A Practical Approach To Backyard Snail - Farming

Abstract

The housing and feeding requirements necessary for quick multiplication of snails were studied using fifty mature African giant land snails of the species Archachatina marginata (Swainson). Their initial weights ranged from 250g to 450g. The feeding materials used were green pawpaw fruits and leaves (Carico papaya), shaft from fermented milled maize, water leaf (Talinum triangulare) and Amaranthus leaves. Results showed that the adult snails gained weight and laid a total or four hundred and eight (408) eggs during the 6 months rearing period. Three hundred and sixty two or the eggs hatched out into baby snails, representing a hatchability of 88.73% after a mean incubation period of 30.25 days. The baby snails increased from a mean live weight of 2.3g at hatch to 25g after four months. This study demonstrated that snails can be reared intensively in a backyard system similar to what obtains with other animals.

Keywords: African giant snails, raised cage units, hackyard, baby snails, concrete trench