Helix aperta – wild-caught color, juvenile

🐌 About the Species

The Helix aperta is a great species for beginners because it requires no special equipment. It is very active and curious and particularly enjoys bathing.

🐌 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).

🐌 Keeping Snails

• Experience: Beginners—also well-suited for those new to snails
• Terrarium for a small group of adult snails: at least 60 × 45 × 60 cm
• Room temperature is sufficient; no heating is necessary
• Do not necessarily spray daily—it is fine to skip 1–2 days
• A bathing dish is very important; leaves and branches with lichen must be provided
• Food: e.g., salad (not iceberg lettuce), zucchini, sweet potato
• Group size: at least 3 snails

🐌 Our Keeping 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 snails carefully to the group and ensure they are of a similar size.

Healthy snails will mate. Therefore, plan ahead how you will handle eggs so that unwanted offspring are not produced. This is especially important for non-native, invasive species such as African giant land snails: neither the animals nor their eggs must ever be released into the wild.

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

🐌 Why a Rehoming Fee?

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

• It protects the animals: Anyone who pays a rehoming fee has usually given careful thought to taking in an animal. This helps prevent impulsive adoptions and prevents animals from being carelessly passed on, fed to others, or allowed to breed uncontrollably.
• It covers part of the costs each animal incurs with us: food, calcium, 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 sometimes takes a little while. For the well-being of the animals, 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 species selection, setup, and care. An offer in cooperation with slimeside.de.

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

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