My idea for deceased snails.

[shaydeesnail]

Unfortunately one of my three Oxychilus passed away, I'm not really sure why. hopefully he is feeling better now, if he was sick before. He may just of been old though.

The death of my little snail got me thinking though. I want a way to remember my snails even when they're gone, a way to show their beauty even when they are no longer occupying their shells.

A lot of people like to keep the shells of their snails when they have passed on, I was thinking about using clay to kind of sculpt the body of the snail then put the shells on them, and varnish them up real pretty, kind of like a tiny statue memorial of each snail

I think I would probably give the soft bodies of the snails a burial in the garden. I've let nature take it's course with my Oxychilus, and his body is disappearing naturally, eventually leaving me with the empty shell.

Some people might think that's quite strange! Each snail is important to me though and I think it would allow each one to both live on, in a way and go back to nature.

What do you think to my idea?
Do any of you have your own ideas for artsy ways to use snail shells?
And what do you find is the most comfortable way to lay your snails to rest, for you?

[Lady Escargoth]

It's a nice idea, I must say I had thought of it a long time ago when I had aspersas...

You see, it's been really hard, but for spiritual reasons, I've tried not to keep the shells of my snails...

It's awefully hard because I don't want to believe in the point, I just want to keep the shells, those beautiful shells... I've been parting with shells and also with bones I found in nature, not to keep dead animal parts in my appartment... I feel uneasy with stuffed animals even though I find them extremely beautiful so... I suppose it's the same with snails, though I cannot see a shell as something dead.

I buried them all for them to return to nature...
I don't know if I will be able to carry on parting with so beautiful works of art as achatinas shells, and your idea is great

Perhaps I should build snails completely out of clay when they die...

[latebloomer]

It is a lovely idea. I cannot bear to enter a room with stuffed animals in it, I fnd it upsetting, a cheap imitation of life for people to look at. I think to bury things is returning them to to the earth, which is natural. They are already buried in your heart.

[amilynn]

I've made necklaces with grove snail shells found in the neighborhood, but I'm not sure if I could do it with the shell of one that stayed with us. One that was already very badly weathered I painted white with a blue stripe following the path of the natural stripe and added some tissue paper tentacles to make it look like a miniature nautilus, the other was in better shape so I just used clear nail varnish.

[shaydeesnail]

Stuffed animals I do find quite upsetting, the fact that they are usually killed for the purpose is the worst part :/ I couldn't kill a snail for it's shell that's for sure!