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Snails are voracious little creatures. But what do snails like to eat best? And do Roman snails actually like the same thing as slugs?
If the garden is richly stocked, every snail will find happiness. Usually, however, it is only the slugs that attack fresh vegetables. Shelled snails, on the other hand, can be welcome beneficials. You can find out which snail eats what here.
What do snails eat?
Depending on the genus and species, there are big differences, but if necessary, snails overlook their preferences. The snails found in our gardens usually attack plants, but they also eat carrion and sometimes even other snails. Only rarely is there a preference for certain plant species. In general, it can be said that snails do not crawl around leaves with a high proportion of tannins, bitter substances and essential oils.
Gardens with clayey soil are more likely to be affected by slugs than those with rather dry, sandy soil. The reason for this is that snails absolutely have to protect themselves from drying out and clay stores the water that is important for this better. If the garden is generally rather sandy, it will be visited less by snails.
In winter the gardener can breathe easy. Because here the animals fall into a hibernation and take no more food.
What do Roman snails eat?
The protected Roman snail (Helix pomatia) is one of the welcome guests in our gardens. With its rasping tongue (radula) with around 40,000 teeth, it prefers to shred wilting leaves. It produces important humus. Young plants and juicy vegetables, on the other hand, usually go unnoticed. When the hunger is great, however, fresh greens are also eaten. It is of great benefit that young Roman snails in the breeding burrows devour the eggs of the dreaded slugs. Even tobacco plants are on the menu of Roman snails.
Overview: What do Roman snails eat?
- Withered leavesmost vegetables
- Rare vital parts of plants
- Nudibranch eggs
- Tobacco Plants
What do slugs eat?
There are phytophagous - ie plant-eating - slugs, but also those that live cannibalistic lives. Phytophagous slugs, especially the Spanish slug (Arion vulgaris), have a high potential for damage. They feast on young plants and crunchy leaves and seem to have an insatiable appetite. The reticulated field slug (Deroceras reticulatum) is particularly fond of seedlings and is even active below 10 °C. The large slug (Arion ater), which usually prefers withered plant material, has a lower damage potential.
The list of endangered plants is long:
These crops eat phytophagous slugs:
- Strawberries, apples, persimmons
- Salad, pepper plants, zucchini
- Cabbage, swede, beetroot, radish
- Broccoli, Mustard, Turnip Greens
- Leek, celery, asparagus, beans
- Basil, Dill, Marjoram, Parsley
- And many more
The following ornamental plants:
- Daisies: marigolds, dahlias, sunflowers, asters
- Larkspur, hostas, levkojen, petunia, corn poppies
- To name a few
Fortunately, there are also slug-resistant plants. They are avoided by the voracious mollusks or even act as a protective shield for plants that are endangered to eat. If you're wondering which vegetables snails don't like, you'll find the answer in our special article.
There is reason to breathe a sigh of relief when you see a nudibranch in a leopard look. This is probably the tiger slug, which as a cannibal eats other slugs.
What do shelled snails eat?
House snails are not considered plant pests. Basically eat snails with house onpreferably decomposed plant remains and withered leaves, rotten grass or sludge, a mixture of plant remains, bacteria and minerals. Mushroom threads and occasionally carrion are also on their menu. They are therefore, just like Roman snails, a joy to welcome in the garden.
Overview: What do snails eat?
- Decompose Plant Debris
- Withered Leaves
- Rotted Grass
- Mulm
- Mushroom Threads
- Carrion
What do baby snails eat?
After hatching, baby snails initially stay in their breeding cavity. There they eat the remains of their eggs. Adequate intake of lime, which is required for a stable snail shell, is of particular importance. It is not uncommon for the young snails to attack other egg remains and non-viable siblings. The snails emerge stronger and increase their chances of survival.
After a few days, it's time to greet the sun. On the way to the ground surface, the earth cover under which the breeding cavity is located is eaten up. Once at the top, they go in search of species-specific food.
Overview: What do baby snails eat?
- Egg Shells
- Deceased siblings
- Burrow cover
- Species-specific food
What do snails drink?
Snails drink water. They consist of almost 90% of it, a human for comparison only to about 70%. Apparently, snails need to drink a lot of liquid to maintain their water balance. They absorb a significant amount of water from food and a smaller proportion from the skin. In particular, to keep their blood flowing, they need to drink regularly. Once a snail has dried out, it can no longer move. Then drinking water through the mouth is particularly important, primarily to keep the water content of the blood high and then to rehydrate the skin. You can tell a dehydrated snail by its body being fully extended but much thinner. In addition, she is unable to move. You can help a desiccated snail by moving it to a shady, moist place and allowing it access to an area of water. A bowl with some water in it is a good option for this.
You want to protect your plants from snails in the garden? In addition to snail barrier and slug pellets, beneficial insects can also be used. Read more about this in our article on controlling voracious slugs.