Very inactive snails?

[Becks]

Hi everyone,
I got 2 snails (fulica, I believe) 2 days ago. Sweet little things, but they are never out and about! I always believed that snails moved about a lot, spending much time eating, but mine will just hide under their fake plants or burrow down and sit in their shells practically all day long.

I'm a bit confused because I checked the site Problems page but I thought my humidity/heat was fine... I've been spraying the tank with warm water every day, although the compost does dry out very fast. Could they be too dry? Should I spray twice a day? The temp in my room is about 22C at the moment which I thought would be fine for them? Should I have their heat mat on? I was scared to turn it on in case I cooked the poor little things.

Asides from that I don't know what it could be... I've been feeding them a good mix of fresh foods (which they haven't eaten much of) and they've got cuttlefish for calcium. I don't think they're sick because they looked very active in the shop, in fact that's why I picked them. They do perk up and move about when I hold them in my hand, but back in the tank, they slither straight off and hide again. I'm so worried they aren't eating enough and will die.

I'm very confused because a) I've had snails before and b) I am always very efficient about doing my homework before I buy any animal, and I thought I had a pretty good idea of what I was doing. If you have any suggestions as to what I'm doing wrong, please help!!

[Moracai]

Hi becks. You could try spraying twice a day and switching on the heat mat for a couple of days and see if their is any improvement in their moving around. Some Fulica prefer it wetter than others, and some warmer than others. Could it be they are doing all their moving around at night time. Try picking them up and putting them straight onto their food and see if any food goes missing.
keep us updated on any change made by the extra spray and heat.

[Val]

I don't think you are doing anything wrong, but snails are individuals too and what suits one fulica may not suit another. I would definitely try it more wet, warm and humid and see if that helps at all. My fulica doesn't seem to eat much but he is growing so he must be eating enough, he also tends to be quite nocturnal so I don't see a lot of him. Let us know how they are with a warmer/wetter tank.

Val

[Becks]

Thanks for your suggestions! I've got them on a heat mat now and I've been spraying twice daily with warm water. I have noticed an increase in activity for an hour or two after I've sprayed, but after that they tuck themselves away again. ARGH! This is so frustrating. They are nice and warm (but not too hot), nice and humid, have company, have cuttlefish, have fresh food, have places to hide and lots of space to move around. Why are they so inactive?

[copigeon]

Well as has already been stated, its probably just the animals natural nocturnal habit. Snails are not like guinea pigs, most wont move about in the daytime unless a stimulant (in your case at the moment the warm water) wakes them up.
Most of mine are active from 11:30pm onwards, most after 1am.

[gabi]

Snails sometimes need quite a while until they feel at home. Just give them a bit of time (some weeks) and I am sure, they will get more active. Some snails seem really to need some weeks until they get used to their new environment. The more you handle them now, the less they will come out. Some are shy individuals. I have one fulica, that never comes out of her shell, as long she notices someone around her tank (and she has loads of comany too and those tank-mates are never shy at all).

Hope this helps a bit.

Kind regards,

Gabi

[Becks]

I do realise that snails are not guinea pigs, however I always believed that snails spent most of the day eating (and this was confirmed in my GALS book, too.) Though I had snails before, it was such a long time ago I can remember practically nothing about their behaviour so the snails and I are learning together.

Thanks Gabi, I didn't realise snails needed settle-in time! These animals are more complex than people think aren't they? (I know I'm learning a ton about them!) I agree with you that snails can be shy, one of mine is noticeably shyer than the other.

[gabi]

Only my reticulatas are off and on eating during the day. Non of my other snailies are seen during the day. They are up and around at those times, copigein already said. Seems you have to get up tonight and I am sure, you will find your snailies sliming around in their tank.

[goose]

My tigers are definitely most active after midnight - I usually just catching them going to bed as I get up!

[Dom]

Maybe they're getting used to their new surroundings. Give them a while to settle in. My fulica buries for a few days at a time as he comes out for food with the other one. Don't worry about it =]