Diet
GALS are vegetarian and their diet should be high in fibre and rich in green vegetation. Their daily diet should consist of green leaves, e.g. dandelion, romaine and curly lettuce, with a thick chunk of cucumber. Occasionally vegetables such as a baby sweetcorn or peeled carrot can be provided.
Choose organic foods wherever possible, so as to avoid exposing your pet to potentially harmful pesticides.
In order for snails to grow a strong, healthy shell, they require constant access to calcium. Please see the section on calcium below for more information.
General feeding guidelines:
Always wash food thoroughly before feeding.
Do not feed the first few leaves from a non-organic head of lettuce, as these will have been the most heavily exposed to pesticides – this is not a problem with organic produce.
Spinach, kale and parsley are high in oxalates which inhibit the uptake of calcium, so
they should only be fed in limited amounts.
Avoid citrus fruits, as they are acidic.
Avocado is toxic to many reptiles and should be avoided. Similarly, rhubarb should also be avoided, particularly the leaves which are known to be poisonous.
Do not feed cooked foods, anything salty, or animal products.
Never feed pasta, as this causes bloating and can be fatal.
Too much fruit can cause colic, so give things such as strawberries, watermelon and honeydew melon in small amounts as occasional treats only.
Foods GALS will enjoy:
Baby sweetcorn
Beans – in the pod. Feed in small quantities only, as these are high in protein.
Blackberries
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower – including the leaves
Celery
Chard
Clover
Coriander
Cress
Cucumber
Dandelion leaves and flowers
Grapes – sliced in half
Grass – freshly picked only. Do not feed grass that has been through a lawn mower
Kale
Lettuce – iceberg, curly, hot house, round, romaine etc.
Melon – cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon
Mint
Parsley
Pear
Rocket
Spinach
Strawberries
Watercress
Choose organic foods wherever possible, so as to avoid exposing your pet to potentially harmful pesticides.
In order for snails to grow a strong, healthy shell, they require constant access to calcium. Please see the section on calcium below for more information.
General feeding guidelines:
Always wash food thoroughly before feeding.
Do not feed the first few leaves from a non-organic head of lettuce, as these will have been the most heavily exposed to pesticides – this is not a problem with organic produce.
Spinach, kale and parsley are high in oxalates which inhibit the uptake of calcium, so
they should only be fed in limited amounts.
Avoid citrus fruits, as they are acidic.
Avocado is toxic to many reptiles and should be avoided. Similarly, rhubarb should also be avoided, particularly the leaves which are known to be poisonous.
Do not feed cooked foods, anything salty, or animal products.
Never feed pasta, as this causes bloating and can be fatal.
Too much fruit can cause colic, so give things such as strawberries, watermelon and honeydew melon in small amounts as occasional treats only.
Foods GALS will enjoy:
Baby sweetcorn
Beans – in the pod. Feed in small quantities only, as these are high in protein.
Blackberries
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower – including the leaves
Celery
Chard
Clover
Coriander
Cress
Cucumber
Dandelion leaves and flowers
Grapes – sliced in half
Grass – freshly picked only. Do not feed grass that has been through a lawn mower
Kale
Lettuce – iceberg, curly, hot house, round, romaine etc.
Melon – cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon
Mint
Parsley
Pear
Rocket
Spinach
Strawberries
Watercress
Calcium
GALS require constant access to a direct calcium supplement in order to grow strong and healthy shells. The absence of calcium from their diet, for even a brief period, may cause stunted growth. Animals kept without constant free access to a calcium supplement will resort to cannibalism and self-mutilation in an attempt to meet their needs. Calcium is also essential for repair in the event of shell damage.
Cuttlefish
Possibly the easiest way to provide calcium for your snails is by providing cuttlefish. This is available in pet shops and many supermarkets, is inexpensive and lasts a relatively long time. In a tank containing multiple animals, provide a piece of cuttlefish per snail, to allow them all simultaneous access. One piece of cuttlefish can be broken into fragments to make this easier.
When choosing your cuttlefish, pick pieces that are a creamy white colour. Avoid pieces that are green, brown, or yellow as these may have gone off. Also avoid cuttlefish that has been dyed or has additives included.
Before feeding, scrape off the surface layer and wipe the back of the cuttlefish with a damp cloth to remove any bacteria and excess salt.
Do not allow the cuttlefish to become too wet. If rehydrated, cuttlefish will quickly go bad within the humid environment of a snails tank.
There are other forms of calcium supplementation that you may consider offering to your snails in addition to cuttlefish. As we have not tried keeping GALS on these supplements alone, we can not advise on their appropriateness as a sole source of calcium and would recommend consulting with an experienced exotics vet before commencing such a diet.
Cuttlefish
Possibly the easiest way to provide calcium for your snails is by providing cuttlefish. This is available in pet shops and many supermarkets, is inexpensive and lasts a relatively long time. In a tank containing multiple animals, provide a piece of cuttlefish per snail, to allow them all simultaneous access. One piece of cuttlefish can be broken into fragments to make this easier.
When choosing your cuttlefish, pick pieces that are a creamy white colour. Avoid pieces that are green, brown, or yellow as these may have gone off. Also avoid cuttlefish that has been dyed or has additives included.
Before feeding, scrape off the surface layer and wipe the back of the cuttlefish with a damp cloth to remove any bacteria and excess salt.
Do not allow the cuttlefish to become too wet. If rehydrated, cuttlefish will quickly go bad within the humid environment of a snails tank.
There are other forms of calcium supplementation that you may consider offering to your snails in addition to cuttlefish. As we have not tried keeping GALS on these supplements alone, we can not advise on their appropriateness as a sole source of calcium and would recommend consulting with an experienced exotics vet before commencing such a diet.
Nutrobal
Nutrobal is a high quality supplement recommended for use with captive reptiles. It is most commonly used by sprinkling over fresh food. Nutrobal has a distinctive taste which is disliked by some animals. However, the taste is weakened by storing Nutrobal in the fridge.
Nutrobal can be lightly sprinkled over GALS food, however it is important to monitor their food intake to ensure that they are not put off by the taste. Nutrobal can also be provided in a dish. It should not be given on the floor of the tank, in case ingestion of substrate occurs during feeding.
Nutrobal is available from many veterinary practices, pet shops and online retailers.
Nutrobal can be lightly sprinkled over GALS food, however it is important to monitor their food intake to ensure that they are not put off by the taste. Nutrobal can also be provided in a dish. It should not be given on the floor of the tank, in case ingestion of substrate occurs during feeding.
Nutrobal is available from many veterinary practices, pet shops and online retailers.
Limestone flour
Limestone flour is a natural source of calcium and is used as a supplement for many animals, from reptiles and birds to horses. It is often given in powder form and can be sprinkled on to food or provided in a tray. Additionally, you can cut down on any mess by making limestone 'cakes'. Mix the limestone flour with water to create a thick paste and whisk out any lumps. Put into ice cube trays or a small container and leave in direct sunlight to dry and hardened. Once completely dry, it can be removed from the container and offered to your snails.
Limestone flour is available online, in reptile specialist pet shops and from horse feed retailers.
Limestone flour is available online, in reptile specialist pet shops and from horse feed retailers.
