Snails – specifically mystery snails – are among the hardiest species residing in an aquarium. With little care, they could still grow significantly and become a sight to behold in the tank.
That said if you want to speed up their growth and minimize the chances of them contracting diseases, curating a balanced meal for snails is of utmost importance.
So, can snails eat broccoli? And what vegetables can snails eat? Check out the article below for more information!
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Can Snails Eat Broccoli
Yes! Snails are a sucker for broccoli. This means they can consume this type of vegetable almost anytime during the day, regardless of how broccoli is processed.
And snails’ preference for greens does not stop at merely broccoli. They are also big fans of anything leafy and green. Furthermore, mystery snails would welcome the addition of fruits to their daily food intake.
Now that we have established that snails enjoy broccoli, below are the two best ways to prepare broccoli for these animals.
If you think your snails are healthy enough to eat unblanched broccoli, feel free to chop these greens into small cubes. Next up, throw them into the tank and make sure all of these sinks all the way down to the tank’s bottom. Given enough time, snails will make their way to these cubes and feed on them.
Another approach is to blanch the broccoli before feeding them to the snails. You can either boil this veggie in the water for roughly 3-5 minutes or use a microwave. Make sure broccoli is soft and chewable by the time you take them out of the kitchen.
In rare cases where snails leave broccoli intact, you might want to examine why. Sometimes, it is because the broccoli is too tough to be fed on, though the chances are low. Otherwise, it might be because snails are picky.
Either way, you will have to remove the untouched broccoli outside the tank before they start rotting. Consider feeding your snails with other types of veggies and fruit, which will be listed below.
What Vegetables Can Snails Eat?
Snails can eat a wide variety of vegetables since they are not particularly picky when it comes to meals. Here are some of the most popular veggies that you should consider feeding your snails with.
- Grains: Cooked oats and peas are highly recommended due to their texture and taste. Furthermore, they are also highly nutritious for aquatic animals.
- Fruits: Strawberry, nectarine, kiwi, mango, grapes, and apples,… are the best way to supply your snails with much-needed vitamins. You can also try melons and apricot as well.
- Veggies: Snails can eat almost all kinds of veggies, including turnips, mushrooms, lettuce, sprouts, and cucumber. Admittedly, some of these do not contain a high concentration of nutritious value. Nevertheless, snails can still have a good time chewing on these veggies.
While most of these foods can be eaten raw, it is best that you boil them beforehand. This way, snails will have a much easier time consuming their diet.
What Plants Are Poisonous To Snails?
While snails are avid vegetable eaters, it does not mean that all types of plants are safe for snails. There are certain plants that may render snails dead if coming into contact.
First off, it would be euphorbia plants. These plants come with a poisonous sap that tastes bitter and repellent. Therefore, your snails should avoid eating these spurge plants.
Secondly, while not being exactly poisonous to snails, herbs and some of the citrus fruits can deter snails from eating. This is because the particular smell and aroma will turn them off, effectively preventing snails from eating.
What Food Makes Snails Grow Faster?
There are plenty of tips on how to make snails grow faster. Interestingly enough, most of them have something to do with their food intake.
Firstly, make sure you wash the food thoroughly before feeding them to snails. Parasites and other harmful micro-organisms may get stuck inside the crevices of veggies and fruits. Thus, they may cause trouble for your snails.
Secondly, once the snails are done with their food, you will have to remove the remnants from the tank. This way, the leftovers do not pose a threat to the snails’ well-being by polluting the water.
Thirdly, it is advisable to keep a wide range of food mixed together. For example, snails need calcium to grow their shells, which in turn helps them to become healthier. Therefore, you will have to put in natural limestone, wood ash, calcium powder, and cuttlebone for these animals.
The presence of these calcium-filled supplements may boost the snails’ development effectively.
Another type of food that makes snails grow faster is veggies and fruit. Anything from leafy greens to grains will make snails squeeze in delight. They are also big fans of tomatoes, sweetcorn, pumpkin seeds, and tangerine, which are full of vitamins and minerals.
Last but not least, make sure your snails are fed with protein-rich foods as well. Without this supply, snails are likely to shrink in size compared to other well-fed animals.
As far as food preparation is concerned, it is fair to assume that it does not have any substantial impact on snails’ growth. Still, you might want to boil or blanch the food beforehand.
This way, snails can eat and digest the food more easily. As a result, they will have more room to take in more food, which stimulates their growth.
Conclusion
Can snails eat broccoli? Of course, they can! Besides broccoli, there are plenty of veggies and fruits that fit the taste of these aquatic animals. Feel free to feed your snails and see how they affect the snails’ growth!
Alex is a pet freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience. He attended Colorado State University, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, which was where he first got some experience in animal nutrition. After graduating from University, Alex began sharing his knowledge as a freelance writer specializing in pets.
