7 Amazing Things You may Not Know about Snail farming.

7 Amazing Things You may never know about snails and Major Constraint to efficient snail production 

 
1. Aestivation:  This  is  the  period  of  inactivity  in  which  the  aperture  of  the  shell  is  covered with  white  calcareous  substance  called  epiphragm.  This  condition  is  common  during  the harmattan  period.  In  this  condition  snail  can  survive  for  months  without  food  and  water. Under normal or natural condition snails can Aestivate for 3 good years without during and without food. That's why they are livestock with the least mortality rate and record. Aestivation  can  be  prevented  by  watering  the  soil  both  in  the  morning  and  at  night  and other  management practices well  observed. 

2. Feed  and  Water  Scarcity:  Feed  and  water  are  always  scarce  during  the  dry  season  as  a result  of  the  harsh  weather  conditions.  Fruits,  vegetables  and  tuber  are  scarce  during  this period.  The  snails  can  be  fed  with  soybean  residue,  maize  chaff  (Eeri) which can be gotten from people who process pap for sale  and  household waste.  More  effort  should  be  concentrated  on  the  use  of  compounded  feed  in  feeding snails,  which  is  readily  available  at  any  time  or  period  of  the  year.  Feed,  water  scarcity and  harsh  weather  conditions  during  dry  season  result  in  too  low  productivity characterized by  loss  in weight  and little production of  eggs. They need enough protein supply to grow faster and bigger and to achieve this you can feed them with animal blood and grounded bone meal from abattoir, and poultry waste as a readily protein supply in abundance and far affordable. Give them enough calcium and limestone which can be gotten from animal feed meal or feed store for them to produce sufficient eggs and if u cant give them loamy or sandy soil. 

3. Soldier  Ants,  Reptiles  and  Rodents:  The  worst  enemy  or  major  constraint  to  snail production  is  soldier  ants’  infestation.  Soldier  ants  can  be  prevented  depending  on  the type  of  housing  system  adopted.  Water  bath  or  small  gutter  should  be  dug  round  and water  must  be  made  available  inside  the  water  bath  every  time  if  the  housing  system  in low  or  high  fences  pens.  When  using  cage  system,  the  stands  of  the  cages  should  be  put inside  container containing  water with  used  engine oil or kerosene. And fumigated the exterior environment regularly with ants repellant chemical such as d DD force.  Reptiles  and  rodents  can  be  prevented  by  using  wire  netting  with  small  holes  i.e.  mosquito  net and door should be closed every time.
U have to get rid of ants from inside d pen by cleaning d pen regularly to avoid undue or obscene decomposition. Snails can live up to 15years and can weigh as much as 20Kg at Such age if well fed with the look of a giant turtle or tortoise. 4. Snail Type Identification. There are 3 major type of Snails in Nigeria and are said to be the largest in the world; The Achatina Marginata (AM), The Achatina Achatina (AA), and The Achatina Fullica (AF). The AM is peculiar to Nigeria Alone and is usually d largest among all the snails on earth and can produce up to 40 eggs in a clutch & will produce such clutches 3 to 4 times a year & it takes between 21 to 40 days for the eggs to hatch, The AA is d 2nd largest also in Nigeria and other countries and can lay up to 200 to 500 eggs in a clutch and can lay up to 3 to 5 clutches in a year, it also takes 21 to 28 days for d AA eggs to hatch. The AF is the 3rd largest and can lay up to 200 to 500 eggs in a clutch and can produce up to 3 to 5 clutches a year. As a livestock and snail farmer, you must be able to distinguish the difference between the 3 major type of snails. The AM is sturdy and fatter unlike the rest of the giant snails, the AA has sharp ends and wore whorls than d AM and hv red tapered lids why d AM has White or Yellow tapered lids with sturd ends. 

The AF has more whorls than the AM and more than d AA and it has d sharpest ends and more conical almost cylindrical. 5. Anti aging agents: In the Asian countries such as China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea, Singapore, Indonesia & Myanmar, snails are not only eaten as meal for its protein but used on the affected parts of the body and face to remove wrinkle, spots and stretch mark and to give you that desired young look again. 6. Snails with different opposite coiling can never mate, they must be the same coiling directions to mate. those with coiling or whorls to the right are Dextral and those  with coiling to the left are Sinistral, 7. 90% of the large Snails exclusively and readily available in Nigeria are the Achatina Maginata breed which are believed to be the largest in the world can be discouraging and unsuitable for a profitable and commercial snail farm business as its only commercial significance is its giant size and nothing more. The AM is only prized for its large size as it is the largest among all snails in comparison to the AA and AF but low in egg production as it produces between 6 to 40 eggs maximum per clutch while the AF and AA produces between 200 to 500 eggs per clutch. The AM is slow in growth, more exhaustive and cost more to manage. It takes the AM between 21 to 40 days to hatch and 8 to 9 months before it starts the laying of eggs while the AF and AA takes less time to grow and to lay it eggs between and reaches maturity within 4 to 6 months and lay far more eggs with more comparative economic advantage. 

The type of breed employed for snail farming is very important so that your hope of financial freedom is not dashed in the course of a zestful venture encumbered with willful exuberance. Therefore make sure you select the right stock for breeding from snail farmers and seek for proper consultation and be vast in your research and very open minded in your resource and information sharing. please lets not restrain nor hoard information from the reach of aspiring and intending snail farmers.
Snails grow faster when there is darkness and enough feeds, fruits, calcium supplement, root crops and vegetables for them to produce high quality and quantity of eggs. Snail farming can be stated with a budget of between #20,000 and #500,000 to include its pen set up and the required breeding stock. for higher yield and productivity, a free range or extensive snail farming method should be encouraged which is the best method employed in Australia, Europe and in the USA.

For more info you can reach us at Zion Joe ventures, suite 9, Olutayo Shopping Complex opposite TJ Hotel, Oshogbo, Osun State. +2348141208884,