I had my snails in a dish with a little water last night so they could "snack", and I had a box sitting on top so no one could get out, but guess what? Someone did. One of my brigs was able to move the box, and 2 of them escaped and I found them on the floor in front of my tank. I immediately picked them up, and one of them apparently became a cat toy for a minute and has a partially broken shell. A band of his shell about a quarter of an inch back completely came off and his body was showing thru it. I superglued it back on, but there's still a small opening by his operculum. I'm going to go to the craft store and get some shells and crush them and hopefully fix him today. Does anyone know if this is considered a mantel collapse since part of him came unattached from his shell??? I'm going to go post this on applesnail right now too, but if you have any input, please let me know, I feel horrible.

Mantle collapse (I think) has more to do with the virtual implosion of the fleshy part, not the broken shell. You did the right thing in gluing it back on.

Thanks airwen, Donya on applesnail didn't seem to think I should've done that. She said that where the hole is (was) is considered "new growth" and it should grow back fine. He's still active though, I take that as a good sign. It's so horrible looking though............... look!!!!!!!!!


The rectangular section is the one I glued back on. He still has that huge hole there though, and he's got himself into a tizzy with sticking his antennae out the hole instead of out the appropriate one. Poor slimy, sticky, icky snail!!! I do hope he pulls thru this!!!

Your poor snail Erika. He looks a little battered. I hope he has a speedy recovery

Yup I saw that. Well listen to Donya, she probably knows best.

Poor guy! I hope he's okay...I'm sure he will be.

What do you mean by "snack?" Why'd you do that? Just wondering, I never heard of doing that.

Poor little guy....Hopefully he pulls thru this & grows a beautiful new edging on his shell.

Well, I did that because I was getting ready to move them to a different tank, and I dunno, I wanted to treat em to some snail food first. I always feel like they don't eat enough with my fatt butt goldies hogging everything up.

ouchies. i hope your snail is doing better than before. is your floor cemented or wooden?

Ouchie Bobwah. I hope that s/he makes a speedy recovery also Erika.

Oh, I see. I figured that's what you meant. I thought it was something I should be doing that I didn't know about! You've seen the size of my snails...they get food somehow or another

K, did you ever get that package?

I emailed you today silly, did you get it? Well, if not, thank you soooo much, and you DIDN'T have to go out and order some, ya brat!! Let me know if you want some $$ (I know you'll say "no" anyway). I will totally pay you for it! They're eating it right now, chowin on it. I love ya H, you're a good pal, and "Humpty Dumpty" thanks you.

How is your snail going Errika. Is he healing ok?

Erika has "the Midas touch" when it comes to nurturing her animals with ailments. I'm willing to bet her snail is doing just great!

HAHAHA, it does seem that way doesn't it Paul?? Maybe it's cuz I have no life right now, and I can devote as much time as I want to em?? Hmmm..


He's completely healed believe it or not, it's amazing how fast they can "fix" themselves! The piece I glued on it still holding, so I'm wondering if there's new shell underneath it, and it'll just eventually pop off? Yeah, he's completley normal again, I honestly wasn't sure he would be. At least he earned a name from the mishap though! (Am I weird? So many of my fish and snails, and stuff only earn names after something they do?).

Anyway, thank for inquiring about him Selena!

Hey Kiddo,I'm so happy to hear the little guy was okay.....I kept wanting to ask

Oh tell me about it! I was freaking out when I came home to find my largest canna stuck to the filter intake tube (strainer came loose). His foot was partially closed and some of its body was jammed into the intake. I could have just screamed!

As soon as I unplugged the filter and removed the stuck one, I placed it into a little plastic bin with some water as high as the shell. I immediately tested it with an algae wafer to see if it was bad enough to not want to eat. He immediately started munching on the algae wafer! ....... Whew!

All in all, it lost about 1/2 inch of its new growth from being cracked and stuck to the intake. This new grwth returned within 3-4 days flat and all has been well since!

These guys are toughies, man!

Oh dear.. wow, what a fast recovery! I've had 2 little guys stuck in the filter intake tube (they were fine once I manuvered them out of it), so I got sick of it and bought a spongey thing to go over it.