Snails doubling back on own shells rasping

[escargot5]

I have noticed my adult snails and some of their offspring folding themselves back over their own shells and sticking to them. I can actually hear noises (rasping) when one of the adult snails does this. One seems to do it more than the other.

Is this normal snail behavior?
Or might they be suffering some deficiency?

I have cuttlefish in their container. I rinse it put it back in the container after I clean the containers. I notice it softens sometimes, do I need to replace it when it is like this?
Thank you for any information you have on this behavior.
Richard

[eric2]

when they do this are they rasping at the new growth at the mouth of the shell?

[escargot5]

Eric, good question, I have to observe more closely.
It appears it is directly behind the lip of the shell.
Is this the same as what you call the mouth of the shell?
thank you
Richard

[eric2]

i think so
next time they do it try picking them up and putting them on the cuttlebone see if that works

[GlitterBug]

Mine does the same thing but not at where the new growth is, it's on the side, I'm sure some one posted on one of the snail forums that snails will groom themselves sometimes, i'm sure thats what it might be doing, alot of mine seem to eat dirt from their shells.

[Rachel]

it may be the new growth has been irritating their back so they are rounding it off and shortening it a bit so it rubs less. Snails often own shell rasp if at some point they have had mites, even after the mites are gone. how often do you bathe your snails? sometimes bathing them if they are doing it helps stop them. what eric said also might help. the problem is like humans biting their nails it bacomes a habit if they do it to often.

[escargot5]

Thanks Eric, Glitterbug and Snail Sanctuary,
I actually have moved them to the cuttlefish when they rasp themselves. So far the snail has just crawled off the cuttlefish.
The petsnail site had some other suggestions I have not tried yet though. I'll have to try those. It sounds like there may be a variety of possible explanations including that it could be normal behavior.
Glitterbug thanks for your thoughts.
Snail Sanctuary, I bathe my snails, that is run them under warm water from the faucet and rub their shells with my finger about every three days.
I reckon I became concerned since I could hear this snail grind away at its own shell.
I wondered if it could be self grooming of a sort. The site said they will round off rough edges sometimes. I have seen one snail do it more often than the other. It is possible I am missing when the other does it too.
I realize plenty of snails have behaved this way from time to time.
Thank you again.
Richard