Cepaea nemoralis
Grove Snail
Cepaea nemoralis
Cepaea nemoralis, or Grove Snails, are a large terrestrial species of snail, that's native to parts of Canada.
These snails are social creatures that should be kept in pairs or groups, as they tend to live much shorter lifespans when kept alone.
They'll happily live with their slightly smaller cousin, Cepaea hortensis, other snails, humidity-loving isopods, mourning geckos-- anything with similar environmental requirements, that won't hurt or try to eat them.
These snails are detritus eaters/scavengers and eat a lot of the same foods as isopods.
They don't tend to eat live, healthy plants, & do well in planted terrariums, (ours are in with mosses, pothos, bromeliads & philodendron.)
With their large & thick shells, these snails should always have a source of calcium available..
We keep cuttle bone in their enclosure and regularly see them rasping away at it.
We don't suggest keeping a water dish in their enclosure, but (if one is needed for other animals in the enclosure,) a shallow dish that's easy to climb out of should prevent any accidental drownings.
The same goes for wet food dishes, as they very much enjoy nibbling on Repashy gecko diets and can quickly drown in this in deeper dishes.
Some Snail-Safe Foods;
Carrots, apples, pumpkin/squash, zucchini, berries, mushrooms, (cooked or raw) eggs, dampened oats, shrimp foods, spirulina, (organic) chamomile, nasturtiums, leaves, (like those used with isopods,) Repashy Isopod Detritivore Gel & Bug Burger.
Leafy greens, like lettuce and spinach, should be fed sparingly.. especially when it comes to babies, who are more likely to over-indulge & become nutrient deficient.
We suggest offering at least 2 different types of food at a time.
You do NOT want to give your snails salt or any salty foods!
Salt can kill these snails.
Cepaea snails are curious and highly active, (though more so at night) and love climbing on plants, branches, up walls, & even on their enclosure lid.. and you'll definitely want a lid on their enclosure.
Misting:
Moisture is very important & a daily mist will keep them happy!
We mist our snails directly, and give the walls/lid a light misting if they're dry.
(Springtails & removal of food that starts to spoil will help keep mold from becoming a problem.)
Temperatures:
Our Cepaea snails seem to be happiest in a damp environment with temperatures in the mid to high 70s.
Snails that start getting too cold, hot, or dry, will spend the entire day under their substrate and, if unfavourable conditions persist, will start sealing off their shell entrance.
(Snails sometimes stick themselves to the lid or walls of their enclosure with a thin film that dries kind of glue-like, but this is typically just them napping.)
Handling:
These snails are friendly, curious, and incapable of biting..
Though they can rasp on your hand, this isn't painful or dangerous.
They are very sensitive to chemicals and pesticides, even organic ones, and we only ever handle our snails with freshly washed hands.
Picking Up Snails:
One way to pick up a snail is to place a finger in front of them and allow them to climb onto it themselves.
Alternatively, with larger snails, you can VERY gently attempt to lift them by their shells & they'll sometimes let go of whatever they're on-- but you do need to be very careful when trying this, as the snail may hold on tighter or resist.. continuing to pull on them when they do so can lead to the serious injury/death of the snail.
Baby snails have much thinner shells, and great care should be used if and when handling them.
Hibernation:
These snails can do a kind of hibernation if it gets too dry, hot, or cold..
Though they can hibernate, it's not necessary for the snail to remain healthy, and can even cost the life of the snail if done incorrectly.
Snail "Speed" Warning:
Snails can move a bit faster than you'd think, and even babies can quickly move into a position where they'll be crushed when the lid to their enclosure is put back on.
These snails are social creatures that should be kept in pairs or groups, as they tend to live much shorter lifespans when kept alone.
They'll happily live with their slightly smaller cousin, Cepaea hortensis, other snails, humidity-loving isopods, mourning geckos-- anything with similar environmental requirements, that won't hurt or try to eat them.
These snails are detritus eaters/scavengers and eat a lot of the same foods as isopods.
They don't tend to eat live, healthy plants, & do well in planted terrariums, (ours are in with mosses, pothos, bromeliads & philodendron.)
With their large & thick shells, these snails should always have a source of calcium available..
We keep cuttle bone in their enclosure and regularly see them rasping away at it.
We don't suggest keeping a water dish in their enclosure, but (if one is needed for other animals in the enclosure,) a shallow dish that's easy to climb out of should prevent any accidental drownings.
The same goes for wet food dishes, as they very much enjoy nibbling on Repashy gecko diets and can quickly drown in this in deeper dishes.
Some Snail-Safe Foods;
Carrots, apples, pumpkin/squash, zucchini, berries, mushrooms, (cooked or raw) eggs, dampened oats, shrimp foods, spirulina, (organic) chamomile, nasturtiums, leaves, (like those used with isopods,) Repashy Isopod Detritivore Gel & Bug Burger.
Leafy greens, like lettuce and spinach, should be fed sparingly.. especially when it comes to babies, who are more likely to over-indulge & become nutrient deficient.
We suggest offering at least 2 different types of food at a time.
You do NOT want to give your snails salt or any salty foods!
Salt can kill these snails.
Cepaea snails are curious and highly active, (though more so at night) and love climbing on plants, branches, up walls, & even on their enclosure lid.. and you'll definitely want a lid on their enclosure.
Misting:
Moisture is very important & a daily mist will keep them happy!
We mist our snails directly, and give the walls/lid a light misting if they're dry.
(Springtails & removal of food that starts to spoil will help keep mold from becoming a problem.)
Temperatures:
Our Cepaea snails seem to be happiest in a damp environment with temperatures in the mid to high 70s.
Snails that start getting too cold, hot, or dry, will spend the entire day under their substrate and, if unfavourable conditions persist, will start sealing off their shell entrance.
(Snails sometimes stick themselves to the lid or walls of their enclosure with a thin film that dries kind of glue-like, but this is typically just them napping.)
Handling:
These snails are friendly, curious, and incapable of biting..
Though they can rasp on your hand, this isn't painful or dangerous.
They are very sensitive to chemicals and pesticides, even organic ones, and we only ever handle our snails with freshly washed hands.
Picking Up Snails:
One way to pick up a snail is to place a finger in front of them and allow them to climb onto it themselves.
Alternatively, with larger snails, you can VERY gently attempt to lift them by their shells & they'll sometimes let go of whatever they're on-- but you do need to be very careful when trying this, as the snail may hold on tighter or resist.. continuing to pull on them when they do so can lead to the serious injury/death of the snail.
Baby snails have much thinner shells, and great care should be used if and when handling them.
Hibernation:
These snails can do a kind of hibernation if it gets too dry, hot, or cold..
Though they can hibernate, it's not necessary for the snail to remain healthy, and can even cost the life of the snail if done incorrectly.
Snail "Speed" Warning:
Snails can move a bit faster than you'd think, and even babies can quickly move into a position where they'll be crushed when the lid to their enclosure is put back on.