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Post by etana on Dec 19, 2014 19:48:21 GMT
I really hope that this is just something about his age. I still don't see him eat, but he doesn't seem to be getting thinner. The lack of poop could be attributed to my Garbage-eater Snail (Ewert the Tiger) getting to it before I do.
I guess I've been bathing him a bit too much when I've kept checking that his skin colour etc are okay. Not every day, I've been able to contain myself that much, but once every 2 or 3 days. I'll try to do it less so I won't disturb his natural skin conditions too much.
I just had him on my hand, gave him a brief green tea bath (washed off a bunch of those bugs that we suspect to be springtails) and then an even quicker one under the tap, and I meant to put him back to the tank but he superglued himself to my hand, harder than I'd ever felt him do it before. So, I let him stick for a while, and put a piece of soaked kitten food in front of him. He felt it with his little tentacles, then put his mouth on top of it, and it was so promising but then he lifted his head up again, and the bottom of his face was inwards.
I'm trying not to worry. It's the first time I see a big snail grow up anyway.
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Post by etana on Dec 19, 2014 20:53:02 GMT
Oh oh oh! Taavetti is eating cuttlebone!!!
That's a sure sign that his mouth is working. PHEW. He's going to be okay, I'm sure.
What a relief.
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Post by muddydragon on Dec 19, 2014 21:41:37 GMT
fab news
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Post by Selena on Dec 21, 2014 7:29:04 GMT
Hi Etana, Furtunately he started eating again. I have a few older snails who are also acting lazy those days. Sleap a lot and when they wake up, they will eat but not much. They also are looking healthy, but just seemed tired. I saw before those snails where very active and had eat big amounts of food, at night and also the day after, moving a lot, bumbs appeared often..and after an very active periode, they started to sleep for the same long period. Sometimes i am very concern if they starting to sleep long and i will wake them up a few times to make sure everything is okay, but i disturb them during their sleep, so they are sleeping much longer and they kept been a little bit tyred. Only if i let them sleep and woke up by them selves, they will be completely recovered. Maybe your snail is very tired from his very active lovesick period and his test eggs? Is that possible? I am also wondering if could be the time of the year, lower temperatures, lack of sunlight? maybe some snails are sleeping more this time? or is this false?
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Post by etana on Dec 21, 2014 8:57:37 GMT
Selena, Perhaps it's just that. He grew so fast for so many months, was so active, so lovesick, laid the egg, everything, and now he just needs some rest. I hope it's that simple.
This house is very well insulated, and the tank temperature & humidity levels are almost exactly the same as earlier (only the humidity fluctuates a bit more), but the day is only a few hours long right now. Taavetti may be feeling it as well on top of everything else, though then again my other big snails are quite active and having growth spurts. My wild caught snails, on the other hand, are mostly hibernating even though they too have it warm and there's food and water for them. Their kids born in captivity are quite active.
You may be very right in that I should let Taavetti have his long sleep. He's looked healthy every single time I've woken him up, and now I even know that his mouth isn't sore or anything. If I keep poking at him all the time, he'll just be stressed and not getting all the sleep he wants.
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Post by Selena on Dec 21, 2014 19:01:16 GMT
I understand what you mean, because it is the same for me. When a snail sleep more i also at least pick him up several times a day. But mostly i also wake him up with a shower. When i only pick him up for a few seconds, the snails awake directly our starting to move. So i disturb him anyway and after that, i;m getting more and more concerned, because the snail is still sleaping. Now I try not to disturb them, but it is difficult for me. Hopefully he will be all right after a long sleep and i hope you don't worrie to much.
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Post by cliath on Dec 21, 2014 19:06:35 GMT
Glad to hear he's eating etana!
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Post by etana on Dec 22, 2014 0:37:13 GMT
Thanks Cliath. He went back to sleep again, but at least it's one big worry less to know his mouth is all right. Selena, yeah, it's like checking a healing wound, so tempting even though we know wounds heal best when left alone! I've had to learn to not bug my snails, and these days I handle an individual snail max once a day. Many go without handling for days, weeks (especially the small ones from the wild) as there's no need. The only negative thing about not handling the small ones is that they get annoyed or confused when I put my hand in the tank for maintenance.
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Post by etana on Dec 23, 2014 20:10:35 GMT
Ugggghhh... I think I figured something big out. I mean it may still be that Taavetti needs a rest period too, but there was an actual problem in my tank. Or actually, this house isn't as well insulated as I thought it was. I only moved in here at the end of summer so I didn't *really* know, I only assumed that this house followed the high Finnish standards, and due to where I grew up I'm more resistant to cold houses than most people anyway, in the way that I don't even pay attention to cold the same way others do. The weather outside turned much colder yesterday (hooray for snow though!), and as a result, my BF got a bit ill, and all my GALS burrowed deep and didn't move at all last night. Since they all did it together, we started looking for reasons outside individual snails' preferences, and it was actually my BF's idea that the newly appeared cold was bugging them. Turns out the window they were near was leaking in cold, and the thermometer had been buried in the soil by the snails so it was showing a wrong number, and I didn't realise I should pay more attention right now. Gosh darnit. Luckily I noticed this before anyone in the tank died. My current theory is that Taavetti may have been hurt by the cold for a while now. The smaller ones didn't start suffering from it as quickly for some reason (I'd appreciate if someone knows how snail size relates to tolerance of cold?). I'd only used my heatmat very little lately, too, because everyone but Taavetti was quite active at nights. Now, though, I turned the heatmat on, covered the tank with a towel, and woke Taavetti up. He felt around the wall the heatmat is attached to with his tentacles, then climbed up the wall, and spread himself out super wide. It's not the world's most powerful heatmat so I don't think he'll burn, but I'll pay more attention to the temperature now. And him, too.
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Zorst
Achatina tincta
Posts: 734
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Post by Zorst on Dec 23, 2014 22:46:37 GMT
Ahh, well hopefully that's the answer to your problem, Seilide my tiger snail isn't really interested in eating food, n is sleeping a lot. Last nite he munched a bit of soaked cat bisect but not much, n just plain refused any cucumber, carrot, mushroom, apple or sweet potato his fav foods.Yet when awake he seem's happy , bright, active n his normal snaily self? I have a slightly more powerful heat mat which I'll give a try after reading your suggestion. Zorst
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Post by etana on Dec 24, 2014 7:34:22 GMT
I really hope that warming up the tank will help Seilide. Keep us posted how it goes.
I had a bit of a sleepless night so I could keep an eye on Taavetti. First he slept on the wall with the heatmat, then he pooped (mostly just a lot of slime and some cuttlebone remains), moved to the adjacent wall and continued sleeping with his shell touching the heatmat wall, and then pooped more. This time it was more normal looking poop, composed mostly of soil matter I think.
At this point I plugged out the heatmat because it was quite hot and I was worried Taavetti would get hurt in his sleep, and he moved to sleep hanging from the ceiling, again his shell touching the heatmat wall.
In the morning I saw even more dark poop. I plugged the heatmat back in, woke Taavetti up with some water, and now he's moving around the tank faster than I've seen him move for a while.
So the lack of poop was real, not due to Ewert just being big on eating it. Odd though how he now poops so much. Maybe his gut wasn't working due to the cold, and it begins to work that way. I hope that the next thing that happens is a big fat hunger and he'll finally eat a big snaily meal.
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Zorst
Achatina tincta
Posts: 734
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Post by Zorst on Dec 24, 2014 9:19:47 GMT
Agreed, today I'm changing around the tank and upgrading the heat mat so we can see whats different that makes. U left him be last night n he just slept in the same place where I'd put him the night before and is still there now.
I'm hoping that this will make a change and he'll become more active again. I'll let you know what happens.
Zorst
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Post by etana on Dec 25, 2014 21:06:46 GMT
Yes, let me know.
Taavetti is definitely moving around more now. I was away for today so I can't be 100% sure how much he's eating, but there are big piles of dark poop where he's been, so he must be ingesting at least soil.
The other snails seem to appreciate too, Ewert just appeared from his hide on his own when he'd been getting sleepier lately too. My hopes are high that this is it.
I'll cook them a little Christmas meal from leftover veg and add kitten food to be pretend ham, and I'll see what the snails do.
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Zorst
Achatina tincta
Posts: 734
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Post by Zorst on Dec 26, 2014 21:20:20 GMT
Ahh that snail Xmas dinner sounds great.
Well finally Seilide seem's to be a bit more active and has moved across the tank though he doesn't look like he's eaten much if anything and has currently gone back to sleep.
The tank is now considerably warmer and I'm trying to sort out the temp on the margies tank as I ended up using there heat pad and swapping it for an older one until a new one arrives. If need be the Tank Seilide is in that has a lot of baby snails in can be used for an emergency tank for the new snails that arrived for Xmas until the new heat mat arrives for the margies. And I'll double up the heat mats on there tank from the new snails tank. Ahh the joys of snail keeping lol.
I'll keep you posted on the crazy musical snail tanks here and my sleepy tiger snail.
Hope everyone's having a Happy Xmas and a great New Year
Zorst
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Post by muddydragon on Dec 30, 2014 13:55:47 GMT
glad to hear the warmer tank is helping. If it was cold all of his systmes would have been working slower (including digestion hence the lack of poo). Sme individuals are just a bit better at coping with cooler temperatures than others even within the same species. but it is possible i suppose that smaller ones may cope with the cold better but i'm not sure why that would be. Hope all's going well with all snails now
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Post by etana on Dec 31, 2014 21:07:07 GMT
I was away for some days, and I was so worried that when I come home, there'd be the smell of dead snail. But thankfully not! Apparently Taavetti healed himself by sleeping by the heatmat, and now he's eating vegs again. I saw him go at a carrot with my own eyes. Lots of black poop is stuck to the warm wall. I find it very unfortunate that I didn't get to follow his progress, but I'm very glad he's better. Also, I found him a friend/mate! Finally!! I didnt manage it for Christmas, but hey, New Year's Eve is better than nothing. A pet store in a different town sold me a massive fulica, we named her Halonen. I think she's fully grown. She's super fat, has a long, strong shell, funny yellow eyeballs, and she was friendly with us almost right away. I placed her in the tank next to Taavetti, and he basically climbed on her and danced, looking ecstatic. Also I had never seen him get so aroused about another snail, LOL. Now I just hope it's mutual and he gets a kiss or more on New Year!
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Zorst
Achatina tincta
Posts: 734
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Post by Zorst on Jan 1, 2015 0:06:54 GMT
AHH I'm so glad to hear that Taavetti is well again and eating. Seilide is very active but I'm still not sure if he's eaten and have seen no poops. He's getting his new bath put in tomorrow so hopefully that will help.
Really pleased to hear about your new snail Halonen and hopefully Taavetti and her will be great companions and he'll get his snail kiss for New year.
Zorst
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Post by etana on Jan 1, 2015 6:15:14 GMT
I really hope that bathing will help Seilide. Poor Taavetti didn't get a snaily kiss yet, Halonen was very tired from the long car ride and everything and fell asleep after having lots of cuttlebone. She's still in the same position, resting. Taavetti was super excited all evening though. After he was done dancing on Halonen, he ran around the tank, eating everything in sight, with a permanent bump on his cheek. He seems to have lost a bit of weight when he was unwell, but at that rate it should come back fast, lol.
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Zorst
Achatina tincta
Posts: 734
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Post by Zorst on Jan 1, 2015 8:04:30 GMT
LOL! I'm getting the mental image of a super fast snail running around your tank now. I'm sure he'll get his kiss when she wakes up again, and this should give him ample reason to eat n get fat again. This kinda got me thinking if the bath situation doesn't work, I may well move one of the smaller adult Bulldozers in with Seilide or one of the larger immac's. As I think the Alboptica's r still a bit small and a larger friend may also make him more interested in life n eating. We'll try the bath first but that's an option for sure.
Hope he gets his snails kiss today.
Zorst
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Post by etana on Jan 1, 2015 9:48:58 GMT
Yes it was very funny, and so great to see, after he'd been so inactive for such a long time. Now he's even binged on cuttlebone, and grown a tiny little stripe of new shell again! I wonder what goes through the snaily mind - "Ohhh goodness that big snail is lovely! I waited for her for so long! Now I must grow big and strong quick so she'll like me back!!" I'm more and more convinced that snails need friends and love to really thrive. At least I'm sure that this applies to the ones who have grown up with other snails. Halonen had many sizes of snails with her, including tiny little babies, so I'm pretty sure she knows how to be gentle and safe with the smaller guys in the tank. I'll be watching what happens once she's rested enough after her trip and settled in the tank, and hope to be watching when she kisses Taavetti. He'll be over the moon, he already was when she as much as touched him with a tentacle. Keep us posted on how Seilide reacts to what you do. It may indeed be a good idea to introduce a new friend. Fingers crossed he'll start recovering like Taavetti has.
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Zorst
Achatina tincta
Posts: 734
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Post by Zorst on Jan 1, 2015 16:29:02 GMT
Yes at times I do wonder myself what go's through those snaily minds. Everyones asleep in the tank now so I'll put in the bath a bit later when they all start to wake up, its going next to the heat mat and the food and the cuttle fish. I dont doubt everyone will be in the snail bath but I'll make sure Seilide get's a good go in there as well. Hopefully he will start to poop and eat then as well.
Then if need be I'll move another big snail in the tank , but its not the biggest of tanks and there are plenty of Alboptica and some smaller growing snails in there. Seilida already has one friend in the form of his younger tiger snail mate, who's really started to grow finally but is still a bit small yet. So I'll think about that over the next day or so after seeing how the bath idea go's.
Zorst
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Post by Selena on Jan 1, 2015 17:59:29 GMT
Hi Etana,
a few times i was searching for this topic but couldt find it and my internet gave an error. But i read everyting now and there was a problem with the temperature? fortunately you solved the problem (and know what was going on)I wondering if i have the same problem last weeks. I have also a few crevice where cold air comes through. and i moved the container near the (not isolated ) windows. Some of my snails are in-active, eating less as well. But i am glad, your snail is doing well!
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Post by etana on Jan 1, 2015 19:14:40 GMT
Zorst I hope the old legend of unwell snails choosing to poop in the bath will repeat itself. Ah, snail poop is a strange thing when you realise you're missing it! I know I was for a while too. :/
Selena, yes, there definitely was a temperature problem. It was just a guess based on them all falling asleep in an unusual way and my boyfriend getting a cough at the same time, but now that the tank is much warmer, everyone's doing much better and Taavetti is eating and growing again. So I recommend you check your tank conditions as well.
Taavetti seems both super excited and a little.... mixed? over Halonen. He just got a ride on her shell as she moved from one cuttlebone to another, and he was ridiculously aroused, but then snailed off her shell and went to sit in a corner with a weird look on his face. He may be planning his next move on how to charm her, lol. Or maybe he just was surprised because no one else has carried him around the tank here, and needed a break.
Little Tauno also peeked at her from behind a big cuttlebone, still not daring to make contact yet. Halonen seems the most interested in the cuttlebones right now. Her shell looks fine to me, but she binges on cuttlebone and rasps at her shell edge. Whatever she needs to do with her shell, I hope she'll warm up for poor Taavetti soon!
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Post by etana on Jan 1, 2015 19:32:07 GMT
Oh! Halonen has a bump on her cheek now! She wasn't in the mood at all before now! LOL. Snail soap operas are the best.
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Zorst
Achatina tincta
Posts: 734
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Post by Zorst on Jan 1, 2015 21:17:36 GMT
LOL ! Ahh keep us posted on the snail soap opera I can't wait for the next episode in the series. Lets hope that they decide to be good friends so they can both get there snaily kisses.
Zorst
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