Can snails go backwards?
 

A snail got itself stuck in the spout of the watering can. Its natural
instinct was to head for the light 'at the end of the spout', but of course
the spout got narrower and it got stuck so we had to poke it out.

'Our' reaction would be to reverse, but 'can' snails reverse? Anybody see
one do it?

--
Mike

The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rneba.org.uk
Luxury Self Catering on the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

Can snails go backwards?
 

"'Mike'" wrote in message
...
A snail got itself stuck in the spout of the watering can. Its natural
instinct was to head for the light 'at the end of the spout', but of
course the spout got narrower and it got stuck so we had to poke it out.

'Our' reaction would be to reverse, but 'can' snails reverse? Anybody see
one do it?

--
Mike

The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rneba.org.uk
Luxury Self Catering on the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

Don't know. I get the same thing but usually manage to gently release it
without breaking the shell


http://www.keepcrueltyhistory.com/

Can snails go backwards?
 

On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:14:58 +0100, "Robert \(Plymouth\)"
wrote:

"'Mike'" wrote in message
...
A snail got itself stuck in the spout of the watering can. Its natural
instinct was to head for the light 'at the end of the spout', but of
course the spout got narrower and it got stuck so we had to poke it out.

'Our' reaction would be to reverse, but 'can' snails reverse? Anybody see
one do it?

--
Mike

The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rneba.org.uk
Luxury Self Catering on the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

Don't know. I get the same thing but usually manage to gently release it
without breaking the shell

You have to crack the shells to eat them, surely?

--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°¹

Can snails go backwards?
 

You gents must be french.

Can snails go backwards?
 

"Robert (Plymouth)" wrote in message
...
"'Mike'" wrote in message
...
A snail got itself stuck in the spout of the watering can. Its natural
instinct was to head for the light 'at the end of the spout', but of
course the spout got narrower and it got stuck so we had to poke it out.

'Our' reaction would be to reverse, but 'can' snails reverse? Anybody see
one do it?

--
Mike

The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rneba.org.uk
Luxury Self Catering on the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

Don't know. I get the same thing but usually manage to gently release it
without breaking the shell

I usually stamp on them!

Alan




http://www.keepcrueltyhistory.com/

Can snails go backwards?
 

"®óñ© © ²°¹°-°¹" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:14:58 +0100, "Robert \(Plymouth\)"
wrote:

"'Mike'" wrote in message
.. .
A snail got itself stuck in the spout of the watering can. Its natural
instinct was to head for the light 'at the end of the spout', but of
course the spout got narrower and it got stuck so we had to poke it out.

'Our' reaction would be to reverse, but 'can' snails reverse? Anybody
see
one do it?

--
Mike

The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rneba.org.uk
Luxury Self Catering on the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

Don't know. I get the same thing but usually manage to gently release it
without breaking the shell

You have to crack the shells to eat them, surely?

No, when you have cooked them you can just peel them out!

Alan



--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°¹

Can snails go backwards?
 

wrote in message
...
You gents must be french.

Why, we have been eating whelks in this country for possibly hundreds of
years.

Alan

Can snails go backwards?
 

'Mike' wrote:

A snail got itself stuck in the spout of the watering can. Its natural
instinct was to head for the light 'at the end of the spout', but of
course the spout got narrower and it got stuck so we had to poke it out.

'Our' reaction would be to reverse, but 'can' snails reverse? Anybody see
one do it?


only the male ones are any good at reversing :)

\0

Can snails go backwards?
 

"Mark" wrote in message
...
'Mike' wrote:

A snail got itself stuck in the spout of the watering can. Its natural
instinct was to head for the light 'at the end of the spout', but of
course the spout got narrower and it got stuck so we had to poke it out.

'Our' reaction would be to reverse, but 'can' snails reverse? Anybody see
one do it?


only the male ones are any good at reversing :)


They go backwards quite quickly if you bash the bottom of the watering can
on the ground :-)

Steve

Can snails go backwards?
 

"Malcolm" wrote in message
...

In article , 'Mike'
writes
A snail got itself stuck in the spout of the watering can. Its natural
instinct was to head for the light 'at the end of the spout', but of
course
the spout got narrower and it got stuck so we had to poke it out.

'Our' reaction would be to reverse, but 'can' snails reverse? Anybody see
one do it?

The (sensible) answer to your question, which no-one else seems to have
given (!), is that no, they can't. The sequence of muscular contractions
in their 'foot, which pushes them forwards, only works one way not both.

--
Malcolm

Thank you Malcolm. That is what I thought but didn't know for certain.

--
Mike

The Royal Naval Electrical Branch Association
www.rneba.org.uk
Luxury Self Catering on the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

Can snails go backwards?
 

"shazzbat" wrote in message
...

"Mark" wrote in message
...
'Mike' wrote:

A snail got itself stuck in the spout of the watering can. Its natural
instinct was to head for the light 'at the end of the spout', but of
course the spout got narrower and it got stuck so we had to poke it out.

'Our' reaction would be to reverse, but 'can' snails reverse? Anybody
see
one do it?


only the male ones are any good at reversing :)


They go backwards quite quickly if you bash the bottom of the watering can
on the ground :-)

You should be bashing the watering can on them not on the ground!

Alan



Steve

Can snails go backwards?
 

"'Mike'" wrote in message
...



"Malcolm" wrote in message
...

In article , 'Mike'
writes
A snail got itself stuck in the spout of the watering can. Its natural
instinct was to head for the light 'at the end of the spout', but of
course
the spout got narrower and it got stuck so we had to poke it out.

'Our' reaction would be to reverse, but 'can' snails reverse? Anybody see
one do it?

The (sensible) answer to your question, which no-one else seems to have
given (!), is that no, they can't. The sequence of muscular contractions
in their 'foot, which pushes them forwards, only works one way not both.

--
Malcolm

Thank you Malcolm. That is what I thought but didn't know for certain.

I think, however, they can turn and flex the foot outside the shell quite
extensively, so it would be feasible for them to reverse by turning in
place.
However if the spout is taller than it is broad then they wouldn't be able
to turn and would get stuck, presumably.
Hmmm....possible that they could turn their body around in the opening of
the shell so their foot points backward and so go backwards.
I would expect that they have some mechanism for getting out of
(evolutionary?) dead ends.

Anyone got a spare research grant? I have most of the raw materials required
for the experiments. ;-)