THE VARIED ROLES OF SNAILS - National Universities Commission

flakes or maize chaffs and mostly glabrous vegetables (e.g.
Okra leaves, yam leaves and cassava leaves). The foods
should remain in the cage for a reasonable length of time
without rotting or casing smell. Rabbit pullets and layer
mash are excellent foods. Foods should be abundant and
available water should be copiously supplied. Locally
snails can be fed with ripe fruits (paw paw, pears, banana
etc) soft leaves (waterleaf, cabbage, green, paw paw
leaves). They also can be fed scrape food like corn fufu,
rice, cocoyams. Providing the snails a mixture of foods
rather than one or two items, will enhance growth.
Snails do not need salt and so the foods supplied then
should be without salt. It is advisable to feed snails every
day and to remove old foods.
FARM MANAGEMENT
The following are some of the daily activities in snail
pens.
Cleaning of feeders and drinkers
Keeping pens clean
Picking up and throwing away dead
Picking of eggs
Picking out snails with cracked shells
Keeping records
Checking the pens for any holes.
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