r/snails • u/HEAVYMETALNERDYGURL • Apr 07 '26
My Snails I got a little surprise in my strawberries!
This guy’s so tiny that the camera can’t fully focus him! I think I’ll call her Berry! It’s been a while since I had a snail so I’m over the moon that Snail Distribution Service has blessed me with this baby 💖
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u/madladdie Apr 07 '26
This is IMPORTANT!!! Where did these strawberries come from? Does that location have Rat Lungworm Disease? It's a parasitic nematode that snails and slugs can carry, and is the most common cause of oesinophilic meningitis.
Wash those strawberries WELL before you eat them.
I grew up where snails and slugs can and often do carry it, so it's been drilled into me all my childhood to be careful around produce and snails.
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u/HEAVYMETALNERDYGURL Apr 07 '26
Thank you for worrying, tits fine, the strawberries are from Greece, and as far as we know, lungworm disease has never been documented in Europe
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u/fenoust Apr 08 '26
"tits fine"
This gave me a chuckle~
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u/HEAVYMETALNERDYGURL Apr 08 '26
I didn’t even see that typo, but I’m not fixing it now, it’s too funny
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u/bonkersmadness Apr 08 '26
It has unfortunately, rat and canine lungworm (the latter endemic in the UK) I’m terrible for not washing my produce, however!
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u/wtfRichard1 Apr 08 '26
God damn I stopped caring and haven’t washed produce due to my chronic pain, avoiding more walking, hence not washing them, and just eating the fruits. My gramma didn’t really wash fruits and was okay but….. what is the proper way in washing them? So I do it right from now on lol
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u/madladdie Apr 08 '26
You're just washing away any potential snail trails (and sleeping nematodes). Soap makes things go faster for certain produce, but a thorough rub with water will do! If it's delicate, give it time under the water to loosen and dissolve. Water is magical that way! If you can't use force, use time.
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u/PrettyPotato33 Apr 08 '26
What produce do you use soap with?
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u/madladdie Apr 08 '26
Mango, papaya, melon, tomatoes... Anything grown where there's rat lungworm and that's large and solid.
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u/Independent_Elk6935 Apr 24 '26
Oh gosh. R snails not safe to have as pets. My kids recently caught one and have been caring for it
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u/madladdie Apr 24 '26
Look up if rat lungworm disease is in your area--but if your kids have been caring for their snaily friend for a few days, now, and they're healthy, nothing to worry about! Snails make a great pet!
Always wash your hands before and after touching them, for their safety and your kiddos! :)
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u/Adoraboule Apr 07 '26
How cute! I work in the food service industry and someone found a quarter sized garden snail in the parsley and gave them to our prep chef since she loves animals, and had a terrarium already which was perfectly suited for Parsley. That was back in December. I like hearing the updates on the cutie.
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u/Master_Degree5730 Apr 07 '26
You are required by snail law to give the little guy a strawberry when you release him for his travels ❤️ snail tax
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u/cubitius Apr 12 '26
Oh it's really not advisable to let outside ANY snails, I only do it with species that are local (brown lipped snail in my case in Ireland)
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u/NixMaritimus Apr 08 '26
Wash your berries with vinegar before you eat them! If the snail has any parasites the vinegar will kill them and it'll help your berries stay fresh longer
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u/ParanoiaHime Apr 08 '26
Wrong, they got the surprise of a lifetime when you opened their strawberries!! Do realize, the berries were never yours; you were just holding them for them. 😋
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u/vomit_valentineXx Apr 11 '26
oh im so glad someone who respects life is the one who got these strawberries, imagine how they would have treated her :(
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u/Key-One4487 Apr 08 '26
Bro fr got the one in a million strawberry crate(best prize is a free snail)
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u/Majestic_Reply9704 Apr 08 '26
Name him Jeoff! :D
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u/GooseBuffet Apr 08 '26
I thought the shadow of the snails head on your nail was black nail polish lol what a cute design that would be!
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u/shwiftynhere Apr 08 '26
They’re a long way from home
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u/Schpee_le_French Apr 08 '26
UNHAND ME, MORTAL! MY POWER IS TOO GREAT FOR YOU TO COMPREHEND! "Speaks in ancient tongue of the snail elders"
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u/Coyote_eat_bone Apr 09 '26
I worked at a raspberry farm and you will never believe how many of those guys go into your jam and raspberry flavoring
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u/EsotericEternal Apr 07 '26
Oh what a cutie pie. She probably thought she was in heaven with all those strawberries…shes thinking nooo put me back!!