How do Snails Reproduce?

If you are entering into the wild world of snails, you will also begin to notice that the way in which they are built has allowed for their survival through centuries.  One of the ways in which this has continued to build is through the abilities to reproduce by these creatures.  The different features and ways in which they can do this also provides them with the capacity to keep slugging on the land. 

Reproductive Make-up of Snails

Snails will be able to reproduce differently than almost any other type of creature because of their species and their make-up.  This begins with the build that all snails have.  Snails are considered to be hermaphrodites.  This means that every snail will have both male and female reproductive organs.  This is especially consistent among land snails and most marine snails.  The only snails that have not adapted this attribute is some freshwater and marine species, specifically including Apple Snails and periwinkles.  These two types of snails still have a separate male and female species. 

Snail laying eggs Photography:Johannes_Meisenheimer

Growing Into Baby Snails

The mating practices of snails is one that allows for new snails to be brought into the dirt and water at a consistent rate.  Snails will go through a complete mating ritual with each other, usually which will communicate to the other snail for an average of two to twelve hours.  At the end of this ritual, the pair will fertilize the eggs in the other.  It is known that a snail can carry up to 100 eggs at a time. 

When the eggs are fertilized, they will go through a process of growth inside the snail.  This begins with the fertilization moving the snails into a specific amount of development inside the embryo.  This takes place with the snails laying eggs and burying them into a cool place in order to develop.  For land snails, they will be buried underneath the dirt in order to be cared for.  With marine snails, the eggs will be placed next to a solid area, such as a rock.  This will allow the eggs to stay in the same place and develop without being harmed. 

It will typically take a snail egg two to four weeks in order to develop.  As soon as they hatch, they will immediately move into a survival mode.  This is because their shells will still be in a weak form.  Their reaction is to find calcium as soon as they hatch by either eating their own egg or eating other eggs in order to get the extra nutrients.  It will take around three months for the snails to completely form.  While this takes place, they will stay in a nest that has been built for them, with the transformations being seen through a change in color, from a clear color into a blue then into the adult form that is representative of the species.  After the snails are completely developed, they will detach from their parents and move into a different shell. 

The mating procedures of snails is one that moves through a specific process that helps the species to grow and survive in their respectable areas.  From the beginnings of sexual maturity to finding the rate mate to the hatching of the eggs, is a specific way in which the snails are able to move into a world of growing a larger snail family. 

Snail reproductive system Illustration:Johannes_Meisenheimer