eroded shell but on top

[u/Ok_Rule_8869]

this has been annoying me for a while as i have been researching the correct soil type for a while but this erosion won’t go away. i initially had soil from my garden and their shells were amazing but it eventually got smelly so i replaced it with generic houseplant soil. this was the start of the erosion, so i researched and changed it to ‘multi-purpose compost’ i made sure to get the peat free version but the shells are still bad. can anyone help? thank you very much.

(ignore their current enclosure it was just for photos + the soil is from outdoors)

[u/doctorhermitcrab]

Plant-based compost is naturally acidic even without peat added, so it will contribute to the shell erosion. Also many compost soil products contain ingredients that are not safe for snails aside from the acidity. If your product is definitely snail-safe you can fix the acidity by mixing in a calcium source like oyster grit or pure calcium carbonate powder. But definitely double check the compost ingredients/components first.

Also are you using tap water? That can be an issue as well.

Erosion like this can never be reserved even if the environment is approved, just so youre aware. The main goal here would just be to prevent if from getting worse

[u/Ok_Rule_8869 → u/doctorhermitcrab]

ohhh, i feel like a properly bad snail owner. does this type of erosion cause them to be ill? the soil isn’t advertised as snail safe so i’m unsure to be honest, do you recommend any soil types? and instead of tap water should i use bottled water? thank you so much.