Just lying down on a cuttlebone

[kaali]

Hi,

Our snail has been acting weird for a couple of days. It barely eats, and only stays on a cuttlebone, barely moves. Never comes off from the top of the cuttlebone, and never sleeps inside the shell. And it's spread out on the cuttlebone, as wide as it can get. We are getting really worried about it.

We had two snails in one terrarium, but noticed that one poo had something moving on it, like really, really small hair; worms I guess. So we put both of them in their own clean terrariums, after washing them. After that the other one hasn't been fine.

Thanks for all the help.

[coyote]

Hi kaali, welcome to the forum. First of all, what kind of snail do you have? Is it a GALS?

Sometimes snails will sit on the cuttle for a while, because they can absorb the calcium directly through their foot. But I'm concerned because you also say that your snail is spread out really wide. When snails don't get enough oxygen they become all stretched out, including the head and tentacles, extended and limp. Sometimes a mantle tear or collapse can result in this, because it puts pressure on the lung and restricts the breathing cavity. I've also had a small snail drown in the little water dish in the tank, and it was all stretched out and limp.

What you described on the snail poo sounds like worms. Most snails have worms, especially wild-caught ones, but some ground-up pumpkin seeds (raw and unsalted) will help kill worms. (So will raw garlic, pomegranate juice, raw cayenne pepper, and the seeds from white Smyrna/Calimyrna figs. But the pumpkin seeds are your best bet for getting the snails to actually eat.) I routinely give my snails pumpkin seeds every 2 or 3 weeks. Be sure to wash your hands well after handling snails that you know have had worms (or use rubber gloves).

Have you tried putting food right next to your snail, so that it doesn't have to move to eat?

[kaali]

Yeah, it's GALS.

I guess it's not really limp, well sometimes, but that seems more like sleepiness. We're still a bit unsure about the situation; but the good news is that it has been eating quite well now. Some salad, cucumber and even the pumpkin seeds. It started eating better after we put some water on the salad, which it drinked, and we refilled the salad all the time with water. It didn't like pumpkin seeds at first, but after we blended crushed pumpkin seeds with salad and cucumber it ate all of it last night.

Now it's sleeping more inside the shell, not completely, but seems a lot better, but alas still on the cuttlebone.

[coyote]

Glad to hear the snail is eating; that's a good sign. Can you tell if the snail has moved at all, or it is in the exact same place all the time? I've never heard of a snail just sitting that long in one spot.

[Deleted]

Well since its now eating well and likes it when you put water on its food, im not sure if its possible but it could have been dyhedrated..... not sure if they can get dyhedrated

[kaali]

It sat almost still on the cuttlebone for three whole days. Then moved around on it for two days. But now we got some really happy news! As of this morning, after we woke up, our lovely snail, Ulpu, is climbing on the roof!

It only ate the blended salad, cucumber, pumpkin seed mix; didn't eat anything else, except for all the poo. But it's still a good sign I guess. Maybe Ulpu was dehydrated, or it was the combination of the worms and that?

[Deleted]

Well wat ever it was its good tha Ulpu is happy now My snail just sleeps in her shell, maby she comes out a night, she eats cucumber but i never find any poo until shes on my hand....SHE HAS TO POOP ON MY HAND MINE!!!! WHY MYSTICA WHY?! CANT YOU POO IN THE WATER DISH JEEZE ITS REALLY ANOYYING ps: do any of you have the link t a green snail that moves because im gonna save it in my cursors file but i just cant find it some one hhas it in their signature but i cant find the link!!!!!

[coyote]

I'm so glad your snail is doing better!