My darling Archachatina marginata suturalis has laid a HUGE egg a few months ago, it was almost one and half centimetre long (0.6 inch) and yellow in colour. I read somewhere that these snails lay a few "testing" and usually unfertilised eggs before they lay a proper fertilised batch that they bury in the soil. This single egg was on the surface of the substrate. I took care of it, kept it in a special box, maintained humidity and took care that no harm happened to it, waited one week, two, a month, month and a half... And after two months a hole appeared in the egg and the insides were all liquid and smelly. It is not very surprising since Jedi is the only A. m. suturalis that I keep, since his/her partner died as a little one, but maybe I was just hoping for some miraculous self-fertilisation...
Anyway, here's the picture of an egg and a snail, both on my hands, picture taken by my dear man.
However, in spite of this reproductive unsuccess (if we don't wat to use the harsh f-word from the title), he is still as charming as always and even starred in one of my youtube videos, made during his autumn walk outside. You can view it
here. Let me know what you think!!
Jedi's not a failure! He was definitely just testing :) Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving so many comments. This is a fab blog - so many different things going on - love it! xxx
ReplyDeleteI love your blog too!! I read some info about you - I have a GAD, so I can relate a bit. I am on pills and they help a lot, but as you, I have a loving man by my side (even though 900 miles away :) ) and we make it work. Good luck with all your planting and growing and growing better and better *hugs*
DeleteBy the way, do you know a lot about snails??