There are now several species of tree-dwelling snails suitable for keeping as pets, but the species with which I have had the most experience by far is *Limicolaria agathina*. This page is intended only as a general guide to caring for a tree-dwelling species. I recommend that you conduct much more in-depth research on the subject.
Tree-dwelling species love heights. In their natural habitat, they climb to survive and spend most of their lives in trees, feeding on lichens and small fungi that grow in the cracks of the bark, as well as on leaves and, occasionally, fruit. The forests where they live and reproduce are warm and humid.
To provide a habitat as close as possible to their natural one, you’ll need a tall terrarium rather than a wide one. These snails love to explore, so a terrarium that’s already large for a three-month-old snail—if properly heated—won’t be a problem.
Having bred Limicolaria, I can confirm that a 30 cm x 30 cm x 40 cm (h) enclosure will work well for a pair. The preferred material is plastic, as it retains both humidity and heat better.
A deep layer of substrate is necessary to maintain optimal conditions.
Since the temperature must be higher than that of a normal terrarium (ranging from 26°C to 29°C), I recommend creating areas covered with live moss or rehydrated sphagnum moss, which should be misted regularly. This gives the snails a place to take refuge if the heat causes the soil to dry out too much. Ideally, the humidity inside the enclosure should be kept at a constant 80%.
The enclosure should also be filled with stimulating elements such as dry leaves, twigs, and live plants to satisfy the snails’ need to explore.
It’s best to avoid using small bowls for water and food unless they’re made of soft, food-grade silicone. The shells of tree snails are more fragile than those of common snails, and if they were to fall, the impact with a solid object would be disastrous.
It’s advisable to keep lichens in the terrarium at all times.
Tree-dwelling snails eat all the foods that other snails can eat, although I’ve noticed that they prefer sweet potatoes, mangoes, and ripe avocados over everything else. They need more protein than their land-dwelling cousins, and mushrooms and/or lichens are essential to their diet.
If you can’t find any lichens, you’ll need to feed them mushrooms three times a week. If, on the other hand, you leave a small bunch of lichens in the terrarium, one protein supplement per week and mushrooms every other week will suffice.
Tree snails eat less and are more reluctant to eat than land snails. So don’t worry if they go through short periods of fasting.
They reach sexual maturity around the fourth month of life but may wait until they are one year old to mate. Once mating has taken place, each snail lays about thirty eggs per month. I’ve had good results incubating them in a separate small box maintained at 27°C. It usually takes 20–25 days from laying to hatching.
The young immediately need plenty of calcium and lichens; otherwise, their shells will grow poorly or not at all. The young snails’ shells will be smaller versions of their parents’.
I recommend separating the siblings as soon as possible—within two months—to promote growth and prevent unwanted mating.