island apple snail eggs = poison

mkat02

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
78
Purraise
21
Location
south east louisiana
I had never heard of island Apple snails before this weekend. So I wanted to get the word out..

 For the past week some of our outside cats we care for keep vomiting and not wanting to eat and for the life of me I couldn't figure out why. Until yesterday I was at the bayou side and saw pink gum looking stuff all along the water line and the biggest snails I have ever seen. Turns out here in the southern states we are being invaded by island Apple snails. their eggs are pink and have a powerful neurotoxin that makes any animals that eats them very sick and can kill them. 

 So please be on the lookout. If you found any of this eggs make should your animals can't get them. 
 

ondine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
5,312
Purraise
780
Location
Burlington, North Carolina
EEEK!  I've never heard of these but they sound terrifying.  Thanks for the heads up.  Do you know if there's an antidote?

Vibes your cats are OK ...
 

detmut

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 5, 2010
Messages
1,233
Purraise
147
Location
New Orleans area (Metairie), Louisiana, United Sta
 
I had never heard of island Apple snails before this weekend. So I wanted to get the word out..

 For the past week some of our outside cats we care for keep vomiting and not wanting to eat and for the life of me I couldn't figure out why. Until yesterday I was at the bayou side and saw pink gum looking stuff all along the water line and the biggest snails I have ever seen. Turns out here in the southern states we are being invaded by island Apple snails. their eggs are pink and have a powerful neurotoxin that makes any animals that eats them very sick and can kill them. 

 So please be on the lookout. If you found any of this eggs make should your animals can't get them. 
thanks for the info. i'm in the same general area. 
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

mkat02

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
78
Purraise
21
Location
south east louisiana
No know antidote per the vet. They only found out about the neurotoxins a few years ago from what I understand. The snails are used for fish tanks and food. But the snails carry lungworms so they can be deadly if uncooked or not cook at all.

 In most cases they are to large for animals to try and eat. They can grow bigger than a softball. 

 Everyone is doing well now with stomach meds. I walked about a mile bot ways and pick up all the eggs I could find. 

I hope to help stop other animals from getting sick by getting the word out so please tell others or look up island Apple snails online.

Thank y'all for the help .
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

mkat02

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
78
Purraise
21
Location
south east louisiana
Detmut , you're right I'm just south of houma. From what I have found they are pretty bad in New Orleans. Gretna is where they were first seen in LA around 2009. I don't know why no one is talking about them down here as they just seem to be taking over.

 I'm hopeful no other animals will die from them. The vet said their have been a few here.
 

detmut

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Oct 5, 2010
Messages
1,233
Purraise
147
Location
New Orleans area (Metairie), Louisiana, United Sta
 
Detmut , you're right I'm just south of houma. From what I have found they are pretty bad in New Orleans. Gretna is where they were first seen in LA around 2009. I don't know why no one is talking about them down here as they just seem to be taking over.

 I'm hopeful no other animals will die from them. The vet said their have been a few here.
my sister-in-law is from cut off. i need to look into this. i have to see if they have made it to the east bank. 
 

ondine

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
5,312
Purraise
780
Location
Burlington, North Carolina
Good grief - big as a softball?  I, too, wonder why they aren't talking about these, especially since it is apparently an invasive species.

Fingers crossed no one else gets hurt.  Good for you for going above and beyond to try and get the eggs taken up...
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

mkat02

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
78
Purraise
21
Location
south east louisiana
It's a small world, my in- laws live in cut off. No one for cut off that I have talked to have seen any Apple snails. But they love the warm weather here. You can found out more at wild life and fisheries in LA. 

I wish I could do more but picking up the eggs and getting the word out it the best I can think of.

Thank y'all again for helping me do this. 

 They are very hard to kill and can lay up to 2000 eggs at a time. And yes bigger than a softball. The first one I saw was bigger than both my hands in a fist put together. 
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

mkat02

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
78
Purraise
21
Location
south east louisiana
Can't get the picture up please look up island Apple snails online to see pictures.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #13

mkat02

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
78
Purraise
21
Location
south east louisiana
Large numbers of Apple snails and their eggs have been found in west esplanade canal beginning in October 2013 . Their numbers are believed to be many times higher in 2015 for the same area. 
 
Top