Snails live in humid environment and are traditionally collected to be eaten. Their meat is good as it is richer in protein, iron and calcium than beef and even liver. It is especially beneficial for children, and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Increase in population, destruction of forest and expansion of agriculture make the wild collection difficult hence the need for snail farming. Managing a snail farm is easy as it does not require a lot of resources, space or time and increases income for the farmer.
Snails eat plant material like leaves, fruits and tubers. Additional feeds help snails reach 400 – 500 g in 4 months.
Snail feeds preparation
Three parts of wheat bran are mixed in three parts of banal cake, three parts crushed shells and one part of soya bean. Wheat is rich in energy, pan oil cake is rich in energy and protein, oyster shell is rich in calcium and soya bean oil cake is rich in protein.
Incase of limited resources, you can provide your feeds using maize or rice bran. Ground nut oil cake or fish meal can be used as a protein source. Calcium helps strengthen the shell. Egg shell, snail shell or animal bones can be crushed after they are heated and mixed with the feeds. Snails eat soil too that has nutrients and calcium.
Feeding snails
Snails are fed once a day in the evening because they come out only at night. Water should be given on a shallow container to allow snails to drink. Feeding area should also be cleaned.
Precautions: Feeds that are bitter such as neem, papaya and veroniya leaves shouldn‘t be fed to snails as they affect the flavour. Serving snails sweet food helps with the taste.
Salt should never be mixed with feeds as salt dehydrates and kills snails.
