Regular Member Jeana727 Posted September 4, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted September 4, 2009 This morning I was feeding the tanks before heading to work when I noticed Big Momma (my Mystery snail) was missing. I looked thru the tank & still couldn't find her. I looked all around the tank & finally found her on the floor!!!! She looked pretty dry but I plunked her into the tank (hoping she'd be ok). After work I found that she was up on the lid, where she lays her eggs. Her shell looks different (bumpier?) & she appears....kind of weird looking....maybe swollen?? What do ya'll think will she be okay? Has anyone had one fall out & make it. She could have been out for hours??? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Lupin Posted September 4, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted September 4, 2009 Hi Jeana, I am very sorry to hear your snail went through this accident. Could you please take a photo of her especially her shell? Is she still eating well? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Jeana727 Posted September 5, 2009 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 5, 2009 Sadly Big Momma didn't survive. (Emoticons aren't working cause I woulda used a Sad One HERE) Some people may think "just a snail" but I realize I was quite attached to her!!! I have had her a long time (although I can't find her "birth certificate"....ie:receipt is what I use for B.Cert.). She has been a fascinating pet!!! Luckily her tank is filled with TWO batches of her BABIES!!! (Yea!!) I shall miss her! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member benandjamie22 Posted September 5, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted September 5, 2009 Aww I'm sorry about your loss, that's a bummer:( Our aquarium pets just don't realized what they are getting themselves into when they jump out of their tank do they? That's awesome that you have a tank full of her babies to remember her by! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Jeana727 Posted September 5, 2009 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 5, 2009 Upon investigating further (I went back to where I found her) I now know that she had been BADLY injured from the fall. When I looked good I found a good sized piece of shell. The day it happened I was running late for work, found her freaked out & plunked her back into the tank & went to work. When I returned home & had a look at her she was swollen & it hid the missing shell. I feel so bad, was she suffering? When I looked at her I was surprised NOT to find a crack....that was probably like us falling from a building! All the while she was exposed. I have covered the escape places with foil for now & will fix it up better so her babies hopefully cannot escape in the future. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Lupin Posted September 7, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted September 7, 2009 I am sorry to hear about your loss, Jeana. Does your tank have a lid? My small tanks do since snails tend to get out easily but my large tanks don't and I have over 50 apple snails in the tank with no losses. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Jeana727 Posted September 7, 2009 Author Regular Member Share Posted September 7, 2009 All of my tanks have lids, but the area in back where the filters are is where the ESCAPE happened. I have covered it for now with foil but will get some of the mesh stuff with velcro later. I have have many snails over the years and this is the second time one "escaped". I really hate it because Big Momma was a very special girl, 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Chrissy_Bee Posted September 7, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted September 7, 2009 I'm so sorry you lost her. I have the same spaces in my cover for the filters, now I'm nervous about Slimy. I wonder if it's some kind of natural behaviour that makes them want to get out from time to time? I admit, I really don't know much about apple snails. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Lady_Dodecagon Posted September 21, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted September 21, 2009 Awww, I'm so sorry to hear that Big Momma got out and got herself injured. T.T It is actually quite natural for them to want to go 'walkabout' from time to time, and they can actually survive outside of the tank as long as their shells are not damaged for long periods. They hold all the water they need in the shell to keep them from getting dehydrated. That is one reason many areas have banned them. For example if you introduce them into a man made pond they will find a way out, and they will start destroying natural crops and competing with the native snaily guys for food, killing them out and upsetting the balance. I had one snail that was notorious for getting out of the tank, but luckily I had carpet in the room so she usually had a softer fall and never got damaged. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Blue Posted September 21, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted September 21, 2009 am so sorry you lost big momma but she carrys on in her babies hope you feel better soon 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Lupin Posted September 21, 2009 Regular Member Share Posted September 21, 2009 Awww, I'm so sorry to hear that Big Momma got out and got herself injured. T.T It is actually quite natural for them to want to go 'walkabout' from time to time, and they can actually survive outside of the tank as long as their shells are not damaged for long periods. They hold all the water they need in the shell to keep them from getting dehydrated. That is one reason many areas have banned them. For example if you introduce them into a man made pond they will find a way out, and they will start destroying natural crops and competing with the native snaily guys for food, killing them out and upsetting the balance. I had one snail that was notorious for getting out of the tank, but luckily I had carpet in the room so she usually had a softer fall and never got damaged. Lady_D, that's not the nature of Pomacea diffusa although all the same, we still don't encourage releasing them to the wild. It's always the Pomacea canaliculata that is responsible for that. I bred hundreds of canas and they were quite damaging when they started stalking on my planted tanks by clinging on my arms or equipments when I least expect it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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