Feeding and Nutrition :: snail shells

[da sAUCE!]

What's a "trap door"?

man, I can't remember the technical name for it but it's the part of the snail that covers up the opening in their shell when they withdraw.

[SpotsMama]

Interesting! Is it hard like the shell? I didn't know there was such a thing!

[da sAUCE!]

its tough and it's controlled by a fairly strong muscle. I was in AP Bio and for the life of me I can't remember the scientific name of the part.

[daredevilgirl013]

My snails were kinda small. I think the biggest one I had was half the size of Michelangelo that she ate. Now the big huge apple snail in here, she won't touch. And it's still bigger compared to her, so I think size is an issue. But the little ones, she'd pry them out and eat them. I still have all the shells. In her glass tank I kept them in the tank and lined them up in a corner in the back, and the ghost shrimp would go and hide in the shells. But then gunk started to collect in them and I took them out.

And yeah the trap door is kinda hard like the shell. And the snail is attached to it.

[lotsofpets]

I believe it is called the operculum. I put some larger snails in Donatello's container one time and about a week later I still had the shells, but the snails were no longer living inside them.... He will eat the small ones shell and all though.