# Garden snails and common musk turtles



## Sage&Olive

Hi, I'm wondering if it would be ok to feed snails which are found in the garden in the UK to common musk turtles? I've read a few things about water snails and giant African land snails but nothing about garden snails. We have a newt pond at the back of our house and we tend to get a large amount of snails roaming through the garden - which every few days I collect them in a bucket and put them back over the pond fence. I was thinking of maybe giving a couple to the turtles. But I did read about parasites on snails which can harm turtles. What if they are washed first? Is that still too risky? I did see Gordon Ramsay once send his kids out in to his garden to collect snails, which he cooked and then let his kids eat....


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## purplepixie

Sage&Olive said:


> Hi, I'm wondering if it would be ok to feed snails which are found in the garden in the UK to common musk turtles? I've read a few things about water snails and giant African land snails but nothing about garden snails. We have a newt pond at the back of our house and we tend to get a large amount of snails roaming through the garden - which every few days I collect them in a bucket and put them back over the pond fence. I was thinking of maybe giving a couple to the turtles. But I did read about parasites on snails which can harm turtles. What if they are washed first? Is that still too risky? I did see Gordon Ramsay once send his kids out in to his garden to collect snails, which he cooked and then let his kids eat....


My boxies used to eat garden snails, as do birds. But you have to be careful slug/snail bait is not being used. :0)


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## Sage&Olive

Thank you. We don't use snail/slug pellets as we also have cats so tend to keep away from any chemical use in the garden. I might just try it and see.


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## frogeyed

Sage&Olive said:


> Thank you. We don't use snail/slug pellets as we also have cats so tend to keep away from any chemical use in the garden. I might just try it and see.


Isn't it best to purge them for 24hrs. similar to garden worms?


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