Snail. A simple animal, right?
Nothing can be further than the truth. There is no other animal in the world that serve as many functions or treated in so many different ways.
Snails can be pets or pests. They can be farmed as livestock and eaten as high nutrient superfood. Their eggs can be eaten as caviar. Their mucus can be used as cream for skin treatment and their shell can be used for decorative proposes.
In many cultures, a snail symbolize fertility, slow but constant movement and the progress of life.
There are 360 breeds of dogs in the world. There are around 10,000 species of birds and about 33,000 species of fish. Can you imagine there are over 40,000 different species of snails?
Snails belong to the class Gastropod. This class is one of the oldest animals that ever existed, going back 500 million years. They share that class with slugs and together are a major part of the phylum Mollusca. It is not completely clear how many species exist of those two. But the estimations ranges between 65,000 to 80,000. In short, a lot!
They are invertebrates. This means that they do not have vertebral column. What you can call, a spin. Similar to squids, insects, spiders, etc.
Most snails are Hermaphrodites. This basically means they posses both female and male reproductive organs. Most of snail species, will still require a partner to mate.
All types of snails can be divided into the following three types:
- Land Snails
- Freshwater Snails
- Sea Snails
They exist all over the world and while some of them migrated to other habitats, some are still a mystery. For example, the fire snail in the picture here, exist only in a small 100km radius in Malaysia.
Snails Information
Our snails information section (we call it Wiki-Snail), has tons of information for every possible question about snails. They are amazing creatures with a lot to learn about. They are weak and fragile. But at the same time capable of adapting to any kind of environment.
Some of them are considered endangered. But others, despite their slow movement, became invasive to a point of national danger.
See everything there is to know: What they eat, what eats them, how they reproduce, their anatomy, how long do they live and where.
Snails for Kids
Snails are great animals for kids to observe and learn about.
You can start with our 71 facts about snails. They are organized in fun, short sentences that will be great for kids but also for adults. Number 39 is amazing.
Looking for a snail drawing? Check out the 5 steps guide.
You can also check out the snail puns and jokes collection. This will crack you up!
If you are interested in keeping a snail as a pet we have great resources for you.
The Ultimate Snail Pet Guide is easy to read yet very comprehensive guide for anyone who is looking into getting snails as pets. Within a few minutes, you will learn which snail is best for you, how to feed it, how to take care of it and more.
People are eating snails for thousands of years. Just because it is called Escargot, it doesn’t mean it is a new French fad.
This Escargot article will teach you basically everything you need to know about snails as food. History of the food, how to pronounce it, nutrition value, where to get it and much more.
Snail Caviar
Snail caviar – This is another way to enjoy eating escargot. Similar to the known fish caviar. Snail caviar popularity is increasing lately and so is the demand.
How to eat snail caviar – Learn how to eat this new age delicacy.
Snail Cream
The mucous snails produce contains mucin proteins. They need it and use it for many functions. They use it to lubricate one surface they glide on and stick to another surface. However, it was long discovered that this mucin has great positive dermatological impact.
Snail cream – Here you can learn basic information about what snail cream is and what it does, as well as some history behind it.
Are snail cream effective? – If you are looking for another way to keep your skin clean and young, don’t turn away from this new cream. The answer might surprise you.
Snail farming is something that exists for many many years. The techniques have been evolving for centuries. But the concept remained the same. Raise snails the same as you would raise cows, chickens, and other livestock.
There are snail farms all over the world and quick to act entrepreneurs are joining this profitable niche. Market data of the recent years shows constant rise year over year in both snail demand and prices.
We have recent data analysis, success stories and books to help you with anything you want to know about this interesting topic.
Read more about Snail farming (Heliciculture).
Items for Snails Lovers
From snail decoration and merchandise for kids to adults. Here you will see ideas, reviews and more.
Snail soap dispenser – If you are not part of this snail dispenser craze you better get started. Thousands of units are sold every month. We bought one to see how it is. Check it out.