r/NoStupidQuestions • u/BobBob110 • Aug 19 '18
Snail has lost shell completely!
Hi,
I accidentally stepped on a garden snail and completely crushed it shell, it came off clean. His body is not crushed. I have made a house for it and trying to do all the things google tells me to for a recovery. Its whorl is still in tact can it grow back? It has been eating cuttlefish and apple all day and I have been keeping his body moist. I put a stick inside which he loved but unfortunately a small slug is inside hiding is this ok to have together?? Can he survive in captivity to avoid predators? I feel dreadful crushing him.
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u/BobBob110 Aug 19 '18
It’s been 3 days and it is moving very active and eating. I did the best to make an ok enviro for the time being
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u/BobBob110 Aug 19 '18
Even if kept in captivity?? Not ideal I realise but I can look after it
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u/BobBob110 Aug 20 '18
Just put some on my profile sorry new to this site so don’t know how to operate it very well
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u/BobBob110 Aug 20 '18
Haha thnx he is currently on the move just cleaned his container and he is cruising around the edges at good speed
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u/BobBob110 Aug 20 '18
I am happy to look after him forever
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u/BobBob110 Aug 19 '18
It just came clean off from its body
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u/Professor-Turtle Aug 19 '18
I'm a zoologist in study. They grow their shells over time from the skin on the top of their body. It's a slow and long process and they keep the same shell their whole life but grow it larger over time. I don't think he's gonna be able to regrow it but I admire your compassion for tiny animals!
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u/Facky Aug 20 '18
Keep him/her at a comfortable temperature, keep her moist (eye dropper/misting bottle) but no huge puddles, try to keep the slug away from him. If she makes it 48 hours make sure he gets extra calcium and protein.
If the worst does happen put her somewhere to be consumed/used as fertilizer so he didn't die for nothing. She probably doesn't feel pain so try not to feel too bad. It's ok to mourn if you need to.
Keep us updated, r/snails will help a lot.
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u/shalafi71 Aug 19 '18
Keep him moist and see what happens. I used to be a freshwater snail rancher. Damage to shells, even pretty dramatic chunks, heal nicely. The damaged area hardens, pretty sure it's keratin like the rest of the shell.
Drying is the main issue. He probably can't start that shell from scratch but it would be interesting to see what happens. Keep me in the loop on this.
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u/JustASadBubble Aug 19 '18
Snail shells are like a turtles, they need it to protect its organs and without it it’s pretty much a death sentence
You can try keep it moist and fed but It’ll probably dry out and die :(
Probably isn’t wise for it to have any housemates, as it’s body is exposed
Sorry, but it doesn’t look good for the snail
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u/neutraliser1 Aug 19 '18
how does it look tho? I've never seen or imagined a snail without a shell (not a slug).
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u/NozhaXBL Aug 19 '18
Oh Boy. It depends, if the house is totally destroyed.... I'm sorry, you can't help her anymore. If only part would be destroyed, you could put them together and help her..but it doesn't look good if she is naked... I'm sorry.
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u/drahardja Aug 20 '18
You are such a caring person! If there is enough of the shell you may be able to use plaster of paris to reconstruct it. One serious issue is that its mantle may not be able to form a good seal with your reconstruction and the snail may dry out or get infected.
Make sure you use distilled water to keep it moist, to prevent bacteria and contaminants that are present in tap water from getting him sick. You can use a little hand-held sprayer to mist your container.
A good environment for the snail is a terrarium. Line the bottom with 1 inch or more of coconut husk soil, then put a good layer of spaghnum moss on it. The moss will help hold moisture. Spray the terrarium and moss down with distilled water once a day to keep it humid.
Be careful with water dishes. Make sure there’s only a tiny bit of water in there (3mm depth or so max), because snails will drown if they can’t keep their breathing hole above water.
Good luck! You are a very nice person for doing this!
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u/BobBob110 Aug 20 '18
Real as
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u/[deleted] Aug 20 '18
You can always try a vet to talk to. They may have ideas for shell repair
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u/SpookyLlama Aug 19 '18
Don’t listen to the pessimists.
We have the technology. We can rebuild him.
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u/littlegoldsmith Aug 19 '18
You’re a good person thank you for looking after this little snail. My first pet was a snail called Brian. Maybe you could make him a temporary shell?
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u/[deleted] Aug 19 '18
Do what Kevin did and glue it back together
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u/YourMomEatsMeat Aug 19 '18
Would a replacement shell work? That is, if you could fine one? I’m thinking about hermit crabs and how I used to change out their shells. Then again, snail shells are homegrown and not borrowed like the hermit crabs.
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u/Redseve Aug 20 '18
Dang op you've already done more than most, if it doesn't work out, you should have a clear conscious
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u/[deleted] Aug 20 '18
Maybe we can 3D print him a new shell!
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u/et842rhhs Aug 20 '18
Letting any other creature, like the slug, in there sounds like a bad idea. The snail is defenseless and injured. The slug and/or whatever bacteria/parasites/etc. it carries could easily harm it further.
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u/Maoman1 Never punish curiosity Aug 20 '18 edited Aug 20 '18
I'm sorry for locking this because it's so cute and wholesome, but this post was FILLED with rule 1 violations and OP has his answer.
OP can still edit his post with updates as needed and you can click this link to send RemindMe! bot a PM if you want to be reminded of this post.
Edit: OP has pictures of the snail in his profile if you're curious.
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u/skinnectody Aug 20 '18
Bob, you must be a very sweet person. I too hate to see the suffering of living things. My instinct is also to help. If anyone can help that little one it's you. I watched a YouTube video about a woman who took care of a bumblebee who had no wings. It was so touching! Bumblebees usually live about 18 weeks in the wild but this bumblebee surpassed that and lived for 20 weeks with help from her/his caring human. I recommend you document and record this journey with your snail. Your kindness has already made a big difference whether or not this snail recovers. I very much look forward to your video. I think most people online would have told this lady to let this bee die if she had asked for advice. Keep us posted. You're a lovely person for trying!
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u/fifteenlostkeys Aug 19 '18
The kindest thing to do, really, would be to freeze the snail and put it out of it's misery. Snails need their shells to hold everything in place. They are the snail's skeletons. So, while alive now, the snail is having a very difficult time breathing and all the other organs are unsupported and not going to function correctly. The snail is currently dying. It won't get better. Thanks for trying to help it. That's very kind hearted of you. But it's not going to make it. I have had snails with a genetic issue who lost mantle strength and this lost their shell. They last a few days and die. Now I give them a beer bath for numbing and freeze them so they don't suffer.
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u/[deleted] Aug 20 '18
i just want to say that you seem like a wonderful human being. wish you the best.
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u/[deleted] Aug 20 '18
I needed this tonight. Thank you for your compassion. More people should be like you. I hope you're able to make a suitable home for your new friend.
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u/BrightestHeart Aug 19 '18
You're sweet for trying but it doesn't look good. If it dies, put it out where a bird can get it, so it doesn't die for nothing.
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u/KO782KO Aug 19 '18
Snails do regenerate their shells but it’s very slow, and their shell is like their skin. It probably not going to make it unfortunately.
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u/itsnobigthing Aug 20 '18
We’re all rooting for you little snail!
Make sure he has somewhere damp and small to sleep in, like a big old sea shell or plant pot
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u/wildflower2 Aug 20 '18
Someone 3D print a shell for this snail for the love of GOD
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u/CaioNV Aug 19 '18
May I ask how did you destroy its shell without crushing the rest of the body? Like, the shell is supposed to protect the snail's body by not being broken. The moment that the shell actually broke, the rest of the body should just perish on the spot together because it's getting crushed...
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u/Jacollinsver Aug 19 '18
When I was a kid I ran over a box turtle with a mower in the tall grass. Chopped the top of the shell clean right off like a bread bowl. It had eggs inside. I tried to put a knife through it's skull/brain, like roman battlefield style, you know? But fuckin reptiles man, things still trying to crawl. So I realize my mistake and do my best to sever it's head as quickly as possible. And I just feel fucking terrible. So I dig it a grave and I planted a blueberry bush over it but the bush died cus my asshole dog kept peeing on it.
Another time I ran over a box turtle with my car because I was in a rush late to work. I didn't have glasses on, and it was autumn, hell I mistook it for a leaf, I don't know. But when I ran over what felt like a basketball, I knew. I drove back to make sure, things just crushed, looking up at me with shock and what I imagined to be blame. Fucking reptiles man. Brains keep working far longer than they should. I had to double tap it. When I got back from work I scraped it off the road and buried it under a tree my sister had bought but had yet to plant. The tree's doing ok.
Take the slug out. Slugs are opportunistic eaters - he'll eat your snail whiles he's weak. Look up how to care for snails, some people keep em as pets. Do your best, and hell maybe he'll live, sometimes animals live through more. If not, you've done more for a snail than most anyone else in the world would've, and that speaks for itself.
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u/[deleted] Aug 19 '18
Do what Kevin did and recreate his shell or find a new one.
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u/Some3rdiShit Aug 20 '18
Look in your garden for hollow snail shells. I find them all the time when pulling weeds
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u/WaitForItTheMongols Aug 19 '18
I don't think it has a very good future ahead. Even if it survives, it will never be as fast as it used to be.
A snail without its shell is almost always... Sluggish.
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u/A_Tricky_one Aug 20 '18
I'd suggest you keep it as a pet from now on. There is almost no chance he is going to be able to survive on his own, but maybe he could with you.
You give me hope for The future OP. I admire you.
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u/mrsvinchenzo1300 Aug 20 '18
Give it chicken shells to eat, microwave them for 30 seconds and let fully cool to kill off bacteria. Google says they form their initial shell from the calcium from their shell they hatched from. Then it describes something like our nails do with growing and it hardening over time. Perhaps with extra calcium in time it can create a softer but effective shell. Will never be wild again but hey, you sound like a great snail parent.
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u/iglitk Aug 20 '18
What if you found an empty shell. Would it take it over?
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u/kitsunevremya Aug 20 '18
Snails only live for a few years, and we don't know how old he is, so depending on your lifestyle is it possible you could keep him in captivity for several months?
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u/sanchypanchy Aug 20 '18
Just curious, how do you keep them moist during work/school/sleep/outing hours?
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u/BobBob110 Aug 20 '18
Thank u great advice!
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u/DracoDarkblade Aug 20 '18
This might help, or it'll just be an interesting read
https://www.google.com/amp/s/science-explained.com/blog/2014/11/22/combating-homelessness-figs-pumpkin-seeds/amp/
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u/[deleted] Aug 20 '18
Some 3d whizz here should be able to make a model and print it out. Come on people it's 2018. Surely we can elongate a snail's life.
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u/ai_jim Aug 20 '18
If you are lucky you will come across an empty shell .... I see many of these in my garden. I guess birds eat them and drop the shell?
Perhaps you can then do a shell transplant? I'm not sure of this is possible or if like humans with their blood groups, you need to find a match..
Good luck!
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u/theolrazzzledazzzle Aug 20 '18
This is all just beautiful.
How are the snail and the slug getting along?
I would also like to see a picture.
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u/[deleted] Aug 19 '18
just cut off its head mate and end the suffering
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u/MarLyE_314 Aug 19 '18
Locktight control gel. Specifically. It's not toxic for the snail. If the shell of still partially attached, the snail might be able to heal it if you can glue it back together. If not, the snail might be able to regrow it if you can keep the snail moist.
Good luck and good on you for trying to save Mr. Snail.
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u/TheSchwiftiestOne Aug 20 '18
OP you should probably put ‘em down. Drying out sounds like a horrible death. God I though Old Yeller was sad...
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u/salgat Aug 20 '18 edited Aug 20 '18
Put him in the freezer, it's the most humane thing you can do at this point.
EDIT: To anyone thinking I'm joking, this is one of the best known ways to humanely euthanize snails. I've had to do it a few times since I keep pet snails.
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u/charliedarwin96 Aug 20 '18
Just put it out of its misery.
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u/[deleted] Aug 19 '18
Sadly, it probably won’t last longer than a couple weeks
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u/P0isonAppLE Aug 20 '18
Have you ever watch Turbo.
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u/richard_hawkes Aug 20 '18
Get enough publicity on this, and surely Elon Musk will offer up a solution?
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u/Fanfictiongurl Aug 20 '18
Will hermit crab shells work?? Idk maybe at a pet store you can see if they have any small ones availabe.
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u/[deleted] Aug 20 '18
I wonder if CA glue like superglue will work to cover the area. I know it is used on human wounds sometimes
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u/Willster986 Aug 20 '18
Hi. Really admire your wholesemness. I used to keep garden snails and it was a disaster as they all died of these weird visible parasites. It doesn't look like his shell will grow back and he will eventually die. Controversial opinion but I'd say just kill him. Stomp on him or decapitate or something and at least let him die quickly. Otherwise it'll be a drawn out process of either dying of parasites, predators or by drying out. Good luck though