Can shells survive?

Can the snail's life continue if its shell breaks? The answer is yes, provided the break is not too big and far from the top.

If the wound is not too serious, the snail will repair by concentrating calcite (transparent limestone, secreted from the inner wall of the shell) into the damaged area. Calcite secretes in the greasy water and acts as a cement, helping to seal the broken shell.

If the rupture is near the top of the shell, the repair is difficult because it is where the key parts such as the heart and intestine are concentrated; and snails will not be able to live.