Euthanizing A Snail :(

What is the most humane way to euthanize a mystery snail? I don’t have clove oil, but I have vodka, and I really don’t want to crush it.

 

Why are you wanting to euthanize it? Is it damaged or exhibiting any signs of distress?

TBH, snail's brains aren't even advanced enough to feel pain, they are just wired to react instinctively to external stimuli. Putting it in the freezer in a cup of water overnight would be an easy method (not recommended for fish as they CAN feel pain).

 

She hasn’t moved for days, is floating, and is covered in this white, filmy stuff. It isn’t responding to my touch. It may be dead already. What will that smell like?

 

Trust me you know. It smells like rotten fish to the 100th degree.

 

Now that I’m checking, I’m pretty sure she’s dead. She kind of smells, but it’s not overpowering.

 

She hasn’t moved for days, is floating, and is covered in this white, filmy stuff. It isn’t responding to my touch. It may be dead already. What will that smell like?

If your snail smells like low-tide crawled up a skunk's butt and died, you know it is dead.

 

Lol. Definitely a better way to phrase it.

If your snail smells like low-tide crawled up a skunk's butt and died, you know it is dead.

 

Vodka alone would be painful, the freezer method is the best alternative. That being said, mystery snails are really weird, I think it's worth moving your snail to a separate continer. I have one that has this slimy infection that is slowly eroding the operculum, but he is otherwise healthy. There isn't much known about snail diseases, but pringlethesnail did a write up a little while ago.

 

Snails don't have complex nervous systems. They do not feel pain like other animals. And if its floating, hasnt moved and is covered in "goo", its more than likely dead.

 

It was dead I just came back from burying her.

RIP Açaí.

 

It was dead I just came back from burying her.

RIP Açaí.

I am sorry!!

 

I am sorry!!

Thanks.

 

So sorry.

 

I'm so sorry for you loss.

 

Aww, sorry about your snail. They're such interesting creatures.