Complete Guide On How To Start Snail Farming In Nigeria – Lesson Two

In my previous post(click here if you miss it) on snail farming; I made mentioned of why I love this business. But today, I shall be highlighting some disadvantages of snail business. Just like every other business; snail business have its own buts – but are minimal compared to the disadvantages of other animal rearing/farming.

Disadvantages of Snail Farming

Climate change

If there is no artificial means of climate control, snail farming is restricted to the humid tropical forest zone, which offers a constant temperature, high relative humidity, preferably no dry season, and a fairly constant day/night rhythm throughout the year.

Cultural restrictions

Snail meat is considered a delicacy by some, whereas others will not even touch it for religious or cultural reasons.

Growth

Snails are relatively slow-growing animals. Furthermore the consumable meat makes up only 40% (maximum!) of the snail’s total live weight. Consequently snail farming is not a way to make quick money. This is because it takes up to 24 to 28 months to have a mature breed.

Snails as a pest

Snails that have escaped from a farm, or been dumped by a farmer, may quickly develop into a serious pest in agriculture and horticulture.

Caution: Before embarking on snail farming make sure you have a market! This is because they can develop into a serious agricultural pest. Without any natural enemies they end up destroying a wide range of agricultural and/or horticultural crops and causing considerable economic damage.

For that reason, don’t start farming snails unless you are absolutely sure someone will buy or eat them.

Essentially, a snail consists of two parts, the body and the shell. The body is divided into three parts – the head, the foot and the visceral mass. The head is not well demarcated and carries two pairs of retractable tentacles. One pair of tentacles is far longer than the other and contains the eyes in the knobbed end. The long, muscular foot occupies almost the entire ventral surface and, like the head, is not clearly demarcated from the rest of the body.

 

Things Needed For Snail Farming

1. Adequate knowledge about snail farming itself; like the one you are reading now.
2. You will need a land/space either BIG or small. Depending on the size of farm you are looking at.
3. Food for the snails

Now that you know where to get the right information on Snail Farming. I think we should discussed about factors that determined your choice of land for snail farming.

Selection of Site For Snail Farming

A prospective snail farmer must choose a suitable site for his farm. So, that is why I have listed here some factors that determines your choice of site for snail farming.

1. Location of Farm: As a matter of fact, snail farm should not be far to the farmers house. This is because the farmer needs to monitor the farm by giving them the right quantity of food as at when due. This will also help the farmer to easily detect any problem on time; it will also help the farmer to protect the snails from their enemies and take proper care of them.
2. Soil Type: The snail farm must be sited in a place where the soil is rich in humus and other decaying plant and animal materials. The soil should contain sufficient lime or calcium for eggs and shell formation. Snails do not live in hard soils environment nor do they live in loose sandy soils. This is because snails cannot dig into hard clayey soils to rest and lay eggs while a sandy soil do not hold enough water for them to survive. The ideal snail should be the kind of soils best for farming – light loamy soil. This will allow air and water to penetrate easily.
3. Moisture Content of Soil: Snails prefer damp soils. The farmer should avoid very wet lands and lands prone to flooding in the raining season. Dew and rain keep the ground moist enough for them to easily move around and dig into it to rest and lay their eggs. For around the year production of snails, a ready source of water supply for irrigation or spraying should be provided. Snails usually seal off their aperture and to into hibernation (go into their shell) during the dry season unless a continuous supply of moisture is guaranteed. The soil could be kept continually wet by providing of shelter plants like banana/plantain or the farm could be watered regularly in the evening to provide the necessary conditions for the survival and multiplication of snails.
4. Wind Direction: Snails do not like wind. That is why your snail farm land should be well protected from the wind. This is because strong wind leads to dehydration in snail and subsequently drying up the snails.
5. Temperature and Humidity: Snails are cold blooded animals and therefore sensitive to change in the atmospheric humidity and temperatures. However,, significant fluctuations in humidity below 75% causes the snails to AESTIVATE (i.e to loose valuable growing time). Snails prefer an habitat that is neither too hot nor cold.

I hope you enjoy this piece. Please, leave your questions, suggestions or encouragement below while we wait for our next awesome post on snail farming.