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Post by slinky on Aug 3, 2014 11:09:26 GMT
Those of you who don't know, a couple of months ago I rescued a snail who's shell had been partially crushed. He's much better now but he can't retract fully into his reformed shell.
Is there anything I can do? I love my Squidge!!
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Post by etana on Aug 3, 2014 11:35:01 GMT
Does he actively try to retract and make distressed moves/expressions, or is he just so relaxed with you that he doesn't need to go in fully? Pet snails often sleep outside their shell once they learn there's nothing to fear.
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Post by slinky on Aug 23, 2014 13:08:37 GMT
Aww thats cute! I hope that's what it is but I don't know, it looks like there is no longer an opening for him to go into, his shell is very deformed on the part that he has had to regrow . But he seems happy enough and is wriggling about fine and enjoys his showers and strokes.
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Post by snailboat on Aug 23, 2014 13:49:41 GMT
My snail Moon is sleeping with her foot outside her shell right now! She pulled her eyestalks in, though. It is cute! Other snails of mine have done the same thing.
I don't know if there's anything you can do to fix it if Squidge really can't retract into his shell, but you can make sure he has enough moisture so he doesn't dry out and you can give him places to hide from the light when he wants to. I'm sure you'd do both of those anyway so hopefully he can have a good snaily life :-) If he seems happy then hopefully everything is okay for him just the way he is.
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Post by slinky on Aug 23, 2014 23:07:24 GMT
Thankyou! He is a special little guy  He likes to hide in his moss a lot and spends the rest of the time on the lid. |
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Post by etana on Aug 24, 2014 7:26:10 GMT
Snailboat's advice is good Yeah, usually they retract the eyestalks when sleeping outside the shell, but a couple times I've seen a snail pull in just the eyeballs, with the stalks left there drooping! Looks kinda weird!  Though... That sounds odd to me that there'd be no opening at all, since his vital organs, lung & most of the digestive system are inside the shell. Can Squidge poop normally? It's unlikely that he'd have stayed active or even alive for this long if he had severe internal problems, but I'm curious now. I don't suppose you could post a picture? |
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Post by slinky on Aug 24, 2014 9:56:07 GMT
No I don't think he is pooing normal, he doesn't eat much but I never seem to need to remove poop unlike the GALS who are poop machines. Lol
I will try and upload a pic tonight.
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Post by etana on Aug 24, 2014 13:25:33 GMT
Right. Looking forward to seeing his picture! |
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Post by slinky on Aug 24, 2014 23:32:42 GMT
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Post by slinky on Aug 24, 2014 23:36:29 GMT
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Post by slinky on Aug 24, 2014 23:37:37 GMT
On phone and can't work out how to change size on imageshack.com?
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Post by etana on Aug 25, 2014 6:29:47 GMT
It's all right, big size is only better. Hmmmmm. I'm trying to figure out how tight the aperture (main opening) has become, it might have something to do with why he doesn't poop like he should. Is that the edge of Squidge's mantle (muscle that he uses to drag the shell along) at the shell's lip? Or is it located at the tighter part? |
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Post by slinky on Aug 25, 2014 10:30:09 GMT
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Post by slinky on Aug 25, 2014 10:34:52 GMT
I don't quite understand what you mean?
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Post by slinky on Aug 25, 2014 10:40:12 GMT
Ok had a look at snail anatomy and it looks like the mantel is directly attached to the shell and body, there is no unattached area?
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Post by etana on Aug 25, 2014 13:57:46 GMT
The second to last photo shows the mantle's position very well, at least the front part of it is exactly where it should be, right at the opening. Yes, there shouldn't be anything unattached. The mantle is attached to the body, and normally carries the shell by the widest part (and it also protects his internal organs from below), though a sick snail sometimes pushes it way far back when deep retracting. A healthy snail is able to retract through the center of the mantle when he wants to sleep safely, so that his breathing hole remains out in the open. When a snail is having a shell growth spurt, you'll sometimes see the mantle showing about 1mm from under the shell lip. It's normal and very soon the part is covered with new shell. I mostly worry about him not pooping. His shell must have been badly broken when you found him, missing very large pieces, and he's squished himself inside the remains of it until he was able to repair it and continue growing. I wonder if he's constipated due to having not enough room for his intestine. Has he pooped normally at any point? As far as I've watched my snails, there's some new snail poop every day. And can anyone else maybe give advice here? |
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Post by cliath on Aug 25, 2014 14:38:54 GMT
I suggest giving him a bath in warm water. That's what I do for constipated babies. I'm not sure if it will work on a snail. The idea is that the warm water softens the poop and therefore it's easier to pass.
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Post by slinky on Aug 25, 2014 17:48:00 GMT
I've given him a warm bath but he didn't want to stay in it long  I'm trying to think if he has ever pooped and I'm not sure I think he may have a tiny bit a while ago but not recently. His shell does look pretty deformed. He now has 2 little friends in with him, tiny colourful snails I took in from outside |
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Post by cliath on Aug 25, 2014 19:42:27 GMT
Maybe keep him in a box with just toilet tissue (damp of course) then you can easily see if he poops.
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Zorst
Achatina tincta
Posts: 734 
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Post by Zorst on Aug 26, 2014 6:58:34 GMT
I downloaded your pictures and took a good look at them , despite what you may think that looks to be a pretty good repair. Its a bit of an odd shape on the profile photo but I would think that yr snail can retract if he feels he needs to.
Ive got some here with worse breaks than that who can retract, though some once there shells have healed are so relaxed having been handled so much they seldom retract at all. I had thought some couldn't but over time they have proven to be able to, I just wasn't seeing them do so. Most of the snails here sleep partly out of there shells anyway as they feel safe enough to do so.
As for the lack of poo well if your snail has survived this long it has to be pooping, simply he'd have died long before now if he wasn't. Though it my be that the poop is very small and breaks down quickly. Claith's idea may be a good one to try that way you can see more easily any poop that he's done.
Personally I think he looks a happy healthy active snail from your photo's, but I'd make sure you keep him moist.
Zorst
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Post by slinky on Aug 27, 2014 14:10:37 GMT
Thank you that's great to hear! I just want him to be happy, I love him |
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Post by snailboat on Dec 1, 2014 8:18:45 GMT
One of my snails hasn't gone into her shell for at least six weeks or so, as far as I can tell. Other than that, the snail doesn't show any signs of distress, is active every day, and I see her eating and so forth. I've been starting to think she can't retract, but I'm hoping she's okay anyway :-)
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Post by cliath on Dec 1, 2014 9:52:27 GMT
One of my snails hasn't gone into her shell for at least six weeks or so, as far as I can tell. Other than that, the snail doesn't show any signs of distress, is active every day, and I see her eating and so forth. I've been starting to think she can't retract, but I'm hoping she's okay anyway :-) As long as she isn't showing signs of distress she should be fine, my cepaea barely ever go fully into their shell, and I've not had any trouble from them. She has probably just learned that there are no predators to eat her. |
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Post by etana on Dec 1, 2014 14:59:46 GMT
Snailboat, does your non-retracting snail have shell or tissue damage?
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Post by snailboat on Dec 1, 2014 16:30:47 GMT
Everything I can see looks fine! I can take a picture later :-)
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