Sleepless Snail

[etana]

Mauno has a new problem: Maija is getting tired of being nice to him when he doesn't want babies. Uhoh, quite a soap opera here.

I even gave them both a rotten apple so they could have a sip of cider and Mauno would maybe ease up, and it almost lead to mating, but he sent her away just when she was getting very excited - he wasn't bulging at all, just enjoying the hugs. Poor Maija

She has wrestled him upside down in the soil after an earlier failure at mating, pooped on him, sat on him whole days, and also kissed and caressed him very much and mostly he just pushes into a corner and looks worried. Odd thing is he initiates hugs with Maija and watches over her sleep. Could Mauno be asexual?

[jolovessnailies]

Oh dear bless Maija, being left all frustrated like that but if you don't want to you don't want to I guess, sometimes all we want is a hug lol!! It seems she is very much a victim of unrequited love and I hope things change for her. Yes, I think it is possible that Mauno is asexual, it is said to occur in all species. I don't think she could have made it any clearer that she loves him.

Hugs
Jo xx

[etana]

Yeah it's so sad! I remember Mauno even laying test eggs and getting mini bulges, but somehow he lost all interest in mating when it became a real possibility. Maija will often sit on her own and get bulges, and the baby Margies gather near her as if she were an active foster mommy.

I too really hope that things change, I wanted these rare, lovely snails to breed, I even have people lining up to buy them, but no. I am planning to give them a better tank where I can place more hides, it should reduce Mauno's stress in the long run as he is so prone to worrying.

[etana]

Uhoh, Maija is digging holes and dropping single eggs around. Either she has truly succeeded in seducing Mauno, or she's producing infertile eggs (quite obviously increasingly willing to be a mommy either way). We'll see, I'll add soil for her to dig in as it seems she'd like to go deep.

[jolovessnailies]

Great news that she is at last digging holes so she obviously has the urge to have babies, please keep us informed Etana love, this is exciting, the possibility of rare little babies.

Hugs
Jo xx