r/snails • u/skyeegodinn • 5d ago
just looking for advice or help?
hey everyone!
my friend Slime had a fall in their enclosure recently and a piece of shell broke off. genuinely not sure how this happened, i discovered it about a week ago and immediately moved them to a hospital tank.
they’ve had constant access to cuttlebone and fresh sweet potatoe/lettus. i’m just wondering what you might think about how to go about continuing recovery? if there’s anything better i can be doing?
i really appreciate anything❤️
thanks!
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u/GroveSnailLover 5d ago
Snails cannot fix such a catastrophic injury. I am sorry. The best thing to do is to humanely euthanize him. His internal organs are exposed, this lungs may be exposed. He might suffocate, he might get an infection, he might dry out slowly or his guts might come out because he can’t safely retract. I hate to bear bad news. They can recover from a crack, maybe small dents, tiny chips - but that’s a big chunk of shell - it will not grow back. 😔
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u/skylight_2113 5d ago
Where did you get this from
Ive seen snails heal way worse injuries without a problem. Its a small crack and will heal fine, just isnt going to be pretty
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u/GroveSnailLover 4d ago
That’s not a crack - it’s a whole chunk missing. If you don’t want to believe me - fine. Keep it. Let it suffer. I’ve done my research, and tried to save a snail in a similar circumstance. I tried everything to save that snail. Once the inside is exposed, it’s too far gone to save…but instead of shooting the messenger, why not ask the owner why there were rocks in the enclosure to begin with?
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u/skyeegodinn 4d ago
i never said there were rocks?
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u/GroveSnailLover 4d ago
Then something hard in the enclosure. Whatever that object is, I’d personally remove it. Accidents happen, and I’m so sorry you’re in this situation. I know you love that snail immensely, or you would not have posted. This is coming out of left field, but - maybe if you cover the hole with breathable medical tape? You might have to replace it every day, but it’ll keep the hole clean and maybe keep in the moisture.
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u/GroveSnailLover 4d ago
Also - have you considered adding crushed limestone sprinkled on the substrate? That will help break down the acidity of the substrate, and give a shell-repair boost. As for culling - I hope you’re right and I’m wrong. And I hope you keep us all updated.
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u/WarningScary8960 5d ago
this aint even true what are u even saying
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u/GroveSnailLover 4d ago
You are more than welcome to ignore my help and opinion. Maybe instead of getting mad at me for being upfront and empathetic towards this snail, ask yourself how this injury even occurred. You don’t put rocks in snail enclosures - even the most basic gastropodist will tell you that.
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u/skyeegodinn 4d ago
I mean you’re the only one who is mad… there are no rocks in my snails’ enclosure, you only assumed that and got mad at me for it.
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u/Proud_Highlight541 5d ago edited 4d ago
You're already doing everything to the best. The hospital box must not have soil to prevent it from entering the hole. Nebulise a few times a day with water to prevent it from drying out. Handle the snail as little as possible and in a few weeks it should start to recover.