HOW TO FEED SNAILS.

A FREE E- BOOK ON HOW TO FEED SNAILS.

AGRIBUSINESS : Recycle tyre business and poverty eradication.

AGRIBUSINESS : Recycle tyre business and poverty eradication. The effect of climatic changes are felt all over the world in varying degrees,with iceberg melting to extreme flooding,drought in other areas and severe hot weather in different regions. 

The call to save our environment by changing our lifestyle,work style and agricultural practices has been on for a while birthing different initiatives but all with a common goal to save the environment. Old tyres are usually collected and burnt in heaps thus polluting the atmosphere and also causing respiratory problems in man.

The burning which releases toxic gases to the atmosphere which contributes to the warming effect of the climate. Tyres can be recycled to prevent damage to our health and environment. 

AGRIBUSINESS : Recycle tyre business and poverty eradication. Tyres can be used to eradicate poverty by using it in agriculture as 1)fish tank .2)snail housing. 3) garden 4) farm see tyres have also found uses in furniture,building and fashion industry. 

 The reduce,reuse and recycle initiative is one of such drives to save our environment by changing our lifestyle. 

The initiative has turned various waste to wealth such as the recycling of tyres to wealth and eradicate poverty by creating jobs and valuable products. Tyres can be recycled to make schools that are durable and cost effective depending on the design. Millions of children all over the world are in dire need of shoes,this need can be met by turning tyres into shoes,creating jobs for members of the community as well as poverty eradication. 

 Tyres can also be recycles to basins, buckets and feeders for animals. Salim, Mahamud Mazur Rahman is recycling scrape tyres which he slices before he puts into shape. This way he feeds his family of six. The recycled tyre products, though rugged in looks, serve well for rough use and is more durable than the classy company plastic tyres. 

These recycled tyre buckets are basically used for fetching water from well, basins for feeding domestic animals.source Timberland,the popular shoe factory have an initiative ,which is the drive.recycle.wear where they turn used ,worn tyres to beautiful shoes. 

The company discovered that their footwear is a great opportunity to incorporate more recycled materials and reduce their environmental footprint. In 2008, they introduced an innovative recycled outsole made with crumb rubber from discarded truck and car tires. more

How to feed snails with watermelon.

 How to feed snails with watermelon. Watermelon are undoubtedly very useful in the food chain as they offer benefits to man as well as animals.

The role of watermelon in the poultry value chain has been explored and the results are outstanding ,see. Watermelon has also been used as medicine to ensure health of birds,see #snails

 Watermelon is very useful aside from the fruit itself the rind itself is food ,see the rind is also useful in feeding snails.


 The rind is washed ,sliced and then cubed into pieces before feeding them to the snails. The snails relish this delicacy , #snails.

Plastics and snail rearing.

Plastics are so useful in the agribusiness sector,aside from being readily available and cheap,they also help in the waste to wealth project. I decided to make a drinker(plastics) for my snails from pet bottles and the result is incredible. #snails. #snails

How to feed snails.

Snails like any other animal must be fed a balanced ration with necessary supplements. Snails are fed various vegetables among other types of feed,but calcium must be part of the diet to ensure proper growth. The snails can get the calcium supplement either by spraying the grounded chalk solution on the body,or the crushed chalk can be finely grounded and added to the vegetables. The calcium solution can also be sprayed on the feed, before serving the snails. There are various ways to present the feed with calcium but the key is that all snails must have access. The pictures below shows,the preparation of feed with calcium supplement; #snails

Snails and calcium supplement.

Snails need calcium for proper growth and development and various calcium sources must be explored to deliver this when needed. Chalk is readily available and relatively cheap compared to other sources. The pictures below shows how to prepare the chalk ; #snails

Management practices in snail rearing.

The soil must be moistened but not water-logged but deep enough so that the snails can burrow and lay eggs. The management of hatchling are different and should be handled with care. The pen must be in a dark place shielded from the sun,as exposure to sun at this time will kill them. The feeding is done in the dark as well,because moving out to sunny zones to get the feed will result in their death . 

They need more calcium at this level,failure to provide will result in slow growth and development. The best way to ensure they have this supplement is to grind the calcium source e.g chalk ,mix in water and spray the hatchlings directly. 

The uptake of the calcium by absorption gives a 100% assurance that each hatchling has a portion. 

 Cleaning of the snail is also important,this is done by soaking a piece of clean cloth or foam in water and gently wiping the shell clean. 

Handling with care is important as rough handling can lead to cracked shells and subsequent death of the snails. This cleaning can be done on a 2 weeks interval basis especially when changing soil. Feeding time Snails exploring their pen

Urban agriculture : raising snails in your home.

Snail rearing is a very feasible urban agricultural project. The housing ,feeding and rearing is easy that you only require just some few minutes everyday to attend to them before you dash off to work.

 Snail rearing in urban areas is simple and any person can easily be trained to start the venture. Snail farming has the added advantage  that there is no environmental pollution from the waste and also no noise because the snails are quiet,nocturnal with no offensive smell.

 There are key facts to get before you can be successful in rearing,

 1) soil preparation.

 2) feeding

3) housing.

 4) general management.

Agriculture and Nollywood.

Agriculture is now the bride many suitors are after, basically because of dwindling resources and because of the go back to the farm campaign.  People never thought of agriculture as a profitable business but now various people from all walks of life are venturing into one or more aspects of agriculture. 

 There is the  necessity to go back to the farms to ensure food security and revamp the economy, there is even a national call to spur us all to the "Green Land".

 The government at both the federal and state level are wooing more people into the line of agriculture not only for sustenance, but also as a major growth tool for the economic growth. Agriculture is an all-comers affair now, so come on board. 

If our former president,Olusegun Obasanjo can go and learn the nitty-gritty to be able to set up his farms then 

The value of agriculture has also enchanted some celebrities ,especially from the silver screen(NollyWood) who are diversifying to invest in agriculture and agribusiness ventures. 

The latest entrant is Funke Adesiyan who recently dumped acting for politics and now is back in the spotlight an investor in agriculture. 

 The Ibadan-based actress has shared that her investment in Agriculture has started paying off and that she has been able to save enough money that will sustain her for the rest of her life through farming. The gorgeous actress who lives in a simple comfortable house, explained that her decision to venture into agriculture was a choice she had to make, either to buy a house or buy hectares of land for farming. She chose the latter, and invested in agriculture. 

This is how to start investing in Agriculture. This could be small, medium or large scale depending on your capacity but whatever your level, you can always start small and grow from there. 

Thinking of #agriculture #urban agriculture #agribusiness? See

AGRIBUSINESS: Snail housing.

AGRIBUSINESS: Snail housing. Snail farming as an urban agriculture is simple and easy to start and manage. The snails can be housed in wooden troughs, vats, wooden cages,plastics ,tyres and garden. The list of housing innovation is endless, so let your creative juices flow. AGRIBUSINESS: Snail housing. Take a look at this wooden pen; simple, easy and fits the front porch easily.The plastic is also so super easy to use. #urbanagriculture #snails #homebusiness #femalefarmer. See

How to make money from snail business: African women are turning snails into gold.

Snails are known as a delicacy in the U.S. and in some European countries, but they have long been a staple of the traditional diet in the African nation of Ghana. They're used in everything from soups to kebabs, and Ghanaians consume some 33 million pounds of snails per year, but demand far outweighs local supply. 

    How to make money from snail business.

Now a pair of scientists are teaching women how to raise snails as a renewable food source and as a source of economic independence. Environmental scientist Mildred Quaye and agricultural biotechnologist Dr. Lydia Quansah have been setting up women-run snail farms in rural areas of Ghana. Their project is funded by a grant from Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment. 

The Israeli university has also provided instructors and students to work on projects in Ghana and other sub-Saharan African nations for nearly six decades. 

 Heliculture is the science and occupation of raising snails for food, and the practice is quickly becoming popular for occupational training of African women. Snails are relatively easy to raise and feed on vegetables and fruits. They are also hermaphrodites, which means that both male and female snails reproduce. see more 

 

    How to make money from snail business.

 Snails are not difficult to raise and manage because they feed on kitchen leftovers and leafy greens from the field,While snails can live up to 10 years in their natural habitat, it only takes two to three months before young embryonic snails are ready for sale to the market. That means it’s only a short time before the farmers begin to see a return on their investment. more

How to make money from snail farming.

How to make money from snail farming.  Snails  are of various species  with some species peculiar to certain regions. 

The Achatina fulica is a species of large land snail that belong in the Achatinidae family. It is also known as one of the giant African snail or giant African land snail. The giant African snail is native to East Africa, and can be traced back to Kenya and Tanzania. 

 

 The Achatina fulica is well suited for the west African region as its rugged,adaptable and grows better than A. marginata.

                       How to make money from snail farming.

 The Achatina fulica mates once and can lay eggs continuously for 5 years. The snail lay up to 400 eggs in various clutches 2-3 times a year.The snails are good fluid savers,making maximum use of water provided. Snail rearing also referred to as heliculture is an agribusiness that has great potential,not only locally but internationally. 

 Snails can be reared in urban setting without any environmental hazard or pollution and most importantly its a lean startup venture,with little or minimal overhead and great profit margin.Snails can be reared in cheap boxes,old tyres,plastic bins,crates and any enclosure you can innovate as long as the snails are secured from pests and harsh environmental conditions.

                     How to start and make money from snail business.

The housing unit can be simple to complex depending on scale of production and level of production.

 Read about various housing options here Feeding snails are also relatively cheap, irrespective of level of production.The snails can thrive on common household waste or feed. They can be fed leaves,roots of certain plants and sometimes formulated ration to boost production. 

These are the common feed sources. Biosecurity and handling are so important when you are rearing snails. 

 

The sand in the snailery must be heat treated,before you put it in the snailery and the sand must be raked everyday to remove left over feed and also to turn the soil as this stimulates growth.Snail farming is a hidden goldmine,very few actually get it right and make money. 

 Changing of the soil at regular intervals is very important, calcium supplement is very essential for proper growth and regular supply is necessary. 

The wetting of soil is also important,to keep the house moist but not waterlogged 

This is how to start a business raising snails with 20,000 Naira and make profit in millions.

 Get mature snails @ 200 naira for 50 pieces.......10,500 naira.   

 Construction of wooden boxes or plastic boxes or plastic cages ........5,000 naira. 

 Feeding....................................4,000 naira. 

 miscellaneous./chalk....... .......... ..500 naira. 

 The production phase; 1 snail hatch about 400 eggs in a year,thus 50 snails .....20,000 eggs. 

 At 95% hatachability.......19,000 eggs.

 Assuming 5% mortality during rearing......, that's 19,000 eggs to maturity.

 The farmer can decide to sell hatchlings,  sell immature snails  or raise to maturity and cash in . Whatever the farmer decides he can make money on all 3 levels.

THE EXPORT POTENTIAL OF SNAIL SHELLS.

The rearing and processing has been highlighted in earlier posts. The new angle to story is the use of the snail shells as decorative pieces and art work that also command export potentials.

 The shells are used in creative artistic works that graced a number of art shops abroad,the unique designs on shells make them masterpiece material.

HOW TO EARN FOREX BY EXPORTING SNAILS.

Snails can be reared on small or large scale depending on cash at hand.
Snails are easy to rear and command a good price in the international market.

 The export potential is very phenomenal with a capacity to earn dollars.The health benefits are enormous and more and more people are swapping taste and preference and are adding snails to their diet. .

FACTORS AFFECTING GROWTH OF SNAILS.

Snails will grow when provided with proper environmental and nutritional conditions.The following factors affect growth of snails; these are 1) stress; sudden noise,vibration ,excessive light and excessive touching of snails are stressors that prevent normal growth. 2) overstocking; keeping too many snails per floor space,results in cannibalism , reduced growth and expected turn over. 3)feeding; snails can thrive on fruits,vegetables and compounded ration, but to get the desired growth the snails need to be placed on supplements to boost growth. 4)temperature;the higher the temperature the lower the growth.A temperature above 35 degrees will reduce growth rate of snails. 5) moisture content; the snailery must be moist to assist growth and reproduction,the lower the moisture content the slower the growth rate. All these factors are still centered on bio security protocols, if not ensured the snails will not grow at all and many will be riddled with disease and many more will die.

COMMON SIGNS OF DISEASE IN SNAILS.

Snails are easy to manage and are a good source of protein. The iron content makes it a good supplement for anemic patients.The snails are hardy and not easily predisposed to diseases except when management procedures are wrong. The signs of diseases are 1)inappetence 2) inactivity 3) dryness of the fleshy part 4) nodules on the surface. The predisposing factors are 1) high temperature in the snailery,temperature higher than 35degrees is detrimental to growth and health. 2)overstocking of snails, and stocking different ages together. 3)excessive amount of sunlight in snailery. 4)dryness of the snailery. 5)feeding moldy feed. 6)feeding contaminated feed, feed of low quality. 7) indiscriminate use of chemicals ,detergents and insecticides around snailery. 8) giving dirty water, or contaminated water. The best form of prevention is to ensure strict bio security protocol and provide better environmental conditions.

FEEDING SNAILS !!!

Feeding snails is easy ,but could be very complex if care is not taken and ants invade the snailery because of wrong feed or wrong feed presentation. Snails eat by rasping the feed by their radulla.The radulla are teeth -like,performing the function of teeth.Snails must be presented with finely grounded or succulent feed. The common snail feeds are fruits and leaves.They can also thrive on agricultural waste such as blood meal.Poultry feed finely grounded can also be provided,and water must be made available. The common feeds include;1) compounded broiler/layer/grower feed. 2) calcium sources for shell development are....oyster shells,chalk(grounded),limestone. 3)protein sources..blood meal,fish meal. 4)grounded maize,groundnut cake. 5) pawpaw,cocoyam,banana peels. 6)cooked potato or yam. 7)leaves of banana,cassava,potato. Water is provided in shallow dishes and must be cool and fresh. The feed must be fresh,finely grounded and have low fibre content.The temperature in the snailery must not be high to ensure snails are comfortable and feed properly.

HOW TO START RAISING SNAILS FOR PROFIT.

Snail farming also referred to as heliculture is a lucrative business with high export potential.Snails are small,hardy and easy to manage.They can be raised on small or large scale using various means of housing.The snail business is easy to set up, with simple management. Snail farming is not capital intensive and the feed are readily available and cheap. Snails are not a nuisance to the environment because there is no noise from the pens, and effluents are odorless. 

 The snail is divided into 3 parts; the shell, muscular foot and the visceral mass. The shell is the most visible part which makes up 30-40% of the whole body.The shell is a means of identifying various species, and it has ornamental values.The shell increases with body size,thus its also a means of determining the age of the snails. The muscular part also referred to as foot is the edible part, and makes up 45% of the body weight.Its also the means by which the snails move. The visceral mass houses the internal organs and the reproductive organs. The snails are hermaphrodites, but they still require another snail to lay eggs. 

 Snails can be housed in various enclosures depending on size of stock; old tyres with wire netting,drums,wooden cages, cemented high/low fenced pens or natural gardens .The housing must be intact with no openings for rodents,ants and mosquitoes.The housing must provide shade,to prevent heating up the snails resulting in death. Snails feed on greens,tubers and fruits. Snails can feed on leaves of pawpaw,cassava,fruits of mango,banana,orange.They can also be fed well ground broiler ration,chick mash or layer ration.

The feed must be balanced with adequate components of carbohydrate,fish meal and calcium supplements. Water is very important in snail diet and it must be readily available. The housing of the snail must be covered with loamy soil which must be kept moist to allow the snails to burrow and lay eggs.

The snails/ hatchlings that are to be the foundation stock must be carefully chosen, they should be of good weight (300-350g),with no cracks on shell and no nodules.The snails must be well stocked to prevent cannibalism,death and poor growth. 

 A stocking density of the snails should be 40-50 hatchlings/m2, 30- 40 growers/m2 and 12-15 adults/m2. The sexual maturity of the snail is 5-6 months, upon maturity they lay eggs in presence of other snails and the eggs are buried deep in the sand to protect them. The snails a clutch of 80-100 eggs .Snails can lay up to 300 eggs in a year.

The incubation period is about 18-30 days and the hatchlings come out of soil a day after hatching.If the soil is hard,the hatchlings will not be able to come out,hence wetting of the soil is important.

 HEALTH BENEFITS OF SNAILS. 1) It has low fat and cholesterol content. 2)It is rich in iron,thus recommended for anemic patients. 3)Its a good source of protein. 4)The meat is juicy and tender suitable for young and old.

BIO SECURITY IN THE SNAIL FARM.

Bio-security refers to sum total of protocols/practices embarked on in the farm that is aimed at keeping pest, pathogen-causing organisms away.The main purpose of bio security is to keep disease causing organisms away to ensure production of wholesome snails. 

 The first step in the bio security protocol will be to start with clean stock, procure new stock from reputable farmers. Buy snails that are clean,without cracks,nodules and pungent smell. 

The snails must be active and the foot must fill the shell. The new stock must be cleaned with water and cloth before introduction to house,snails of various ages from various stock should not be mixed and Snails from old batch must not be mixed with new stock. 

 The housing depending on the type require cleaning and wiping/raking and turning of the soil. The fittings of the house must be clean,doors,panels must be solid to prevent ant infestation.The housing must be fitted with wire netting and nets to prevent entry of pests,this must also be cleaned, and checked for any damage. 

 The sand in the snailery must be clean and insect free, the sand must be moistened with water to prevent drying out of the snails.The sand must be raked and turned to remove slime, food remnants and feces.

The surrounding of the house must be kept clean,regular washing of the drains and disinfecting of drains are important,the drains can also be lined with oil to prevent solider ants from entering the house. Rat baits are animal traps should be scattered around the compound to prevent access to rodents and other wild animals. 

 The feed and water must be stored properly to prevent contamination with feces or dirt..The water tanks and pipes must be cleaned and the water source sanitized .Clean water must be available to the snails at all times. Feed must be stored in air tight areas, and also prevent water from soaking the feed to prevent molds growing on the feed . 

 Feeding snails: if you want to give fresh vegetables,they must be clean and well chopped to allow the snails consume them easily and the remnant feed must be removed from the snailery. The snails must be examined at regular intervals, and any snail showing signs of illness must be removed from the house. Dead/sick snails must be removed from the house immediately. 

 Visitors to the snailery must be restricted, the visitors can view the snails from side bars without entering, in case of walk-in type full protective clothing must be put on with clean boots. Handling of snails by everyone must be discouraged, as rough handling may predispose to shell damage and possible death due to contamination. 

 The snailery must never have feed/ food with salt ,also use of soap inside the snailery is prohibited.

HOW TO REAR SNAILS.

 HOW TO REAR SNAILS. Snail farming also referred to as heliculture is a lucrative business with high export potential.Snails are small,hardy and easy to manage.

They can be raised on small or large scale using various means of housing.

The snail business is easy to set up, with simple management.. Snail farming is not capital intensive, does not require specialized equipment ,the feed are readily available and cheap.. 


Snails dont constitute a nuisance to the environment because there is on noise from the pens, and waste is odorless.

 The snail is divided into 3 parts; the shell, muscular foot and the visceral mass. The shell is the most visible part which makes up 30-40% of the whole body.

The shell is a means of identifying various species, and it has ornamental values.The shell increases with body size,thus its also a means of determining the age of the snails.

The muscular part also referred to as foot is the edible part, and makes up 45% of the body weight.Its also the means by which the snails move.

The visceral mass houses the internal organs and the reproductive organs. The snails are hermaphrodites, but they still require another snail to lay eggs. .


Snails can be housed using various enclosures depending on size of stock. Old tyres with wire netting,drums,wooden cages, cemented high/low fenced pens or natural gardens .The housing must be intact to prevent  openings for rodents,ants and mosquitoes.  The housing must provide shade,to prevent heating up the snails resulting in death.


 Snails feeds on greens,tubers and fruits. Snails can feed on leaves of pawpaw,cassava,fruits of mango,banana,orange. They can also be fed  with well ground broiler ration,chick mash or layer ration.

The feed must be balanced with adequate components of carbohydrate,fish meal and calcium supplements. Water is very important in snail diet and it must be readily available.

 The  floor of  the house of the snail must be covered with loamy soil which must be kept moist to allow the snails to burrow and lay eggs.

The snails/ hatchlings that are to be the foundation stock must be carefully chosen, they should be of good weight (300-350g),with no cracks on shell and no nodules.

The snails must be well stocked to prevent cannibalism,death and poor growth. A stocking density of the snails should be 40-50 hatchlings/m2, 30- 40 growers/m2 and 12-15 adults/m2.

 The sexual maturity of the snail is 5-6 months, upon maturity they lay eggs in presence of other snails and the eggs are buried deep in the sand to protect them. The snails lays about 80-100 eggs in clutches/batches.