It is rare for me to catch a snail in motion. Most of the time they are still, either asleep or pretending to be. This is partly because snails are mollusks, which is why they are slimy.
Snails need moisture to live, and if they dry out, they will die. As a result, desert-dwelling snails have developed many techniques to keep their moisture intact.
One novelty they have is that they are nocturnal. During the day, snails sleep protected by their shells, with their eyes inside their heads. When they go out at night, they move very slowly and cautiously. The snails feed at night, chewing on whatever vegetation they can find. For the most part, they rely on their sense of touch when they find food, because they cannot hear and have very little vision.
When they are out of their shells, you can see part of their bodies and slimy eyes. Its eyes are actually on the ends of the tentacles that protrude from its head. If they feel threatened, they will draw their gaze to your head for protection. They can even remove one tentacle at a time if they wish.
Snails do not need to find a mate, because they are hermaphrodites. Each snail produces about thirty eggs and places them under a stone to hatch. If the air becomes particularly cold, the snail will burrow underground to warm itself.
Furthermore, it produces a viscous gel that covers the opening of its shell, leaving only a very small hole that allows air to pass through. This slime is so think that a snail can crawl off the edge of a razor and not get hurt. As the snails crawl, a trail of slime remains. This is a revealing result of their often strange ways, usually traveling in circles. Snails can climb walls and even vice versa due to the drool their bodies produce.
Desert snails are also known to use digging as a defense mechanism, but for a different reason. Snails can sense when the air is particularly dry and will burrow underground as a result.
Surprisingly, they can hibernate there for three to four years until the climate becomes more suitable for them. In general, snails are known to live up to fifteen years. No wonder snails are so sexy!
