How do mystery snails get their shells?

Answer 1

What a thoughtful question! Snails are hatched from eggs. When they hatch, they eat most of the shell, but a small part of it stays with them and that is the beginning of their shell. As the snail grows, so does its shell -- in a spiral shape. New shell is added at the opening of the shell. In the center of the spiral is the part of the shell that the snail began life with. The shell is made from several layers. The thin outer layer is made from an organic substance known as conchiolin. The thicker layer underneath is formed from three layers of crystalline calcium carbonate, similar to the chicken egg of which you may be more familiar. The color of the shell depends on the types of food the snail is eating and also the type of snail. Snails can live live from 5-10 years. I thought that was pretty amazing! The oldest snail known lived to be 15 years old. Snails are usually considered to be pests. But snails are also very beautiful and fun to watch. Slugs are shell-less snails and eat plants as well. To tell the difference between a slug and a snail track, look to see if the slime trail is a continuous trail; if so, then it is slug. If the trail has breaks in it, it's a snail.