|
|
Post by mewakitty on Feb 2, 2012 16:43:10 GMT
Hi everyone  I live in Switzerland. A good 4 months ago I found a snail on our steps that got stepped on. I was walking home, so I took him with me and put him in tupperware to recover. He has regrown his piece back and then some (almost a full whirl by this point in time). He has access to calcium (cuttle bone), fruits (he loves apples) and lettuce (but that serves mostly as a climbing medium, although sometimes he gnaws holes in it). There are also some branches that he likes to hang out on. Lately he's been superactive - crawling around, eating pretty much nonstop, consuming somewhat terrifying amounts of calcium. But yesterday I found him sealed up and stuck to the lid. You know that thin film they make on the exit? That's what he has. He isn't retracted far, but the seal is definitely new. His container is pretty humid, but I will spray some more water in anyways. Could he be confused that there is no winter? Could he be cold? It recently (a few days ago) got colder and snowy, the apartment might be colder as well, but of course I can't feel it. Not really sure what to think. There is probably another month or two I need to have him at home before it's warm enough outside to release (I am moving back home to Canada in May, so I can't keep him forever sadly). He is about 1 inch in diameter, yellow with little brown speckles on his back. Any help or advice would be appreciated! |
|
rosiesnail2
Achatina immaculata
3 Albino Achatina Reticulata on sale with tank ♥️
Posts: 242
|
Post by rosiesnail2 on Feb 2, 2012 17:29:10 GMT
Well if he was eating non-stop and lots of calcium he's either trying to grow his shell back by instinct or going into hibernation. My old Aspersa's and other snails used to film up when they where hibernating. Also, my mum always said when I was little that if a snail was dead- they couldn't stick because they'd dry up.
Not sure what to make of it.
I like your fraize- on the exit
Rosie
|
|
|
|
Post by morningcoffee on Feb 2, 2012 18:29:57 GMT
Chances are he's reacting to the cold weather - it's been very cold in the UK this week too! He may have been eating plenty of food and calcium in order to keep himself going during hibernation. He should be safe hibernating for a bit, but if you want to wake him up, you can very very gently break the seal he's made over his shell aperture, and spray in a little bit of water |
|
|
|
Post by mewakitty on Feb 2, 2012 18:40:35 GMT
Thanks for the replies guys!
I know he's okay in there for now, I can see his breathing hole open and close once in a while. His little seal has a hole in it approximately where the breathing hole is, is that normal? I have no idea what hibernating snails look like... I can also see through the hole that the body moves a little bit once in a while.
|
|
|
|
Post by mewakitty on Feb 2, 2012 19:20:34 GMT
Oh he woke up. Just poked through his little seal and stuck his eye out (one at a time). I think he was cold, I've been keeping him on my desk (where it's a little warmer due to computer and all) since I got home  |
|
|
|
Post by pinkunicorn on Feb 2, 2012 19:31:28 GMT
Yups, sounds like he was prepping for hibernating. I've noticed my snails doing the same. They've been sluggish all winter, but now they got really slow and inactive as the temps hit below zero, and some are putting up thin barriers for daytime, only coming out every few days, unless I have to move them. It sounds like your snail's barrier isn't as thick as it would be in natural, colder conditions, so perhaps he is half-hibernating, too.
I really shouldn't say "sluggish", though, because my slugs on the other hand are hyperactive even during daytime, and mating and laying eggs like... well, slugs! So that's the real sluggish behaviour!! Some Deroceras species do not hibernate, but die when the temperatures go low enough, only the eggs and some juveniles make it to the next spring. That makes me feel like I should have looked at the balcony for more slugs before the frost came, since I'm apparently giving my little slugs an extended lifespan in captivity. What would they say if they were aware, hmmm?
|
|
|
|
Post by mewakitty on Feb 2, 2012 19:56:38 GMT
Oh man, I love slugs. We have really giant orange ones here that are always out in the morning or in the rain slugging it up. On the other hand, here's my little guy:  |
|
rosiesnail2
Achatina immaculata
3 Albino Achatina Reticulata on sale with tank ♥️
Posts: 242
|
Post by rosiesnail2 on Feb 2, 2012 20:02:12 GMT
great pic! He's so cute What is he? Also, what camera do you have and what resolution? |
|
|
|
Post by mewakitty on Feb 2, 2012 20:16:14 GMT
great pic! He's so cute What is he? Also, what camera do you have and what resolution? Thanks I'm used to taking pictures of fast targets (ahem, cats), so this was pretty fun. As far as I know, he's a bush snail (Fruticicola fruticum). I use a Canon Rebel XS with a 18-55 lens, I think it's 10 MP (3888x2592pixels). |
|
|
|
Post by pinkunicorn on Feb 2, 2012 20:27:50 GMT
Omnomnom carrot! Cutie pie snaily.
|
|
rosiesnail2
Achatina immaculata
3 Albino Achatina Reticulata on sale with tank ♥️
Posts: 242
|
Post by rosiesnail2 on Feb 2, 2012 20:30:18 GMT
Nice! Mines a LUMIX 12 Times optical zoom Panasonic DMC-FZ50
|
|
|
|
Post by ness on Feb 3, 2012 22:14:34 GMT
Awwwwwwwwww! What a lovely picture and a pretty species.
He's not likely to go back into hibernation if he's kept at house temperature.
|
|
saki114
Achatina immaculata
Posts: 327
|
Post by saki114 on Feb 17, 2012 19:32:52 GMT
Awwwwwwwwww! What a lovely picture and a pretty species. He's not likely to go back into hibernation if he's kept at house temperature. yeah, my aspersas didnt hibernate at all this yr.  |
|
saki114
Achatina immaculata
Posts: 327
|
Post by saki114 on Feb 17, 2012 19:43:53 GMT
btw, that snail is CAPTIVATING! |
|
