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Post by alice042 on Aug 7, 2014 23:41:51 GMT
I posted online that I was looking for snails and a woman that lives in my home town said she had several living on the side of her house and would bring them to me. Problem is, I cannot tell if most of them are alive or dead. I determined 2 to be dead and 4-5 to be alive. There are 5-6 that I cannot tell if they are alive are dead. Either way they are way back in their shells so I can barely see them. She collected them last night and put them all in a jar. The ones that I determined dead were on the bottom of the jar where there was a some water, so I am assuming they drowned or died during collection. I have placed them in a large tupperware container with holes in the lid and top soil and moss for subterate (moistened) as well as some apple pieces. If they do not come out tonight, should I assume them dead and put them outside?
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Post by etana on Aug 8, 2014 5:23:45 GMT
You will know when a snail is dead, from the smell. If you haven't experienced it before, I promise you really will have no doubts. I wonder what method she used to take the snails off the wall. Might have torn their muscles by accident if she grabbed them by the shells to pull them off when they were suctioned up. Poor snails, either way. A drowning snail would extend completely, deep retraction means unhappiness and almost always death sooner or later (except some very small, very shy snails apparently can hide very deep and be just scared).
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Zorst
Achatina tincta
Posts: 734
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Post by Zorst on Aug 8, 2014 6:43:06 GMT
Yeah you'll know if a snails dead by the smell, believe me you'll remember that one for life. The smell kinda resembles that of rotten fish. My thought are that most likely there retracted due to being scared or asleep. Re the ones in the bit of water , you'd be surprised how long they can last underwater, I found some that had been submerged for about 10 to 12 hrs but were still retracted in there shell's. All of them survived and stayed with me a few weeks before me releasing them again, they were in an old dried out water butt and then we had 12 hrs solid rain. I didn't think any would be alive when I found them but these guys proved me very wrong. Give them a good few days to come back out n its worth checking on them when you've had the lights off at night for a few hours as its when there most active.
You'll need to feed the more than apple try something green as these were wild caught snails, as basic food I feed all my snails sweet potatoes, cabbage darker the leaves the better, carrots and apple. Also you''ll need some cuttle fish bone or other supply of calcium for them.
let us know how you get on with them
Zorst
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Post by etana on Aug 8, 2014 9:11:09 GMT
[clip] I found some that had been submerged for about 10 to 12 hrs but were still retracted in there shell's. All of them survived [clip] Ohh! Were those guys in deep retraction? Because if yes, that's a very interesting observation.
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Post by cliath on Aug 8, 2014 9:18:00 GMT
If they don't smell you could they giving a lukewarm or warm bath? That usually helps them come out. Just try not to get much on the snails body.
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Zorst
Achatina tincta
Posts: 734
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Post by Zorst on Aug 8, 2014 17:12:04 GMT
Yes they were deeply retracted I could only just see them if I held the shell's at the right angel. And the idea of Cliath's warm water might just well work to get bring them out.
Zorst
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Post by alice042 on Aug 9, 2014 14:17:48 GMT
Update* I was able to determine that all but 2 were alive. I placed the other 2 outside and checked on them periodically. It rained yesterday and I hoped that if they were alive it would coax them from their shells. This worked for 2 of them, but the other 2 have not moved at all and are still deep in their shells. I have the the living snails in a 10 gallon tank with organic soil and moss. I have given them apple pieces and lettuce as well as a calcium supplement to eat. I do not have anything yet in the way of decorations, but I am going to go today and purchase some plastic pots and such.
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Post by cliath on Aug 9, 2014 17:36:33 GMT
Glad to here that some are alive! Good luck with them
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Zorst
Achatina tincta
Posts: 734
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Post by Zorst on Aug 26, 2014 6:19:26 GMT
Glad to hear that the majority of yr snails r ok. You may want to broaden there diet over the next few days though add some things like sweet potato, carrots, cabbage, kale , Broccoli etc. They tend to thrive better on a broader diet.
Zorst
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