JustOzito:

but I pick snail from there during d wet season

Neduzze5:



What I'm more concerned about is the smoke that may affect them. It may not happen all at once, but in the long run, you would see the effect.

pragmatistm:
Now that Nairaland is back,let's use the opportunity to help one another.Lets post related information on snail farming here.I am not a guru here but will post the little I know. Let those that know support this thread.


SOME REQUIREMENTS BEFORE STARTING:
The farmer will need the following to start a snail farm – (The modified out-door system).
*Enough edible live snails.
*A good site near his house with the right kind of soil and the right amount of water for the snails to live and grow.
*Enough food and shelter plants
*The materials to build a pen for the snails.

SNAILS FARMING SYSTEMS:
There are two main systems of snail farming. These are: Indoor and Outdoor systems.
Indoor System: This system involves raising snails indoors in pens located in a building. The snails are fed a mixture of fresh vegetables, concentrates, and other food materials. The system utilizes little space as the snails could be raised even in trays placed on shelves on the walls. In advanced management, the system allows for temperature regulation, controlled lighting, regular cleaning, and health care.
Out-door System: In this system, snails are raised out- doors on pastures. The snails may or may not be fed. The farmer has little control over the performance of the snails. The snails move about feeding on natural food materials.
A modification of the out-door system is one in which the snails are confined out-doors in enclosures and fed both synthetic and natural diets. It is easier to control and manipulate snails in this setting. This system fits in very well into the Nigerian farming system.

tvcatch15:


pls where can one get a rearing snail for sale

binbass:
I have snail farm with over 300 snails which I started about six weeks ago with 150 lay eggs and they've already starting hatching one after the other, but plan to expand it in the future.

JJKADRY:
Well done. i need to share my farm with you as well. meanwhile, i just gained one insight from here too as i promise to stay close here...check my snail farm

djdoxxx:
@pragmatism And Neduzze5, Snails Go Into Hibernation At A Particular Time Of The Year, It Is Normal, And It Is Called Drought..There Is A Kind Of Practise One Imploys When They Are On Hibernation That Keeps Them Alive Till They Come Out Of It...

kankaroo:
I am still in the process of setting up my SNAIL farm, just yesterday i discovered that ants (red rugged ants that is smaller than Soldier ant has surged from the ground. They are enjoying carrots and cocoyam peals i deposited in the farm. How do i treat this farm before i introduce the snails? Should i apply insecticide inside the soil of the farm because they are coming from the soil/ground

bobrich:
i compounded my snail feed and i do not know if to give them in powdery form or watery form

phollar:
This was my milled feed composition: Maize.. 60kg soya.. 30kg Fish (72%).. 3kg Bonemeal.. 5kg Oystershell.. 5kg Methionnie.. 0.3kg Lysine.. 0.3kg Premix (broiler).. 0.4kg
Please ensure no SALT!!!

lordhugo:


What type of housing? Free range?

For free range on a large scale (pasture method), all you need is an electric snail tape (it depends on your financial power mainly) . But with it, not one small newly hatched will escape the "openess" of the pasture method.

Might post up pictures of a few examples later if time permits.

lordhugo:



In that case, what you need is an 'Australian styled pasture system' (forget the oyibo). Its relatively cheap to construct for a parcel of land.

You will need steel bars and angle bars (most construction i see online make use of steel pipes...not advisable because total sealing of minute spaces wont be possible) .
A specified number of aluminum sheets for external barrier, nets, imported seeds (seeds are far better than transplanting seedlings) for forage and shelter plants. You could budget less than a million excluding land for half a plot of land. Forget about '6 months', in 18 months you will be diving into money.

For a piece of land measuring 50X100 ft., you could have 30beds for ,
180 Giant breeders
6000 mediums in holding/maturing beds.
4200 newly hatched /juveniles.

There is a plan akin to crop rotation. I call it snail rotation. Lol.

Lets discuss further on whatsapp. I am always on the move. 08030964896

lordhugo:


Skipped my mind.
Though, you need to first do a feasibility study .

What type of soil is the land composed of? Loamy?
Can you notice any snails in the area on a wet evening?
Are there shade plants such as banana or pawpaw in the land?
Any windbreaks (buildings, larger trees , fencing) ?


I am sure you get the drift now. It would be hard to raise "free range " snails in a site that is unfavorable.

pragmatistm:
@ all, I received some email asking me about how to guide against soldier ants on a snail farm. Here is my guide for you.

Get large quantity of used engine oil mixed with diesel fuel. Dig a small trench about 12 inch deep 12 inches wide round the whole enclosure you use as farm. It must be away from your perimeter for about 2 feet (24 inches, or 60 cm). Pour the used engine oil mixed with diesel in the trench in good quantity round the farm perimeter. the oil must be enough not to dry up in the trench at any time. So you can do the pouring from time to time. When soldier ants approach, and they perceive the odour of the oil they will go back/away quickly.

Oluwalogbon:
Please how to hatch snail eggs manually?

onuwaje:
i have these in my backyard

what species re these?

pragmatistm:
You didn't attach any pictures.

pragmatistm:
They hatch themselves. Just leave them in the soil where they are laid.

pragmatistm:
They hatch themselves. Just leave them in the soil where they are laid.

Oluwalogbon:


It will take to how many month to start lay eggs?

pragmatistm:
I can't say exactly. But I know different species lay eggs at different stages. Achatina maginata species lay fewer and bigger eggs than achatina achatina.