Well, since no one asked, the Opheodryas vernalis referred to by Paul is the
smooth green snake.  A gentle little creature no bigger around than a
child's finger - a small child - like a small two year old.  They do not eat
slugs that I am aware of, but I wouldn't be surprised to see slugs and small
snails on their menu that mostly consists of bugs.  Thousands of these are
collected each year and sold to unsuspecting people who see a small, cute,
quite pretty snake.  All, or at least 99% die.  They are extremely difficult
to keep.  I have a friend who is one of the few people I know who has had
success.  His is used in displays we do for the park service and others on
native herps.

As for the shell part.  Just to report to folks.  I (as all of you know and
probably do not want to hear again) have been working on a nerite book.  In
conjunction with that, Harry Lee was kind enough to send me some live Vitta
usnea (better known to most as Neritina reclivata).  I put these small
nerites in two fish tanks and they have done very well.  After a week of
eating the algae off the glass they started laying eggs.  There are hundreds
of eggs in both tanks.  None have hatched as yet - I expect a three to four
week period will be needed.  There is some added interest here as I have
read this is the only nerite with direct development instead of hatching
into a free swimming veliger.  So we shall see.

These are not the only nerites to find themselves in fish tanks.  In
Singapore they sell Vittina coromandeliana (a white and black guy often sold
as Neritina zic zac - there is no such creature).  Anyway, these are sold to
go in fish tanks.  They are rather striking looking and I am surprised they
haven't made it to the pet market here.

Tom Eichhorst in New Mexico, USA (new puppy added to the family, likes to
sniff the bags of shells but so far hasn't taken off with any)


Emilio,

Hate to burst your security bubble, but a co-worker of mine received a
sizable settlement after finding a piece of an Opheodrys vernalis in a CAN
of green beans.  You may not know what that is, but Tom Eichhorst does :-)

Paul M.