PLEASE HELP - SNAIL IS REALLY ILL

[flaura]

Please can someone help me. I'm so worried about my poor snail. 

I have two in a large tank and have had them for about 6 months. Not too sure how old they are because they come from someone else. They have a big tank. I make sure to vary their fruit and veg and I spray them with water regularly. They are usually next to my radiator for heat. 

Three days ago I feed the snails and found one of them with a white pimple looking spot on its neck. When I looked this up it said that it was a mating/ sexual thing so I left it. 

When I checked the snail the day after it was up on the side of the tank but it's mouth appeared shrivelled up and it's eyes were half out but droopy. 

Yesterday at when I checked on him, his eyes were tucked in more and the snail was half out but droopy still and facing the floor. I bathed him in warm water and his eyes came out more and he moved a bit more. I gave him some fresh beans an as I was worried they might be cold I brought a heat mat that I have sellotaped to the side of the tank. Checked again this morning and today and it is still in the same place. He won't go in his shell. He is just half way out with his eyes closed.

this time though his eyes are all the way in, I bathed him and he hardly moved and he had loads of yellow slim coming from his shell I pulled it away and cleaned him up - hope that is the right thing to do. 

Also he feels sticky to touch but when I bathed him today there was loads of slime on him.

I've dug a hole in the coco fibre I have in the tank under the tunnel I have and have put him there. 

I just don't know what else to do and I don't want him to be in pain. Please please help. Any ideas??? 

[astana]

Droopy eyes aren't a rarity, as my snails exhibit those when content, and I'm not sure what you mean by 'shriveled up mouth.' Could you elaborate?
Also, if he's sick, he may have difficulty hanging onto objects. Does he have a weak grip?

[flaura]

Please please help!!! I've found him today in the same position but his eye is out and looks like it's popped. He still seems to be alive. Some one please help

[flaura]

Hi Astana, no it isn't normal! I have had snails before and never seen this. It's mouth seems like it is swollen, like you can see all it's teeth.
He isn't moving at all so he doesn't have any grip.

My boyfriend has just poked it and it is completely stiff. Does this mean it is dead?

[muddydragon]

I'm afraid that if the snail is completely stiff and doesn't respond to being poked then it is almost certainly dead i'm afraid.

Do you have other snails in the tank? it's possible temperature is a problem if you have a heatmat with no thermostat the tanks can get too hot.

[flaura]

Yes he was dead he didn't respond at all.

The other snail seems happy. Phew is very active and has just eaten some green beans apple celery and carrot. I do have a thermostat and I'll remember,beer to keep an eye on the temperature. Is it a good idea to turn the heat mat off sometimes?

[muddydragon]

What temperature is the thermostat for the heatmat set at?

The heatmat will be automatically turned off by the thermostat when the tank reaches the temperature the thermostat is set to therefore you do not need to turn off the heatmat. where do you have the probe for the thermostat in the tank relative to the heatmat?

However there are lots of other possibilities or it could just be one of those things i'm afraid sometimes these things just happen for no obvious reason i'm sorry.

Just to check:

Do you thoroughly wash food regardless of where it has come from?

What substrate are they kept on?

How often do you completely change the substate?

[Zorst]

Sorry to hear about your snail sometime these things just happen.

Zorst