What does the snail symbolize? According to Feng Shui, the snail brings prosperity to the house. Money or lucky cat
Every year the number of exotic animals in city apartments is increasing. And if in the past they mostly kept cats and dogs, now when you come to visit you can increasingly see not a dormant mug, but a spider, lizard or snake.
In addition to them, snails quite often become pets. In most cases, these are huge snails from Africa - Achatina. The most popular are Marginata Suturalis, Arhahatina, Arhahatina Marginata Ovum, Achatina Reticulata and Achatina Fulica.
It must be said that snails have attracted human attention since ancient times. For example, in Ancient Greece, snails were used as a cure for diseases.
The Phoenicians used red snails to obtain red dye, which they used to dye their fabrics. As for South America and Africa, large snail shells were used there as a unit of exchange, replacing money. In addition, since most snails have a spiral-wrapped shell, they were highly revered by some peoples, as the spiral was believed to be a symbol of life.
Despite the fact that gastropods are rather shy in their behavior, they are domesticated and tamed quite quickly. The most tame are Achatina Reticulata, which not only quickly get used to hands, but even allow themselves to be stroked. But there are also species that are so shy that, even when born in captivity, they never get used to being handled.
Snails live in small groups. When it gets cooler at night, they slowly go in search of food. They search for her only by touch, using their tentacle-horns for this purpose. Snails have poor vision, so all they can distinguish is light from darkness and day from night. But their sense of smell is very well developed. In any case, representatives of certain species can smell food located at a distance of several meters. They are completely unpretentious in food and can eat leaves, worms and even small larvae of other forest inhabitants.
Snails owe their popularity among people to the fact that they do not create any noise, and if everything is in order with their health, then they also do not shed, do not smell, and do not create any special troubles in their maintenance.
What do snails contain?
To set up a coop, they use terrariums and aquariums, plexiglass aquariums, as well as all kinds of houses for keeping rodents. Even food containers and other plastic containers can be used. One adult snail requires at least 10 liters of volume, but if you want to raise your pet to the maximum possible size, then it is better to provide it with 15-20 liters of volume.
The lid of the snail should cover it with noticeable density in order to maintain the necessary humidity inside the room and to prevent the snail from leaving its native land. To allow air to penetrate into the room, several small holes should be made in the lid. The most effective type of terrarium is horizontal, although some tree snails prefer vertical terrariums.
The terrarium should be cleaned regularly. Excrement must be removed, and the lid and walls of the terrarium should be wiped with a damp sponge as the walls become dirty. Approximately every month and a half, the terrarium needs to be thoroughly cleaned, thoroughly washing the terrarium itself with laundry soap and completely changing the soil.
Soil for keeping snails
The best soil for keeping snails is fine-grained coconut substrate. Before adding soil to the terrarium, it must be processed. To do this, you need to either heat it in the oven or microwave for a few minutes or pour boiling water over it. With this, the larvae of fruit flies and other insects will be destroyed. In addition, this reduces the amount of salt in the soil. Whatever soil is chosen, it should be loose - this will allow snails to burrow into it with ease.
It is not recommended to place stones in the terrarium, since snails sometimes fall from the lid of the terrarium and can break their shell on the stone. Electric lighting, which is so necessary for fish, is completely unnecessary for snails. Thanks to this, you can choose a suitable place in the apartment for the coop without any hassle.
What temperature is needed to keep snails?
Without exception, all snails require a humid and fairly warm microclimate. Ideally, the temperature for their maintenance should be within 25-30 degrees. If the ambient temperature drops too low, the snails will react with a decrease in appetite and decreased activity. They can even hibernate, and this always indicates that the living conditions of the gastropods are disturbed.
When a snail goes into hibernation, it closes the entrance to the shell with a “door” and it will be very difficult to bring it out of hibernation. In order for the snail to wake up, it will have to be “bathed” in warm water until it decides to look out of its house. Therefore, if the room where the coop is located is quite cool, it would be wise to provide it with heating using a thermal mat or a regular incandescent light bulb. However, it is worth considering that if the light bulb is close to the cochlea, the snail leaning against its wall may get burned.
What humidity is needed to keep snails?
The bulk of domesticated snails belong to land species. However, even they cannot survive for a long time without water. To maintain the required humidity in the coop, you can use a spray bottle to spray the flowers. All you need to do is spray the terrarium and its inhabitants with it a couple of times a day. This will be enough to maintain the desired humidity level, which should ideally be around 75-90%.
It is best to spray with warm water. If possible, you should purchase a hygrometer that can be used to measure air humidity. If the humidity in the coop is insufficient, this can also lead to the pet going into hibernation.
If the snails are more than one and a half months old, they will need to put water in some kind of bowl from which they will drink and in which they will bathe. As for kids, the moisture that accumulates on the walls of the terrarium is enough for them to do this. It should be remembered that the size of the pool must match the size of the snail so that it does not drown while swimming. It is also necessary to ensure that the snail does not overturn its “pool”, otherwise the soil will become waterlogged.
How to feed snails
Feeding snails is not difficult. The main source of nutrition is plant foods. The most important thing to remember is the basic rule of feeding snails: under no circumstances should they be given food containing salt, since it poses a mortal danger to snails. Flour products can also lead to approximately the same result. It is not recommended to give sweet and fried foods.
For feeding, a plastic food tray with low edges can be placed in the coop. This will prevent you from putting food directly on the ground, where it quickly becomes unusable.
Snails with great pleasure eat apples, zucchini, cucumbers, lettuce, and can even eat dry Hercules cereal or fish food such as daphnia or gammarus. Most likely, they will not refuse treats in the form of watermelon or strawberries. Bananas are very popular among large snails, but such treats should be given very carefully, since the snail can become spoiled and then become capricious, refusing any other food. In winter, snails eat well not only rolled oats, but also pharmaceutical nettles and even frozen vegetables included in soup sets, which can be purchased at any supermarket.
At least once every 1.5 - 3 months the terrarium needs to be washed, replacing the substrate in it. As snails get older, their shells also increase in size. In addition, the shells become thicker, stronger, harder and, in addition, characteristic coil rings appear on them. The increase in the size of the snail stops only after the pet turns one year old. By the time they reach this age, their shells will already have four to seven rings adorning them. The average lifespan of a captive gastropod is about six years.
It must be said that in order for the snail not only to grow, but to grow with a beautiful shell, it is necessary to add a source of calcium to its food. For this purpose, you can purchase white sepia in the store, for example, one sold under the brand name “Kesha” or “Vitacraft” (they are also called cuttlefish bone or cuttlefish comb).
In addition, you can use natural chalk or ground eggshells. If the snail gets too much calcium, its shell may even become translucent and the snail’s body can be seen through it. Well, if a pet starts gnawing on its own shell (or, alternatively, the shell of its neighbor), it means that the lack of calcium in its diet has reached a monstrously low level.
It must be said that snails such as Achatina love swimming. You should not bathe snails under the tap, since the chlorine contained in the water has a very bad effect on the shell and can lead to the formation of a white coating. You can bathe your pet in filtered or warm boiled water.
Snails are an excellent and accessible object for observing animals at home. This is another reason for their popularity. They are not nearly as primitive as many people think. Although the nervous system of gastropods is quite simple, they are nevertheless capable of learning. Scientists have conducted successful experiments with sea mollusks, grape snails and land slugs, trying to develop conditioned reflexes of various types in them.
Grape snails even managed to fly into space, and in Great Britain, grape snails are used for a kind of national entertainment, organizing snail races. During this process, snails crawl along the trail left by the lettuce leaf. Moreover, each does not leave the confines of her treadmill and “runs” parallel to the “run” of the other gastropod runner. And the fastest of them gets the coveted salad leaf.
Contrary to prejudice, you can communicate with snails. If you put her in your palm, she may be scared at first, but when she later realizes that there is no danger, she will stick her head out and begin to crawl along your hand, exploring the surrounding space. The sensations from her touch are very pleasant and give pleasure. And Achatina are also very smart and can distinguish their owner by thermal sensations and smell.
If the snails are kept clean and in order, then excellent growth and good health will be guaranteed to them, as well as their owner will be guaranteed an excellent mood, which he will receive while contemplating his pets.
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So: what is a snail? Symbol of slowness! But only? Everyone knows about it; most have seen these leisurely crawlers at least once in their lives in the country, on a path in the park, on the branches of a bush. And certainly almost everyone has seen aquarium snails, small red coils, or large representative yellow ampullaria. All the species and varieties of this leisurely horned people are apparently invisible. The snail is the only mollusk that has managed to conquer land.
Moreover, it is so well adapted to life on it that it lives almost from the very border of permafrost to the hot deserts of Africa. This is one of the oldest creatures of nature, however, it is still full of mysteries and secrets, still waiting for their researchers. The relationship between man and snail began to be built long before the emergence of Civilization. In those days, snails acted only as a very convenient food item in the human diet, and ancient people made jewelry from their shells. However, humanity grew and, in addition to food needs, it began to develop more and more developed spiritual needs. The primitive mystical concepts of the Paleolithic gradually became more and more complex, filled with new symbols and concepts. With the development of religious worldviews and practices, once purely utilitarian concepts began to acquire a special meaning in the human consciousness. This is how the snail appeared among them - as a symbol in the human picture of the world. Transforming and developing, this image is found in different cultures from ancient times to modern art and esotericism. In ancient Egypt and Babylon, snails were considered a symbol of eternity and fertility. And in the ancient cultures of Central America, the snail was a symbol of the moon and fertility. Its crescent-like horns, which periodically disappear and reappear, and its spiral-shaped shell influenced the fact that the snail became a symbol of cyclical processes, such as rebirth and resurrection, and, in Aztec iconography, fertility. Well, in the ancient Mayan capital of Chichen Itza, one of the temples was an observatory temple dedicated to a snail. In Buddhism, a snail shell is time frozen on the body of a living being, and the snail itself is the personification of patience and perseverance. The Makara snail in Buddhism is a snail that is a hybrid of the monster Makara (Iokara) with its enemy the snail. Generally regarded as the son of a crocodile, a snake and a dragon. It is one of the three symbols of victory in the fight against misunderstandings and conflicts. Makara will help resolve disputes between friends, loved ones and family members. Prevents rifts between couples and loving spouses. The union of Makar and the snail reflects a combination of mutually opposing hostile forces. According to Feng Shui, the snail is a strong symbol of peace and tranquility. Also, for Feng Shui, a snail symbolizes success in achieving a goal. Therefore, if you want to achieve the fulfillment of your desires, as well as harmony in your life and the fastest achievement of wealth, then you should decorate your home with snails. The snail fits well into the interior of the house. You can use wallpaper with snails, bed linen. Paintings with snails also look interesting. Another option is to decorate your house with figurines in the shape of snails. In medieval Europe, snails were the personification of sin and laziness, for they were born from dirt and feed on it. But later, during the Renaissance and revival, they began to symbolize modesty, and the fact that grape snails close their shells with a lime lid and break it after winter cold or drought and come out again into the light, made them creatures personifying the rebirth of Christ. The motto of the coat of arms of the Dukes of Gonzaga - “I carry everything with me” - is symbolized by a snail and its shell. Snails were credited with magical and healing properties and were part of everyday magic and superstition. And a source of inspiration for poets: What should I call you? What is your witchcraft riddle? The foremother of all other creatures - Air, water and earth This is what the English poet John Suckling said about the snail in the 17th century. It is well known that the snail was one of Dali's fetishes. The symbolic image of a snail has many meanings. It also includes erotic principles: the combination of tender living flesh and a hard dead shell is a fusion of male and female principles in one creature (earth snails are hermaphrodites). This is a perfect harmony of love relationships, because when two snails copulate, each realizes both of its sexual principles. The snail shell is a symbol of frozen time, the spiral of the shell symbolizes infinity. In addition, the snail is the personification of stability and prosperity. In Italy and some other areas of Europe, it is believed that a snail entering a house portends wealth and prosperity. It is no coincidence that many old houses in Italy are decorated with figurines and bas-reliefs of snails. Italians also produce a huge number of beautiful snail souvenirs to decorate the interiors of houses.
A unique snail house (Conch Shell House) built on Isla Mujeres, Mexico. It personifies the snail as a symbol of comfort, tranquility and carnal pleasures.
But these 12 giant fuchsia-colored snails once decorated the streets of the Italian city of Milan. Why them? According to the creators of the project themselves, this is a kind of game with the city, in order to refract the series of repetitive dull landscapes. Snails express three main metaphors in the language of modern art, the first is related to hearing, because. the spiral of a snail reminds us of the structure of the human ear, the second is associated with housing, because snails carry their homes on them, and the last one relates to current technologies, the graphic symbol @, in Italian is called a snail. The creators of unusual snails also consider it important that they are all made from recycled materials. Thus, these snails personify the stability of the world, nature and the cycle of things in it.
The snail tattoo, a photo of which you can see below, adorns the bodies of many people. You will learn about the main meanings of the snail, as well as the possible styles of this tattoo, if you read this article!
Before you go to a tattoo parlor, it’s worth learning a little about snails: maybe under the influence of this information you will change your mind about getting a tattoo or, on the contrary, will strengthen your decision.
So, ulitham is one of the oldest creatures on the planet. Interestingly, mollusks are one of the most intelligent vertebrates: they are able to make decisions and not be guided only by instincts. Some species of mollusks are even capable of solving simple mathematical problems. Under unfavorable conditions, snails go into suspended animation. Surprisingly, an ordinary garden snail, while in a state of “hibernation,” can survive temperatures down to -120 degrees. Therefore, if you want to get a tattoo that symbolizes endurance and the ability to adapt to any conditions, then a snail will be an ideal option.
What does the snail symbolize?
Snail can have several meanings:
- desire to be protected. The snail carries its home everywhere, which means that if a person is looking for a feeling of security from external circumstances, he can choose a similar sketch;
- leisurely movement towards the goal. Despite its slowness, the snail can conquer any peak. This means that it represents small steps that should be taken on the way to a big goal;
- Sometimes a snail tattoo, the meaning of which is described in the article, is done by travelers, trying to emphasize that they feel at home everywhere.
You should not think that when choosing a tattoo, you should rely solely on the meanings described above. A tattoo can be filled with an individual meaning that only you understand. Therefore, if you have long dreamed of a tattoo with a snail, sketches of which are presented below, do not put off your decision until later!
Advice! The tattoo will remain with you forever (of course, unless you decide to remove it with a laser or cover it with another image). Therefore, do not rush to choose a tattoo parlor: carefully study the portfolio of artists and in no case be guided only by the cost of the work!
Styles
A snail tattoo can be done in almost any style. For example, you can choose realism, and then your tattoo will definitely become the object of attention from others. After all, skillfully executed realistic tattoos look like a real work of art!
An excellent option would be old school and new school. The first style presupposes certain rules: the master uses certain motifs (birds, ribbons, inscriptions, etc.) to convey the main idea of the tattoo. New school is a style in which there are practically no restrictions. Bright and unusual, such tattoos are sure to become a source of pride for you and emphasize your individuality.
You can use a snail as the main motif for a trash polka tattoo. This style involves the use of only black and red colors and a combination of realism and graphic elements and various inscriptions. For example, a snail can be made in a realistic manner and complemented with quotes stylized as newspaper headlines. Unusual and expressive, trash polka style allows you to express any philosophical ideas.
The graphic style is suitable for people who prefer laconicism (or those who are going to a tattoo parlor for the first time). The graphics are made in one color and can be complemented by spots of various shades.
The snail is a symbol of peace and tranquility, it brings prosperity and helps a person, albeit slowly, but confidently and persistently move along the road to a goal or dream
Our Slavic ancestors believed that the snail personified the night celestial body - the moon. This belief is based on the snail's ability to extend and retract its crescent-shaped horns, just as the moon appears and disappears in the sky. And the moon, in turn, according to the beliefs of the Slavic peoples, embodies the feminine principle. This means that throughout the entire month, higher powers will protect literally every representative of the fair sex from troubles.
The Aztecs associated the image of a snail with conception, pregnancy and childbirth. If you are planning to have offspring, July is the most favorable period for conception this year. The stars predict that the pregnancy will pass without serious complications, and the birth itself will occur easily and quickly.
This month, like a snail, we will move towards our goals slowly, but persistently and persistently, without deviating from the chosen path. And in the end we will certainly achieve the desired result. Slowness is not a bad quality at all. At the very least, there will be no need to make important decisions in a hurry and in the heat of the moment, which means that many annoying mistakes will be avoided. By the way, in the perception of Buddhists, the snail personifies humility and patience. And this has always been a great advantage. It is not for nothing that people have long known the proverb: “He who waits impatiently waits a long time, and he who waits patiently waits less.” Therefore, the more patiently we wait for happiness, the faster it will come to us. For the ancient Egyptians, the spiral-shaped snail shell was a natural symbol of infinity, the passage of time and cyclicity, denoting the eternal rhythm of life. Let's move through the labyrinths of the mysterious spiral, doing good deeds, doing good, helping the suffering and caring for loved ones and others.
If you are lucky enough to meet a snail crawling about its business, ask it to predict the future. How to do it? Very simple! Place birch and maple leaves on the ground at a distance of 10-15 cm from the snail. If a snail goes to a birch leaf, you will find good luck in the love sphere, to a maple leaf - in the financial sphere. If she doesn’t choose any of the leaves, then no global changes are expected in your life in the near future.
Aries The prudent Snail advises you to refrain from rash actions. Draw strength from communicating with relatives.
Taurus It will be useful to start creating coziness in the house: you can make repairs or “update” the atmosphere by decorating your home with amulets.
Gemini The snail promises stability - both on the love front and in professional activities. It is likely that you will receive good news from afar.
Cancer You shouldn’t try to move mountains and actively take on some important matters. It is much better to devote more time to household and family issues.
Leos The sensitive Snail recommends not wasting precious energy on work. If the opportunity to go on vacation arises, be sure to take it.
Virgo, as always, strive for active action. But the Snail warns: try not to overwork, otherwise this can lead to a deterioration in your well-being and health. Don't forget about rest and gentle regimen.
Libra A huge amount of work awaits. But don’t rush to get upset - your feat of work will definitely be appreciated and rewarded accordingly.
Scorpios will be the center of attention. In order not to lose confidence at the most inopportune moment, Snail advises taking care of your appearance ahead of time.
Sagittarius The generous Snail is preparing a surprise: an increase in material well-being. Just play fair and don’t participate in financial fraud.
Capricorns a timeout is required. It's time to take a break from endless troubles and worries, at least emotionally. Find time for creativity and hobbies.
Aquarius It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to go on vacation at the beginning of July - it’s a “hot time” at work. But the trip planned for the second half of the month will be successful.
For Pisces this period is a time of important changes. If you don’t know what to do, consult with your friends - they will be happy to suggest a good solution.
Snails have long been endowed with the ability to cure various ailments and are still used in magical remedies. One of the well-known ways to remove warts is to stroke them with a snail, then pierce it with a needle and leave it on a tree trunk. When it dies, the warts will also disappear. In some places, it was considered necessary, after pricking a snail, to drive as many nails into the tree trunk as there were warts.
Another way is to pierce the snail and lubricate the wart with whatever comes out of the puncture. Then the snail must be buried along with a needle or ordinary thorn sticking out of it.
In the past, by the way, the liquid released when the cochlea was punctured was dripped into the ears when they hurt.
When treating whooping cough, the gypsies put the snail on a piece of sugar, and when it was completely covered with mucus, they gave it to the patient to eat.
Another remedy for the same disease was porridge prepared from crushed snails and finely chopped mouse carcass.
For a normal cough, the child was prescribed two or three snails boiled in oatmeal broth or tea.
At a time when fever was common, they tried to prevent it by wearing a snail in a pouch around the neck for nine days, after which they threw it into the fire. “The snail will shake as if from a fever,” the doctors claimed, “and from that moment the person will stop having a fever.”
A compress of snails taken from their shells and crushed is said to cure gout.
The mucus left by snails was considered a remedy against tuberculosis, and two hundred years ago doctors prescribed it to their patients. The snails were taken out of their shells, parsley, sugar, and spring water were added and then taken daily with red cow milk. To all of the above, crushed earthworms were added.
A more radical remedy for tuberculosis was to collect small white snails while the dew was still wet and swallow them alive so that they would eat the mucus from the lungs, which was believed to cause the disease.
In some places, even today, in the treatment of chest diseases, they swallow a live snail in the evenings for nine days. If recovery does not occur immediately, the course is repeated up to four to five times as necessary. People believe that the snails continue to live in the stomach for a while, secreting mucus that heals irritated lungs.
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There are many signs and fortune telling associated with snails. If a snail crawls across the road you are walking on, then in some places it means rain, in others it means bad luck. If a snail crawls into the house, it means increased wealth in the family. That is why snails are painted on the threshold of a house or apartment.
The first snail seen after leaving the house is supposed to be caught by one of its horns and thrown over the left shoulder. Then the matter you are pursuing will work out. But if you throw a snail over your right shoulder, something bad will happen.
To find out your future spouse, you need to close the snail in a plate. The next morning, the initials of the future lover will be written on the bottom of the mucus.
In another love fortune-telling, two small leaves picked from any tree are placed in front of the snail. If a snail crawls onto a leaf, bright prospects await you. If you hide under it, your desire to achieve your partner’s favor is currently impossible!
With the help of snails they also guess about their own well-being in the near future.
Find a snail after the rain, bring it home and place it on a damp surface. Prepare three small white pieces of paper. On one, write the dollar or euro symbol, on the other, the ruble, and on the third, the word “water.”
Place these pieces of paper in front of the snail at a distance of 10-15 cm from it. If the snail likes the dollar bill better, you're in luck. Great financial success awaits you in the future.
If a snail chooses a “ruble” leaf, this means that your well-being will fluctuate: it can be both thick and empty.
Well, the third piece of paper, if the snail chooses it, promises you lack of money, bread and water in the near future.
Seeing a crawling snail in a dream means an unhealthy and unfavorable environment.
If you step on a snail, you will have to come into contact with unpleasant people.
Just seeing a snail in a dream will require some effort from you, which you will direct to solving the most pressing issue.
Gennady FEDOTOV