Basic Knowledge in Agriculture #6

Pexel

---

What is Snail Farming?

---

It is the process of rearing snails for their meat.However,Snail farming,is also known as heliciculture, and Snail is considered as delicacy in most parts of the world like africa. Snails are also reared for their slime, used in cosmetics.

Why do we Farm Snails?

1. Healthy Food: Snail meat is rich in protein and low in fat, hence healthy food.
2. Easy to Raise: Snails don't need much space and any specialized food, hence easy to rear.
3. Non-polluting: It is also a type of farming that does not contribute a lot to pollution compared with other farming.

To Get You Started

1. Choose Your Snail Type: There are several species that one can rear. Some common ones include:

• Helix aspersa: Small snails mostly found in Europe.
• Achatina achatina: These are some large snails that are very common in Africa.

1. Snail Pen Construction: This is where your snails will be kept. It could be a simple box or just a piece of land. Keep it safe from birds, rats, and other predators.
2. Provide a Favourable Environment: Snails like humid and cold. You can make the environment friendly for them using soil, leaves, and other plants. Ensure the bottom surface does not allow water to clog in the pen.

Care for Snails

1. Feeding: Snails eat many types of plants, like lettuce, cabbage, and fruits. They also need calcium for their shell; thus, crushed eggshells can be used, along with special snail food.
2. Water: Keep the habitat damp, though not extremely wet. Spraying with water may help keep the place moist. Snails will use the moisture to travel and feed.
3. Cleaning: Keep the pen clean for a healthy snail. Clean out leftover food and wastes that should not be allowed to form mold or bacteria.

Snail Life Cycle

1. Eggs: The snail lays its eggs in the soil. A snail lays hundreds of eggs at one time, where the egg looks like a white small ball.
2. Baby Snails: These are small snails hatched out of these eggs. Though at the beginning tiny, small, and even fragile, they grow into large-sized shells by eating and growing into bigger sizes.
3. Adult Snails: They become grown snails in a couple of months. In this process, they might lay eggs too. During the adult snail stage, the final shell is formed, and reproduction occurs.
   pexel
   Once your snails are big enough, you can harvest them. This is a term that means gathering them to sell or cook. Clean them before use. You can clean the snails through purging, either by giving them clean food or keeping them starved for some days so that their digestive systems can be cleaned.

Fun Facts

• Snail Teeth: Snails have thousands of tiny teeth on their tongue known as a radula used for scraping food.
• Long Sleep: Snails can sleep up to three years if the weather is too dry. This condition is called estivation.
• Hermaphrodites: Snails are both male and female; hence, any two snails can breed and lay eggs.

Benefits of Snail Farming

pexel

1. Income: Snail farming can generate an income for a person. Snail meat is always in demand in high-income countries.
2. Sustainable: Snail farming is an eco-friendly activity that can even be done in one's backyard on a very small scale.
3. Educative: Snail farming could also serve as a way of teaching kids about biology, responsibility, and the environment.

Challenges of Snail Farming

1. Predators: Snails have many predators in nature, such as birds, rats, and insects. You must safeguard your snails from these elements.
2. Climate: Snails also require an appropriate climate in which to live. For example, too much heat or cold will harm them.
3. Disease: Snails can become ill. This is why a clean environment and the ongoing observation of their health is crucial.

Conclusion

Snail farming is a pleasant and easy way of raising animals; it could be a hobby one will enjoy, or it could even be a very promising business. It is friendly to the environment, with healthy food provided. In case you love working with nature and trying something new, it could be just for you.

I place my invite to: @goodybest,@nsijoro @waterjoe.

Cc:
@hive-118902