Immersion anaesthesia with ethanol in African giant land snails (Acathina fulica)

Abstract

Giant African land snails ( Achatina fulica ) are becoming increasingly popular pets and may be anaesthetised to allow diagnostics and surgical procedures. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anaesthetic effects and anaesthetic-related complications of immersion in 5% ethanol in client-owned African pet land snails, anaesthetised to allow biopsies of the foot for screening of parasites. Variables such as minutes elapsing from immersion to anaesthetic induction and from removal from the bath to return of tentacle withdrawal reflex and recovery from anaesthesia were recorded, as well as the occurrence of adverse effects. Of the 30 snails enrolled, one (3.3%) had a fatal outcome whereas the remaining 29 (96.7%) snails completed the study and recovered from anaesthesia. Time to anaesthetic induction was 25 [25–29] minutes. Recovery was prolonged in one snail, which required 210 minutes to regain normal muscular strength. Time from removal from the ethanol solution to return of tentacle withdrawal reflex was 20 [14–42] minutes. Beside death, other observed adverse effects were production of bubbles (n = 4; 13.3%), and mucus secretion (n = 4; 13.3%). Immersion in 5% ethanol may be regarded as suitable anaesthetic technique for African giant snails for brief and moderately invasive surgical procedures. Nevertheless, recovery from anaesthesia may be prolonged and unpredictable.

Does commercial indoxacarb pose ecotoxicological consequences? Employing a multi-marker approach in the model species Theba pisana

“…Eighteen snails were chosen at random from each replicate after each time interval and anesthetized using 5% ethanol (d’Ovidio et al 2019 ). The snail tissues (hepatopancreas and head-foot) of the selected snails were quickly dissected, cleaned with 0.9% cold saline, weighed, and homogenized with 5 volumes of cold saline for 60s by a Polytron homogenizer (Tekmar tissumizer, Ohio, USA).…”

Improved methods for quantifying soil invertebrates during ecotoxicological tests: Chill comas and anesthetics

“…Chemical agents such as isoflurane, carbon dioxide, tricaine and benzocaine have been shown to be effective anesthesia agents, but ethanol is more cost-effective and readily available [ [13] , [14] , [15] ]. Low concentration ethanol solutions (<10%) have previously been used to anesthetize some terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates but not Collembola [ 15 – 17 ]. The induction of chill comas to invertebrates is another simple and cost-effective method to temporarily immobilize invertebrates.…”