Need help desperatly! I think I'm loosing Squidgy :(

[slinky]

Checked on them all tonight and Squidgy looks in a right state, I think its either mantel collapse or gut excursion but I don't know and don't know how to help him or if it would be kinder to put him in the freezer I just don't know what to do!
I have put him in a small tub on his own in substrate with a little food and cuttle bone and have a heat mat on one side to help keep him moist.

[muddydragon]

First of all dont panic! It's not gut extrusion, gut extrusion looks like a little ball protruding from the mouth.

is Squidgy a Helix aspera? it looks to me like a puffy mantle which is perfectly normal (hard to tell from the pics) have a look at this: petsnails.proboards.com/thread/13729/puffy-snails

[etana]

Yeah definitely not gut extrusion. I hope the readers of this thread notice that the pics can be zoomed in, you must click on them first and then for a second time on the webpage that pops open.

The last picture looks to me like the mantle could be slightly detached from the shell, but I'm no expert on that at all. Anyway, puffiness alone is all right (like in the thread that muddydragon linked) if the snail is otherwisely active.

[Zorst]

Its not gut extrusion and my snails get puffy like that after they have mated, they always return to normal.

Zorst

[slinky]

It does look like his mantal is detached.
He looks so ill

Today

[etana]

Okay, that's not normal puffiness in today's pictures.

www.petsnails.co.uk/problems/mantle-collapse.html says you should put food in front of the snail's face and try to get him to eat, and keep him extra moist, which I see by the pics that you're doing.

I hope Squidgy recovers.

[morningcoffee]

Keep him in a very small/shallow container so that he can't hang off the roof. If you don't have anything shallow take a small container and fill it with substrate enough that he can't hang his shell down if he climbs on the roof.
Keep the environment moist but not wet. Put in some food that's easy to eat like wet fish flakes or cooked mashed potato etc. Don't handle the snail at all if you can help it.
Mantle tears/collapse can heal but they need careful care and time.

[slinky]

I've got him in a tortoise feed container and have filled it almost half way with substrate. He has a heat mat which is too long but I have sellotaped it in place. He is not moving and I thought he was dead but saw him twitch an eye stalk.
He looks so miserable it's awful.
Am I being cruel trying to keep him alive?

[morningcoffee]

Isn't he a Helix aspersa? He doesn't need a heatmat if so.

[slinky]

I don't know what breed he is, I'm terrible.
I checked on the advise on the forum and it said to make it extra warm to keep moisture in.

[morningcoffee]

He's a garden snail, right? Not an African or tropical snail? Don't use a heatmat.

[slinky]

He is a garden snail. But how do I keep the heat up?

[morningcoffee]

Oct 14, 2014 19:47:51 GMT slinky said:

He is a garden snail. But how do I keep the heat up?

You don't need to. Room temperature is fine.

[chris86uk]

Yep room temp is fine. I've also read that mantle collapse is recoverable, so just follow what has been said in this thread, I don't think you're being cruel, I think you're giving him the best chance.

[slinky]

Squidge died sometime between last night and today, found him fully extended,dry with eye stalks both down. I sprayed and one eye stalk came up but I think it's just cause he was dry. Soaked him in warm water and prodded him but he is unresponsive.
I have made him a coffin and hubby is gong to put him in the freezer them I will Bury him tomorrow.
sleep tight my dear Squidge, I love you xx

[pilsburypie]

Sounds like you lost a loved pet - wishing you well.

[slinky]

Thank you I sure have, he was very special to me
I just keep thinking it's my fault and am doubting he was actually dead but he was I know he was I just keep thinking 'what if he was alive and now in the freezer' I would be even more upset if I had aloud him to suffer.

[morningcoffee]

I'm really sorry to hear this, slinky.

[slinky]

He didn't smell which is why I am doubting myself, but maybe he hadn't been gone long enough to smell, I don't know.
did I do the right thing?

[etana]

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss.

You did your best. Snails don't have a smell yet at the moment of passing away.

[Zorst]

I think from the sound of it he was dead, and yes you did the right thing. Please don't beat yourself up over this, you did the best thing for Squidgy and that's all you can do. Often they don't smell straight away.

I lost and Alboptica that I'd been nursing for a few days last night so I can fully appreciate where you are. The Alboptica was fine a few days ago and one of my fav snails. I've yet to break the news to my daughter but decided to wait until she was home from school today as she to will be very upset.

I found him deeply retracted 2 days ago for no apparent reason, he was in good weight and had been happily slimming around. Nothing had changed in his tank , no food changes or pests and all the others are fine??? It just sometimes happens.

I always put them in the freezer as well and we'll bury him later when my daughters are home.

Just know in your heart you did everything that you could for Squidgy and that he was well loved and knew that.

Zorst

[slinky]

Zorst that nearly made me cry.
I'm so sorry to hear of your loss, I'm surprised how affected I am about loosing Squidge, he was really very special.
Hubby doesn't understand

[Zorst]

Thanks n I know it's crazy isn't it that a small snail can get to you that way.
But the way I see it is this as hard as it is for me to loose one snail now it means that in the future their are other snails out there who can end up here and that we can love just as much and give them a good home.

Zorst

[muddydragon]

I'm very sorry to hear about both of your losses.

[Zorst]

Thanks Md.

Zorst