Garden snail--care tips, what type of dirt to use as substrate?

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prr

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Just got back from a week vacation, and my daughter decided to adopt one of the snails she saw on a leaf. Its now in our house. It was in a California beach town, but now it is in a desert region (where we live).

I'm wondering what care tips we should use. And in particular, there is gravel in a 10-ga aquarium we are going to make its new home. I saw some of the snail care sites, recommend dirt or soil of some kind. Is soil better than aquarium gravel? And if so, what kind? the dirt out in our back yard? Potting soil? Garden soil? Steer manure? I can get any of this tomorrow, but I'd like to figure out what would be best.

Also, keeping in mind that we aren't going to use a light or heater here, what other small animals might play well with a snail?

This will be kept indoors; we have a wire mesh top to put on this aquarium-turned-terrarium.
 
I've read a little bit about health issues with snails, including rat lungworm (or whatever its called).

Perhaps instead of a garden snail, I should get one from a store--on the assumption that breeders would take more care to maintain a clean environment for their snails, than would occur naturally?
 
Never thought of having a snail as a pet!
But, it would be quiet and undemanding as long as there is organic matter for it to consume and something that would hold fresh water for it.
They tend to prefer cool damp conditions, and they would not survive long indoors with our warm dry conditions.
Not all snails are herbivores some will eat any organic matter as well as fecal and dead organisms that they find...
 
just found a little snail in your garden (or was it your salad, maybe?), and despite its slime and all, you actually think it’s a cute critter. So cute that the idea the resident gardener wouldn’t think about killing it makes you feel sorry for it and you decide to take it home for safety.
 
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