How long can snails live in bags?

[SarahSmile]

I'm having trouble getting a hold of snails around here (petco wants 3.50 for a cerith or astrea and rarely have them)
So, I ordered a few snails online and have been waiting, and waiting, and waiting. How many girls do you know excitedly check their mailbox for a box of snails? Well, now you know at least 1.
Turns out the little guys shipped on Monday and got delayed up here in a cold northern state for a couple of days. (it's pretty darn cold up here, like 45) The package is supposed to be delivered to me today. We're going on 5 and a half days.
SO, my question, is there any point of me adding them to my tank or are they goners? I know they will be dormant for a while after I add them and not moving, but I just hate to add them if they are dead already and I am not sure how to tell.

 

[NanoReefer]

if there sticking to the bag they are alive, you might as well aclimate them and throw em in the tank and if some dont move pull em back out...

 

[SarahSmile]

Will having dead snails in there raise my amm or anything? This is so sad...

 

[little_fish]

I would just take several hours to slowly acclimate them and see if you have any live ones, but with it being so cold the odds are pretty slim :(

 

[ErinCahir]

Sniff 'em. Dead snails smell HORRIBLE.

 

[SarahSmile]

Well, it's amazing. I finally got the box, open it, sniffed it (thanks Erin) no bad smell, and added them to a tub or saltwater with a heater and a powerhead. Then I went out for the night. Came home and could not believe how many were moving around. All the nerite and nass and a quite a few dwarf ceriths. I really didn't expect any to make it, it was a great surprise. Not sure how many of you have drank tequila, then stared into a bucket waiting for snails to move so you can grab them....it's pretty interesting. Craaaaazy Saturday nights up in my crib. (did I say that right, I'm not sure, is it up? over?) I don't really expect much from the Florida ceriths but I know they take a while to get motoring. So tonight I will do some more monitoring. Sober this time, since it's Sunday and all....
Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[motorcyclereefer]

Are all the girls like that at Lee? Because that sounds like my type of girl.tequila plus snail staring. Just be careful too much tequila could lead to thinking the snails are escargot.

 

[motorcyclereefer]

My favorite is using wood stain then seeing the friendly farm animals in the wood grains.

 

[NanoReefer]

sarah i was thinking about you yesterday( kinda creepy) i went to the m&ms store in nyc and saw the biant box of nerds! its turns out its just a huge box fillted with 54 boxes of little nerds:(

 

[ErinCahir]

Well, it's amazing. I finally got the box, open it, sniffed it (thanks Erin) no bad smell, and added them to a tub or saltwater with a heater and a powerhead. Then I went out for the night. Came home and could not believe how many were moving around. All the nerite and nass and a quite a few dwarf ceriths. I really didn't expect any to make it, it was a great surprise. Not sure how many of you have drank tequila, then stared into a bucket waiting for snails to move so you can grab them....it's pretty interesting. Craaaaazy Saturday nights up in my crib. (did I say that right, I'm not sure, is it up? over?) I don't really expect much from the Florida ceriths but I know they take a while to get motoring. So tonight I will do some more monitoring. Sober this time, since it's Sunday and all....
Thanks for the advice guys.

Welcome! Your story gave me a giggle. And "up in" was the correct terminology. ;)

 

[Amba]

I found a dead snail in one of my tanks the other day. Smelled like a dead fish wrapped in manure wrapped in 3 pairs of old socks dipped in urine rolled in rancid food ingested vomited and spewed out. Worst thing I have ever smelled in my life.

 

[SarahSmile]

Are all the girls like that at Lee? Because that sounds like my type of girl.tequila plus snail staring. Just be careful too much tequila could lead to thinking the snails are escargot.

Nooooo. 99% of girls at Lee were nothing like me. I'm an original, baby.
I kept thinking "a watched snail never moves" "the postman always brings snails" "3:10 to Snail" "gone with the snail" ya know, basic craziness. So, as odd as it is, your animals in the stain makes a strange sort of sense to me.

 

[SarahSmile]

sarah i was thinking about you yesterday( kinda creepy) i went to the m&ms store in nyc and saw the biant box of nerds! its turns out its just a huge box fillted with 54 boxes of little nerds:(

Haha, I love it, this forum gets in your mind man....Weren't you hoping for like 10 GIANT nerds in there?? And, no, regular sized nerds. Booo.

 

[motorcyclereefer]

"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a Cerith!"

 

[SarahSmile]

HA! Good one!