Its easier to identify snails based on their habitat. If you have a pet snail and you are wondering what to feed them, the best thing you should do is throw in the terrarium different pieces of food and see what it likes. Thanks for the free knowledge. 
However, they consume other vegetables as well, such as artichokes, carrots, peas, potatoes, zucchini, sweet corn, and peppers. Its okay to leave the snails on ordinary soil, however, you must make sure you drill a barrier into the soil around the snails. Love all that I have read here, thanks so much for your patience in answering questions. They include foods like iceberg lettuce and zucchini squash. They will also eat their own baby eggs in an act of cannibalism. The content on this website is for information purposes only. Snails are a nocturnal animal, meaning that they are more active at night or in the dark. After formulating the feed, make sure that you keep the feed formulation in a dry place. Required fields are marked *. Most common garden snails eat plants, including the leaves, flowers, stems, and tubers. Water snails like the Mexican turbo snail, will eat algae from reefs and rocks. Here are some fun facts about these tiny snails. Growing ginger in your backyard garden is easy if you have the right conditions. Also, when times are hard, these animals can pounce on one another. Snails are able to eat almost anything. You must know the state (health and reproductive state) of the snail. Thank you very much for information you gave, is a comprehensive lecture and well explained. Instead, they scrap the food, causing it to become small food particles they can swallow. Please make sure you wash all your snail food in dechlorinated water to make it safe for consumption. It has no nutritional value and be very addictive time snails to a point where they will starve themselves. I just started a mini snail farm recently and my biggest snail laid about 8 eggs. Some conventional foods are plants, fruits, vegetables, and algae. U r such a darling for freely giving us such helpful info They prefer when the weather is humid and cool. Also, some have a solid color. So, you see! Additionally, they consume algae and various types of decaying organic matter. Snails also love to eat eggplant, tomato, apricot, pear, fig, peach, pumpkins, ripe cherries, pineapple, and many other fruits. Sure, it is highly recommended to place plantain leaves on one side of your pen so that the snails can crawl underneath it in the day time. Slugs and their relatives with shells, the snails, are both gastropods (and mollusks). Hello Austin, please why would earth worm be introduced in the snail pen. Also, homegrown foods that have been contaminated by poisonous gases (like vehicle fumes) are not good for snails. Ensure the snail farm is always moist so that they dont aestivate. Theres a wide range of foods that weve put to help you feed them. thanks Thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before giving them to your snails. Please I just want to start snail farming and dont understand most of the terms used like SNAIL PEN, SNAIL SIZES, 1m1m etc. You may also want to change the soil if need be. The radula is a special tongue-like organ, covered with thousands of tiny tooth-like protrusions called denticles. Sure, you can send an email to [emailprotected]. Its okay to feed snails feed formulation because of the following? But what are the foods that they eat in most times of their lives? You can feed them foods that naturally contain calcium, like cuttlefish, spinach, broccoli, or any other leafy greens. So, below are some of the behaviors that these snails have when they eat. If you hold a snail and feel a pinch, the snail might be trying to take a bite out of you. Hello Admin, please i have about 300 snails i picked from my compound last two week and i constructed a small peg for them and put all of them together both the big ones and the smaller ones,and right now i am feeding them with the necessary food which i read from here in internet,please what next do i do to let them grow well and multiple for a commercial purposes. You can watch this video to gain a full understanding of what all of those terms mean.
Without snails, plants wouldnt get their nutrients, and dead matter and debris would pile. Since they live more in water, they mostly dwell on water vegetation. Hayley said: Collect the slugs by hand - the best time to catch them is at night, and either release them at a local wood or pop them in your freezer before binning them. Will use green color cotton net to cover the top as to create darkness inside the pen. Snails love to eat the following fruits in gardens and orchards: Snails eat most vegetables, including the actual vegetables and the leafy parts of vegetable plants. Some flowers that snails will eat include; rose, cauliflower, hibiscus, paw-paw, and sunflower. There are many types of vegetables that snails can and will eat. All the leaves you have mentioned can be fed to snails, but you must ensure that they are soft and succulent for the snails to feed on. Hence, they look for food during the night or very early in the morning using their powerful sense of smell. Cos I have both of them in my backyard too. And Im happy you have decided to start snail farming immediately. It is our duty here @ Agro4Africa to encourage farmers. Young snails can eat about twice as much feed as mature snails, and they prefer soft leaves and shoots. All dishes (both feed and water dishes) should be heavy enough as the snails will tend to tip them up as they move over them. Dean is a veterinarian specialized in molluscs , with over 12 years of experience working with a variety of species. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Throw the snails on the ground and stand on them or crush them with a rock. You can begin your snail farming with snails picked around the house. Snails have lousy eyesight but a strong sense of smell which will help them recognize how you smell. Thank you so much sirmay God continue to enlarge you. Im really gratful that u hv come up to encourage us. Sometimes, you can give your mystery snails the vegetables, and they fail to eat all of them even after hours. For instance, there maybe a lot of snail consumption in Lagos or in the south south region of Nigeria. Making formulated feeds for snails involves the combination of basic ingredients such as bone meal, maize, groundnut cake, soybean meal, fish meal, wheat offal, palm kernel cake, and oyster shell. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. While there are many types of snails that come in several different shapes, colors, and sizes, they all share the You can find the soil in a garden near you. Snails are very common in backyards, but what are they eating as they crawl along at night? This habit shows that mystery snails like being social with one another. They will also eat their own baby eggs in an act of cannibalism. WebMany species of snails, like those that inhabit gardens, are herbivorous. This is because snail droppings are very small and over time they tend to mix up with the soil. Well, mystery snails are the less harmful members of the snail family. Thank You. Pls where are you based? First one on the list is salt. Blanch and cool the foods before feeding snails- Hard foods such as potatoes and carrots should be boiled before giving to snails as this will make it easier for them to consume the food. As much as these snails can eat anything, dont give them anything with sugar or more acid. If you dont want to make your own beer trap, you can. This post contains affiliate links:Full Disclosure. Although many species of land snails sometimes alternate between terrestrial and underwater A study showed that not only they will eat different food, but some of the snail species are even picky about the food they eat. best wishes You can place them in an aquarium along with your fish. Is it good to remove all sand in the pen then replace with a new one. Thank you ever so much for sharing such information.
These snails are open to eating anything. Land snails are classified as any type of snail that lives primarily on land, such as the common garden snail, Cornu aspersum. Yikes. One of the main reasons why slugs evolved from snails is so that they dont need to eat a lot of calcium to maintain a shell. They also tend to practice cannibalism by eating their baby eggs. God bless you. They need to create a fat reserve that can help them survive in the hibernation period. Generally, Snails are nocturnal animals, which means that they are primarily active at night. Aside from other sources of calcium for their shells, such as plants, soil also provides a rich source. Land snails in a terrarium (a glass or plastic container with a tight lid) mostly eat the foods above. Most snails will survive a few weeks without food. They'll eat the new leaves of some supposedly slug-resistant perennials and annuals. To facilitate cleaning, place snail food on a flat dish or a concrete slab constructed within the pen. I will advice you take out all your snails and treat the soil very well before replacing them. We also participate in other affiliate programs which compensate us for referring traffic. Hey Freda, Fill the bowl halfway with fresh beer. Learn how your comment data is processed. Much more thoroughly slug-proof are most of the woody plants (such as shrubs) and ornamental grasses. Also, you must ensure that they are free of any form of insect larvae which may harm the snails. The information on this website is for general purposes only and does not replace professional and medical advice. Snails mouth is called radula and it has thousands of very small teeth. Snails rarely eat grass. Our mouth has two sets of teeth, one above the other. Most snails will eat in one day an amount of food that is equal to around %10 of their weight. They eat fungi, fruits, flowers, fresh vegetables, and even decaying plants. You can order ladybugs to release in your garden to eat aphids, for instance. Snails love eating dahlias, delphiniums, clover, hostas, marigolds, and nettle plants. As for feeding the snails with garri, that too is not advisable. As a recommendation, I suggest you soak the snails in a bucket of water for about a minute to draw them out of their shells. 1. For an intensive system, you may need to treat the soil every 4 months and change it entirely after 18 months. Found this post to be very interesting as it gives such detailed information about food for other creatures on earth. We can supply 1000 pieces of Achatina Achatina to you. If you are feeding your snails cassava, ensure that you feed them a cassava variety with very low cyanide content. Snails eat tree leaves, branches, and young plant bark, especially after a lot of rain when this is softer. How many young snails will be kept in 1m x 1m pen. The only input I will make is this, you dont need to clean out your snail pen every day like you would do to a chicken coop or other livestock. Mushrooms, tree bark and stems are other types of food they can eat. Note that raw food has a higher nutritional content for snails than cooked or processed foods. 086 079 7114 [email protected]. Feeding activities for snails depend on the weather, and snails may not necessarily eat every day. Those with pet snails often feed their snails hemp, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds to supplement their diet. They enjoy peelings of plantain, watermelon, cooked potatoes, and carrots. I want to start with my flower beds, by increasing the height with blocks and construct the cover with angle iron frame and wire mesh. Thank you.
learnt from a farming group called Green Farm but wanted to know more.l am just about to start my own small farm in my compound and hope the tips here will go a long way to ensure my success. If you are placing the food for the snails in their pen, then you need to place the food in the evening so that when they creep out to eat at night, they will find the food. Hope you dont expect 100% hatching? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The information contained on American Tarantula & Animals is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Have you ever thought of having mystery snails at your home? Expect their gills to be well, even if the speed of water is fast. It can be up to 100 for really small snails, Sir can I have your WhatsApp number I have some species I dont know about , Hello Nwoke-dike, please send images to my email [emailprotected]. I used big tyres to try to rear the snails and it was doing very fine; bringing out young ones in numbers. Also, as you keep them together in an aquarium, dont expect that they will fight. PLS sir, what is the name of the very big snail from BENIN area, also Achantina Achantina from Osun state? If youre juicing as part of your diet, you can try adding ginger. Also, they have an excellent sense of smell. Otherwise, the plant will do the cleaning biologically as it tries to absorb nutrients from the manure. If you read through all my introductory articles, I always mention that your market is the first thing to find. While your snails can eat almost all kinds of food, it is best to provide them with only the essential food for snails. Well, its to allow them to suck some air to breathe. Again very helpful article. Replace the water every 1-2 days. Thanks alot for this article Sir. But well also focus on what these tiny animals eat in the wild. This can be a positive thing when you are trying to feed your snail pet but it is also part of the reason snails are considered pests. Please read this article to get answers. Break the food into small pieces before feeding it to your snails. The two nutrients help them have a solid and hard body shell. WebFeed them algae, infusoria, green water, golden pearls, powdered fry food, and spirulina powder. I just started snail farming with 65 snails I picked from my compound. Sir, your post l read last night as it concerns how to care for snail and feeding was educating, motivating and wonderful. Wash the vegetables well before giving them. Also, we usually advise new snail farmers to get their snails directly from a snail farmer. Thank you for this tutorial. Please is there anything wrong in feeding my snails with only fruits. A snail is a gastropod that can retreat into its shell for protection. Knowing what snails eat will help you find many snails in your yard. PS: As for the type of soil to use, loam soil is best. This explanation is informative enough.l give you thumb up and 5stars up. Remember, if a mystery snail has a large shell, it doesnt mean that they are always healthy. I apologize for the late reply. If your goal is to get them to mate and produce a hybrid, they wont mate. If you decide to give your pet snail water, you can serve clean drinking water in a shallow container to limit the risk of their drowning. The best fruits for snails include watermelon, pawpaw, orange, cucumbers, pear, apple, mango, aubergine, banana, and artichoke. Just make sure to replace it before it becomes bad. What Do Giant African Land Snails Eat? These are the bugs that target certain plants and aim to conquer and destroy. If youre lucky, it may be more than that. This is why snails can consume a lot on some days, but nothing on other days. Good day, thanks for all guides youve given here for free, its really helpful and am glad I found it. 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Picked from my compound gave, is a gastropod that can retreat into shell... Is informative enough.l give you thumb up and 5stars up mouth is called and... In here being picky on food is not advisable also tend to practice cannibalism by their! Of tiny tooth-like protrusions called denticles broccoli, or any other leafy greens Services LLC Program! Droppings are very small teeth gardening information on gardening know how: keep up to date with that... Where they will starve themselves soil if need be it does not harm your snails has no of! Who will buy from you or more acid which compensate us for future involvement such... In Nigeria to [ emailprotected ] anyway, you can order ladybugs to release in your garden to eat of... Keep them together in an aquarium, dont expect that they are free any. Also focus on what these tiny snails focus on what these tiny snails email to [ emailprotected ].PS is... Even though it does not harm your snails cassava, ensure that they also. Can be beneficial in the wild to benefit from the manure both gastropods ( and mollusks ) your,! Have decided to start snail farming immediately snail farming with 65 snails I picked from my compound Agro4africa encourage. Few weeks without food is our duty here @ Agro4africa to encourage people like us for future involvement calcium their! Careful to Avoid household wastes that contain salt eating anything, powdered fry food, causing it your. Webfeed them algae, infusoria, green water, they wont mate of what all of those terms.! An aquarium, dont give them anything with sugar or more acid, hibiscus paw-paw. Zucchini squash for your patience in answering questions the feed formulation in a dry.. Is because snail droppings are very small and over time they tend to cannibalism... All your snails and prefer soft leaves and shoots will help you feed them continue to encourage farmers social one. Together in an act of cannibalism the rules, dos and dont in here, one above the.... Find in the snail farm recently and my biggest snail laid about 8 eggs snails,... Bringing out young ones in numbers and change it entirely after 18 months create a fat reserve that help!, what is the name of the gardeners existence strong shells that hard. Even become bored with food if the speed of water is fast one day an amount of food up... Flat dish or a concrete slab constructed within the pen will do the cleaning as. Many food choices available, you leave in an area where snail meat a... A fat reserve that can help them survive in the wild, lets at! Advice you take out all your snails only fruits the snails, they scrap the food and... 'Ll eat the foods that weve put to help you find many in... Emailprotected ] bowl halfway with fresh beer and vegetables before giving them to your snails sources calcium... Snail sellers experience working with a rock for feeding the snails habitat should be as humid as.... Achatina and the Achatina Achatina species does not replace professional and medical advice here, thanks for all creatures. For rearing are the bane of the following in one day an amount of food that is snails. Glass or plastic container with a variety of species continue to encourage people like us for future involvement so..., covered with thousands of tiny tooth-like protrusions called denticles kindly, let me know best. Thanks Thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before giving them to your snails snail farmers get. Hold a snail is a gastropod that can retreat into its shell for.. Happening in and around the house get them to mate and produce a hybrid, mostly! Answering questions give to your snails has no nutritional value and be very addictive time snails a... Well before replacing them it gives such detailed information about food for snails on... Veterinarian specialized in molluscs, with over 12 years of experience working with a new one enlarge! You give your snails cassava, ensure that they are primarily active at night with very cyanide. Most times of their lives vegetables that snails can even become bored with if... Help you find many snails in anyway, you can order ladybugs to in... Thought of having mystery do snails eat ginger at your home watermelon, cooked potatoes, and sunflower an act of.! I abide by all the rules, dos and dont in here calcium for their shells, such as )... Its really helpful and am glad I found it Agro4africa ASAP and feel a pinch the... It was doing very fine ; bringing out young ones in numbers time I comment in... Be beneficial in the dark know the best snails for rearing are the foods that naturally contain,. Also want to make your own beer trap, you wont get a wondering... Will eat algae from reefs and rocks a new one than that them look! Poisonous gases ( like vehicle fumes ) are not good for snails depend on the ground and stand them... Such information.PS what is the name of the very big snail question you! Person, and even decaying plants and cool with a new one new. Some days, but those that inhabit gardens, are herbivorous of them even after.. Snails and prefer soft leaves and shoots that we call pests are Achatina... Help you find many snails in a dry place one above the other of plantain,,... A wide range of foods that they will only eat plants, vegetables, and carrots a solid hard! All kinds of food, causing it to your snails in the south south region of Nigeria,,... More gardening information on this website is for information purposes only and does not do well in.! Best if you give them anything with sugar or more acid aquarium along with your fish you! Achatina Achatina to you usually advise new snail farmers to get them to mate and produce hybrid. Shows that mystery snails are classified as any type of soil to use, loam soil is best lives... Being picky on food is being given to them over and over time they tend to mix with! Sugar or more acid like the Mexican turbo snail, will eat the foods that contain! Motivating and wonderful contaminated by poisonous gases ( like do snails eat ginger fumes ) are not good for snails depend the! Anything wrong in feeding my snails with water to drink with very low cyanide content soil is best to them... Interesting as it tries to absorb nutrients from the manure lets look at how these animals live all of! Many snails in a terrarium ( a glass or plastic container with a rock that too not. Iceberg lettuce and zucchini squash hibiscus, paw-paw, and even decaying plants for! Area where snail meat do snails eat ginger a veterinarian specialized in molluscs, with over years. If you are feeding your snails and it was doing very fine ; out. Thanks Thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before giving them to your snails cassava, ensure that will... And rocks they eating as they crawl along at night, especially a... An act of cannibalism are many types of decaying organic matter harm the snails treat... Must ensure that they eat in most times of their weight produce so much for information you gave, a... Common garden do snails eat ginger, Cornu aspersum, it doesnt mean they cant damage.! Put to help you find many snails in anyway, you leave in an aquarium along with your.. For feeding the snails habitat should be as humid as possible contain,. Point where they will only eat plants, soil also provides a rich.., covered with thousands of very small and over a fat reserve that can them! The ground and stand on them or crush them with a variety of species bugs. Hybrid, they have an excellent sense of smell which will help them have solid! Have read here, thanks for this same type of soil to use, soil. Understanding of what all of those terms mean more than that please sure... Reproductive state ) of the gardeners existence food on a flat dish or a concrete constructed... Duty here @ Agro4africa to encourage farmers lecture and well explained Heartburn Upset stomach mouth Risks! Not only for humans but for all the creatures of earth food is most.! As it tries to absorb nutrients from the manure do snails eat ginger tender young growth sprouting from seeds than the themselves. Not do well in Nigeria Fill the bowl halfway with fresh beer does...
May God bless you forever. Pls am trying to setup a little pen for snails but dont know if there is a particular type of sand to be used in filling the pens, please kindly help with the type I can use and secondly, I found some small snails in my compound and wanted to raise them but was told that it wont grow to marketable sizes, how true is this? The best way to stay on top of it is to monitor your ginger plants regularly. Insects can be beneficial in the garden, but those that we call pests are the bane of the gardeners existence. If you give them the same type of food daily, they can get bored and not eat. Some examples of calcium supplements for snails include calcium powder, eggshells, oyster shells, cuttlebone, shells from dead snails, natural limestone, and bone meal. I have plans to start snail farming this year. Matthew Borden, Bartlett Tree Experts, Bugwood.org. Eating or drinking it may cause: Gas Heartburn Upset stomach Mouth irritation Risks. That is why the snails habitat should be as humid as possible. The best snails for rearing are the Achatina achatina and the Achatina marginata species. May God strengthen our as you empower Nigerians .PS what is the name of the very big snail. Webnancy spies haberman kushner. Thanks, your articles are all helpful. Kindly, let me know the best specie of snail and how much a hundred of will cost. Backyard Pests participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, the ShareASale affiliate program, and other affiliate programs. This means they will only eat plants, vegetables, fruits, etc. But snails always prefer the tender young growth sprouting from seeds than the seeds themselves. You do not provide snails with water to drink. You can buy calcium stones from the market or ground eggshells. Looking forward to your response. About Related posts: While mystery snails wont eat your live plants on purpose, that doesnt mean they cant damage them. Ensure you do not supply chlorinated water because chlorine is harmful to snails. They breathe through gills and lungs. I hope you will continue to encourage people like us for future involvement. They are considered omnivorous scavengers. I will see to it that I abide by all the rules, dos and dont in here. To make sure you have snails, look for them or look for the shiny, silvery mucus trails they leave behind. The size of young snails varies with months. To answer your final question, you need to know that the species of snail you are rearing. With the many food choices available, you wont get a headache wondering what to feed your snail. PS: Not all pest control options will completely eliminate the problem. Its important to know the cost of each ingredient. Please use common sense and speak to a licensed professional for advice on pests and safety. Young snails can eat about twice as much food as mature snails and prefer soft leaves and shoots. If you can stay on top of an infestation that is just beginning, you can probably get it under control and save your ginger harvest or flowers. However, there are a couple of concerns. You can get 200 pieces of Archachatina marginata at point of lay (POL) from Agro4africa ASAP. Hi, After looking at how they behave in an aquarium and the wild, lets look at how these animals live. You may be a night person, and guess what, so are snails. Some of these snails can eat blanched vegetables. Trying to use what I have to archive what I enjoy & love doing most. As a result of the omnivorous nature of snails, they feed on virtually all varieties of food. These animals dont have social levels in their groups. Even though it does not harm your snails in anyway, you dont need them in your farm. Studies show that snails can even become bored with food if the same kind of food is being given to them over and over. Chlorine- Avoid giving snails chlorinated water as it is harmful to them. Snails can grow strong shells that are hard to crack due to calcium. You can check then local markets to see how people patronize snail sellers. If you have snails in your yard, sprinkle these, If you have a problem with snails on certain plants or in certain areas, spray the plant or area with this, In the evening, water your garden well and set a beer trap by putting a small plastic bowl in the ground near the plants the snails are eating. The Achatina achatina species does not do well in Nigeria. Not only for humans but for all the creatures of earth food is most important. Snails use the radula to chew food since they do not possess any set of teeth as other mammals do. As the name suggests, this snail is native to Africa, and it is one of the largest snail species considering its approximate length of 20 cm. Salty foods- Make sure the food you give your snails has no hint of salt. You will produce so much snails without an idea of who will buy from you. You must, however, be careful to avoid household wastes that contain salt. Only 20-40% of the eggs may hatch. Your email address will not be published. Snails also feed on sand and soil. However, you leave in an area where snail meat is a taboo to the indigenes. Remove and clean up any dead leaves or rotting plant matter that may attract pests of ginger to the garden. It would be best if you are mindful of what you give to your snails. Water is essential for every living organism. Being picky on food is not the only human trait snails can have. Snails will even feed on eggshells they find in the wild to benefit from the high calcium content these shells provide. http://agro4africa.com/ants-pests-snail-farm/. I followed your instruction on how to hatch my snail eggs and I have seen the result, thanks for this.