Meet The “Dracula” Under The Snails, The Fire Snail

While the world seems to be divided into cat people and dog people, apparently they’re just not everyone’s cup of tea. We’re not sure if SpongeBob may have contributed to this trend with his adorable, catlike pet snail Gary, but it turns out some people like to keep snails as pets rather than any other traditional pet. But this snail is definitely not anything like SpongeBob’s pet Gary. It’s probably safe to say that the fire snail looks more like a goth equivalent of snails.

Image credits: Maxs Exotic Pet Garden

While not so many people choose to keep snails as their pets, they are pretty interesting animals nonetheless.

It is also known as the fire snail due to its distinct red coloring

Image credits: Maxs Exotic Pet Garden

Generally, the term “snail” is used to describe terrestrial shelled gastropods or mollusks, as well as sea snails and freshwater snails.

Fire snails can only be found in the Peninsula of Malaysia

Image credits: Maxs Exotic Pet Garden

Some snails are used for food, their secretion is used in cosmetics, and their shells are often used as decorative objects and in jewelry.

They can only be found in an area of about 100 km in radius, 1000 m above sea level

Image credits: Maxs Exotic Pet Garden

Some snails can grow up to 30 cm in size. The biggest known species is the giant African snail, which lives in Ghana.

Turns out, they have been intensely collected from their natural habitat to sell as pets

Image credits: Maxs Exotic Pet Garden

They move with the help of a strong muscular foot and use their secretion to crawl on rough surfaces.

But it’s very difficult to keep them alive in captivity

Image credits: Maxs Exotic Pet Garden

Snails are known for their proverbially low speed, as some of them move at an average speed of 1 mm/s.

Because fire snails only survive in very cool and humid conditions

Image credits: Maxs Exotic Pet Garden

All snails have a strong shell that grows in accordance with the growth of their bodies.

For example, the humidity in the Malaysian town Tanah Rata is 79%

Image credits: Maxs Exotic Pet Garden

For the snail to grow a strong and healthy shell, it needs a good supply of calcium in its diet and environment.

However, the challenge of keeping them alive doesn’t seem to scare off terrestrial snail collectors

Image credits: Maxs Exotic Pet Garden

When a snail retreats to its shell, it can protect itself with a door-like structure called an operculum.

As this mystical-looking snail is a prized possession for exotic pet keepers

Image credits: Maxs Exotic Pet Garden

Most land snails live in damp or wet habitats, such as moss.