How to construct different types of snail house with pictures( illustrative guide on snail pen construction)

Have you ever wondered and searched for how to build and construct a snail house?.
Or you want to venture into snail farming or have a snail pet?, but you lack the total knowledge on how to construct the snail house, then this article is for you.

In this article, the question how to construct a snail house or how to build a snail house is answered with a step by step direction with an Illustrative guide, no matter the type of snail house, the size and the the type of snail involved, all of them are covered in this post, i advise you to read calmly and understand every step.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Types of snail house system

Things to consider before constructing a snail pen

How to construct different types of snail house

TYPES OF SNAIL HOUSE SYSTEM

The system of house to construct for snails depends on the amount or quantity of the snails involved, in over all, there are three types of snail house which are:

INTENSIVE SNAIL HOUSE SYSTEM: The intensive snail house system is a type of snail house that is small in size which has a limited number of snails it could carry.

The intensive system is the most common type of snail pen construction among non commercial snail breeders and it is the most cost effective to construct and the most easiest as it can be constructed with local sources materials such as plant, can, basket etc.

This system of snail pen is very compatible for those looking for a way and the type of pen to have for their snail pets.

In the intensive system, the snails are well taken care of due to the fact that the pen is smaller and usually in done at home, which makes them to be in close contact with the farmer.

SEMI – INTENSIVE: The semi – intensive system is also one of the most popular type of snail house being to the fact that it is bigger than the intensive system and smaller than the extensive system, this makes it to be in the middle of the smaller and the largest snail housing systems.

This system is used mainly by small scale or should I say medium scale farmers who produce snails in larger quantity, but lower than those who runs the extensive system.

It is a little hard to build compared to the intensive system and involves a good amount of money or investment, but not much like the extensive system.

This type of snail system could be fun in the backyard or garden, making it easy for the farmer to care for them thoroughly.

It is very suitable for medium sized snail business the good examples of semi – intensive pens are The Hutch box, the trench pen etc.

THE EXTENSIVE SYSTEM: This is the largest amongst snail pen system and it is the most uncommon system if snail housing unless you are a big farmer who produces snails in larger numbers.

In this system of snail housing, the farmer is advised to get a separate land and a big pen as there are large amount of snails involved.

Although there are some disadvantages of this system of snail housing based on the fact that the pen and the land is larger and separate from the farmers home, which means that there will be less amount of closeness and care between the farmer and the snails.

And also large amount of money is involved to set up this system and start rearing the snails.

ALSO READ: snail farming secret

Some of good examples of extensive snail house system are the open snail rearing system and the tank rearing system.

THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE CONSTRUCTING A SNAIL PEN

Before thinking of setting up a snail house, no matter the housing system involved, it is very necessary that some certain things and conditions are considered.

These conditions are the factors that will determine the rate of your success and failure in the business.

These conditions are not only for the land snail, also mystery or water snail is included in this, and violating these factors will end up in total loss of money and waste of energy.

They are:

The site of the pen: This is by far the most important thing to consider is any type of snail business, no matter the type of snail involved or the size of the pen, the location of the pen is by far more important than any other thing.

The pen should be located or sited in a cool environment, as snails, no matter the type involved do find cool environment habitable and does well there. The fact that snails habitat on a cool environment is due to the fact that you can hardly see any in the hot weather and they usually roam around in cold weather, more especially when there is rainfall.

So the site of the pen should be a cool place with a temperature of about 2t to 35°C.

My recommended place to site the pen is in between trees where the temperature is always cool.

Apart from the cold environment, snails does not habitat where there is huge amount of wind, this dry both the water in the soil which they rely on for cooling their body and also dehydrate them.
This can have a high level of mortality rate to the snails if not properly checked!.

The only way to solve the problem of wind us to keep them in between trees or keep them in a shade, as they will reduce the pressure of wind and also provide fresh air for the animals and also cool the water in which the water snails are kept.

Also the for the big farmers who are likely to employ the extensive system which involves buying or getting of land, it is very imperative that the land should be checked if it has erosion, toxic caused by Fertilizers, or oil, and lastly the amount of sun that penetrates that particular area of and etc.

Once the land is free from erosion, toxic and cool with a temperature of 20°C and above, it is good to site a snail house.

Security: Security is a very important thing to consider is all live stick farming which snail is among.

READ ALSO: how to take care of baby snail

There is no sense in building a business and at the end of it, only to be stolen by thieves or be attacked by predators. This will amount to frustration and total loss of money and the business, so it is important to consider the security of the place where you will build your snail pen.

To improve the security of the snails, here are the things needed:

A fence with electric or non electric Barb wire. Just in case of any intrusion by burglars.

A chicken wire with a mosquito net to cover the surface of the snail pen or house in order for them not to escape, and to prevent some predators like poachers and insects from feeding on the snails.

Nearness to the market or Consumers:any people might neglect this, but it is a good factor to consider also in order to have maximize profit.

Locating the snail farm near the market is a healthy act and a wise decision so that you could be able to reach your market audience in time and see your products, as the sole purpose of farming snail is to sell them and make profit, unless you are rearing them as pet.

Land shape: In snail farming, land shape matters alot. The best land to rear snails on is on a flat earth surface, building a pen on a sloppy land is very inappropriate for snail farming.

Fumigation of the soil: Fumigation if the soil is a very important act to do before getting the snail and rearing them, this is to reduce the amount of toxic in the soil and in the environment where the snails are to be reared.

Good Weather Condition: Before the snail pen is sited, the place should be checked if I is conducive for the animals in terms if rain. like I have explained earlier, snails dwell on a wet and cool environment, so siting the pen in a cool area that has less amount of sunshine and good rainfall is very nice.

ALSO READ: how to become a successful goat Farmer

Although they like wet environment, but not too wet, waterlogged environment or leaving a complete access to rain as heavy rainfall directly on them will do more harm than good, but as for the mystery or water snail, heavy rainfall has no negative effect in them, they even enjoy it.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SNAIL HOUSE AND HOW TO CONSTRUCT THEM

Before I proceed to teach about the different kinds of snail house and how to construct them, I hope you have learned about the types of snail house and the necessary conditions or things to consider for successful snail farming business, if you didn’t cover that above, I suggest you do before learning how to build the pens.

To construct a snail house solely depends on the goal, the type of snail involved and the availability of resources, as I explained above.

First I will start with the construction of different types of water snail house.

Types of Water Snail house and how to construct them ( their advantages and disadvantages)

The construction methods of water snail pens and that if land snail pen are almost the same, but the difference is that it will contain water while the land snail pen won’t!

GLASS SNAIL PEN

The glass snail pen for water snail is the most beautiful and transparent pen. It is regarded as a modern pen because it is transparent, with which you will be monitoring the snails and their behaviors.

This type of water snail pen comes in various sizes and shapes, so it could be used by both small farmers, and big snail farmers.

It is not very common to construct, unless by professional glass makers, but it can be gotten in large stores, if you want, although bit might be expensive, depending on the size that you want.

To use the glass pen for water snail breeding, keep it in a cool house or under a tree where it will be cool, fill in the bottom of the glass with hummus or loamy soil, get the snails into it and cover the surface.

Advantages of glass pen for water snail

The advantages of this type of pen surpasses that of any other type of pen, that’s why I said it is a modern pen for breeding snails because it is transparent, which allows you to monitor their activities and actions, which will keep you in good contact, awareness and in good relationship with them.

It is mobile, which means it could be taken from place to place easily.

It is hard or impossible for predators like insects, poachers etc to attack them, due to the fact that glass us very slippery, non of the predators could climb up a slippery glass.

It has it’s own cover and air holes an does not require any of these.

It is modern and the best.

Disadvantages of glass pen for water snail

This type of snail pen for mystery snail has no known short comings, the only disadvantage it has is that it is very costly and is breakable when handles careless.

ICE CREAM BUCKET PEN

Ice cream bucket is used to construct a very good pen for water snail, although this type of snail pen is not modern and it can only contain a few number if snails, that is why it is mainly used by small scale snail farmers or for pet water snail.

To construct this type of pen, get an ice cream bucket, remove the top cover, replace it with a mosquito net and a chicken wire, then put a sharp iron in a fire and use it to open small holes at the top of the bucket where water won’t reach.

After constructing, then fill it with water, keep in a cool environment, fill the bottom with treated loamy sand and and then the snails in there.

You might like to but in some small sticks where they will be climbing.

Advantages of ice cream bucket pen for water snail

This type of pen is good and slippery also, which makes it hard for predators to reach the snails.

It is also mobile as it can be moved from place to place.

It is cost effective and easy to construct.

It is kept in the home which makes it possible to develop a good relationship with the snails by taking care of them.

Disadvantages of ice cream bucket pen for water snail

This type of pen is considered local, compared to the glass pen.

It can only harbor a small number of snails, making it unfit for large scale snail farmers.

EARTHEN POND PEN/POND PEN

This is a type of pen that is constructed inform of a pond, where water snails are reared.

This type of pen is very good in the sense that it is large enough to accommodate a larger number of snails and also it is well secured.

To construct this type of pen, it’s either you opt for the earthen type or the blocks type, any of them is good.

To construct the earthen type, dig a large hole, plaster it with cement and use chicken wire with mosquito net to cover the surface.
How deep it will be will completely depend on you, but it is okay to be about 3 feet to 5 feet deep.

To construct the block pond type, it is simple, make small foundation of about a foot deep in the land, the shape of the foundation will determine the shape of the pond.
Then get blocks and cement, lay the blocks in the foundation and do it till it is up to the height you desire. 3 to 5 feet is okay. This type of pond is also good for fish rearing, but it should not be kept together with the snails.

After the construction, allow it to be strong before putting in water, put treated loamy soil at the bottom, then cover the top with net.

Advantages of water snail pond pen

This type of water snail pen is normally big and deep, which means it has the capacity to contain large number of snails and so it is good for large scale water snail farming.

It is save, because if done very well, an iron protector might be placed on the entrance, which will protected the snails from burglars.

It is durable. This type of snail house has the ability to last for many years.

Just like the Glass type , it is also easy to monitor the snails with this type of snails house.

Disadvantage of water snail pond house

The earthen type of snail pond is considered very primitive and lacks adequate security and unfit for snail.

It is very costly to construct, based on the price of blocks and cement.

Types of land snail house and how to construct them ( their advantages and disadvantages)

The land Snail is land snail has almost the same characteristics and almost the small type of pen with the water or mystery snail, but the only difference is one lives on the land while the other lives on water.

Here are the different types of snail house for land snail:

THE USE OF TYRE

Using car tyres to construct a snail house is by far one of the most simplest type of snail house and the cheapest among them.

This method is very applicable to rearing pet snail or growing them in a smaller number, as it can only contain few snails.

To construct a snail house with a motor Tyre, get about 3 or 5 tyres, take them to a cool place where you will grow the snails, pile the tyres on top of one another, and cover the surface with a strong net.

Place an iron on fire, use ur to puncture small holes around the tyre where air will penetrate from.
Avoid making it too much, or they will escape from there.

Place a bag in the floor and get loamy soil, and fill the floor with about 20cm of it or a little below.
You might want to place dry leaves on the floor too.

After the construction, then get the snails into the house and provide egg shell for them always.

Advantages of tyre snail house

It is the easiest to build and the most cost effective, as you can get car tyres any where for free.

It is very suitable for small number of snails.

It is very easy to discard and taken else where in case if danger.

Disadvantages of tyre snail house

This type of snail house is very prone to insect penetration and thus unfit.

The snails might start eating the tyres in search of calcium, that’s why I recommend giving them egg shell always.

The amount of air that gets into this type of snail house is very limited, so unhealthy for them.

It is very simple for thieves to penetrate and steal the snails, so it is not protected at all.

GLASS SNAIL HOUSE

Like I have explained above, this type of snail house is quite like the type i explained above for water snail, but the only difference is, this time around, it is not filled with water, but with a small amount of loamy soil at the bottom.

This type of snail house comes in many sizes and shapes, so it is very appropriate for both small farmers and big farmers too.

Like I have stated above, this type is not easy to construct, unless by the professional glass makers, so it is normally bought.

When gotten, fill the bottom with small soil of about 15 or 20cm, get the snails in and start rearing them.

Advantages of snail glass pen

It is the very modern and suitable for all size of snail farming.

It is very secured from ant, insects, poachers etc.

It is mobile as it could be taken from one place to another, including getting it inside the room, which is impossible with other types of snail house.

This type of house is easy to switch between water snail, land snail and could even serve as a fish pond.

It is easier to monitor them in their type of house.

Disadvantage of glass snail house

There is not much disadvantages in it, only that it can be very costly and breakable.

ICE CREAM BUCKET PEN

Just like we have this type of pen in breeding the water snail, it is also used to rear land snails , but the only difference is water.

To construct, get the ice cream bucket, open small holes that snails can’t escape from with a hope iron, remove the cover and replace it with a strong net that is easily penetrates by air then take it to where you will use it, fill the bottom with sand, and get the snails in.

Advantages of ice cream pen

This type of snail house is almost like the Glass type, but it is smaller in size and opaque.

It is much more suitable with small amount of snail than the tyre house type.

It is also very mobile and portable to move.

It is best to train pet snails, so it could be kept in the room

It is not prone to predators in anyway, just like the Glass type.

Disadvantages of ice cream snail pen

It is small in size and so has the capacity to contain only a small number of snails.

It is not transparent like the Glass type.

It might not have the amount of air like in the glass snail house.

HUTCH TYPE OF SNAIL PEN

This is a constructed wooden pen that is used to keep snail’s.

Hutch can varry in sizes, depending on the size you want etc.

To construct this type of snail house, get some strong board and planks, measure the length and the width you want, cut the boards and the planks, join them together with nails.
seal the bottom also and use chicken wire and strong net to cover the surface.
make small holes where air will come in.

Pour in 15 to 30cm of hummus/loamy soil on the bottom, depending on the size of the house and put the snails in.

Advantages of hutch snail pen

It can come in many sizes, depending on the number of snails involved.

It is fit for both the small farmers and the big farmers.

it can be very durable( last for years)

It is easy to make and very cost efficient.

Disadvantages of hutch snail pen

It is not a modern Method of housing snails.

It can be easily penetrated by predators.

It can be very heavy, hence it is made of wood.

Hutch can be very prone to water and rain, so, can’t last longer if exposed to rain.

THE TRENCH SNAIL HOUSE

The trench type of pen is that is built by digging a land or laying a blocks on the ground to build a pen.

To construct this type of pen, it’s either the land is dug and cemented or a small foundation is made and blocks will be laid on it, till it is the height you require.

This pen can come in many sizes and shapes, depending on what you want.

It should not be deeper than 4 feet, so that it will be very accessible.

After constructing, allow the cement to harden, then pour in loamy soil, depending on the largeness of the pen, spread it on the floor, you might like to put in some dry leaves too.

put in the snails and start growing them.

Advantages of trench/earthen snail pen

It is always cool, unless it was built in the wrong place that’s exposed to sunshine.

It comes in many sizes, so can contain any number of snail

It is easier to access and watch.

The protection can be good when placed with iron protector and hard net.

It can last for a very long time.

Disadvantages of trench/earthen snail pen

It might be easily penetrated by insects, if not we’ll prepared and protected.

It is not very modern, although very accommodating.

It can be easily waterlogged, unless done very well.

This type of pen is very costly to build

OIL DRUM SNAIL PEN

Empty oil drum can be used to construct a very nice snail house by opening the top and making numerous small holes on the drum where air will be entering.

Always put sand on the bottom and start rearing them, cover the top with net.

Advantages of oil drum snail pen

It can be very inexpensive as empty oil drum are not costly and hard to get.

It is very simple to construct.

It is also mobile.

This type of pen can not be destroyed by water.

Disadvantage of oil drum pen

It can rust too quickly and the snails might eat the rust.

It might not be well protected.

It is not suitable for large scale snail production.

FREE – RANGE SNAIL HOUSING SYSTEM

This is the act of leaving the snails free to wander off on their own, but inside a well built an protected environment.

To build this kind of snail housing system, it is very important to disinfect the land off Diseases and toxic.

The construction of this housing system is very costly.

To construct this type of pen, get a land in a cool environment, fence it in totality, and cover the environment with a strong net to prevent the snails from getting away, plant grasses that they will be eating.

Advantages of free – range snail housing system

It is the largest sized among the various types of pen.

Uncountable number of snails can be grown with this method.

The Snails will have free movement.

It is very great in the prevention of Diseases.

They could be easily accessible.

Disadvantages of free – range snail housing system

The animals may be exposed to some predators if not properly check or done.

Some of them might be missing due to the large environment in which they are left on.

Their eggs might not be easily picked to hatch.

There might be some accident of stepping on so of them and breaking them.

It might take time for some of them to mate, because of the distance.

CONCLUSION

All these are for information purpose, so I don’t advise you to do some of them which are very risky, such as using care tyre to grow them.

Also as for the water snail, don’t mix them with fish because fish do cannibalize on snail.

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