Hobbies And Interests
How Snails Eat
A snail's mouth is located at the bottom of their head. The snail's mouth contains a muscular tool called a radula that is covered with small teeth. As food passes over these teeth, it's torn, scraped and cut into small pieces that are then moved into the snail's digestive system.
When Snails Eat
Snails are nocturnal and they also hibernate in the winter. These two facts have a large bearing on when snails partake of food. Because they spend daylight hours sleeping, the prime time for snails to consume food is at night and early in the morning. In preparation for their winter hibernation period, they also eat more as the weather begins to get cold. This allows them to live off of bodily reserves of fat until they're done hibernating.
Freshwater Aquatic Snails
Freshwater snails have a diet similar to land snails. This variety of snail is found around ponds and other sources of fresh water. They are also often kept as aquarium pets. In the wild, freshwater snails consume vegetables, algae, and other living plant-based food sources. Pet snails may also consume frozen pet food and food flakes sold in pet stores. Some varieties of freshwater snails such as the Marisa cornuarieti are reported by Animal Planet to sometimes leave the water in search of food and to feed on rotting animals and plants.
Land Snails
Land snails are herbivores. Their diet is composed of a wide variety of fresh vegetation. Plants, grasses, fruits and vegetables are all major parts of the land snail's diet. These dietary preferences explain why land snails are often found in home gardens where a large quantity of these items can be found and feasted on.
Saltwater Snails
Saltwater snails that are naturally found in oceans have very specific eating habits. These snails feed on decaying plants, fish waste, disintegrating debris and uneaten food of other animals. Saltwater aquarium owners like these snails because they offer an extra dose of tank cleaning.