Detailed Explanation of Key Points for Efficient Mud Snake Farming Techniques
The mud snake is an edible snake species, also known as the Chinese water snake. It is a non-venomous reptile of the genus Enhydris in the family Natricidae, inhabiting rice paddies, ditches, ponds and other waters and their vicinity. It has excellent dietary therapeutic effects and medicinal value, and developing mud snake farming has gradually become an important agricultural breeding project. Let us take a look at efficient mud snake farming techniques below!
Living Habits of the Mud Snake
Mud snakes generally live in streams, ponds, paddy fields or canals in plains, hills or foothills, preferring deep silt environments and able to grow in poor water quality. They are omnivorous; wild snakes mainly feed on small fish and shrimp, and are active both day and night. They are ovoviviparous, giving birth to 3 to 13 young snakes from August to September, with newborns measuring 100 to 150 mm in total length. Marketable snakes weigh over 150 grams, with the largest individuals exceeding 750 grams.
Seedling Cultivation of the Mud Snake
Mud snake seedlings can be obtained by directly catching breeding snakes from the wild, or by purchasing individuals with good color and large-bellied females as breeding snakes. Place them in a breeding pond of 3 to 10 sq m, with a male-to-female ratio of 1:3. Keep the breeding pond at a silt depth of 30 cm and a water depth of 30 cm, and appropriately add dry rice straw or other dry grass. Change the water frequently to keep the water clean and facilitate observation, and keep an abundant food source for the breeding snakes during the reproduction period. Once young are born, they should be separated within half a day and placed in a transition pond for temporary rearing; young snakes are fed cooked egg yolk, bloodworms, etc.
Mud Snake Farming Techniques
1. Pond construction: A mud snake farming pond is best at 100 sq m, with a depth of more than 1 m. Backfill with silt or mature field soil to 30 cm, fill with water to more than 40 cm, spread dry rice straw or dry grass 10 cm thick over 1/4 of the area, and build a 1 m high anti-escape and anti-rat wall around it.
2. Stocking: After the young mud snakes are scooped out of the transition pond, they are stocked separately by size and strength. The stocking density is 10 snakes per sq m. Fast-breeding small fish can be added to the pond to grow together with the mud snakes.
3. Feeding: Mud snakes are omnivorous. Young mud snakes should be fed more yellow mealworms, earthworms, soft-shelled turtle feed and eel feed. Adults can be fed various animal scraps, dead animals, fish and shrimp, etc. Black light lamps can also be installed to attract insects to feed the snakes.
4. Management: Various melons, fruits and vegetables can be planted on the pond banks of the mud snake farming pond, but pesticides must not be used. Wild rice stem or deep-water rice can be planted around the pond in appropriate amounts. In high-temperature seasons, change the water frequently to lower the temperature; in low-temperature seasons, add dry grass into the water to keep it warm.
5. Disease prevention: Mud snakes have very strong adaptability and relatively few diseases. Once abnormalities are found, drugs can be used for prevention and treatment. For individual body surface diseases, benzalkonium bromide can be used for cleaning and disinfection. At the same time, rat prevention work should be done well around the farming site.