very retracted fulica

[Moracai]

One of the spikes is very badly retracted. He has been for a couple of weeks now, and we have been waking him every day by giving him a warm bath then trying to get him to eat, but for the last 2 days he won't come out at all. he is so far retracted now that we can barely see him anymore. We haved tried bathing him several times today, but there has been no movement from him at all. He doesn't smell so isn't dead.
Anyone have any ideas on anything else we can try to get him to come out?
I am really starting to think he is beyond hope.

[sezzy5889]

I put mine in a sterile environment, which was cleaned every day for the first week or so, with fresh food every night especially powdered cuttlebone mixed with water which was all they would nibble now and then for weeks, and bathed them regularly, this went on for 6 months with mine before full recovery of one snail, the other two died, it was terrible, they were soo skinny and weak but after a constant battle i managed to get two to eat the cuttle paste regularly, and then i mixed in a bit of hemp then a bit of kiwi, then cucumber, then banana and eventually they began to nibble food again but only a tiny amount, i lost the first snail immediatly thats what caused me to observe the others, and i found the other two, the second one died after 4 months of struggling and one 'Beetlejuice' recovered fully and is now back to his old self, and i love him more than ever....

I'm sorry it doesn't sound to good the fact i only had 1 out of 3 survive but it can be done!

[Moracai]

I have been trying to entice him out with his favorite. oatmeal.
If we could just get him to come out I would feel there is hope. It almost looks like an empty shell now.

[sezzy5889]

:-( How big is he?

[Moracai]

about 7 cm.

[sezzy5889]

hmm..nearly the same as what mine were....

I must think!

[Moracai]

2 of the others are retracted as well, but not nearly as deeply, and we can still get them out with a warm bath. they even nibble a bit of food now and again, just wish the other one would.
i feel helpless. I really don't know what to do for him.

[Moracai]

Checked Spike this morning, and he has started to smell.
he's gone.
*cries*

[section8angel]

Sorry

[felix93]

Oh dear, I am sorry.

One of mine from Sarah retracted for about a week but whenever I pick her up, she tends to move a bit and then that's it. Sarah told me Mocha was like that when she was with her, 2 days ago, Mocha decided enough is enough and she comes out again. Strange girl.

[Moracai]

I guess it's one of those things that we will never know why.
I will keep a close eye on the other Spikes and hopefully no more fatalities.
He was one of my first snails, and also my first loss.

[felix93]

First loss is always the hardest and first snail makes it even harder.

Try to put the heat mat underneath the area they are sitting in the tank, I tried that with a few of my margies (they retracted and did not come out no matter what I have done), and they seem to come around in the last few days. It might help, even I know margies are different from fulicas. I kept a couple of margies with fulicas in the same tank and theose fulicas seem more active.

[Deleted]

aww i'm so sorry

one of mine has the same problem, except its a sort of on-off retraction. very strange.

[Val]

This is EXACTLY the same as what happened to one of my 'triplets'. He seemed to be doing well, eating well, and then for no apparent reason retracted and refused to come back out. He is the first and only snail so far that I have lost. It made me doubt that fulica are the 'easiest' snails to keep, the other two remaining 'triplets' are doing O.K. but aren't as out and about as much as my other snails.
Sorry for your loss Moracai, know just how you feel

Val

[Moracai]

Thanks everyone.
It really has been a bad day all round. First Spike, then I lost one of my fish, then the hard drive crashed and I have lost everything, including all my snail photos.
*sighs*

[Deleted]

awww i'm sorry hope you have a better day tomorow

[Moracai]

Hubby said he will take me to the zoo tomorrow, to visit the reptile house. That will cheer me up!
he has also promised me a new fish.

[Moracai]

Lost another spike.
*sighs*

[sezzy5889]

oh no! maybe its that disease Christabel had swipe though her tanks, she lost a lot of snails and had to steralise (sp?) everything :-(

[Moracai]

I hope not.
We will be keeping a close eye on the others. The last 2 spikes are out and eating, so thats good. And Winnie is her usual happy self, cosying up to Jack.

[section8angel]

Oh I'm sorry I'll keep my fingers crossed for all the others

[sam]

sorry to hear this, I have just lost 2 fulicas as well. sad isnt it???sorry for your loss, Ill keep myu fingers crossed for the restxx

[Moracai]

The remaining 2 are now doing the same thing. They are in an isolation tank away from Winnie now. I just coaxed 1 out and he nibbled a bit or two, but the other starts to come out but goes straight back in. They are kinda backwards in their shells. They come out back end first, then their heads last.

[section8angel]

Oh no I really hope they get better. *Fingers still crossed!*

[Arno]

..all the best with them....