Bloated snail

[onda]

Hi everyone!
I have several garden snails, and one of them it very bloated! It seems that the body couldn't fit into the shell anymore and he seems 2 time fatter than normal. I am worried that he is sick Does anyone have any ideas why this happens? I am giving him salad, cucumbers and cuttlefish bone for food.
Recently he has been burying a lot, but I had to get rid of the soil because there were too many little white bugs there. Is he trying to lay eggs? Will it do any harm if I remove the soil for a few days? Please help, thanks in advance!!

[sezzy5889]

He could be ready to lay,

Have you been washing the food before giving it him? several people who have had snails die from ingesting pesticides had bloated a lot before dieing

[onda]

Thanks for your reply! I have washed the food before giving, so I hope it is clean. The other snails seem ok too. If he really has eggs, how long will it take for him to lay it? Will he lay it if there is no soil? Thanks!

[sezzy5889]

If he is really bloated it will be any time soon, I shouldn't think no substrate will affect laying but if you plan on keeping the eggs i suggest you at least put a pot of soil or moss in the tank for him to lay in as laying straight onto the tank floor can result in them getting a chill or drying up if not caught early :-)

[onda]

Thanks Sarah,I'm glad to know that he is not sick I will put a box of soil into the tank for him. Hoping to see some babies soon