Slime and Snails: What is slime? Why doesn't Mr. Snail need a dating app or a car?

Slime and Snails

Hello!

Welcome to snail territory!

This week, I had much fun watching another

Mr. Snail slip in and out of my hand. This snail had so much slime on its body that it didn't have to crawl to move. I was moving my palm up and down. Along with my palm, the snail also moved. I guess, my palm was like its own car of sorts.

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Have you ever wondered about Mr. Snail's (a snail's) slime?

The slime on Mr. Snail's body is sticky. Although, I haven't had any allergic reactions to it, I have experienced pain soon after touching Mr. Snail's slime. Interestingly, Mr. Snail's slime has been studied to treat nose bleeds, stomach pain, and burns-related pain.

Often, snails utilize their muscular body to move with a trail of slime. The foot of a snail is part of its body. The foot muscles create wave like contractions during their movement. I often watch the slime glisten on these wave like snail bodies.

It has been researched that among all species in the animal kingdom, a snail uses the most amount of energy to move due to the way it moves.

Mr. Snail's slime lubricates the path ahead for its smoother movement. The slime can also act as the tar on the roads. That is, it can act as a binding agent or glue for the snails to stick themselves onto the walls, leaves, mud, road, or my hand. Hence, the slime can act as a lubricant and a glue too.

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Funnily, last week, Mr. Snail climbed onto my forearm from my palm and created a tough bond between my skin and its body. It used its slime to create no space for my finger to get under its foot or over my forearm. I had to bribe it with a big leaf for it to move from my forearm. I must admit, it took quite some time for me to break the seal it had created.

Ain't that smart of Mr. Snail?

Mr. Snail can be a little detective as well. When it is looking for a mate, it will move along another snail's slime trail to find its mate.

Mr. Snail doesn't require dating apps but just the right slime trail!

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These gentle creatures are teaching me to play with them. I am making a delicate transition in life, wherein, my ambiversion is turning into extroversion. Sometimes, I feel like I haven't completed my daily talking quota. However,

Mr. Snail comes to my rescue on such days and becomes my gentle listener.

If Mr. Snail could talk, I think it would say the following:

'Pranita, you can pay my charges for your talk therapy now.'

-Don't be a stranger,

Pranita

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Reference:

Montana University. Snails. Agresearch.montana.edu

Rashad M, Sampò S, Cataldi A, Zara S. Biological activities of gastropods secretions: snail and slug slime. Natural Products and Bioprospecting. 2023;13(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s13659-023-00404-0

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