Study on Learning & Memory in Snails

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Snails are found in any garden in rainy season. We need snails (preferably giant African snail also known as Achatina fulica).
Can we think of things Snail would like to eat, so that we can have snail as our pet, in school/home? Please enlist some of the things which could be food of snail, in reply section below.

Can we experimentally find out which food stuffs are attractant to snail, and which are not?
Please mention in reply section below, which foodstuffs you would like to test for snail?

[center]Picture of Giant African snail[/center]

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[center]Video of Snail feeding[/center]

Can we train snail to get repelled from the food which it was attracted to before?
Please provide some ideas, how can we do it?

This will mean the snail can be trained to change its behavior from the food to one which it was attracted before.

Can this be called as learning?

Please visit the link, to see how Snails behavior can be changed by training.

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They may be given the following things easily available:

  1. Cucumbers
  2. Cauliflower
  3. Carrots
  4. Apples

I have a few queries:

  1. Ecology : Is it native to India? If not, its an invasive species. Can we afford the damage it could do to our local ecosystem if it gets out?

  2. Legal: Is it legal to import or keep as a pet? Is it safe?

This way:

If I may push further - Can this type of behaviour/learning be transmitted to their next generation?

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Hi all,

I am not a biology student. But I always get too many snails in our home garden during monsoon season. If someone would like to have a snail or two for study, please drop a message. I may be able to help once the number increases.

I have found that they do not require fruits for eating. They dwell on the plant pots where ample of leaves are there to feast on! It becomes a problem to the garden so can exchange them if anyone in Mumbai region wants to study!

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Please post some photos of the snails in your garden!

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IMG_20200629_181821
Tiny ones now surfacing as monsoon begins

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@SpruhaSumukh, looks like the reply button was clicked before the image file was uploaded which is why we aren’t able to view the file.
A request to edit the post and wait till the file is uploaded (once uploaded, a tick-mark will appear at the bottom and you will be able to preview your image) so that we can view!

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Thanks! Was getting error in uploading but finally it showed the text that I mistook for upload completion. Corrected!

IMG_20200629_181753
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How big is this snail?
(I would suggest you kindly to put a ruler next to the snail for reference in case you wish to take another picture.)

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Sure. Right now these are 4 or 5 mm in size. Next time I’ll post once the snails are bigger.

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IMG_20200706_101647
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Approx 4 cm in size now. I have not isolated the snails. If I get confirmation on which ones to train, I could do that starting with isolation.

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Hi @SpruhaSumukh
How are you maintaining this snail?
Like, where are you keeping this snail, are you giving it something to eat?

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No, I would like to know how to maintain from this forum. sharing pictures so that if these snails are ok (as earlier shared post was focussing on african variety) for testing memory I can go ahead then. Is there any post which talks about how to maintain snail for experiment?

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We can create one.
I don’t think there is a post about the maintenance of snails.
Where are you keeping the snail :snail: now?

What do you think, the snails might be feeding on, in the natural environment?

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Yes! This shall be a good step to start with.
Why don’t we find some references for this snail which @SpruhaSumukh has?
What do you think @Lydia?

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