How to raise the Mediterranean snail? Notes on the artificial breeding of the world's four famous snails

The Mediterranean snail has a high egg-laying rate, a high reproduction rate and a short production cycle, and its place of origin is western France and Algeria. The Mediterranean snail is a rare species among edible snails and is listed as one of the world's four famous snails; the main producing countries are France and the United Kingdom, and China is the third largest producer of Mediterranean snails. So how do you raise the Mediterranean snail? What should be noted in artificial breeding?

1. What are the characteristics of the Mediterranean snail?

1. High reproduction rate: Under artificial rearing conditions, the Mediterranean snail can lay eggs 3 to 5 times a year, with some reaching more than 6 times; each time it lays 70 to 200 eggs, with some reaching more than 300 eggs, and the hatching rate is above 98%. Each breeding snail can produce more than 2 kg of market snails per year.

2. Short production cycle: The Mediterranean snail grows quickly; the juvenile stage lasts one month, the growth stage lasts two months, and at three months it reaches about 10 grams, meeting the standard for sale.

3. Strong adaptability: The Mediterranean snail can grow normally at temperatures of 12°C to 30°C, and the rearing soil only needs to reach a moisture level of about 30%; it can reproduce normally above 14 degrees, and has no stress reaction during long-distance transport. It has low demands on the rearing soil, has fewer diseases, tolerates coarse feed and is easy to manage.

4. Low rearing cost: The Mediterranean snail's food is quite varied; the roots, stems and leaves of various green vegetables and leftovers are all good feed for it. One snail consumes 0.5 grams of feed per day, and is fed once every two days.

2. How do you raise the Mediterranean snail?

1. Rearing environment

The rearing room should be dark and damp. Snails like darkness; it is not that they do not need sunlight, but that direct strong light should be avoided. For example, buildings, single-story houses, basements and air-raid shelters can all be used for rearing. Each group occupies 1 sq m.

2. Custom-making the rearing box

From the rearing practice of snail farmers across the country, it has been proven that a rearing box of 40*50*10 cm can raise about 100 breeding snails, and one group of breeding snails (200 snails) only needs two such wooden boxes, or they can be custom-made according to actual conditions (wooden boxes made of odorless poplar, willow or birch are best). Plastic basins, brick pools and the like can also be used instead.

3. Requirements for the rearing soil

For breeding snails, finer river sand is best; for juvenile snails, loose and moist garden soil rich in humus can be added, but it must not contain pest eggs, and especially must not be contaminated by harmful substances such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

4. Temperature control

Mating and egg-laying can occur when the temperature is controlled above 12 degrees; 15°C to 25°C is the most suitable temperature for reproduction, and below 7 degrees above zero or above 32 degrees, they enter a dormant state. Therefore, every possible means should be used to keep the indoor temperature above 15 degrees, so that more eggs can be laid and economic benefits can be increased. Under suitable conditions, the Mediterranean snail can breed 3 to 5 times a year, and each breeding snail can produce more than 2 kg of market snails 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 rearing soil should form a ball when squeezed and break apart when touched (this is the sign of 30% to 40% humidity). For breeding snails, a rearing soil humidity of 30% is sufficient. For market snails, 35% to 40% is best. The thickness is generally 8 hundred meters.

6. Feeding high-quality feed is the guarantee of success

Snails are omnivorous animals. Green feed: such as Chinese cabbage, lettuce, sunflower leaves, melon leaves, bean leaves, tomatoes, eggplant, etc.; succulent feed: such as various melon rinds, fruit tubers, cucumber, potato, carrot, etc. Then add some concentrated feed. Snails have a wide diet but eat little; one group of breeding snails eats only two large cabbage leaves a day. Breeding snails are fed once every two days, and market snails are fed once a day. Feeding at dusk is best.

7. Breeding of snails

Snails are hermaphroditic lower mollusks. When the breeding snails are sexually mature, after cross-mating, regardless of male or female, every one of them lays eggs. After mating, the breeding snails begin to dig holes and build chambers to lay eggs after about 10 days, and egg-laying takes 1 to 2 days. Collect the egg clusters and place them in a container lined with half a bottle of moist sandy soil for natural incubation; incubation is completed in 12 to 15 days.

3. What should be noted during artificial breeding of the Mediterranean snail?

In the rearing process of the Mediterranean snail, managing juvenile snails and growing snails well is the key to success.

1. Keep the rearing box clean and hygienic.

2. Maintain a reasonable density to prevent crowding; 2000 to 3000 per sq m is suitable, and the boxes should be split in a timely manner as the individual snails grow.

3. Control temperature and humidity well; the temperature is generally controlled between 12°C and 30°C, and the moisture content of the rearing soil should be 40%.

4. Pay attention to ventilation and air exchange.