Aestivation (sp).

[Dani]

Hi everyone!

One of my suturalis keep aestivating (sp). If I don't leave my heat mat on basically all the time he goes really quiet, hides and aestivates (sp). He wakes up once i've given him a shower - Am I right to do this? The other is fine with the heat mat being off but i'm just concerned as to how safe it is to be leaving my heat mat on all the time. They share their tank with my fulicas who aren't fussed either way, in fact I think the love the extra heat because they never seem to rest!!! ;D

Anyway, any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Dani x

[hic]

it is natural for them to do it they would do it in the wild the snail should wake up himself

[Dani]

I know it's a natural thing but none of the others do it so it's just worried me a little. How long can they last without food?

[hic]

from what i have herd months but i would wake it up after 2 weeks if it hadnt done it itself
im sure i read somewhere it helps them live longer if you let them do it

[deadmansfinger]

I have never bothered with additional heating with my margies outwith the central heating in the house but as it has been unusually cold this year I did notice some of my WC margies aestivating more than normal. I added a heatmat to the wall of their tank and this seems to have stopped their need to do this. In the two weeks since I added it I haven't saw one snail aestivating compared to two or three of them that were doing it continually. The heatmat I added was only 12" square and this is in a 48"x24"x24" viv so even a small heatmat can make quite a difference.

I agree with Eric as I tend to give them a couple of weeks and then wake them up.

Brian.

[Dani]

Thanks for all your help! It's put my mind at ease now

Dani x