After getting all psyched up about snails nailing all my hair algae I'm all
depressed again ...well not really but..

I cannot seem to get pomacea bridgesii snails anywhere! Nowhere locally,
I've checked two Big Al's stores...one of the guys there says that snail
imports are illegal so whatever snails they have are from local breeders and
customers. He also said that all the apple snails that they had (besides the
obvious ramshorn plant-eaters) were voracious plant munchers

So...I'm hooped? Anyone here breed these little tykes or have some they'd
like to send up to western Canada? If someone can pack them well so shells
don't break.

Thanx!!!
(btw I left for holidays for 4 days and came back...my plants are going
nuts, where I pruned a few days back tonnes of new leaves are popping in and
the algae looks like it might go extinct!...I guess the grow plants good
algae control works. Can't wait till I start doing PMDD in a few days to
make everything go crazy!!)

Dave.

Anyone here breed these little tykes or have some they'd
like to send up to western Canada? If someone can pack them well so shells
don't break.

They mail well. You might want to wait a few weeks. Spring is a good time to
mail them: not too hot, not too cold. I wrap them in damp paper towels or
newspaper, with a handful of plant clippings as padding. There's no need to
express mail them; they will be fine for the three or four days domestic mail
usually takes.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Anyone here breed these little tykes or have some they'd
like to send up to western Canada? If someone can pack them well so shells
don't break.

They mail well. You might want to wait a few weeks. Spring is a good time to
mail them: not too hot, not too cold. I wrap them in damp paper towels or
newspaper, with a handful of plant clippings as padding. There's no need to
express mail them; they will be fine for the three or four days domestic mail
usually takes.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

They mail well. You might want to wait a few weeks. Spring is a good time
to
mail them: not too hot, not too cold. I wrap them in damp paper towels or
newspaper, with a handful of plant clippings as padding. There's no need to
express mail them; they will be fine for the three or four days domestic mail
usually takes.

Interesting! When you mail them, I assume you put no water in the bags? Just
damp paper towels and plants? Do you blow air into the bags as well? IE. Is
it a blown up bag, no water, snails, and padded with wet paper towels? Also, do
you stop feeding the snails at all a day or two before to clean their
intestines out some (like they do to ship fish?). Let me know, thanks!

They mail well. You might want to wait a few weeks. Spring is a good time
to
mail them: not too hot, not too cold. I wrap them in damp paper towels or
newspaper, with a handful of plant clippings as padding. There's no need to
express mail them; they will be fine for the three or four days domestic mail
usually takes.

Interesting! When you mail them, I assume you put no water in the bags? Just
damp paper towels and plants? Do you blow air into the bags as well? IE. Is
it a blown up bag, no water, snails, and padded with wet paper towels? Also, do
you stop feeding the snails at all a day or two before to clean their
intestines out some (like they do to ship fish?). Let me know, thanks!

Leigh should know... she mailed me 6 or so from the east coast to the west
coast (during the summer btw) and they made it fine!

DJay

"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
Anyone here breed these little tykes or have some they'd
like to send up to western Canada? If someone can pack them well so
shells
don't break.

They mail well. You might want to wait a few weeks. Spring is a good
time to
mail them: not too hot, not too cold. I wrap them in damp paper towels or
newspaper, with a handful of plant clippings as padding. There's no need
to
express mail them; they will be fine for the three or four days domestic
mail
usually takes.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Leigh should know... she mailed me 6 or so from the east coast to the west
coast (during the summer btw) and they made it fine!

DJay

"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
Anyone here breed these little tykes or have some they'd
like to send up to western Canada? If someone can pack them well so
shells
don't break.

They mail well. You might want to wait a few weeks. Spring is a good
time to
mail them: not too hot, not too cold. I wrap them in damp paper towels or
newspaper, with a handful of plant clippings as padding. There's no need
to
express mail them; they will be fine for the three or four days domestic
mail
usually takes.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Interesting! When you mail them, I assume you put no water in the bags? Just
damp paper towels and plants?

Yes. The same way I mail plants, really. They don't need to be underwater,
they just need to be damp.

Do you blow air into the bags as well? IE. Is
it a blown up bag, no water, snails, and padded with wet paper towels?

No. I don't want the snails bouncing around. It can crack their shells.
(Ditto plants. You don't want them bouncing around, so it's best to press all
the air out of the plastic bags.)

But I usually don't use plastic bags if I'm only mailing snails. If I'm
sending someone snails and plants, I'll put them all in one big plastic garbage
bag and seal it up, because there will be enough air in it for the snails. But
if I'm just sending snails, I don't put them in a plastic bag. I don't want
them to suffocate.

Instead, I wrap them with plant clippings in damp paper towels and put them in
an empty margarine container or something like that. I'll punch holes in the
lid for air, then pack it into a small box with dry newspaper for padding.
Tight enough so they can't bounce around. As long the paper towels are just
damp, not wet, it won't leak.

Even better are those plastic "clamshell" video or DVD boxes. When the local
grocery store stopped renting movies, they gave away all their plastic boxes,
and I grabbed a bunch. They are perfect for mailing a few snails. They are
strong enough to protect the snails, hold up to dampness, but not air-tight.
Put the snails in, wrapped in damp paper towels, then just put the box in a
padded envelope and mail.

Also, do
you stop feeding the snails at all a day or two before to clean their
intestines out some (like they do to ship fish?).

Nah, there's no need. Since they aren't in water, they can't poison themselves
like fish can. Heck, I feed them in transit...with the plant clippings.
Recepients report that when they open the package, they find the snails are
diligently scraping algae off the plants.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Interesting! When you mail them, I assume you put no water in the bags? Just
damp paper towels and plants?

Yes. The same way I mail plants, really. They don't need to be underwater,
they just need to be damp.

Do you blow air into the bags as well? IE. Is
it a blown up bag, no water, snails, and padded with wet paper towels?

No. I don't want the snails bouncing around. It can crack their shells.
(Ditto plants. You don't want them bouncing around, so it's best to press all
the air out of the plastic bags.)

But I usually don't use plastic bags if I'm only mailing snails. If I'm
sending someone snails and plants, I'll put them all in one big plastic garbage
bag and seal it up, because there will be enough air in it for the snails. But
if I'm just sending snails, I don't put them in a plastic bag. I don't want
them to suffocate.

Instead, I wrap them with plant clippings in damp paper towels and put them in
an empty margarine container or something like that. I'll punch holes in the
lid for air, then pack it into a small box with dry newspaper for padding.
Tight enough so they can't bounce around. As long the paper towels are just
damp, not wet, it won't leak.

Even better are those plastic "clamshell" video or DVD boxes. When the local
grocery store stopped renting movies, they gave away all their plastic boxes,
and I grabbed a bunch. They are perfect for mailing a few snails. They are
strong enough to protect the snails, hold up to dampness, but not air-tight.
Put the snails in, wrapped in damp paper towels, then just put the box in a
padded envelope and mail.

Also, do
you stop feeding the snails at all a day or two before to clean their
intestines out some (like they do to ship fish?).

Nah, there's no need. Since they aren't in water, they can't poison themselves
like fish can. Heck, I feed them in transit...with the plant clippings.
Recepients report that when they open the package, they find the snails are
diligently scraping algae off the plants.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Leigh should know... she mailed me 6 or so from the east coast to the west
coast (during the summer btw) and they made it fine!

I would be a little cautious, mailing in summer. If the temperature's in the
90s, don't mail snails. Tried it once, and they didn't make it, even for a
short trip. :-(

They will tolerate a few days or weeks of cold, as long as temps remain above
freezing.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Leigh should know... she mailed me 6 or so from the east coast to the west
coast (during the summer btw) and they made it fine!

I would be a little cautious, mailing in summer. If the temperature's in the
90s, don't mail snails. Tried it once, and they didn't make it, even for a
short trip. :-(

They will tolerate a few days or weeks of cold, as long as temps remain above
freezing.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Sound awesome Leigh! Please let me know when you can send some if you have
any. Also let me know how much you want for the snails and shipping. I can
send you a check in the mail first if you want.

Dave.

"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
Anyone here breed these little tykes or have some they'd
like to send up to western Canada? If someone can pack them well so
shells
don't break.

They mail well. You might want to wait a few weeks. Spring is a good
time to
mail them: not too hot, not too cold. I wrap them in damp paper towels or
newspaper, with a handful of plant clippings as padding. There's no need
to
express mail them; they will be fine for the three or four days domestic
mail
usually takes.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Sound awesome Leigh! Please let me know when you can send some if you have
any. Also let me know how much you want for the snails and shipping. I can
send you a check in the mail first if you want.

Dave.

"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
Anyone here breed these little tykes or have some they'd
like to send up to western Canada? If someone can pack them well so
shells
don't break.

They mail well. You might want to wait a few weeks. Spring is a good
time to
mail them: not too hot, not too cold. I wrap them in damp paper towels or
newspaper, with a handful of plant clippings as padding. There's no need
to
express mail them; they will be fine for the three or four days domestic
mail
usually takes.


Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Sound awesome Leigh! Please let me know when you can send some if you have
any. Also let me know how much you want for the snails and shipping. I can
send you a check in the mail first if you want.

I can't send you snails. It's illegal. I'm in the U.S. Plus, it would
probably take too long, seeing as you're in Western Canada and I'm in the
Eastern U.S. Sometimes air mail to Canada takes only a few days, but sometimes
it takes weeks.

I was just offering info on how to pack and mail them, for anyone in Canada who
might want to mail them to you.





Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/

Sound awesome Leigh! Please let me know when you can send some if you have
any. Also let me know how much you want for the snails and shipping. I can
send you a check in the mail first if you want.

I can't send you snails. It's illegal. I'm in the U.S. Plus, it would
probably take too long, seeing as you're in Western Canada and I'm in the
Eastern U.S. Sometimes air mail to Canada takes only a few days, but sometimes
it takes weeks.

I was just offering info on how to pack and mail them, for anyone in Canada who
might want to mail them to you.





Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/