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Post by kannanya on Oct 17, 2022 10:36:33 GMT
Hi,
Last friday one of my land snails' shell broke. It is not his first time dealing with a broken shell but this time it seems far more severe than before. In his shell he has a HUGE hole, he comes through this hole instead of the right one. Last time I checked he was on the cuttlebone but I'm not sure if he'll be able to heal himself.
I've put it in a smaller container ( I was afraid he'd climb and fall) I lined the container with paper towels and I constantly keep it wet. I also found a piece of his shell on his old house, is there anything I can do with it?
I'm not sure what I should do. Please give me some advice:')
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Post by Rasplutin on Oct 17, 2022 23:53:23 GMT
You didn't tell what kind of snail it is, a photo would be helpful.
How did the shell broke? If whatever happened happened three days ago and the snail is still alive then its body is probably unhurt - good!.
Is the snail still trying to use the hole instead of the right exit? Then gently push it back and direct it to the correct exit, cover the hole with either eggshell or plastic foil -depending on the size of the hole- and fix it with tape.
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Post by kannanya on Oct 19, 2022 17:20:23 GMT
You didn't tell what kind of snail it is, a photo would be helpful. How did the shell broke? If whatever happened happened three days ago and the snail is still alive then its body is probably unhurt - good!. Is the snail still trying to use the hole instead of the right exit? Then gently push it back and direct it to the correct exit, cover the hole with either eggshell or plastic foil -depending on the size of the hole- and fix it with tape. It's a helix aspersa. I'd love to share a photo but sadly I don't know how  I will try the plastic foil method but I'm afraid of hurting his body. His lungs are all out, is it okay if I push them?(the lungs) And the hole is like, really big. I'd say a good 1/3 of the shell is broken. I'm afraid it won't heal. I hope plastic-ing it helps. Edit: As of now I've covered his shell (leaving the right hole open ofc) with plastic wrap. He's still struggling in the plastic wrap pocket though (I lightly tied the plastic with string so it wouldn't come out) I will give him some time and let you know if anything happens. |
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Post by Rasplutin on Oct 19, 2022 23:17:08 GMT
This kind of snail is very good in repairing a broken shell!
Since its body remained unhurt during the accident(?), the situation is not life-threatening. The snail maybe just needs a little help to find the right exit.
You can offer him powdered eggshell...
Keep us updated!
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Post by kannanya on Oct 20, 2022 6:03:37 GMT
Oh what a relief to hear!
He has a cuttlebone, so does he still need eggshells? I also shaved some of the cuttlebone in a bottle cap for him to eat, he didn't seem interested though and went on to munching the big piece of cuttlebone.
He still hasn't come out of the right hole but he doesn't seem to be pushing against the plastic wrap. I'm sure he won't dry out there so that's a win.
I will keep you updated throughout the process, thanks again for being with me
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Post by kannanya on Oct 20, 2022 8:10:49 GMT
He's out now!!!!  He looks really happy and he's quite active, he climbed to the lid right after and right now still sliding around the lid. (And also drinking water I guess?) |
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snaileyhammy
Achatina tincta
Hi I am Hammy! I adore snails and slugs.
Posts: 550
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Post by snaileyhammy on Oct 20, 2022 18:45:33 GMT
Omg, that’s great!! And no he does not need eggshells. Cuttlebone is better, and all he will need. Just give him his food and cattle bone and your little snail should repair his shell in no time at all. I wish you the best of luck!! |
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Post by kannanya on Oct 20, 2022 21:29:13 GMT
Omg, that’s great!! And no he does not need eggshells. Cuttlebone is better, and all he will need. Just give him his food and cattle bone and your little snail should repair his shell in no time at all. I wish you the best of luck!! Yay! Thank you so much! What kind of foods are most nutritious? I know what to avoid like lettuce and cucumber but is there anything I can give him that is like really rich? |
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Post by SuspiciousBagel on Oct 23, 2022 18:20:43 GMT
Hi kannanya, sorry to hear about your injured snail. A picture would indeed, really help to gauge the severity of the break. If the snail's innards were out that's not a very good sign but you are doing the right thing by giving them calcium and putting them in a smaller container. I'm not too sure about the plastic wrap, though it will get in the way of the shell healing and could trap bacteria increasing your snail's risk of infection. I would remove it as with it the snail will struggle to heal Another suggestion I have is to not line the container with paper towels as they are treated with chemicals like bleach which are not good at all for the snail if they ate it. The snail could also absorb these chemicals when sliding over the paper towels so it is best to remove them. Instead, keep the container humid at all times using a spray bottle. Regarding food, I recommend this website - it is intended for giant African land snails but applicable to any. Since your snail is injured i would specifically seek out one of the proteins listed on the website, but stay away from mixes of foods like dog biscuits or fish flakes for protein as they tend to include ingredients harmful to snails and vary in actual protein content. Stick to simple feeder insects like dried mealworms or gammarus shrimp which is easy to find at pet shops, especially ones that have supplies for fish. If you can't find them there they are cheap online too. Remember to rehydrate them in water before feeding. These are also superior to stuff like seeds, vegetables and pollen as protein sources as these contain far less protein content and will not help your snail much at all. www.giantafricanlandsnails.com/feeding-snails.html |
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