My snail seems sick, but cannot understand the cause...help!

[enkoi]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forum, very happy to find so much information on snails: I'll be straightforward though, since I'm worried about a snail and I reckon time factors is important.

I've found this snail in the salad last April, and I've been keeping he/she since then. Sometimes I left her alone for some days, but always with food and water.

More or less 1 month ago, she started to show a number of symptoms:

- less active than before

- the body seems darker (she was yellowish usually)

- the foot sometimes looks like curly at the borders

- eat less, and she doesn't seem to poop very frequently

- when she sleeps during the day, the mantle often swells, and sometimes very much (it's the symptom that made me worry the most)

I cannot understand what can be the cause, or the sickness involved...and therefore cannot find a way to help her!

Last thing I tried was castor oil (I read also here about its possible benefits): indeed she improved after the first use, coming back in having the body yellowish, less swelling of the mantle and being more active. Then (my error, I know and I feel bad), she ate a bit of tempeh, fermented soy in other words, and the day after the symptoms were back.

I've been keeping giving her castor oil (of course just a few drops) almost daily now for one week: in a couple of days she seemed to improve the day afterwards, but now symptoms seem to get worse. Today I've found here with a heavy swelling of the mantle.

Can anyone help me in understanding what happening to her, and in finding a cure???

I add some photos, I'll try to get others tomorrow if you need them. Only first photo is from today, the others are from last week.

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[snaileyhammy]

Hi there!

Sorry to hear about your snail! I’m thinking the body color becoming darker is normal, maybe it only appears to change to you? I know that some snail species, their body color becomes darker as they get older. Although it could be because of a bad reaction to a chemical, etc. The mantle swelling could also be a reaction to something, what substrate, plants, etc, do you have in the tank? Any of that could affect them. It all depends though, if you could lost their diet, etc, that would be great!

Snails won’t eat every day, so if they don’t eat for a few days, that is perfectly normal. But, if you think your snail is not eating much, is very inactive, etc, keep a close eye on them. It could be their environment conditions are not correct, they are picky eaters,..

There is some info to start you out, let me know what you think! I’m hoping your snail gets better, or nothing is wrong with them!

[enkoi]

Hi thank you a lot for the quick reply!!

The problem with the body shade is that it keeps shifting from a lighter to a darker tone, with this latter associated with swelling I think..

A photo here to show how the body color can become lighter again, and also the curly shapes sometimes the foot takes

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Following your suggestion, I moved her to a temporary tank (a dish actually) that is surely clean, and I washed the original tank. The tank is in plastic, I used coconut fiber substrate, and there were no plants but a couple of ceramic little dishes and a cup (for feeding, bathing, and as little cavern). I noticed in the old substrate some little dots, which didn't seem slime-related and could be mold: could it be a cause? In fact, if I remember well, she started to show the symptoms after a piece of fruit started to mold in her tank (my bad, but the person I assigned to change it didn't do it).

Nevertheless, after moving her to the dish-tank on Friday, she seems to be better. At least the mantle doesn't swell as it did before, and she got completely active (and yellowish) during nights, going around the tank and checking the new food. Still, she doesn't seem to poop.

My strategy now is to use again a clean coconut fiber substrate, and move her back to the original tank; give her one or two drop of castor oil per day; change the kind of food frequently (now she has chicory and a banana).

Hope things well keep going better, thank you very much again!!

[snaileyhammy]

Of course! Sounds good!

I’m still unsure as to if the body color and foot are a problem, but I don’t believe so. As for the mold, it shouldn’t harm your snail at all. I’m thinking maybe your snail had had a reaction to something in their tank, maybe a chemical on their food, etc. Keeping your snail in a separate tank seems to help, like you said. So, I would keep them in there for now, and keep a close eye on your snail.

I’ll see what else I can think of. For now I hope that helps!

[enkoi]

Thanks a lot again

A little update: she doesn't show heavy swelling anymore, but still color change and less activity. Plus, a strange white line at the border of her shell (see photo):what can it be? can it be harmful?

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Anyway, I'm going to move her back to a tank with coconut soil, and look at her carefully. I'm still not convinced at all she's recovered indeed, I rarely see her active (though in these days, must be said, I'm often out for work).

[snaileyhammy]

Of course!

Good to hear she isn't swelling up as much, but I am still unsure at what could be the issue. The white line may be new shell growth, or her trying to seal herself up. It is hard to tell though. I can't remember if I have asked you this or not, but are the conditions correct for her in the tank? I have noticed a bit of swelling, sealing up, and inactivity with some of my snails, when conditions are incorrect. So, she may be trying to estivate, etc. That could be the case here. Hopefully I can find some more information for you, like I said above.

[enkoi]

Thank you..what do you mean by correct conditions in the tank?
You mean soil, temperature..?

After bringing back her to the tank with coconut soil, just today I noticed she started to swell again..can it be the soil itself? It should be organic and everything, but...the other major option I see is temperature: in these days has become quite colder, I definitely should buy something to keep her warm.

PS I use this coconut soil

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[snaileyhammy]

Yes, what I meant by conditions was temperature, humidity, etc. I wasn't sure if I had asked you before, but I'm thinking that could be the issue. The substrate looks perfectly safe for her, so it can't be that. If the temperatures are usually always pretty low in her tank, I would seriously consider getting a heater for her tank. The part about her body color changing, and curly foot, I'm not convinced is an issue. It could be something normal, etc. Does she every stick to an object/enclosure very hard and seal herself up? And when is she usually active? Inactivity can be a sign that its too cold, etc, and sealing in is also another sign of that. So, those questions are important. let me know what you think!


Hoping that we can help her, and that she is better soon!

[enkoi]

Thank you, I am always late in answering you!

I took seriously the temperature thing, and I bought a heat mat. Now the house is also warmer, so I find it's quite unlikely that temperature is the issue.

She often sticks to the walls of the tank, on the top, but I've never seen her enclosing completely...Actually, in the last 15 days she's seemed pretty healthy, going around the tank everyday and eating.

Just today though, she showed a behavior which worried me seriously: basically, it seems from outside that part of the shell is empty (see photos below): can it be a bad sign?? Deep retracting?

photo 1

photo 2

[snaileyhammy]

Hey! Good to know that the temperature isn’t affecting her. But, this is very strange. Could you see back into her shell? Or was she just deeply retracted? Could you see her face at all?

I will try and do as much research possible. This could be early signs of deep retraction syndrome, but it’s hard to tell since there is so much grey area in deep retraction syndrome. Has her body color gone back to normal?

[snaileyhammy]

What is her tank’s temp now? Her body color may have changed because she was cold. I’m not sure if it’s possible with snails, but with frogs their color will darken if they need more sunlight, etc. I have heard with mystery snails too that their body color will darken once they mature, so that could be the case here. But, again I am not totally sure yet.

[enkoi]

Thank you for your research I always come back here only when needed...my apologies!

She seems to be well though: no more body swelling, and the body color seems to vary, sometimes a bit darker and others lighter. Cold is for sure not her problem, my room is quite warm: it may be instead a too dry climate, but I often keep an humidifier close to her box. She's often exposed to sunlight too.

But thinking in terms of prevention, can you suggest me a guide on deep retraction syndrome? Are there good practices in order to help snails avoid it?

Thank you again, I'm really sorry for late reply! You're so kind in being so helpful, I do appreciate it, even though in the last months I've been overwhelmed by work. Back in September I was truly worried for my snail, and you helped me in working the situation out!