sharon
Achatina fulica
Posts: 12
|
Post by sharon on Jun 16, 2010 11:48:17 GMT
Hi I really need some advice,I have recently started a breeding programme with Helix aspersa snails in captivity as a hobby. I have set up a room that has perfect temperature and humidity with 7 PH balanced soil. But im finding many snails that have died. Their shells are completely intact, but some have come out and seem "paralysed", some have buried themselves and have died whilst under the soil, some are out of their shells completely and others have gone 'sloppy' . The environment is always kept clean so shouldn't be a hygienic problem. could somebody please help so i can resolve A.S.A.P the problem? many thanks, Sharon.
|
|
|
Post by Schnäggli on Jun 16, 2010 13:24:57 GMT
Hi Sharon, sorry to her about your snails. What do you mean by perfect temperature and humidity? could you be more precise? Do you have pics of the terrarium or could describe better what it looks like and how big it is? How many snails did you keep in it? What were you feeding them? How long have you had the snails? If you can provide more information we can try and figure out what went wrong...
|
|
sharon
Achatina fulica
Posts: 12
|
Post by sharon on Jun 16, 2010 15:39:39 GMT
the temp is 20 degrees, humidity is between 90-100% at all times. The room is aprox 3x3 mt there are aprox 1000 snails in it, they are fed on washed organic vegetables and we have had them for 3 months....thanks!
|
|
sharon
Achatina fulica
Posts: 12
|
Post by sharon on Jun 16, 2010 15:47:34 GMT
forgot to say, there a re 2 windows of aprox 1m by 0.5 m one of which is open, the other is closed and a big glass door ....
|
|
coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
|
Post by coyote on Jun 16, 2010 19:53:15 GMT
Hi sharon, sorry about your snails. I keep aspersas too, and there are a couple of things I can suggest. Aspersas do best between 10º and 18ºC (50º to 64.4º F), with humidity between 80 to 100%. It may be too warm for them, and possibly too damp. Try cooling them a little and let it get a little drier (but not too much). Your description of the dead ones sounds a lot like asphyxiation to me. Either there is too much carbon dioxide buildup in the bottom of the room or they have suffered mantle collapse which can put enough pressure on the breathing cavity to asphyxiate the snail. Regarding the CO2, you can try to increase the air circulation in their room, with a small fan perhaps, on some way to drain the heavy CO2 that is collection down next to the substrate. If it's mantle collapse, I'm not sure there is a way to prevent it or treat it once it happens. Another thing that struck me was how clean you said the space is. Snails actually need for their surroundings to be a little bit dirty. They happen to excrete beneficial gut bacteria in their poop which they need to re-ingest in order to remain healthy. (A few other animals need to do this also, not just snails.) A perfectly clean snail tank can kill a snail in a matter of weeks, so perfect hygiene can actually cause some problems rather than solve them. Try leaving some of the snail poop alone and see if they improve. Good luck with your snails, and please let us know how they are doing.
|
|
sharon
Achatina fulica
Posts: 12
|
Post by sharon on Jun 21, 2010 17:26:30 GMT
Hi Thanks for the reply I have given it a few days to reply to see if putting a fan in helped and it does seem to have slowed the death rate down alot.I just hope I can get them breeding and laying eggs now,we were worried at first as to whether the snails I bought had been frozen or chilled over the winter as I have heard of this happening and I know that some don't recover from this.Again Thankyou for your response and will keep updating my progress.
|
|
coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
|
Post by coyote on Jun 21, 2010 21:43:58 GMT
I'm glad the fan seems to be helping. Please let us know how your snails are doing.
|
|
sharon
Achatina fulica
Posts: 12
|
Post by sharon on Jul 14, 2010 15:10:13 GMT
hi, thanks everyone, i now have a new problem, they seem to be dying but no trace of them is left in the shell, could the water i use to humidify the room be a problem, what water is best for them? thanks
|
|
|
Post by lee2211 on Jul 14, 2010 17:16:44 GMT
Could there be something in soil that might be eating them?
|
|
keli
Achatina fulica
Posts: 14
|
Post by keli on Jul 14, 2010 17:23:53 GMT
I have helix aspersa. It's one of the most common snails here.
I don´t do any special about temperature. I think if they was in liberty, they could have the same temperature, more than 30ºC, or 40º... These can have a bath in their little pool. In the nature, that could be very difficult.
|
|
|
Post by crossless on Jul 14, 2010 18:21:20 GMT
A. Fulica can't handle about over 30degrees if their ideal is about 24degrees. How snails that' like little cooler than A. fulica could handle more heat then. And in 42degrees bloods protein starts to cook, so heat waves can be bad for snails. Currently one my a.fulicas is having hibernation because the heat..
|
|
|
Post by lee2211 on Jul 14, 2010 18:35:57 GMT
OP, are you keeping your snails in a tank or just a room? Because by the sounds of one of your posts it sounds like your keeping them in a room. crossless, some snails have a wider heat range, it just depends on what they're used to. My H. Aspersa prefer about 20, but Keli lives in Spain so her snails are more likely to be able to tolerate higher temperatures because that's what they're used to.
|
|
coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
|
Post by coyote on Jul 14, 2010 19:35:52 GMT
I doubt the water would cause the disappearance of any trace of the snail in the shell. Something is probably eating the remains -- bacteria, other scavenging invertebrates, even other snails. Bacteria take a long time to break down a dead body, so I suspect scavengers or the other snails. It might be good to provide fish flakes or soaked dog or cat kibble as a concentrated protein source if they are eating deceased companions. But they are still dying, and it sounds like you do not know why. This should not be happening if the environmental conditions are correct (temperature, humidity, substrate pH, proper food and calcium, access to fresh water, neither too much nor too little poop, etc). I suppose severe in-breeding could also cause an increase in mortality. But I don't know which of these factors, if any, are applicable to your snails.
|
|
sharon
Achatina fulica
Posts: 12
|
Post by sharon on Jul 15, 2010 7:32:12 GMT
thanks very much for your quick replies, i am going to look into this a bit more, hopefully all will come out alright! many thanks again sharon
|
|
coyote
Archachatina papyracea
Cochleas ego amo
Posts: 2,955
|
Post by coyote on Jul 15, 2010 20:30:59 GMT
Good luck, and let us know how they are doing.
|
|