Oreo's Story
Continues
May 2005
Oreohelix
strigosa
(Gould, 1846): Rocky Mountain Snail
Synonyms. Helix cooperi W. G. Binney, 1858; O. strigosa canadica
Berry, 1922.
May 29, 2005
Oreo continues to hibernate for 2 to 10 days at a time. When he/she awakes, it's an immediate race to food!
He has been provided with two new foods this spring; dandelion blossoms and lichens. He almost burns a trail in his/her moss to get to a fresh dandelion bloom. He/she has eaten a fair bit of the white lichen but has ignored the orange one so far.
Oreo's shell has grown and is now forming a slight lip at the aperture. He/she seems to eat rock and soil to obtain the calcium needed. Since I provided rocks containing calcium, he/she completely ignores the cuttlebone.
April 12, 2005
Oreo has continued to sleep for extended periodfs of time. The longest so far has been about 4 weeks. After that nap, he awoke and ate like a little piggy for 18 days then he returned to his sleeping position. He has now been asleep for 10 days again.
Oreo's home was spring housecleaned and he seems to appreciate the new moss and fancy agate floored cave. As soon as he awakens, Oreo looks for his oatmeal mush, lettuce next then his moss.
Oreo enjoying his feed of lettuce. Hopefully the dandelions will be up in our yard soon. He actually prefers that over lettuce.
A closeup of Oreo eating his oatmeal mush.
