[Ed]

For those of you living in the appropriate areas of the country, there are two predatory snail species that could be used to control slugs and snails in the enclosures if you wanted to make some trials... The Rosy wolf snail/cannibal snail (Euglandina rosea ) is native to the south-eastern USA and while it gets large if kept as subadults and singly, it won't be able to reproduce in the enclosure. The other option is the decollate snail (Rumina decollata) is another option but it can reproduce even if kept singly and will feed on plants that are damaged or dying so it may be an issue itself.

Permits are definetly required to ship decollate snails across state lines and USDA has restricted the release of decollate snails to specific counties in California to control the introduced brown snail. I don't have any information if the Rosy wolf snail is under the same restrictions or not but it is a thought for those living in the appropriate regions.

Ed

 

[toksyn]

Now if only there was a supplier . . .

 

[Ed]

There are several for the decollate snails but you have to have a APHIS permit for them to be shipped to you which is why those who have them locally can collect them to try.

Ed

 

[stkupprnces]

In So. California decollate snails can be purchased at Orchard Supply Hardware stores as well as Armstrong Garden Centers.

 

[frogface]

A predatory snail in the Southeast US? Will eat the snails in my tanks???

I <3 you Ed!

Now to track a few down

 

[frogface]

Ed, I did a quick search on these snails. If their shells are telltale, then I've seen them around and can certainly collect a few. My concern is what else they might bring into the viv with them. Are there contamination concerns?

I guess I could also try NC State University, our local agricultural college.

 

[Ed]

Ed, I did a quick search on these snails. If their shells are telltale, then I've seen them around and can certainly collect a few. My concern is what else they might bring into the viv with them. Are there contamination concerns?

I guess I could also try NC State University, our local agricultural college.

As with all snails and slugs they can carry a variety of parasites but so can the snails/slugs that get established with the plants... They should be findable up to Pennsylvania but I haven't seen them in the yard as of yet (although I have seen the edible invasive Helix asperas (European brown snail) frequently.

The down side is that the decollate snail can reproduce in the enclosures and can feed on damaged plants... the rosy wolf snail appears to be a lesser risk to plants.

On a different note, decollate snails are also known to predate on worms, so I'm also curious to see if they will feed on nemerteans.

Ed