Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi All,
I have a pair of IJ BTs that has produced babies for the past couple years at about this time each year. I've been checking daily for babies and last night noticed 4-5 amber colored egg-shaped blobs, each about one inch long. They are pretty solid, about the constancy of soft wax. I have never seen these before - What the heck are they? Does this mean no babies this year? Any ideas? Thanks.
Doug

Yup, sorry, no babies this year.

One of my females has done this for the past two years, and it is frustrating!

What you are seeing are unfertalized egg sacks. She ovulated, but for some reason conception did not take.

Better luck next year.
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Craig Loose
The Blue Tongue Pages

I found one or two of them in my T. nigrolutea enclosure earlier in the spring, and now I know what they mean. Thanks, Craig.
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Edward
Carpe diem

!@#$ tough break with the blotched BT's! Too bad that when you do have some babies it is a little difficult to sell to me.
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Craig Loose
The Blue Tongue Pages

Craig:
I'm sure we could figure out a way . . . then again, for now, I'll just focus on cycling them for next year. Keep your fingers crossed for me. (And especially for my Westerns! Please!)
By the way, following your lead, I have a very productive colony of apple snails going. I should have plenty for feeding in a couple of months. Boy, that female lays eggs like there's no tomorrow, and the babies are growing quite fast. Thanks for the idea.
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Edward
Carpe diem

Pardon me for butting in, but did you say apple snails? I have raised these myself in the past, very easy to raise! Do you feed them shell and all? My only problem is, I really like these snails! They are so cool! But a few babies here and there would be okay. Do you raise them in a special tank? I had an outside pond mine were in. I haven't been able to locate the canned ones.

Beth

In fact, that's a particularly good thing about them -- all that calcium. Depending on the size, you may need to crush them first. I have a tank outside where I keep the two adults and I move the eggs to a smaller tank indoors to let them hatch. I suppose when they get bigger I'll move the babies outside, too.
This is surely going to beat the very expensive canned ones I've bought in the past.

P.S. How was the fishing trip?
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Edward
Carpe diem

What is an apple snail?
My baby BTS practically lives on snails I find in the backyard - no idea what kind they are (common or garden? lol)
I know what you mean about having to crush them...if they are bigger than her head, she has trouble getting her jaws around them and they end up high-tailing it to the top of the cage, a bit crushed and foaming madly, but alive!
It's great to watch the obvious enjoyment she gets from a good snail munch, with much chin-wiping going on afterwards to get rid of the slime!
Susan

Here is a good site on these snails. They can be purchased at PetSmart or PetCo, in the Fish dept.

http://www.applesnail.net/

I'm going to pick up some more ASAP. They do really well with the sinking food discs made for plecostomus.

Beth

P.S. Caught one, fed many!!!(fishing trip)

>>Here is a good site on these snails. They can be purchased at PetSmart or PetCo, in the Fish dept.
>>
>>http://www.applesnail.net/
>>
>>I'm going to pick up some more ASAP. They do really well with the sinking food discs made for plecostomus.
>>
>>Beth
>>
>>P.S. Caught one, fed many!!!(fishing trip)
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Edward
Carpe diem

Not as far as I know!
Luckily there are more than enough slugs and snails creeping around in the garden to keep my baby fed and fat. I can't even IMAGINE canned ones! But thanx for the info Beth, and happy snail farming.
Susan
PS (I ate snails at a restaurant once - very rubbery. Happy to leave them to the skinks...)

Hey guys,

I was reading about the apple snails in the thread and got a touch confused (it happens alot!!) Do you guys get them bread them and then feed them to ur BTS? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick again??

James

p.s Hedwig is doing much better now she seems to like to eat egg whites so we're stiking with them (and adding things like veg etc. in for her to add variety)

They eat them raw. Crushed if necessary depending on size.
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Edward
Carpe diem

OOPS!!

hahaha! I guess i should really have re-read what i wrote. talk about a typo. I meant to say breed them. *blushes* OK well I guess my question was answered.

James

>>They eat them raw. Crushed if necessary depending on size.
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>>Edward
>>Carpe diem
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Craig Loose
The Blue Tongue Pages

Yah, gotta love those snails!
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Craig Loose
The Blue Tongue Pages

I knew someone here would know....but what a disappointment! Oh well....next year.