Comments on: Snail attack http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sun, 19 May 2013 06:39:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Pakeha http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149194 Pakeha Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149194 Always thought these would make cool pets but are I believe protected species. I always tell my friends of the "Giant Carnivorous Land Snails" of New Zealand. Some of the Earth Worms make it too 1 meter too. Always thought these would make cool pets but are I believe protected species.
I always tell my friends of the “Giant Carnivorous Land Snails” of New Zealand. Some of the Earth Worms make it too 1 meter too.

]]> By: General Specific http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149710 General Specific Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149710 That is cool, but also super-gross. That is cool, but also super-gross.

]]> By: Nadreck http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149239 Nadreck Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149239 Neat! He can bend his eyestalks around to watch himself eating! Saves him from having to use a mirror while doing whatever the snail equivalent of shaving is too. Neat! He can bend his eyestalks around to watch himself eating! Saves him from having to use a mirror while doing whatever the snail equivalent of shaving is too.

]]> By: irksome http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149757 irksome Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149757 At least slugs know better than to engage in assault... And that's the punchline of my favorite joke: A snail gets mugged by two turtles. When asked to describe his assailants, he replies "Gee, it all happened so fast." At least slugs know better than to engage in assault…

And that’s the punchline of my favorite joke: A snail gets mugged by two turtles. When asked to describe his assailants, he replies “Gee, it all happened so fast.”

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149006 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149006 I don't know which would be grosser. Coming back as the worm or coming back as the snail that has to eat worms. Like a little mucous covered goo fight. I don’t know which would be grosser. Coming back as the worm or coming back as the snail that has to eat worms.

Like a little mucous covered goo fight.

]]> By: frankieboy http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149007 frankieboy Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149007 why was that worm so, uh, sluggish? I've seen them wriggling around like mad, with more strength than you might expect from a worm. Was it paralyzed somehow? why was that worm so, uh, sluggish? I’ve seen them wriggling around like mad, with more strength than you might expect from a worm. Was it paralyzed somehow?

]]> By: Gorgonzola http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149274 Gorgonzola Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149274 Woah. That squicked me out way more than I expected. I'll never look at snails the same way again. Woah. That squicked me out way more than I expected. I’ll never look at snails the same way again.

]]> By: mraverage http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149026 mraverage Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149026 please pass the salt...............quickly! please pass the salt……………quickly!

]]> By: Nelson.C http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149032 Nelson.C Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149032 Don't knock sloths. They may look slow and unthreatening, but those claws they hang from the branches with are <i>vicious.</i> Like any herbivore, when they're threatened they can be as nasty and fast as any predator. How do you think they survive? Don’t knock sloths. They may look slow and unthreatening, but those claws they hang from the branches with are vicious. Like any herbivore, when they’re threatened they can be as nasty and fast as any predator. How do you think they survive?

]]> By: Kieran O'Neill http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149558 Kieran O'Neill Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149558 I remember as an eight year old finding a large snail in our garden, identifying it as one of <a href="http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Revision+of+the+larger+cannibal+snails+(Natalina+s.+l.)+of+southern...-a0233050776">these guys</a>, and finding another, smaller snail to feed to it. Interestingly, it had a completely different way of feeding to the NZ snail shown here. <i>N. caffra</i> attaches its mouth to the back of its prey, rasps a hold in its skin, then sucks its guts out in one quick go. The snail I have it actually popped, and the carnivore licked up the remnants... I remember as an eight year old finding a large snail in our garden, identifying it as one of these guys, and finding another, smaller snail to feed to it.

Interestingly, it had a completely different way of feeding to the NZ snail shown here. N. caffra attaches its mouth to the back of its prey, rasps a hold in its skin, then sucks its guts out in one quick go. The snail I have it actually popped, and the carnivore licked up the remnants…

]]> By: Anonarchist http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149075 Anonarchist Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149075 I have the weirdest boner right now... I have the weirdest boner right now…

]]> By: mack http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149083 mack Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149083 Did I see that right? It barfed up its stomach lining, enveloped the worm and swallowed most of it in about 1/10 of a second. Nature is cool. Did I see that right? It barfed up its stomach lining, enveloped the worm and swallowed most of it in about 1/10 of a second.

Nature is cool.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149601 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149601 oh dear lord... oh dear lord…

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1154467 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1154467 That little thing just got ate! Damn nature, you scary! That little thing just got ate!

Damn nature, you scary!

]]> By: Nicky G http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149864 Nicky G Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149864 OH NO YOU DI'N'T!!! OH NO YOU DI’N'T!!!

]]> By: Twist of Lime http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1150132 Twist of Lime Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1150132 Never has the consumption of a worm been so erotic. Never has the consumption of a worm been so erotic.

]]> By: lava http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149121 lava Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149121 props for the ninja stomach props for the ninja stomach

]]> By: LesleyFazak http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149637 LesleyFazak Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149637 As a nature loving Kiwi, I feel the need to elaborate on this controversial critter... Firstly the snail you see is a Powelliphanta Snail. They are very rare - and are hidden away in New Zealand's forests and grasslands. There are at least 21 species and 51 sub-species of Powelliphanta snails - which represent some of the most distinctive invertebrates in New Zealand and range from the microscopic to the massive (up to 9 cm across). But most people here would never ever see one as they are very rare and hidden and unless you are hiking in the right area and looking in the right spot it just wouldn't happen. It's even illegal to take the shells of these endangered snails. Next - this particular snail is obviously being kept in captivity on a bed of sphagnum moss. They don't do well when this happens. In 2006 the Department of Conservation ordered the removal by hand of up to 250 snails from a proposed mining site in my home town to 'keep the species safe'. They wanted to relocate them to a new area. The results have been dismal. They never released them, the snails were kept in ice cream containers in refrigerators and those poor critters raised in captivity have died of fungal infections and none have survived past the second generation. It was a really contentious issue at the time - do you stop a new mine that will give people work for the sake of a few giant snails? You can read more at http://blog.forestandbird.org.nz/pie-fights-dirty-energy-and-homeless-snails/ As a nature loving Kiwi, I feel the need to elaborate on this controversial critter…
Firstly the snail you see is a Powelliphanta Snail. They are very rare – and are hidden away in New Zealand’s forests and grasslands. There are at least 21 species and 51 sub-species of Powelliphanta snails – which represent some of the most distinctive invertebrates in New Zealand and range from the microscopic to the massive (up to 9 cm across).
But most people here would never ever see one as they are very rare and hidden and unless you are hiking in the right area and looking in the right spot it just wouldn’t happen. It’s even illegal to take the shells of these endangered snails.
Next – this particular snail is obviously being kept in captivity on a bed of sphagnum moss. They don’t do well when this happens. In 2006 the Department of Conservation ordered the removal by hand of up to 250 snails from a proposed mining site in my home town to ‘keep the species safe’. They wanted to relocate them to a new area. The results have been dismal. They never released them, the snails were kept in ice cream containers in refrigerators and those poor critters raised in captivity have died of fungal infections and none have survived past the second generation.
It was a really contentious issue at the time – do you stop a new mine that will give people work for the sake of a few giant snails?
You can read more at http://blog.forestandbird.org.nz/pie-fights-dirty-energy-and-homeless-snails/

]]> By: penguinchris http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149431 penguinchris Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149431 What ever happened to monster movies involving freakishly overgrown insects and the like (e.g. Them!)? There have been plenty of movies with insect-inspired monsters and aliens, but unless you're really, really good (e.g. Alien, The Thing) they're not going to be very interesting compared to real life, as this video proves. Would a 30-foot tall version of this snail not be terrifying? You wouldn't even have to change the colors or the features, it's already stereotypical movie monster colored! Plus, it's got an impenetrable shell that the scientist lead will need to figure out how to defeat. What ever happened to monster movies involving freakishly overgrown insects and the like (e.g. Them!)?

There have been plenty of movies with insect-inspired monsters and aliens, but unless you’re really, really good (e.g. Alien, The Thing) they’re not going to be very interesting compared to real life, as this video proves.

Would a 30-foot tall version of this snail not be terrifying? You wouldn’t even have to change the colors or the features, it’s already stereotypical movie monster colored! Plus, it’s got an impenetrable shell that the scientist lead will need to figure out how to defeat.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/06/27/snail-attack.html#comment-1149181 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1149181 I will be sending you the therapy bill for the nightmares. I will be sending you the therapy bill for the nightmares.

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