CATDOLL : CATDOLL: What is the best way to raise snails?

1. I want to know what conditions are needed for snail farming?

1. Breeding environment The breeding room should be dark and humid. Snails like darkness, not that they do not need sunlight, but to avoid direct strong light. For example, they can be raised in buildings, bungalows, basements, air-raid shelters, etc. Each group occupies 1 square meter. 2. Customization of breeding boxes The breeding practice of snail farmers across the country has proved that a breeding box with a volume of 40*50*10cm can breed about 100 snails, and a group of snails (200) can have two such wooden boxes, or it can be customized according to actual conditions (wooden boxes are preferably made of odorless poplar, willow, and birch). Plastic basins, brick pools, etc. can also be used as substitutes. 3. Requirements for breeding soil It is better to use finer river sand for breeding snails. Young cattle can add vegetable garden soil rich in humus and loose and moist, but it must not contain pest eggs, and it must not be contaminated by harmful substances such as fertilizers and pesticides. 4. Temperature control: When the temperature is controlled above 12 degrees, mating and laying eggs are possible. 15℃～25℃ is the most suitable temperature for reproduction. When the temperature is 5 degrees below zero and above 32 degrees, the snails will enter a dormant state. Therefore, we must do everything possible to ensure that the indoor temperature is above 15 degrees, so that more eggs can be laid and economic benefits can be improved. Under suitable conditions, the snail can breed 3 to 5 times a year, and each breeder can produce more than 4 kilograms of commercial cattle per year. 5. Ensuring humidity is the core of management. The indoor air humidity should be controlled within the range of 70% to 85%. The breeding soil can be kneaded into a ball and will fall apart when touched (this is a sign of 30% to 40% humidity). The humidity of the breeding soil for breeding cattle can be 30%. 35% to 40% is best for commercial cattle. The thickness is generally 800 meters. 6. Feeding good feed is the guarantee of success. Snails are omnivorous animals. Green feed: such as cabbage, lettuce, sunflower leaves, melon leaves, bean leaves, tomatoes, eggplants, etc.; juicy feed: such as various melon peels, fruit tubers, cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, etc. Add some concentrated feed. Snails have a wide diet, but a small appetite. A group of snails eat only two large cabbage leaves a day. Feed the snails once every two days, and the commercial cattle are fed once a day. It is best to put the feed at dusk. 7. Breeding of snails Snails are hermaphroditic lower molluscs. When the breeding cattle are sexually mature, after cross-breeding, regardless of male or female, they all lay eggs. After the breeding cattle mate, they start to dig holes and lay eggs about 10 days later, and it takes 1 to 2 days to lay eggs. Collect the egg masses and put them in a half-bottle of wet sand for natural incubation. The hatching is completed in 12 to 15 days. 8. Management of Commercial Snails In the process of raising free-range snails, managing young and growing snails well is the key to success. ① Keep the breeding box clean and hygienic. ② Maintain a reasonable density to prevent crowding. 2,000 to 3,000 snails per square meter is appropriate, and the boxes should be divided in time as the snails grow. ③ Control the temperature and humidity. The temperature is generally controlled between 12℃ and 30℃, and the moisture content of the breeding soil is preferably 40%. ④ Pay attention to ventilation. [1]

2. What do you need to prepare to raise snails?

To raise snails, you need to prepare a site. The site should be close to the natural environment, with good air quality, fertile soil and no pollution. The best breeding grounds are farmlands and orchards. You need to know the temperature and humidity that are suitable for snail growth. The temperature should be kept at around 25 degrees, which can promote faster growth and development. The humidity should be around 40%, not too high or too low. You should also pay attention to the lighting. You should be able to adjust the light intensity well and install a dimming setting.

3. What kind of cage should be used to keep snails?

Generally, boxes are used for breeding. When choosing a box, you must choose a box with good light transmittance, because this will make it easier for us to better observe the growth of the snails. The specific size of the box should also be determined according to the number and size of the snails. Try to choose some larger boxes so that the snails have more space to move around. At the same time, leave a few small holes to keep the box ventilated. After choosing the box, we must spread some soil at the bottom of them. The soil must be fertile and soft.

4. How to feed snails? Are plastic boxes not suitable for them to live in?

This is very simple. Prepare a large square fish tank and cover it with 5-8 cm deep fine sand. Mix it with water, squeeze it with your hands, and gently spread it. Cover it with a layer of window screen or glass, but use a spray bottle to spray water every day to keep the tank moist. It should also be placed in a cool place. Snails can eat some leafy vegetables such as cabbage and lettuce in the tank. If you want your snails to grow well, it is best to cut the vegetables and mix them with cornmeal. Take your time and you will get better. I wish you success in raising snails.

5. What are the methods and techniques for breeding land snails?

1. Suitable environment. In the process of raising snails, mix leaf mold, peat soil and fine sand to prepare the soil, and place the breeding container in a cool and ventilated place, keep the temperature at around 23 degrees, and the air humidity at 60 to 70 percent. Pay attention to the snails raised in the open air, and take shading measures for them.

2. Feeding. Snails are omnivorous and partial eaters. During the breeding process, they can be fed with various vegetable leaves, fruit peels, wheat flour, white beans and other foods, and the types of food should be changed regularly. Do not feed a single food to avoid poor growth of snails. In addition, irritating foods should not be fed to snails.

3. Daily maintenance. When raising snails, you must ensure that the breeding environment is clean and sanitary to prevent bacteria from growing, which is not conducive to the growth and health of the snails. Usually, you should clean the box every three to four days to remove food residues, snail feces, etc. in the box. Note that leaves and branches need to be placed in the box to provide a place for the snails to crawl and play.

6. How to breed snails?

1. Living environment

First, you need to find a box, preferably a breathable sealed box, and put paper towels on the bottom of the box, preferably odorless paper towels, and then spray it with water, because snails need a humid environment, otherwise they will dry out. In addition, snails do not like sunlight, and the room temperature between 25 and 30 degrees is the most suitable environment for snails.

2. Food

Because snails are omnivores, they like to eat vegetable leaves and fruit slices, but they cannot contain salt because snails are afraid of salt. Generally speaking, you should feed snails three times a day. Before feeding, check whether the paper towel is clean. If it is dirty, you have to replace it with a new wet paper towel before feeding the snail.

3. Winter management

Hibernation can be ended under artificial temperature and humidity control. If the breeding conditions are not met, when the temperature drops to around 15℃, insulation treatment should be carried out according to local conditions. If it is moved indoors, the breeding soil should be thickened to 25 cm and cotton wool should be used for insulation.

Additional information:

Breeding points:

1. Temperature

16～40℃, 25℃ is the best, usually it can be higher but not lower. Heating must be done with ground dragon fire channel, and it should be prepared all year round, especially in late spring and early summer, to prevent sudden temperature drop, it is best to use heating if conditions permit, and do not use stove heating.

2. Humidity

The surface humidity of the breeding soil should be maintained at 25% ~ 35%, and the relative humidity of the air should be 85% ~ 90%. It can be wet but not dry. To control humidity and retain moisture, cover the top with plastic cloth.

3. To prevent dry wind and cold air from blowing in directly, the entrance should have double doors, hanging cloth and wind shield.

4. Resolutely control the entry of odorous gases into the breeding grounds.

5. The pH of the breeding soil must be controlled at 6.5-7.5. Do not use contaminated sandy soil that has been treated with pesticides or chemicals.

6. The breeding container must have good water permeability and air permeability.

7. How to choose and process the soil for snail breeding?

Snails, like other terrestrial mollusks, have the habit of living, laying eggs and hatching in the soil. They are also soil animals and like to eat humus and suck water in the soil, especially young snails. Therefore, when breeding snails artificially, the disinfection and laying thickness of the soil for snail breeding are particularly important.

Disinfection of breeding soil

(1) High temperature treatment

① Sunlight disinfection: Place the prepared breeding soil on a clean cement floor, wooden board, iron sheet or plastic film, spread a thin layer, and expose it to the sun for 3 to 15 days to kill a large number of pathogen spores, hyphae, pest eggs, pests, nematodes, etc.

②Steam sterilization: There are two methods: steam sterilization and sterilization cabinet sterilization.

Steaming sterilization: Put the breeding soil in the steamer and heat it to 60-100℃ for 30-60 minutes.

Disinfection in a disinfection cabinet: Convert a large gasoline barrel or box with a lid into a steam disinfection cabinet, insert a pipe through its wall, and connect it to a steam furnace (heating boiler, etc.). Then put the breeding soil into the cabinet (barrel), open the air inlet valve, and let the steam enter the gap between the soil layers (be careful not to seal the lid too tightly to prevent explosion). After 30 minutes, most bacteria, fungi, nematodes and insects can be killed, and most weed seeds can lose their vitality.

③Boiling disinfection: Pour the breeding soil into the pot, add water and boil for 30 to 60 minutes, then filter out the water and let it dry until the temperature reaches a suitable level.

④Boiling water disinfection: Pour the breeding soil into an iron bucket, fill it with 100℃ boiling water until the soil is submerged, then cover and seal it overnight to kill ants, centipedes, eggs of miscellaneous insects, germs in the soil, and destroy residual pesticides. The next day, pour out the soil in the bucket, filter the water, crush it, dry it, and place it in the breeding box or pool.

⑤ Fire burning (frying) disinfection: Put the breeding soil in an iron pot or iron plate and burn it with fire. After the soil particles become dry, burn it for another 0.5 to 2 hours. This can completely kill the bacteria and pests in the soil.

(2) Chemical treatment

①Formaldehyde (Formalin): There are 3 treatment methods.

Treatment 1: Sprinkle 40% formaldehyde (400-500 ml) diluted with 50 times water evenly on each square meter of the breeding soil, then pile up the soil, cover with plastic film, and seal for 24-48 hours. Remove the covering, spread the soil, and wait until the formaldehyde gas is completely volatilized.

Treatment 2: Spray the breeding soil with 0.5% formaldehyde, mix well and pile it up, seal it with plastic film for 5 to 7 days, then peel off the film to allow the smell of the medicine to evaporate.

Treatment 3: Sand and gravel breeding soil can be directly soaked in 50-100 times formaldehyde solution for 2-4 hours. After draining the liquid, rinse it with clean water 2-3 times.

②Sulfur powder: There are 2 processing methods.

Treatment 1: Apply 80-90 grams of sulfur powder per square meter of breeding soil and mix well.

Treatment 2: Sprinkle 25-30 grams per square meter on the plowed land and turn the land to kill the bacteria.

③ Lime powder: Use lime powder to disinfect the breeding soil, which can kill insects and sterilize, and also neutralize the acidity of the soil. There are two treatment methods.

Treatment 1: Apply 90-120 grams of lime powder per square meter of breeding soil and mix thoroughly.

Treatment 2: Sprinkle lime powder at a dosage of 30 to 40 grams per square meter on the plowed land for disinfection.

④ Carbendazim: Apply 40g of 50% carbendazim powder per square meter of breeding soil, mix well and cover with film for 2 to 3 days. After removing the film, wait for the smell of the medicine to evaporate.

⑤ Mancozeb: Apply 60g of 65% Mancozeb powder per square meter of breeding soil, mix well and cover with plastic film for 2 to 3 days. After removing the film, wait for the smell of the medicine to evaporate.

⑥ Chloropicrin: stack the breeding soil or substrate layer by layer, 20 to 30 cm per layer, evenly spread 50 ml of chloropicrin per square meter per layer, and stack up to 3 to 4 layers. After quickly stacking, cover with plastic film and seal. Keep it for 10 days when the temperature is above 20℃, and keep it for 15 days when the temperature is above 15℃, then remove the film and turn it over several times to fully disperse the chloropicrin.

⑦N-methylnaphthalene and methylamine mixture: Apply 5% N-methylnaphthalene and methylamine, 6% snail ester, 5% diazinon and 3% marathon mixture to the breeding soil and mix well. It can kill ants, centipedes, ground beetles, burying beetles and mold in the soil.

⑧Phoxim: When underground pests in the soil of the snail breeding area are seriously harmful, you can use 0.1 kg of 50% phoxim and add 10 kg of bait to make poison bait, and spread it on the breeding ground to lure and kill the snails.

⑨ Trichlorfon: When underground pests in the soil of the snail breeding area are seriously harmful, you can use 0.5 kg of 90% trichlorfon crystals and add 50 kg of bait to make poison bait, and spread it on the breeding ground to lure and kill the snails.

⑩Others: Lime chloride, methyl bromide, benomyl, etc. can also be used for soil disinfection.

Note: Wear a mask and gloves when performing drug disinfection to prevent the drug from being inhaled into the mouth and contacting the skin. Rinse your mouth after work and wash your hands and face carefully with soap.

(3) Equipment processing

① Microwave disinfection machine: Use a microwave disinfection machine consisting of a 30-kilowatt high-wave radiation device and a microwave radiation plate to disinfect the breeding soil.

② Flame soil disinfection machine: This machine uses gasoline as fuel to heat the soil, which can make the soil temperature reach 79-87°C, which can kill various pathogenic microorganisms and pests.