One snail on top of the other versus "feet" touching

[Katie Dawn]

Hello All!
I've tried searching this and am not coming up with a clear answer here. I have a grandpa olive nerite (he's more than two years old at this point even though I thought they usually only lived a year. He's slowed down tremendously but he's still kickin'!) I bought a second nerite two days ago. Once they found each other I've seen two behaviors:

(1) They are attached foot to foot - Is that the mating behavior?
If they aren't doing that then:
(2) Grandpa is riding on top of the newbie. Do we think that is grandpa's attempt to get into the mating position with newbie? Or is he just "resting" on newbie and letting newbie do all the work?

I tried getting a second nerite several months ago and Grandpa stayed foot-to-foot or on top of that nerite with no break (that I could see) for a full week, and then the new nerite died. My brain tells me that the nerite's death probably had nothing to do with Grandpa's harrassment (haha) but I'll take any reassurance that seeing this behavior for days and days with no separation isn't harmful.

Thanks!

 

[BigManAquatics]

I always got nerites piggybacking on the shells of others. Sometimes for days at a time. They seem alright for it.

 

[StarGirl]

I have never seen them foot on foot for days at a time though. That is odd. Piggybacking yes they do that all the time.

 

[Katie Dawn]

I have never seen them foot on foot for days at a time though. That is odd. Piggybacking yes they do that all the time.

I should clarify: I've had the second nerite for two days. It took a few hours for them to find each other, but once they did they have either been feet to feet OR piggybacking (Grandpa always on top of the new one) with no breaks. They have not broken contact (that I have seen) since connecting. I see them go back and forth between the two positions. They haven't been feet to feet for two days straight.

Do you think the feet to feet is the actual mating and the piggybacking is non-mating?

 

[StarGirl]

I should clarify: I've had the second nerite for two days. It took a few hours for them to find each other, but once they did they have either been feet to feet OR piggybacking (Grandpa always on top of the new one) with no breaks. They have not broken contact (that I have seen) since connecting. I see them go back and forth between the two positions. They haven't been feet to feet for two days straight.

Do you think the feet to feet is the actual mating and the piggybacking is non-mating?

Yes and yes.

 

[Katie Dawn]

Yes and yes.

Thank you!