On Tue, 21 Nov 2000, Paul Monfils wrote:

> Check out these websites:
> http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/AFSIC_pubs/srb96-05.htm
> http://www.biconet.com/biocontrol/decollate.html
> http://www.etropolis.com/snails/

        Thanks... the Rumina look like they might be a possibility.
        BTW, I realize I forgot to make it explicit in the first post, so
I figure I should mention that I'm living in an apartment.  So I'd be
raising snails in aquaria and such.

> You can also get live snails from some biological supply houses, such as:
> Connecticut Valley Biological Supply Co.

        I've seen a couple of these online, but they don't seem to offer
anything more definite for sale than `land snails', so I'm not sure how
useful they'd be if I don't know if I'll be able to get any species that'd
be useful to me.  It occurs to me that the various giant African land
snails could be good, as they're big enough that the young snails would be
pretty good sized right off... but Achatina fulica's illegal in the US;
does anyone out there know where I could get any of the other species?

> What kinds of snakes feed largely on land snails??

        The ones I'm interested in are the genera Dipsas and Sibon, both
of which are Central/South American snakes... these guys get around 18-26"
long, and most of them are skinny little arboreal guys, with the exception
of Sibon sartori (which is the somewhat eastern kingsnake-like one Mr.
Eichhors mentioned) and a couple related species.  Sibon nebulata (the
`Clouded Snail-Sucker' according to one book) is the species I'd most like
to get, but these guys are available pretty rarely, so I doubt I'll have a
choice.

  Patrick Alexander

        "Private velvet animal empty t. v.
        they're fishing in the kitchen
        but they haven't caught up to me"

                --King Crimson