Question about Helix Aspersa eggs/Hatchlings

[torran]

So one of my HA laid eggs on 9/26 against the glass of a small terrarium I allowed them to roam occasionally. It has been fun watching them develop but it looks like they have hatched. They are still underground but I can see them against the glass. Their little bodies and eyestalk are visable now.

Common sense tells me they will come out when they are ready but the panicky mom in me says, "Oh no! The babies are stuck down there!"


How long do they usually stay underground? Should I worry they are stuck?

[torran]

I forgot to mention that I have tried to take pics every day or so since the eggs have been developing. If you are interested, I have them posted on my blog at snerds.blogspot.com

[Katie]

I'v never dealt with hatchlings before, but i think from what i'v read in the past, babies will stay under the soil for a little bit after hatching to eat the remainder of their eggs?
Anyway I shouldn't worry, they'll get up eventually when they need to

[Bumblebee]

I agree with katie, the babies will crawl up from the earth eventually, because even in the wild snails lay their eggs burried in the earth. Because, how would snails, and other animals that lay their eggs in the earth, survive if the babies didnt know how to get up from it?

I suppose you could always remove a bit of the substrate, so they have a little bit easier time to reach the surface if you are really worried.

[coyote]

They probably stay underground for 2 or 3 days, maybe even longer, before emerging on top of the substrate. I wouldn't worry yet.

You have some nice pics on your blog! I like the word snerd! ;D

[torran]

LOl yeah, I guess I was worried due to the earth being packed so hard for the moss in the terrarium.

Anyhoo, one little guy is up and running around. Soon many more will be too, I hope!

[coyote]

I figure that if the substrate is soft enough for the adult snail to lay eggs in, it's going to be soft enough for the hatchlings to come up out of.