Hello Could I please get some help.....

[brian]

Hello Could I please get some help identifying our snail and why after a couple of happy months eating and exploring he has now decided to bury himself ?

I work at a large car plant in Southampton and while there I found a snail that had fallen off the back of a Lorry!( honest guv)I don't know where the lorry came from or where Brian ( I bet thats the first time you have heard a snail called that ) climbed aboard but I could tell he wasn't a native because he ( i am calling it a he but I am only guessing) was far bigger then any native snail I have seen even though it looked sorta the same to my untrained eye. It was a bit chipped and broke in places but I took him home and we placed a bit of soil (peat based) a stone and a little dish of water and a piece of natural chalk. After a couple of days he came out of his shell and and spent the next couple of months eating plenty and escaping but now he has buried his self and he hasn't been out for a couple of days now! We used to call him and he would pop his head out and we would give him a little rub and tickle but I don't know if it was something I said but I hope he hasn't decided to end it all

I would be very grateful if anyone could help

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[apple]

Yes, that´s a non native specie in UK , more precisely a Helix lucorum.

[brian]

Thanks apple

I will find out about Helix lucorum to see what type of music they like and such but does anyone know if its ok for him or why he has buried hisself ?

I am getting worried but I dont want to uncover him if its going to stress him

Thanks again for your help and time apple.......

[Rachel]

he may be hibernating, what temp is his tank inside?

[Rachel]

and may i just say hes beautiful. and also snails are hemaphrodites ( neither boy or girl) so its your choice what sex you say he is.

[brian]

Thanks very much for your kind comment, we think hes beautiful as well and we are all missing him

I will get a thermometer and and a humidistat and find out what they are. I haven't changed the temp from when we fist had him but I suppose I need to know any how...


Could you please tell me how long he will hibernate ?

Thanks again

[donut]

you could try gently taking him out of hiding (not if he welded on tho) & gently showering him in warm water they LOVE it & if he DOES come out he is probably too cold & you need to warm him up - i used a hot water bottle for a few weeks til i got a heat mat good luck

i have 2 fulicia too they are lovely & yours it gorgeous

[Val]

Hi,

Yes if the tank is quite cold, It is unlikely now that he has filled himself with food he may well have gone into hibernation and may even have sealed the entrance to his shell, either way warming him up a bit is the answer, either put his tank in a nice warm place or put a heatmat on the back of the tank. You are looking for a temp arount 75F - 78F. It is unlikely that he has decided to 'end it all' but instead has now gone for a long 'kip' ;D A warm wash and a warmer tank will do the trick in no time!! Unless of course it is something you said and he is now offended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Val

[brian]

Thanks again everyone for your help its very much appreciated, I see what you mean about him being a beauty hes not as dark as some of the others

A lot of the parts come from Turkey so I guess he had a long ride over here, he was sat on a loading bay floor and if I hadn't found him when I did he would of been under a forklift wheel for sure

I will get a heat mat over the weekend and try to warm him up

Thanks again everyone for your help and time ;D

[Rachel]

good luck