Snails have a wide range of uses, including medicine, food, cosmetics, and animal feed , making snail farming a promising industry. However, understanding their habits and characteristics is crucial before starting snail farming. So, do you know how snails mate? Let's find out.
How do snails mate?
Snails are hermaphroditic, and both males and females lay eggs. During mating, the two snails cooperate, repeatedly stimulating each other's genital openings with their love arrows through vigorous thrusting movements to complete mating.
How can snails be encouraged to mate and lay eggs during breeding?
1. Increase stocking density
Under appropriate rearing conditions, the stocking density of snails can be increased, which helps promote mating and egg laying among them. It is generally recommended that the stocking density of snails be 200-300 per square meter. After the breeding snails have basically mated, they can be raised at the conventional density.
2. Adjust feed composition
Increasing the proportion of high-protein and mineral feeds in snails' diet helps promote gonadal development and maturation. A recommended formula is: 40% cornmeal, 30% wheat bran, 13% soybean meal, 2% dry yeast, 5% fishmeal, and 10% shell powder. If available, methionine and lysine can also be added appropriately.
3. Increase lighting appropriately
Keeping snails in a dark environment for extended periods will significantly inhibit their mating and egg-laying. Ideally, they should be provided with 10 hours of light daily, with a light intensity of 30-50 lux. A single 25-watt red light bulb in a 30-square-meter room is generally sufficient.
4. Temperature and humidity control
Generally, a suitable humidity level of 70%-90% and a temperature between 15-25℃ are conducive to improving the snail's ability to mate and lay eggs.
