Why Does Baby Nerite Love Going for a Ride?

[Solsong]

I have a baby horned nerite snail in my daughter's aquarium. I'm fascinated by snail behavior -- to the point I'd love to set up a snail-only tank for myself at some point. One thing I notice though is that any time the baby-snail, who's about the size of a very large ladybug, comes anywhere near the other snail, it always climbs on the other snail's shell. I'm not even remotely concerned about it, but as I mentioned I'm fascinated by snail behavior because they do the zaniest things. I've noticed it happen several times -- really any time it comes close to the other snail -- and it made me curious, why does it do this?

Photo little dude hanging on while the other nerite enjoys some carrot. The baby started off its ride when the red nerite was on top of this carrot. It stayed attached even as the bigger snail decided to further explore ways to eat the veggie (i.e. lifting it up and crawling underneath, and the next holding it up vertically, before being finished with the veggie and shaking the little guy away).

 

[ADsnail]

Snails seem to have a sense of fun! They like piggyback rides and you may have also noticed them free falling--letting go from the top of a plant or decoration and tumbling down to land on whatever is below, even all the way from the top of the tank to the bottom. They're not hurt, they're actually playing. When they mature, their piggyback rides will take on a different meaning . They'll be hanging on more to the side, which will be mating. They can ride around, even tumble around, like that for hours. But for now, your baby snails are just doing what makes kids happy.