We are cuddle buddies 🥰

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Two years ago I adopted the clutch of a Giant African land snail (Achatina fulica, "White Jade" ). 🐌

Crazy how fast time flies. In this video they were just a month old. It plays at 11x speed. I hope they are doing well in their new homes now. I last saw them 9 months ago.

The little animals are predatory mites. They feed on small insects, springtails and mites. This is useful because they leave the snails alone but eliminate pests.

Mites are arachnids just like spiders and scorpions. There are many specialized mite species worldwide, including blood-sucking ticks and dust mites.

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When I do something with the terrarium, Dakota always has to watch what's going on. He's very headstrong and likes to design himself. No idea where he got this from. 🤷‍♂️

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Vincent! 😆

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Except for the painting, I haven't posted about Dakota in a year and a half!😲

To compensate for that, there is not only a photo, but also a poem that I wrote 6 years ago.🙈

It's in German, but I've translated it for you below.🐁

-

Die Schlange

Im Dunkel vergraben, harrte sie aus.
Ihr Kleid ward zu eng, niemals kam sie heraus.
Die Sicht ward trüber Nebelschwaden gleich.
Sie harrte aus, das Kleid ward feucht, das Kleid ward weich.

Es drängte sich, ein Muskelzucken, unruhig auf.
Es schlängelte sich, zum Mäuseschlucken, schon bald herauf.
Der Drang zum Gedeihen, er ward ihr inne.
Ein neuer Glanz, ward in ihr, da drinne.

Sie kam nach oben, platzte gleich.
Ihr glänzend Körper, voll Muskelfleisch.

-

The Snake

Buried in the dark, she persevered.
Her dress was too tight, she never came out.
The view was like gloomy clouds of mist.
She persevered, the dress became damp, the dress became soft.

It urged itself, a muscle twitch, restlessly.
It soon snaked up for mice to swallow.
The urge to thrive, it became her.
There was a new shine in her inside.

She came up and was about to burst.
Her shiny body, full of muscle meat.

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Giant African land snail
(Achatina fulica, "White Jade")
pushes off its epiphragm. 🐌

An epiphragm is created to seal the aperture of the shell against desiccation. The main function is to reduce water loss during inactivity. It also protects against parasites and predators. Certain species of snails can remain alive as they pass through the digestive tract of predators because of the protection from the digestive enzymes.

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🦥 Little Vincent enjoyed our wandering through the Kalmthoutse Heide. He was breathless by the stunning landscape. He always tried to jump out of the backpack and to explore everything with his little paws. But he's too small. And too slow. Next time, Vincent! ❤️

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It's a while ago that I showed Fusili 🐌💕

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If I kiss a flower, does it kiss back?

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Hello, I'm a sloth!🙋 This is my baby parrot Fusilli!🐒 It doesn't think much of specifying its gender.🌈 It can be anything it wants!👑 We live the free pirate life and feel at home everywhere!🗺 Arrrgh! 🐌🌈💘

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