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Really random question about snails...!

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in General Chat
Right, I have a question that I have never been able to figure out the answer too. I warn you it's rather random!

Can snails climb down glass/ fences??

I was watching a snail climb up the window today and wondered if it can get down, or whether the shell gets in the way? I'm not sure because whenever I see snails dried onto fences or glass, they always seem to have died whilst facing up the glass/wood. And whilst I have seen plenty of snails climbing up, I have never seen one going back down.

:chin:

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't know the answer to that.

    But... if you feed a snail coloured chalk it's poo turns that colour! It was a question in the pub quiz I go to once so it must be true :D
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    Indrid ColdIndrid Cold Posts: 16,688 Skive's The Limit
    I'm pretty sure I've seen snails climbing down stuff, but don't take me to court if I'm wrong.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't think ive seen any climbing down, seems abit silly if they can't climb back down.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    .Leanne. wrote: »
    I don't think ive seen any climbing down, seems abit silly if they can't climb back down.

    well i think it seems silly, but I have never seen one actually doing it, which is why I wondered.
    if you feed a snail coloured chalk it's poo turns that colour!

    brilliant!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I love this thread. :p
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    they can go up vertical glass surfaces as much as I am aware.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    if they don't climb back down do they just fall off? Or wait for someone to pick them up and put them back down to start again?

    Im guilty of doing that. :eek:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ha ha! I do that too, because what if they can't get down.

    Maybe they unstick themselves a little and just slide down the glass backwards!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    StrubbleS wrote: »
    they can go up vertical glass surfaces as much as I am aware.

    yeah but can they get down?!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Why wouldn't they be able to get down? Surely they'd just turn around...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    well the way they are in their shell is makes me wonder.
    it's hard to explain what I mean, lol.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Do you mean will the shell slip down over their heads or something?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    MoK wrote: »
    Why wouldn't they be able to get down? Surely they'd just turn around...

    Well, at first I pondered about it too, because of the higher barycenter it might just lose grip under it's shell and fly off. Then again, the shell isn't really the barycenter (so I suppose), since the majority of the snail is outside the shell and the shell isn't really that heavy.

    Since we are talking about something going straight up a very plain surface I think those little technicalities don't really make any difference and I'd say it can go down just as well.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You think about things too much people
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Strubbles and Lexi, that is what I mean :) I sometimes have a really bad time explaining things and it's that simple :blush:

    Hmmm... maybe they can then, I always assumed that in relation to the outside part of the snail the shell was too heavy and so would end in disaster.

    Have I been rescuing snails unnecessarily then? ha ha
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Not rescuing them. More annoying them... must have taken them ages to get there!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    MoK wrote: »
    Not rescuing them. More annoying them... must have taken them ages to get there!

    ah well it will be good exercise for them when they have to climb back up!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Just to add something new into the mix - this question/answer from Yahoo says that they climb walls to spread a scent to warn other snails about chemical infection - before dying. Might explain why more dead snails facing up...

    Fairly sure I've seen snails going downwards too....
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