NatureNut Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 I was sitting here tonight watching a movie with my husband when we heard a rather loud thump. Both cats were sleeping on the couch, so the usual culprits weren't responsible. I checked the kids and neither had fallen out of bed. Everything seemed normal. 10 minutes later my husband got up to head for bed and says "Kristi.... the SNAIL is walking across the hall!" LOL Our apple snail 'jumped' out of the tank in the kitchen and had gone about 10 feet or so already. He was happily cruising along looking for who knows what! I'm just glad we were still awake... we're normally sleeping by this time of night. I'd have hated to find him after a night of being a cat toy. I don't even know how long they'd be okay out of the water... Is this a common occurance? Do I need to lock down his tank the way I needed to with one hamster we had? (that's another story altogether...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Chicklets Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 :ph43r: Jail break. :rofl: Actually a lot of critters move around at this time of year looking for there winter home. Maybe it sensed the changing season and was doing the same thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrie Lee Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 That is so funny. A snail running away. I am glad you caught it. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dunl Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 Both cats were sleeping on the couch Time for new cats that actually earn their keep, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 I haven't had snails escape but I have had the pleasure of finding dried up shrimp and fish on my floor. :ph43r: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NatureNut Posted September 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2007 Time for new cats that actually earn their keep, eh? Well a few years back we had a hamster from the SPCA. She was found in somebody's apartment building and was never claimed. One night we came home from visiting and my husband went into the living room first... he said "Kristi... did you let Gizmo out?" I told him of course not (we'd let her out, but only with us RIGHT there because of our two cats). There she was, running across the livingroom to where the cats' food dish was, gathering a pouch full of their kibbles and carrying it back to the PILE outside her cage. There was easily 10-15 trips worth AT LEAST by the time we got home. What were my cats doing? Sitting on the floor watching her and looking at us saying "DO YOU SEE what that undersized rat is DOING?!??!?! Can't you people STOP her?!?!?" We locked down her door thinking that's how she was getting out. It took several more escapes before we observed one. She had an aquarium on one side with a wood and mesh top. She would balance on the wheel that was attached to it by a suction cup, right between the actual wheel and the glass... this part turned so she had to be really careful. Then she would stretch up, push with her nose on the wood until the lid lifted enough to get her paws on the edge and she hauled her chubby butt up and out and dropped down to the ground. After that we used an assortment of bungee cords and heavy text books to keep her in. The funniest part was that our younger cat missed her escapades and could often be found nose to nose with her through the cage part of the enclosure. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilwolfe Posted September 3, 2007 Report Share Posted September 3, 2007 I would suggest covering any wholes around the filter/ heater on the back of the tank. I've had about ten escapees with snails before. generally if you find one and it looks "dry". If you put them back in the tank (i always put mine back into a net in the tank) and after 24 hours they tend to be okay and cruising. If you find one and he smells pretty rank.....chances are he didn't make it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NatureNut Posted September 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 Well we figured out why she was up at the top of the tank. There's now a nice big mass of eggs under the lid! :thumbs: She must have been storing the sperm since we bought her, or will they lay infertile eggs? I was just reading that I should move the mass to something floating in a tank with no fish... anyone had experience with this? I have a shrimp tank running... I don't know if they'd eat the baby snails or not... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qattarra Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 Since you are normally sleeping at this time , I'm thinking there's been some planning involved..... 9:30 captors leave the compound for the night...check.....!0:30 furry guards go to sleep....check....10:31 crawl up the heat pole as they never watch for such a daring escape from this locale...check....10:45 reach the top of the heat pole, foot rather warm now, ....check......10:46 take a leap of faith to the ground bellow...check....roll....check....10:55 cruise at top speed through the barren lands....check....spot captor....running running.....busted dagnabit , wasted , 4 month of planning. Must regroup and start again lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodogg02 Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 my salt and fresh water tank used to be a few feet apart and i keep finding my trumpet snails in the salt tank not sure how they got there but hav since moved the tanks apart farther and havent found anymore in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9outfit Posted September 11, 2007 Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 She must have been storing the sperm since we bought her, or will they lay infertile eggs? Aren't most, if not all snails hermaphrodite? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrie Lee Posted September 11, 2007 Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 Most snails are hermaphrodites but not all of them. If they are hermaphrodites they do need another snail to fertilize their eggs. I don't think any of them can self-fertilize. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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