This snail is walking over a very sharp razor blade unharmed

Snail claiming over in razor

In Birmingham England wildlife cameraman Steve Donor is conducting a cutting-edge science experiment, how snails and slugs can move over incredibly sharp objects and  how are they not getting cut to shreds, this was totally gross so why aren't these slugs and snails getting cut to pieces?

Snail will claim this sharp razor blade

Another snail passing thru a spike knife

Get ready folks, it's another clip where the answer is mucus, slugs the snails secrete this mucus from glands on the underside of their bodies, this mucus is made up of 98 percent water and two percent carbohydrates and proteins, these are long chain molecules that form bonds to each other that allow them to rotate break and reform allowing the mucus to be stable but also flexible.

Snails body mucus

Slugs and snails can even produce different types of mucus according to their needs there is thick mucus for example that covers the entire slugs body or the whole bottom of the snail to keep it from drying out but they're thinner mucus is more important for local motion or movement they use it when they want to climb up walls when it's not under pressure it's very sticky but when there's stress applied to it such as when the animal is wanting to move forward becomes much thinner and more pliable and allows them to glide forward so there's essentially a protective layer between the bottom of the animal and this very sharp blade.

Snail now on the top of a sharp razor blade

Snail walking into a sharp knife

Source: YouTube by Science Channel