Val
Archachatina dimidiata
Posts: 2,498
|
Post by Val on Jan 30, 2007 22:25:11 GMT
Try not to worry too much lisa, please don't even think about giving up snailkeeping I can't imagine Petsnails without you Have a nice rest, hope the painkillers kick in soon. Val x
|
|
|
Post by gastropodgirl on Jan 31, 2007 8:47:44 GMT
I'll be honest I can't imagine petsnails without you either. X
|
|
goose
Achatina immaculata
Posts: 311
|
Post by goose on Jan 31, 2007 9:00:25 GMT
Keep strong Lisa - thinking of you and hoping all your gorgeous snails are better soon xxx
|
|
LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
Old friend (emphasis on the "old")
Posts: 2,995
|
Post by LisaLQ on Jan 31, 2007 19:21:01 GMT
Thanks everyone so much for all the messages and pms Also thanks Eric for offering to hold on to the albino for me, that'd be great thanks There's some good news (finally!). All fulicas have eaten something when I cleaned them out and put fresh food in - some only one or two mouthfuls but they're all active, none retracted The poorliest one (the other fulica from Katherine - I was looking after Kathy's for her - that was sadly the one who died) had been under the damp kitchen roll all day and not come out to eat, I expected the worst when I went in to clean them out - but instead she'd surprised me with a batch of eggs All in the freezer, I was tempted to keep a couple after all this but TBH I didn't want to risk any babies being born with whatever it is that's gone round. Cooper's carrying though, so we know who the "father" was! She's since eaten, the first time in about a week at least - so it's looking like we're over the worst. Again, though, I'm not going to get my hopes up just yet - just sit with my fingers crossed instead. Oh and I've just checked on the margies since they were cleaned out (they're in another room so I couldn't watch them as I was watching the triplets with their tea) and someone, dont know which, has eaten Albino fulica is in with them, could have been him but I think it's more likely to have been a margie judging by how much is gone lol. So phewwwwwww - I think we're going back uphill now! *dances* Nope, not getting hopes up *wiggles, dances, smiles*
|
|
|
Post by eric2 on Jan 31, 2007 19:30:00 GMT
yey ;D
|
|
|
Post by gastropodgirl on Jan 31, 2007 19:34:03 GMT
Hooray I'm glad to hear things are looking up. ;D
|
|
LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
Old friend (emphasis on the "old")
Posts: 2,995
|
Post by LisaLQ on Feb 3, 2007 0:37:13 GMT
Things are still improving, with the exception of with Sam, my first ever fulica (well, technically eldest daughter's). He's retracted again today, quite a way too But all the others, margies included, are eating - Rocko's even grown about half a cm through all this - he'd stopped growing too so that's fab. I just hope Sam is pulling my leg and is back to normal tomorrow. The dark colour is receding, going the same way it came - ie it's just their "frills" now, and only that on a couple of them. I'm starting to think it was environmental perhaps. In fact, I think Paul's post about too much calcium might be something to do with it (I'd been giving some of them snail mix daily with extra limestone flour - to try and get them growing again as they'd stopped). So perhaps it was my fault. It seems likely, as as soon as they were put in the new tanks with just fresh veg and cuttlefish, they've all started to recover. Part of me hopes it was a bug though so as not to feel this guilty. Needless to say the limestone flour is going in the bin, and if I give snail mix again it'll be once a week. Incidentally, there were first ever poos in the baby margie tank this morning - an array of bright colours lol - so yay, they're eating plenty now
|
|
|
Post by eric2 on Feb 3, 2007 11:32:00 GMT
dont worry lisa, snail care is hit and miss because each snail is diffrent we all make mistakes on the way but we learn from them and remember there is always the possability that it was a bug
|
|
autumn
Achatina fulica
Posts: 5
|
Post by autumn on Feb 6, 2007 20:41:32 GMT
Hi Lisa, I'm so sorry to hear about your snails. It sounds you are taking the right steps (washing hands, cleaning bedding etc). Where do you get your veggies from to feed them? I am wondering if it could have been a pesticide or a parasite on a veggie that is harmful to snails. They definitely sound ill, it could be a parasite with the colour changes and all or maybe something like fin rot or even a kind of cold virus (hence the overproduction of slime)? If snails are anything similar to fish could they be sensitive to other snails coming from different sellers or from the wild if that could be the case? Just a few suggestions anyway. When we used to keep fish we always got them from the same seller in the end because when we bought from different sellers they all seemed to get sick. Mmm I hope you find out what the problem is but I agree that the sick ones should be quarantined asap and maybe spray their tank with cooled boiled tap water for the time being as boiling it this gets rid of any bacteria in the water just incase.
Good luck
|
|
|
Post by Paul on Feb 7, 2007 0:01:34 GMT
I wouldn't blame yourself or give up. It is just one of those unfortunate things. We've all seen your pictures and have seen how healthy they have been all this time.
It's just one of those sad facts that you can fit what snail health care we know of on the back of a postage stamp, literally. Snails have strong immune systems to cope with what easily gets through their skin, they must fight so much bacteria off on a daily basis but it isn't infallible.
Most animals catch something well before any signs of illness show, so there's nothing we can do.
I don't see this being any different in the wild, except there they also have predators and the environment to see them off. Think of it this way out of every snail you own, only a few would have ever made adulthood in the wild anyway. By caring for them you increase their odds massively, but not entirely.
It may even have been caused by food contaminants, but short of washing what you give them there isn't anything we can do. Supermarkets admit that they can't even guarantee organic food labelled as organic is actually organic so what can we do.
Also, your account of what happened may not reveal any clues now but next time it happens to someone we can draw on what we know and compare accounts. We are in the primeaval stages of snail health care, so every bit helps. I know that isn't any consolation right now but it is my hope we'll figure many things out so in the future we can treat many afflictions. I always imagine how irritating it must be to have mites or fleas and not be able to do anything about it. Well, the Hypoapis have given us a good solution that can be used for other problems so we can have mite-free snails (so far anyway!). I keep thinking about releasing some Hypoaspis into the garden to help the wild slugs and snails. If I ever do sustain a Hypoaspis colony, I can treat any I find as easily as a few nights in a tupperware tub.
So all I'm saying is, it's not unrealistic to think progress can be made but it's real experience and observations like yours that will make it possible.
|
|
LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
Old friend (emphasis on the "old")
Posts: 2,995
|
Post by LisaLQ on Feb 7, 2007 1:33:53 GMT
I dont know where I'd be without you guys you know. Thanks so much to everyone, especially Autumn and Paul for your lovely messages - thank you. I'm still battling with the fulicas. Just as they seem to get better, a couple of them slide back into their shells and end up on their "backs", and it's back to square one. Luckily - all other species are fine, margies well, even my albino fulica (housed in with the margies - always has been). I do wash all food thoroughly, but I guess some pesticides are made to be impervious to water (ie so the rain doesn't wash them away), or the wax on apple skin etc might not have come off 100%. It's funny you should mention the spray water, I wondered - with fish being easily harmed by chorine and other chemicals in the water (hence using dechlor in fish tank water), maybe snails can be harmed by it too. Aquatic snails are also stressed by nitrates in the water (something even most people's tap water comes with), although I dont know how to get rid of that - I decided today to start using cooled boiled water, with a view to perhaps getting my old Brita filter out for them - maybe seeing whether there's an improvement in their health. Not necessarily a cure for whatever's ailing them - more of a general boost to their system perhaps? Anyhoo, it's touch and go with Sam and the other snail from Katherine - Cooper's been fine through it all, he's just laid a batch of eggs today. He's in with the one from Katherine. I think he's an oddbod still though you know, the only one who never got really poorly - and he has a hint of a two-tone main whorl despite being fulica coloured (he's one of Phoebe's, dont know if there were any two-tones in there? lol). Mind you, he wouldn't produce fertile offspring if he was a mix-up, and I cracked one of his eggs today and there was definitely the beginnings of a baby in it. Oh lordy, I'm waffling. I just wanted to say thank you really, and let you know things aren't going as well as I thought, but still not as bad as they were. Only some of the fulicas now, and all the others are fine. I think the margies were fine all along, just protesting to the change in environment when I moved them into quarantine. I even caught Arthur and Fenella post-naughty business the night before last Thanks again for all the help and kind words and support. You all are keeping me going - you and these beautiful suturalis babies (all healthy, eating and pooing for England btw!). Thank you!
|
|
|
Post by Miranda on Feb 24, 2007 7:33:45 GMT
wtf was that last psot?
but anyway best of luck for all your snailes! dont give up snailkeeping, i reallycant imagine prtsnails with outyou!
|
|
|
Post by mandywith11 on Feb 26, 2007 10:03:52 GMT
huh im either stoned drunk or thats unreadable
|
|
|
Post by deadmansfinger on Feb 26, 2007 10:07:17 GMT
huh im either stoned drunk or thats unreadable just someone spamming the board. deleted now. Brian.
|
|
LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
Old friend (emphasis on the "old")
Posts: 2,995
|
Post by LisaLQ on Feb 26, 2007 14:33:40 GMT
Did the aliens land again? Martian language and all that? They must love me Just a quick update - all is well in the Akrigg household, snails recovering (although some not back to full strength and I doubt they will be), some growing again, all eating and pooing ok. No more have passed on, I think we're over the worst now - and it's just going to be a case of rebuilding the stamina of the ones who were the poorliest. There's no more dodgy slime or funny poos, no more retracting - I think whatever it was is over - and it's just them regaining their strength now. I'd like to thank everyone who helped both factually and emotionally - and let you know that there's no way on earth I'd give up the snails, I was just so low about it all. Now the babies are growing and heading out to their new homes this/next week, and newcomers are arriving later this week - things are definitely on the up, and I'm feeling much more positive. Even some of the snails who were really poorly have graced me with eggs since, so I think I can stop worrying now Moving them gradually back on to substrate this week, margies first as I dont think they were even poorly to begin with - think it was me just being a worry wart *cringe* Thanks again to everyone, without you guys I would have given up - and I'm so glad you didn't let me! Big snogs and hugs all round
|
|
roo
Achatina fulica
Posts: 3
|
Post by roo on Mar 29, 2007 11:31:02 GMT
they might have malnutrition. go to petsnails.co.uk and click problems. when you are there click deep retraction. hope this helps _@/"
|
|
LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
Old friend (emphasis on the "old")
Posts: 2,995
|
Post by LisaLQ on Mar 29, 2007 12:53:15 GMT
It's not malnutrition, they get a very good and varied diet, and eat plenty usually (the only time they didn't was after they got poorly). Thanks for the ideas though. I see you've posted a lot today - why dont you join up?
|
|
gabi
Achatina tincta
Posts: 616
|
Post by gabi on Mar 29, 2007 13:06:17 GMT
Lisa, I had too last year loads of problems with the fulica´s. And from some german forums I do know, that we are not allone with this. That seems to be a common fulica-thing (caused by whatever). My fulica tank was the only one, I never had problems with any mites or other little animals. But I had lost loads of fulica´s throughout the year. I often found whole batches of hatched babies dead, than suddenly some snails stopped growing or started to chew on their shell´s or stopped eating (tough other fulica have been fine all the time in the tank). I never had so much problems (only with this damnit Lignus too) with any of the different breeds here, as with the fulica. Limicolaria are imo really easier to breed and get to adulthood as those "easy" fulica....
|
|
LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
Old friend (emphasis on the "old")
Posts: 2,995
|
Post by LisaLQ on Mar 29, 2007 13:49:46 GMT
Oh you know Gabi, you just made my day! I thought I was the only one who found these fulicas hard work - they have to be my least hardiest snails, I have more success with my fussy suturalis than fulicas! Limis huh....might have to look into getting some one day Thanks so much for setting my mind at rest, I know it's silly to be happy to hear that there are other fulica owners having problems, but it means it's not just me! Thanks!
|
|
|
Post by gastropodgirl on Mar 30, 2007 9:37:12 GMT
I won some Immacs on Bug Nation.The person also sent me 3 Fulicas as she didn't know what was wrong with them and I said I'd see what I could do with them.I managed to get 2 out as they were all retracted but the third one wouldn't budge so I thought I was going to lose him,I left him in the tank with the others and kept checking on him and after a couple of days he was sliming about,so as you can see there are other people who have problems with Fulicas so don't be thinking you're alone.
|
|
Val
Archachatina dimidiata
Posts: 2,498
|
Post by Val on Mar 30, 2007 21:17:28 GMT
My fulica experience:- Bought 3 baby fulica about a year ago, remember my post "Vals having Triplets" ?? 2 of them grew very slowly never really eating well the other 1 grew normally, first 2 got to about 5 months stopped eating, started retracting and they both died. The last one kept going and I was really pleased with him and then about a month ago he too stopped eating, retracted and died. Of all the snails I have kept the fulica proved to be the most sickly but I think this is definitely caused by the inbreeding. I wouldn't now want to own normal fulica again. Nice to see that the albino fulica are entirely different they are a joy to keep. So you are definitely not alone lisa. Val
|
|