painted snails!

[natasa]

www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=156464&in_page_id=34

They have painted the snails!!!!
Isn'y that bad for the snail?

[goose]

Wow! What an unusual idea. I would think it would be fine, the article says the paint is non-toxic. Only thing it may do if brightly coloured is make them more noticeable to birds! Better not let my lot see the pics, they might want custom designed shells as well ;D

[moonboots]

lol i think it cool. people won't tread on em now cos thy be able to se em!!

[coyote]

Wow, that is strange.

[punki]

Thats awesome. But I go love street art and snails, so its a winning combination

[snailysnail]

is it dangerous at all?, and would putting clear nail polish on all of the snail's shell to protect/keep the colour of the shells bright harm them?

anna x

[natasa]

I think that the natural colour is the better for a snail, but that's an unusual and interesting idea.

[Deleted]

Aug 6, 2008 10:27:10 GMT snailysnail said:

is it dangerous at all?, and would putting clear nail polish on all of the snail's shell to protect/keep the colour of the shells bright harm them?

anna x

maybe it's a 'non-toxic' paint?
I don't think nail varnish would be a good idea because it has such strong fumes which might harm them.

[brgwnth]

Jul 31, 2008 13:25:31 GMT goose said:

. Only thing it may do if brightly coloured is make them more noticeable to birds! ;D

i don't think hat is how it works. birds go after snails that have all the same shells, that is why they have all different paterns so that one portion of the population will live long enough to breed. i don't think it's fair on the snails either.

[coyote]

I would think that the skin of the snail would absorb fumes quite readily, so any kind of paint or nail varnish that's non-toxic to humans might not be non-toxic to snails. Even if the substance didn't get on the skin directly, the snail can never get away from it as long as it's out-gassing.

[kanin]

As an artist myself I think this snailpaintings are moraly wrong and in my opinion not that good art.. It don't say anything new, aka it's been done before(not that thats make it bad art), they don't explore anything, the painting is purely done only as aestethics. It's a cry for attention not a step in the development of an artists eye.
I personaly, even though very little things are holy to me, would never use a lifeform in my works both because I'd have nothing to gain by it and that I don't believe I have that right.

[Rachel]

I must admit on occasion i have put a tiny dot of paint on the shell of a snail to be realeaded into the wild. mainly that of struggling species to aid my in keeping and eye on them when i release them, but i ALWAYS kept it miniscule and never considered something like this. i personally think its mad and don't agree with it.