Snails not very active?

[robinwhiskers]

How can I make my snails more active and happy? I have four zachrysia provisoria (Jewel, Topaz, Gemma, Garnet), three neohelix albolabris (Moon, Jacob, Weekend), a ventridens suppressus (Rocky), a mesoden thyroidus (Drifter), and a young snail I rescued with a weak shell who might be a mesoden. I've had them for at least three months, but Drifter and Rocky and my zachrysia snails I've had for over six months. I also just got a Bradybaena similaris a couple weeks ago who is in a smaller enclosure with Rocky, my ventridens suppressus. The new snail is named Linus.

Anyway, I know snails are nocturnal, but they all used to be very active during the day. I have plants and other things for my snails to climb on in their 5.5 gallon tank (it isn't overcrowded with objects or snails) but now all they do is sleep. They also seal themselves in. Not with a white covering, just with a clear covering. They aren't the happy go lucky and active snails they used to be. Also Drifter is a rescue snail (that's another story) who I found as an adolescent, and when he was growing he'd eat so much cuttlebone and food but now his shell isn't too weak or anything but he doesn't eat cuttlebone anymore. He prefers to nibble at the lip of his shell, and I stop him whenever he tries to do it.

Any ideas to help my snails be more active and healthy?

[kellyincali]

Hi!  I am having the same problems with my snails, so would love to hear some feedback from the experts... (I am new to keeping snails and still learning.  And thank you so much for putting this resource together, forum leaders!!)

I have noticed some small white mites on my snails and am wondering if that is the cause. I don't see tons of them, and when I do see them... I have been trying to wash them off by putting the snails under luke-warm running tap water.  (I think our tap water here is pretty good, but how would I find out about chlorine levels...?).  They don't seem affected by the water and I do keep a shallow dish in their tank with that same water, but it probably sits out 24hrs before they go into it.

Anyway, after they have their little baths, they do seem to get a bit more active.  Maybe eating a bit, but then always going back to sealing in.  They just don't seem happy. 

Please help!  Should I try getting some predatory mites?  Also, I have 2 clutches waiting to hatch, and would they be safe from the mites, or predatory mites... If I go that route?

I should also mention these are just common garden snails, and we keep 3 roly-poly bugs with them too.  (These are also called pill bugs, and I think I've heard them referred to also as wood lice).  Roly-polies sound way cuter to me and the kids though!  They have been co-habitating smoothly with our 3 snails for months now, and provide for some comical interactions.  But just another consideration... As whatever changes I make, need to be safe for them too.