Missing garden snail. Eaten?

[snailnewb4]

I’m always super careful when cleaning the habitat and removing the fixtures, or anytime I’m removing pieces of food, to make sure a snail isn’t attached. However about a year ago one went missing
Since then, I’ve been even more careful.

I’m cleaning the habitat today and I can count only four of the five. I’ve counted and recounted them, sifted through the old substrate and the moss very carefully, checked the fixtures three times, and as far as I can make out there’s another one missing.

If a snail dies, I’m assuming from what I’ve seen in the wild that yes, they will eat the remains, but will they consume a shell completely, which might explain why I can’t find any evidence?

Thanks in advance! It worries me that I’m missing some other possibility!!

PS- I am also very careful that the habitat is secure at all times so that they can’t escape.

[Cashell]

While snails sometimes eat the remains, it's rather uncommon for most garden-type species to eat both shell and flesh entirely. Perhaps they must have done it slowly over a long time. Either that, or you might have accidentally tossed one out. It can happen now and then to even very careful people.