Snails!!

[Tanya]

I had problems with snails before but this is my first time to see this little guy. The snails I had in the past are the round type. Anyone have an idea as to what kind of snail is this? Is this an adult or still a baby? The size is really tiny, about a quarter of an inch long. The color in the pic is true, grey and yellow.

I found 2 of them on my young Spathoglottis plicata and I suspect that these are illegal immigrants from Philippines.

[Diane]

I have done some shell collecting, you are probably right about the location being from the Phillipines or Indonesia. It's a tree snail, and they are born to eat green things. Keep picking and squishing.

[Tanya]

Thanks, Diane. I'll do the picking and squishing for the time being (I need a bigger magnifying glass ) but if I find too many of them.....I'll bring out the big gun.

[TundraKev]

I think I've seen pictures of those guys as adults. They can be beautiful when big.

Why do you have all the pretty insects and critters? It's not right.

[Tanya]

I think I've seen pictures of those guys as adults. They can be beautiful when big.

Why do you have all the pretty insects and critters? It's not right.

You want me to send you some of these? Even the round ones are quite pretty when they are big...LOLOL!!

The little guys maybe pretty when big, but think how much they can eat...geese, they never stop eating.

[Diane]

Tanya - - On second thought, maybe you should round the critters up and keep them in a terrarium. There is one Phillipine tree snail which has been patented by a US Pharmacuetical company, it's capable of producing a compound that is 1000 times more potent than morphine. Feed those babies up, let them reproduce, and by the time the drug gets approved by the FDA (in about 10 or 12 years usually) you can sell them!


Of course by then you would have about 15 cubic meters worth of snails.....

[Tanya]

Tanya - - On second thought, maybe you should round the critters up and keep them in a terrarium. There is one Phillipine tree snail which has been patented by a US Pharmacuetical company, it's capable of producing a compound that is 1000 times more potent than morphine. Feed those babies up, let them reproduce, and by the time the drug gets approved by the FDA (in about 10 or 12 years usually) you can sell them!


Of course by then you would have about 15 cubic meters worth of snails.....

I don't have the space to raise snails, lol. Besides, with the kind of appetite they have, I'd be broke long before I could sell any of them, LOL.