Fast Facts about Snails

FAST FACTS ON LAND SNAILS.( 4)

1.    Snail Farming is the act of raising Snails.

2.    Snails are shell bearing animals.

3.    Snails are nocturnal animals.

4.    Snails are sensitive to vibration, frequent touching and dirty environment.

5.    Snails can be raised indoor or outdoor.

6.    Edible land snails enjoy cool environment.

7.    Snails hibernate during the dry season.

8.    99% of snail activities occur in the night.

9.    The protein content of snail is between 16 – 18%.(FAO).

10. FAO recommends 65grams of snails to be taken daily.

11. Snail meat contains very little cholesterol or fat..

12. Snail meat contains 9 of all the essential 10 amino-acids for the human body.

13. In Europe, snail meat is called escargot.

14. Snail meat has both local and export potentials.

15. Snails are quiet animals and easy to raise.

16. The snail shell is one third of the total weight of snail.

17. Snail growth is measured by shell size.

18. The shell  sometimes indicates the age and maturity of the snail.

19.  Shell growth is influenced by food type and calcium availability.

20. Low calcium intake reduces snail growth and causes the shell to be thinner.

21. Edible land snails range in size from one millimetre to 312mm(1foot).

22. GALS means Giant African Land Snails, these are snails native of Africa

23. The shell of a matured GALS has 5-6 whorls.

24. Life span of snail is 2-5years,

25. The body of the snail is divided into the head, foot and the visceral mass.

26. Snails produce slime to keep their bodies moist and also assist with locomotion.

27. The speed movement of snail is between 10cm – 15cm per minute.

28. Snails are hermaphrodite i.e have both male and female reproductive organs.

29. Snails mate with snail of the same species in other to lay fertilized eggs.

30. The best temperature for hatching eggs is between 310C– 320C.

31. Sexual maturity in snails take between 8 -16months depending on weather and availability of calcium.

32. Hatchability of eggs also depends on soil temperature, soil humidity and soil composition.

33. The size of GALS egg is between 2 mm- 5mm.

34. Snails do well on slightly alkaline soil with P.H range of 7.5 – 8.5.

35. The first food of the newly hatched snail is their own egg shell.

36. Newly hatched snails are sensitive to extreme heat.

37. Newly hatched snail is about 4mm long.

38. Young snails enjoy soft vegetables like lettuce.

39.  GALS eat about 500 different types of plants.

40. Snails eat vegetables and fruits.

41. Snails drink fresh water.

42. Snails also enjoy fresh Beer. So give them once a while.

43. Snails grow faster when you supplement their food with formulated feeds.

44. Snails also eat some food crops, grains and tubers.

45. Snails eat boiled meat and snail meat.

46. Salt and salty foods.

47. Snail greatest enemy is Sun.

48. Other enemies of snail are snake, soldier ants, lizard, rats, house flies and Termites.

49. There is no organised market for snail in Nigeria, snail are usually sold per dozen.

50. African Giant Snails is getting expensive daily

51. Snails are usually cheaper during raining season.

52. A snail farmer makes more money if he/she decides to sell during the dry season.

53. The export unit price for snail is between  4-6 dollars and 2 – 4 pounds.

54.  Helix species of snails are grown in most European countries.

55. The two common species grown are Helix aspersa and Helix pomatia.

56. The Giant African Land Snail at maturity is about 6 times bigger than the helix species.

57. The world annual demand for snails is above 400,000tonnes.

58. France is the world largest consumer of snails.

59.  In 2003, Ghana exported 600kg of Helix aspersa to U.S.A.

60. Snail sellers in Nigeria on the average makes between N200,000 - N300000 monthly depending on the season.