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Post by sonicsnail on Feb 7, 2006 18:57:35 GMT
I thought that I might as well bring this topic up, even though it's probably a really dumb question. The thing that I have been wondering is...
How do snails communicate with each other?
It sounds so stupid but I wonder if they do communicate in some way. They can sense touch, could snails communicate by touch? They have eyes, but I think their eyesight is very poor, I wonder if they could recognise other snails? Of course they don't have ears, but they may be able to detect vibrations. Is it possible for snails to "talk" by making noises that us humans can’t detect?
You probably think I'm all crazy...But has anyone else wondered this and does anyone know the answers?
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Post by sezzy5889 on Feb 7, 2006 19:07:40 GMT
i think they communicate by slime, they seem to produce a certain type of mucus when they are ready to mate so that another snail can follow the trail and track the other down, i don't think they have any other reason to communicate other than for mating reasons.
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Arno
Archachatina puylaerti
Posts: 1,493
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Post by Arno on Feb 7, 2006 19:15:21 GMT
It's hard to tell what snails can communicate between eachother,but I think there is definatly some form of interaction(apart from mating).Found this in Darwin's writings:"These animals appear also susceptible
of some degree of permanent attachment: an accurate observer, Mr. Lonsdale,
informs me that he placed a pair of land-snails (Helix pomatia), one of which was
weakly, into a small and ill-provided garden. After a short time the strong and
healthy individual disappeared, and was traced by its track of slime
over a wall into an adjoining well-stocked garden. Mr. Lonsdale concluded
that it had deserted its sickly mate; but after an absence of twenty-four
hours it returned, and apparently communicated the result of its successful
exploration, for both then started along the same track and disappeared over the wall"
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Val
Archachatina dimidiata
Posts: 2,498
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Post by Val on Feb 7, 2006 22:11:51 GMT
Arno, that is amazing!!! I would think they communicate in a lot of ways, probably ways which we know nothing about. Hey Sonic, that isn't a daft question, it's a good one!!!  Val |
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Post by sonicsnail on Feb 9, 2006 18:37:54 GMT
I must say Arno, that story is quite amazing! Hehe, thanks Val, maybe it's not such a daft question after all eh? I never knew that Sarah, I thought they just mated by chance, you know, if they just happen to meet each other.
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Stacey
Achatina achatina
To Do List: Get Avatar....
Posts: 54
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Post by Stacey on Feb 10, 2006 1:29:01 GMT
yeah ive read somewhere that they communicate through their snail trails leaving chemical messages for other snails......something like that anyway.lol. they must do it for mating and how about food? maybe they leave a trail so any other snails who come across the trail knows where the nearest food source is? its certainly something to think about isnt it  |
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LisaLQ
Archachatina papyracea
Old friend (emphasis on the "old")
Posts: 2,995
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Post by LisaLQ on Feb 13, 2006 13:57:44 GMT
Good thread Sonic, I've always wondered about this. And Arno - that's an amazing story!
I'm certain snails interact more than just through slime. I think they're cleverer than they look. I know when Gary and Sally are split up from the other snails, they miss them. And that Sally will climb up any large passerby to get a free lift to the food.
Boycie and Marlene are currently snuggled up with each other (not a mating thing though), and after a day of being in the tank with others, Marlene and Sally were found on the same leaf of the fake plant.
Mind you, that could just be co-incidence or normal snail behaviour. But I still think that Cooper shouts out "come on lads it's feeding time!" when I feed them...
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Post by sonicsnail on Feb 17, 2006 22:44:00 GMT
Well, it certainly seems that there are ways that snails communicate, but some of which are yet to be discovered.  |
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