Inside: Dreamy Snail Tattoo Ideas (The Cutest Creatures).
When you think of getting an animal tattoo, most likely the first one that comes to mind is not the snail.
A lion, an owl, a deer, even a ladybug tattoo seems more likely. But a snail?
This overlooked creature is more than just its speed and slime. A snail embodies the slow and steady speed of Mother Nature, of life and happiness. If you really treasure something, really value the outcome, you don’t rush your way through it. No. You go slow and steady, marveling at the journey more than the final destination.
Snails are also symbols of being self-sufficient and responsible. Why? Well, it’s one of the few creatures in the animal kingdom that actually carries its house on its back! Plus, there’s a whole metaphysical element to the snail–the spiral on its shell can be seen as the unending journey of the human psyche. Just as a spiral goes on and on, so do our thoughts, so does our consciousness. Trippy, right?
See the deeper meanings and fun designs with these snail tattoo ideas!
Snail Tattoo Meaning
Selecting the perfect animal tattoo isn’t an easy feat. Animal tattoos are often seen as being linked directly to the spirit. The animal you choose will have a long-lasting effect on your spirit, your life. If you truly want to embody the animal you get tattooed, making the right choice is an important decision.
Consider the snail. Snail tattoos aren’t very common, but maybe they should be. A snail’s body is protected by a hard, outer shell, a mobile home of sorts. If you’re someone who doesn’t like to stay rooted in one place for long, you share that restlessness of spirit with a snail. A snail is constantly on the move, constantly looking for something bigger, better, and brighter. Even though snails move extremely slowly, they never stop moving. They are great symbols for perseverance and dedication. Sometimes we look at our lives and think we’re not making any progress–we’re at a standstill. One moment a snail is one side of the yard and we, bored watching its miniscule progress, stop tracking it. The next time we look, voila! The snail has made it all the way to the other side of the yard. Like we said: Slow and steady wins the race.
Other symbolic meanings of the snail:
- Progress
- Being Grounded
- Whimsy
- Awareness
- Observation
- Patience
- Expansion
- Residual effects
- Dreams
- Consciousness
- Time/phases/cycle
Cute Snail Tattoo Ideas
Let’s start off with some cute snail tattoo ideas that are packed full of charming character and whimsy designs. Trust us when we say, it’s going to be hard to decide what type of snail tattoo you want.
1. Simple Cute Snail with Sparkles
2. Snail with Floral Print on Shell
3. Colorful Snail Design with Slow Down Quote
5. Pair of Snails on a Little Mushroom
6. A Snail Eating a Strawberry
7. Colorful Floral Snail Design
8. Rainbow Striped Snail Shell
11. “What is Life” Quote from Snail
14. Snail Palm Tattoo with Flowers
15. Black and White Snail with Mushrooms
Small Snail Tattoo Design
These small designs are great if you’re not looking for a BIG commitment. The tiny details and fun placements patch the snail characteristics perfectly.
16. Small Snail with Linework on Forearm
17. Tiny Snail Outline on Ankle
18. Happy Little Snail Tattoo
19. Thin Line Snail and Bee Tattoo
20. The Littlest Snail Design On Hand
21. Little Snail Sitting on a Plant
23. Small Realistic Snail Design
24. Simple Snail Tattoo Idea
26. Snail Temporary Tattoo
27. Small Detailed Little Snail
Traditional Snail Tattoo Inspiration
A traditional and realistic snail design takes major skill, check out these amazingly talented design ideas.
31. Snail with Flowers Growing on Shell
32. Small Realistic Snail Tattoo Art
33. Traditional Snail Design in Detail
34. Super Realistic Snail Idea
35. Large Snails with Citrus Fruit Thigh Tattoo
36. Snail with Flowers Rib Tattoo
38. Matching Tattoo Linework of Snails
39. Half Sleeve Snail and Mushrooms Design
42. Flowers around Snail Design
43. Black and White Snail with Little Mushrooms
45. Colorful Shading on Tattoo of Snail
Favorite Cartoon Snails
We all have a favorite cartoon snail, Turbo, Gary? Who is your favorite?
46. Turbo Snail Tattoo
47. Colorful Cartoon Inspired Snail Design
48. Cinnamon Shell Snail Tattoo
Gary the Snail Tattoo Ideas
51. Classic Gary from Spongebob
53. Party Hat Gary
55. Black Simple Outline of Gary
56. Spongebob Half Sleeve with Gary
57. Cringing Gary Art Inspiration
59. Spongebob with Gary Tattoo
60. Gary Playing Violin Art Inspiration
61. BFF Spongebob and Gary Idea
Floral Print Snail Tattoos
We saved the best for last in our opinion. These floral and snail collabs are the perfect mixture of whimsical and dreamy!
62. Blue, Orange, and Yellow Snail Shell
64. Snail Crawling on Berry Bush
65. Orange Flowers Growing from Snail
66. Snail Covered in Colorful Flowers
67. Flowery Snail Art Inspiration
68. Hand Tattoo of Snail and Flowers
69. Black and White Floral Snail
70. Sparkle Mushroom Snail Idea
71. Snails Crawling on Hand with Flowers
73. Black Outlined Floral Snail Shell
More Tattoo Inspiration Just For You
If you like these cute little snail tattoo ideas, then check out a few more of our favorite creature tattoo designs. Each of these living things holds a cool meaning that are a perfect reminder on your body.
- Spider Tattoos – Another one of our favorite small creature tattoo ideas are these spider designs. Before you cringe too hard, these creepy creatures are packed with powerful and strong meaning. Although spiders have many negative associations and meanings, they have positive ones, too. Given this vast range of possible meanings, only the person wearing the design could tell you what it represents to them, but people seeing the design may bring any of these meanings to it. Some possibilities are…(Read More)
- Fierce Lion Tattoos – Lions, are fierce, strong, and confident. If you’re looking to embody those characteristics, a lion tattoo is just the one for you! Lots of people are getting lion tattoos. You could be one of them! check out these fierce lion tattoos to see if this aristocratic animal is a good fit.
- Lady Bug Tattoo – You can never have too much luck on your side… Am I right? Having a permanent representation of the ladybug on your body ensures that you travel with good luck closely in tow. The ladybug also symbolizes love, happiness, and friendship. This little bug tattoo would go perfect with your meaningful snail design. Check out our favorite inspiration for your next ink session.
I'm Victoria Hudgins founder of Tattoo Glee and managing editor. I'm a Tattoo Stylist and love helping others find the best way to express all the fun and joy that is within them! Follow along with my posts for all the celebratory style your next ink design is needing.