If you fancy a pet without any shenanigans, then the sluggish snails are the perfect partners. So, to keep one, you should have the answer to the question, “what do snails eat?”
Don’t know the answer? Well, you need not worry!
We have just the guide for a beginner snail-master.
Types of snails
First, let’s divide the snails into three types based on their natural environment. We have land snails, sea snails, and freshwater snails.
Therefore, if you keep them at your home, you’d have to provide them with the same food and atmosphere.
What do land snails eat?
You’d find the land snails mostly dwelling on the grass. Also, their diet is similar. The best foods for land snails are plants, algae, and fungi.
For your pet, don’t just rely on the grass. Instead, you can cut up leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, spinach, or cabbage, or other vegetables like cucumber and carrot.
The snails will take their time eating. However, if they take too long and the food begins to go bad, then you should replace it immediately.
What do sea snails eat?
These snails are present in marine waters. However, if you keep them in an aquarium with tap water or fresh water, they will still live. So, you’ve got nothing to worry about here.
Sea snails can be herbivores, omnivores, or even carnivores. In particular, the murex snails are the animal-eating ones.
Therefore, they’ll eat a variety of things. What you can provide them is the organic matter from plants and animals, dead fishes (the living ones won’t be any good), bivalves, algae, plants, or some other small animals.
You have to figure out if your snail is carnivorous, herbivorous, or omnivorous. Then, choose accordingly from the foods I’ve mentioned above.
What do freshwater snails eat?
Living in the ponds, rivers, lakes, and springs, freshwater snails are the best kind that you can keep in an aquarium.
Mostly, they feed on dead plants and algae. However, dead fish can be a meal for some. I call them the best because they can clear the algae in the aquarium. So, a win-win, they clean your tank and in return, get their food.
Although snails can eat living and healthy plants, their favorite meal is a dying one. So, it’s best to replace your healthy ones with dead plant organic matter.
What do baby snails eat?
All that we’ve talked about till now is about adult snails, but what about the time when they are born?
Well, they eat whatever the grown-ups eat. However, the quantity differs. You have to feed the baby snails the same food but in greater amounts. Make that twice a day because they need the food to strengthen their shells.
Do snails eat other snails?
If you’re wondering about cannibalism in snails, then yes, some snails do eat other snails. One such example is that of the rosy wolf snail, which feeds on other slugs.
Conclusion
So, here it is, the complete menu for snails. Let’s recap, saltwater snails feed on a variety of dead fishes, organic matter, plants, and other animals. Meanwhile, the freshwater counterparts eat dead plants, and the land snails enjoy vegetables the most.
If you’ve got a baby snail, feed the same stuff you’d feed an adult, but make sure that they eat well.
FAQs
What do snails need to survive?
Snails have the same needs as other animals. They need proper food, the right temperature, sufficient humidity, and oxygen to live.
What is a snail’s favorite food?
The answer depends on the type. Land snails enjoy vegetables, freshwater ones like dead plants, and saltwater families have a range of foods.
How often do snails eat?
Depending on the species of snail, an expert would be able to tell you better. However, you can try a hit and trial run, starting from twice daily and then once every day.
Do snails eat their babies?
Yes, first, they’ll eat the shells of the hatched eggs. If that doesn’t fulfill their appetite, then they go towards unhatched eggs.
Now you can completely understand “What Do Snails Eat.” If you want to know more about PetsHoods.