Understanding Snail Breeds, Feeding, Housing Methods & Soil Types

Snails come in various species, colors, sizes, and shapes. In Nigeria, we have the African land giant snail (Achatina achatina), which is the most popular because of its economic size, there is the Burgundy snail (Helix pomatia), the garden snail (Cornu aspersum), the white garden snail (Theba pisana), and the milk snail (Otala lacteal).

FEEDING
Make food and water available for your snails in the morning and night every day. You can feed your snails with plantain, pumpkin, potato, lettuce, pawpaw, cabbage, banana, cucumber, etc.

Snails commonly feed on meal leftovers and green leaves without salt. Calcium is also vital for the growth of their shells. So ensure you add limestone, and egg shells to their feeds.

Other ideal staples for snail feeds include; corn, pap, beans, and rice, all without salt. Calcium is crucial in feeding snails because it boosts snails’ growth rate and produces thicker shells.

HOUSING
Snails need comfort to thrive. The size of the snails’ house will determine how comfortable the snails will be. Also, the style and size of the snail house are dependent on the size of your snail farm.

If you plan to venture into commercial farming, get a permanent site for your snail farm. Besides nets, people rear snails in boxes made of wood and wire gauze, depending on the stage of the snails’ development and habits.

When you find what works for your snails, sort them by age. Separate them into mature, young, and newly hatched, and make sure the younger nails have a comfortable shelter that protects them from predators. Also, keep the temperature around the snails regulated with cloth and leaves to prevent dehydration.

SOIL TYPE
The soil is the snails’ primary habitat, and is essential for their survival because of the chemical components present in it. You want to go for sandy-
loamy soil because of the high level of organic matter it contains. This type of soil is also a suitable place for snails to lay their eggs and drink water because of its balance.