Does Painting Snail Shells to Keep Them From Being Stepped on Really Aid Their Protection?

Life can be difficult for a little snail. Being so small and easily camouflaged with the ground can easily lead to some painful mishaps. Not to mention the fact that snails move very slowly – after all, we don’t call it snail speed for no reason! So, if a large human foot is above head, chances are unless that snail gets a turbo-boost, they aren’t likely going to be able to escape being crushed.

As Green Monsters, this makes us sad. Snails are important members of the ecosystem, even if their small size may make them seem insignificant. Clearly, we are not alone in our respect for snails – there are some individuals who have taken to painting snail shells to make them more visible. While some people have taken to painting snail shells just for the sake of art, others have done so in an effort to prevent snails from being stepped on.

The shell-painting craze began after one Imgur user posted a photo of the shell she had decorated after becoming upset by all the crushed snails she’s come across. 

It didn’t take long for others to follow suit and respond to this fancy snail with their own designs.

Artist Stefan Silverud has made decorating snails a bit of a hobby. He calls it “Snailpimp” and posts images of the snail shells he’s created on his blog. 

Some of the designs created on snail shells are rather intricate.

Silverud has featured a number of popular logos on the snails he decorates.

They’re a bit like tiny, really slow advertisements.

Some are more simple. These may have been done by well-meaning snail lovers who wanted to keep these guys from being stepped on.

But, while decorating these snails might have come from a place of compassion. A snail’s shell is meant to act as camouflage to protect them from predators.

Putting a bright design on the snail makes them much easier to spot. This does prevent them from being stepped on, but whether they’re more likely to be captured by a bird is questionable.

Although non-toxic paint is allegedly the standard used by snail painters, an unknowing individual might not think to consider how paint might affect the snail.

Overtime the paint can wear off, making the use of non-toxic paints even more crucial. But at the end of the day, do we really think that painting a snail to keep them from being stepped on is a smart idea considering other consequences? 

Green Monsters! Tell us what you think about painting snail shells. Is it really in the best interest of these creatures?

All image source: BoredPanda