lucyjames
Juvenile
I iz da King...
Posts: 101
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Post by lucyjames on Jun 15, 2009 18:21:38 GMT
Hi All,
I have been noticing lately that two of my snails are having a really hard time with their shells - the growth is very pale, soft, and uneven, and very rough... Can issues like this be genetic?
They share the same enclosures as other snails, and they have cuttle and limestone flour, and they eat it, yet their shells are terrible, and the others that they live with are growing much faster and have perfectly formed shells, that are nice and strong...
Similarly, Bernie's growth is like this, and he shares with Hattie, how is now triple his size, and has no problems with her shell...
Do some snails have issues with the absorption of calcium? Like they cannot use it effectively or something?
Thanks for any ideas!
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Post by AlienSnail on Jun 15, 2009 19:06:13 GMT
Yes it happens. There are several shell issues, some appear to be genetic, some caused by lack of calcium, but I would recon that you'rs are probably genetic as they are eating their calcium.
One issue is rough shell growth from a fairly ealy age.
Another is where the new shell becomes rounded, it dips in a u - shape and grows like that for quite some time. Sometimes it never recovers.
Another is where the whorls slightly detatch and the shell becomes brittle or rough, or distorted at the whorl-joints.
Another time when shell growth becomes rough is when they've stopped growing and the shell lip thickens. Sometimes you do get a little more growth but it's rough, thick, but certainly not abnormal.
As long as the snail itself is thriving there shouldn't be a problem,
I don't personally let the eggs hatch from these snails however (except for the older snails where the growth is normal but thick), becuase I believe that in most cases (where calcium is abundant) this problem is genetic.
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lucyjames
Juvenile
I iz da King...
Posts: 101
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Post by lucyjames on Jun 24, 2009 8:20:07 GMT
Hmmm.... well I have been observing my affected 3 (2 from one batch, another totally unrelated) for the last few days - they are munching their cuttle and limestone readily, and pooping it plenty, so I know that they are taking it in... However, their shells just aren't good  It is very rough gritty growth, pale, white, clear kind of shell... on my albino it really looks like he's just growing out of his shell as it is the same colour as his mantle!!!! I will try to get a piccie... Is there anything that can be done? I really think that the shells will be too soft for them and that they will get damaged and suffer It's very worrying They are also growing very slowly... I would guess that it is the first of the issues that you noted - rough shell growth from an early age, they are all still relatively young, and their shell growth is very flaky and like each line is not stuck to the next.... It's weird I do not plan to breed from these snails at all so this is not a problem!!! Snails can be just as worrying as children, lol!!! |
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Post by AlienSnail on Jun 24, 2009 8:52:10 GMT
Aw it's a shame. I do find this happens in mine from time to time, I'll have a healthy batch of eggs from a species and for some reason one or two get rough shells that just won't grow properly no matter what.
But it sounds like they are healthy apart from that...
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Post by welsh on Jun 24, 2009 9:47:56 GMT
humm i noticed one of my white jades looks a little pale and rough where his new growth is, i'm hoping hes just fallen and damaged himself and it will not carry on growing like that
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lucyjames
Juvenile
I iz da King...
Posts: 101
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Post by lucyjames on Jul 11, 2009 14:31:40 GMT
Pictures of what I can only assume is inhibited shell growth as a result of problems in absorbing calcium: Bernie:  Ken:  |
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Post by choco on Jul 11, 2009 14:37:45 GMT
A couple of my fulica have very similar problems. I've been wondering what it is and how I can fix it  |
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lucyjames
Juvenile
I iz da King...
Posts: 101
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Post by lucyjames on Jul 11, 2009 14:45:29 GMT
I don't think we can... I have however seen signs of a teeny tiny bit of normal shell growth on Bernie, so maybe it just takes a while to start coming through normally again... But mine all have cuttle, limestone flour, and limestone chips occasionally chucked in, and just these 3 out of 13 seem to have the issue, so I think it is just an inability in the genetics or something They are calcium-intolerant, lol... |
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Post by AlienSnail on Jul 11, 2009 15:49:52 GMT
Yes. I find that some snails just have poor shell growth no matter what you try with them, liquid calcium, cuttle, powdered calcium etc etc.
I believe it to be a genetic flaw with some snails, but that's just a guess.
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Post by Dusk on Jul 11, 2009 16:00:13 GMT
I've found the same - sometimes making sure a wide range of calcium is available can help slightly, but it seems to be something that just crops up every now and then.
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Post by Rachel on Jul 11, 2009 16:03:48 GMT
my retics (all related) have the same problem, and have done since very young and before I got them.
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Post by feebix on Jul 11, 2009 18:11:32 GMT
Hmmmm unfortunatly loads of my snails get a problem right where the whirl meets the main body of the shell, and they get that u shaped growth thing going on. I love them anyway obviously but I do wish I could stop that, my biggest Ovum has it too now, quite upsetting really....... |
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Post by zoe1011 on Jul 12, 2009 8:48:36 GMT
yeah a few of my snails are ahving bad shel growth my fulica and 2 of my albino's are.... and iv been giving them everything i can think of... btu the snails healthy so im not too woried
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ade
egg
Posts: 1
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Post by ade on Jul 12, 2009 10:39:37 GMT
out of around ( currently ) one hundred and twenty snails i have four who are tiny or have bad shell growth , As with humans some snails just have growth problems i have a retic who is around six months old and still no bigger than 3cm long , he eats , he drinks etc just has never grown - hes quite cute actually lol
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