Lack of calcium?

[section8angel]

From reading the website I'm assuming that's what this is but just want to check.
I noticed one of the tiger babies had been hanging off Leeloo (albino reticulata) most of the day but didn't think anything of it as they hitch a ride all the time (even though they're fatties now lol) but I've just checked her and her shell now looks like this!!




As you can see the other half of her shell is still fine, I haven't seen the tiger on that bit, just the bit that's now white.


They always have loads of calcium available (in the form of oyster shell or cuttlefish - sometimes both) but as they've had such a growth spurt I'm assuming they need more more more?
I've just put another load of oyster shell in as one of the other babies is on Nick the iredaleis shell at the moment.

So, does it sound like more calcium is needed or should I be looking for a different cause?

[LisaLQ]

Ooooh pretty ghosty snail ;D

Sorry - that was no help whatsoever, and I hope she's ok!

[mickysnail]

I notice my immacs spreading their foot over each others shells on occasions. (this a way of them extracting calcium isn't it?) This has never bothered the condition of their shells though. Could their be a reason that the snail is having difficulty in absorbing calcium?

[kab]

does make me wonder if whats in the actual shell tastes better to them or is better for them or more natural ,or is doing this just a habit they get into if you know what i mean , i have one young tiger that constantly eats his own shell hes a good few months old now and he destroys the shell all the edges have big pieces missing , hes too is always well supplied with calcium

[section8angel]

Lol Lisa.

I've just looked in and there's a tiger latched onto Leeloos shell again. I also checked Nick last night and his shell has also gone white where the tiger had been.

Everyone else still seems ok, and the tigers shells are perfect there's no problems with them so I don't understand why they're doing this.

Leeloos shell is thankfully still solid, so far they just seem to have "eaten" the brown colouring from it. I don't want to leave it though in the hope they get over it in case they don't and they end up seriously damaging the other snails or themselves.

I'm not sure what I should be doing. If I have to separate the tigers from everyone else does it sound like it will be a permanent thing?

[Val]

I would imagine that once the tiger babies get a bit older and also get used to acquiring their calcium from cuttle/oystershell, I think they would stop doing this, I have never seen older snails latch onto each other in this way.

Val

[section8angel]

They're already used to getting it from oyster shell and cuttlefish though that's what doesn't make sense.

It's the 3 I got from Anjie so they aren't young babies, I've just worked out they're over a year old! I keep calling them babies out of habit though lol.

They've been in with Leeloo and the others for god knows how long too so it's not a case of I've just put them in and they've gone "ooo moving cuttlefish" or something lol.

I've moved Leeloo into the main viv again, she didn't like it last time but it's gotta be better than having a fatty tiger hanging off you 24-7! I'll obviously keep an eye on what the tigers do with the others in the tub, *touchwood* at the moment it only looks like 2 are doing it, I haven't seen the smaller 1 latched onto anyone yet.

I really hope they stop doing this. It'll throw a big fat spanner in the works if I have to separate them

[Val]

Aren't animals SO good at throwing spanners into works!!!!!!

Val

[section8angel]

Tell me about it.

Well thankfully they seem to have stopped. I finally got everyone from that tub moved into the new viv the other week and I looked at all of their shells and they all look normal. Leeloo is still doing ok in the big viv and I haven't seen any of them latched onto her so touch wood that's the end of it now.

No idea if her shell will stay as it is or get the pattern back. At least they didn't take so much that it made it weak, it's still strong as it has always been.