My snails are not breeding, does it mean they're unhappy?

[snugglebug]

Hi!

I got my first snail a little over a year and a half ago, and am now up to 11 of them. 9 of them are mature cepaea nemoralis, the other 2 are juveniles.

But in all that time they do not seem to have bred even once. Could there be something wrong?

Honestly I don't even want them to breed, but I'm concerned that this might mean they're unhappy. They don't seem to eat all that much, either -- snails are often said to be voracious eaters but mine never finish the food I give them and it inevitably goes moldy (leading to a chronic mold problem in my tank).

In short, how do I know whether my snails are happy? And what could cause them not to breed?

I'd really appreciate any input!

[Liguus]

How deep is your soil?

[snugglebug]

Feb 25, 2017 9:26:05 GMT Liguus said:

How deep is your soil?

Oh, good question! It has varied from time to time as I had to take out moldy substrate, add new substrate etc. Right now it's a little over 1 inch deep, it's usually between 1 and 2 inches I think. Now that you mention it, my snails haven't been burrowing at all lately (for the past several months at least) which I found odd since they used to do it occasionally.
The substrate I use is almost entirely coco coir.

[Liguus]

I would make it at least 3 inches deep, maybe 4 if you can. That should encourage them to breed. Snails somehow know the soil depth in their terrarium and will not lay eggs if it's shallow.

[mariearound]

I agree with HelixPomatia about the soil depth! Also -too many soil changes can prevent breeding as well. Other things I have found that prevent breeding are:
too many bugs in the soil
not enough humidity/misting frequency
not enough calcium offered
population already too high for habitat

My personal preference is to keep the substrate at around 3 in (adding rocks to help with drainage and discourage laying) and put pots of substrate in the tank. My snails lay in the pots almost without exception.

P.S. I judge my snails' happiness by how often they bathe and cuddle as a group! Honestly, if any snail is behaving 'as they usually do' and you have had them for more than a few months, they are probably happy! As for the moldy substrate, I used to have this problem. I use a plastic drainage dish for plants (available for purchase at most garden stories for a few dollars) and set any food in that instead of directly on substrate. Then every other day, I wash the dish out. This keeps bugs under control as well! 

[brigliadore]

Deeper soil for sure. Also they seem to like it damp. My work tank dries out a lot between misting and my cepaea in there NEVER lay. My tank at home stays moist much longer and I get a clutch at least once a month all year long. I have some rugs of live moss and some half logs and those are a favorite for nesting under and laying eggs under.

Put food in small reptile dishes. I swap out food every 1-2 days. Some things like Lettuce can be left a day or two longer but even it goes bad at some point. You don't need to feed them a ton. Even my cepaea tank with over 20 snails in it doesn't eat very much. Also they eat less in the winter, and they eat less when they get to be adults. So the food intake can vary depending on the age, number, and season.