• To pick up a snail, gently slide your hand underneath its head. If the snail retracts its head, place a piece of food in front to encourage it to climb onto your hand. Then, gently slide your hand or fingers under the snail’s body before lifting to avoid dropping it on the ground.
• Place a bundle of dry leaves in the snail tank and keep them moist. Snails love to climb onto and hide beneath the leaves, spending most of their time in this bundle.
• If the snail climbs to the top of the tank, it might be trying to find more air. To solve this, drill some holes in the bottom for better air circulation or consider buying a new tank.
• If a snail seems hesitant to come out of its shell and doesn’t like you, simply hold it gently for an extended time, and it will gradually get used to you. The snail will eventually poke its head out.
• Tap water contains chlorine, which can harm snails if used excessively. Instead of tap water, consider using rainwater or bottled spring water.

• While some snails, such as African giant snails or apple snail varieties, enjoy drinking from a water dish, garden snails are at risk of drowning. Use a spray bottle or misting gun to keep the tank humid, and avoid using water dishes for snails.
• Supervise young children to ensure they do not eat snails, as this could expose them to dangerous diseases and put the snails' lives at risk.

• Garden Snails
• A tank or container, such as a jar or glass aquarium.
• Water moss, peat moss, organic compost, or plant fertilizers (available online or at pet stores)
• Decor items (wood sticks, rocks, etc.)
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Eggshells or another calcium source
• A spray bottle or misting gun