Garden snail (Cornu aspersum) – Wild colors, adult

🐌 About the Species

The garden snail (Cornu aspersum) is a great species for beginners, as it requires no special equipment. It is very active and curious and is easy to observe. Originally native to the Mediterranean region, it can now be found anywhere with a mild climate.

🐌 Where Does This Snail Come From?

This snail comes from our rescue center. It was surrendered to us—for example, because its owners moved, became ill, or could no longer care for it—and is now looking for a new home. We usually do not know the parents or the exact age; minor cosmetic imperfections on the shell are possible (see photo).

🐌 Care

• Experience: Beginners—also well-suited for first-time owners
• Humidity: moderate—neither too damp nor too dry
• Temperature: room temperature; no heating required
• Terrarium for a small group of adult animals: at least 60 × 45 × 60 cm (a terrarium is better than a box)
• Add lime to soil with 95% calcium carbonate; always provide a cuttlebone
• Do not necessarily spray daily—it is fine to skip 1–2 days
• A water bowl is very important; moss, leaves, and lichen branches must also be provided
• Food: e.g., salad (not iceberg lettuce), zucchini, sweet potato
• Offspring: sexually mature at around 6 months, with approximately 30 eggs per clutch
• Life expectancy: up to 16 years
• Shell diameter: up to approximately 4 cm
• Group size: at least 3 animals

🐌 Our Care Recommendations

We rehome each snail individually. Nevertheless, snails should never be kept alone. They need companions of the same species to feel comfortable. Please do not keep different species together.

Introduce new animals carefully to the group and ensure they are of a similar size.

Healthy snails will mate. Therefore, plan in advance how you will handle clutches to prevent unwanted offspring. This is especially important for non-native, invasive species such as giant African land snails: neither the animals nor their eggs should ever be released into the wild.

We are happy to help you if you have any questions.

🐌 Why a Protection Fee?

Like every dog, cat, and reptile rehomed from the animal shelter, we only rehome our snails for a protection fee. This is not a purchase price—our animals are not merchandise.

• It protects the animals: Anyone who pays a protection fee has usually given careful thought to taking in an animal. This helps prevent impulsive adoptions and prevents animals from being passed on carelessly, fed to other animals, or bred uncontrollably.
• It covers part of the costs incurred by each animal in our care: food, lime, substrate, warmth, terrariums, and the time spent on care, advice, and rehoming.
• It makes our work possible: Every euro goes to the association—to the rescue center and to the care of surrendered and confiscated animals.

The amount depends on the species, size, and care requirements, and is always per animal.

🐌 Shipping & Cost Contribution

Our snails travel via a special private overnight animal transport service. As soon as your snail is on its way, we will send you an email—it will arrive the following day. Unfortunately, live tracking is not available with this type of transport.

To keep the cost contribution for transport as low as possible, we arrange for the animals to be collected together. Please be patient, as this can sometimes take a little while. For the animals' sake, we do not ship before weekends and holidays, and during extreme heat or cold, we prefer to wait a few days.

In cold temperatures, the animals travel in a Styrofoam box with a heat pack—this is included in the cost contribution.

When your snail arrives, please allow it to acclimate at room temperature for half to three-quarters of an hour first. Give it the time it needs.

The cost contribution covers only the courier and animal-friendly packaging—we do not make any profit from it.

Tip for Association Members+: As an Association Member+, the snail call is free for you—a personal video consultation on choosing a species, setting up the enclosure, and care. An offer in cooperation with slimeside.de.

In cooperation with Slimeside: On slimeside.de you will find everything we consider right and proper for keeping snails—from soil and lime to the right terrarium. Our snails already live with these products and are accustomed to them—this will make their move to your home easier.

The photos show the species. Every animal is an individual and may differ in color, pattern, and minor cosmetic imperfections.