Growing snails as a business: basic secrets. Breeding snails at home for beginners

Sometimes the most incredible idea of ​​​​earning money can bring good profits and stable income, for example, which we talked about in a previous article.

Very often, entrepreneurs complain about the occupancy of niches and great competition, but as they say, whoever seeks will always find. I bring to your attention another fresh idea of ​​​​earning - growing grape snails as a business at home.

Snail Fashion

It is worth noting that there are quite a few types of snails, but only grape snails are considered suitable for consumption. In many European countries, snails are in great demand among the population, which cannot be said about Russia. In the CIS countries, this exotic product is served only in the most expensive restaurants, the cost of the dish is quite high, but despite this, unlike, for example, in France, in our country, snails are not very popular, most likely due to slightly different flavors. people's preferences.

The benefits of snail meat

Before we talk about how to open your own snail breeding business, it is worth noting the benefits of these products.

• The medicine. Oddly enough, but snail meat is in incredible demand in medical field activities as a raw material for the creation of many drugs. For many years, extracts from snails have been used in the production of anti-aging drugs, aphrodisiacs, and also as part of drugs to restore metabolism.
• Cooking. Snail meat contains a large number of vitamins. This delicacy has a lot of protein, iron, calcium and vitamins that help saturate the body with useful properties. This dietary product is desirable for the elderly and pregnant women. Snail meat is quickly absorbed by the body, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, fills the need for calcium.

Business registration

If you decide to open your own business, you will need to register as individual entrepreneur or limited liability companies. In addition, it is necessary to obtain permits for activities from the sanitary and fire service. Without a product quality certificate from the veterinary service, you will not be able to sell it, do not forget about it.

Breeding grape snails at home

First of all, you need to buy snails. Approximate cost of one adult from 4 dollars. To begin with, it is worth buying about 300-400 pieces, it will cost you $ 1200-1600.

You can buy snails for breeding from foreign suppliers from Poland, Tunisia, the Czech Republic, Germany. It is worth giving preference only to trusted shellfish suppliers who have been operating on the market for more than one year and guarantee product quality.

feeding. On average, for 300 snails, you need to purchase about 20 kg of feed. The average price per kilogram of compound feed is from 300 rubles.

Shellfish care

Snails are unpretentious creatures, their care is simple, but it is still worth understanding the whole process of breeding and growing mollusks.

room

Choose well-ventilated areas for shellfish breeding. Special attention give humidity, it should be at least 85%. The optimum temperature for breeding grape snails at home is from 20-23 degrees with a plus sign. The room temperature must be stable, this will ensure the rapid reproduction and growth of molluscs.

Feeding

Snails feed on a special feed mixture (ground cereals, herbs, chalk).

Snail breeding

The process of reproduction of snails occurs by itself, the main thing is to provide individuals comfortable conditions content at optimum temperature. Mollusks are placed in separate containers in pairs for breeding. Despite the fact that mollusks are hermaphrodites, the mating process is necessary for fertilization. After mating, the eggs are placed in an incubator. Young mollusks can be transferred to an adult aviary already 6 weeks after the appearance.

Approximately one adult is capable of laying about 50 eggs per year. The maturation period of mollusks is from 6 months to 1.5 years.

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Sales market and profit

The demand for snail meat is quite large. As a rule, most of the products are sold abroad, but you can find sales options in Russia. Basically, your customers can be elite restaurants on the menu, which, there are dishes from shellfish.

The cost of a kilogram of shellfish is about 2-5 euros. Thus, we can conclude that with the mass cultivation of snails, you can earn good money.

I wish you success in all your endeavors. I hope this article will be useful to you. Also, we recommend reading about another non-standard form of earnings -. Be sure to tell us about your achievements in the comments.

Even the most extraordinary idea could be a great opportunity to make money. Breeding snails at home as a business does not require special knowledge and significant investments. Such a profitable hobby will allow the owner to gain valuable experience and fulfill an old dream.

Demand for grape snails

Trendsetters for snails are Western countries. Among them are Greece, Switzerland, France and Italy. Here, shellfish meat is a familiar and frequently consumed dish. In the CIS, exotics are served exclusively in expensive restaurants, where the cost consists of at least four digits.

The development of the culinary sector and high competition in restaurant business generates demand for new and exclusive products. The meat of grape snails is one of such delicacies. At the same time, supermarkets and online stores have joined the race for customers in recent years.

culinary fashion

Snail meat is not just a culinary trend. Its benefits to the human body are invaluable, especially for the elderly and children. The main advantages of the product:

• does not contain cholesterol;
• is a powerful antioxidant;
• promotes the restoration of metabolism;
• quickly absorbed by the body;
• normalizes the work of the digestive tract;
• has aphrodisiac properties;
• fills the need for calcium.

Meat belongs to dietary varieties, due to high content protein, vitamins and minerals. At the same time, there are no fats in the composition of the product. Beneficial features meat is actively used in medicine for the manufacture of preparations, extracts and ointments.

In cooking, the product is used for making soups and second courses. He also has a specific taste, which has its fans. You should definitely try it, and if you like it, feel free to include it in your daily diet!

How to open a snail business?

Start your business with registration entrepreneurial activity. Breeding snails as a business at home can be formalized as an individual entrepreneur or LLC.

You will also need the following documents to get started:

• permission of the sanitary service;
• fire service permit;
• quality certificate from the veterinary service.

The presence of all papers will allow you to freely sell products and breed snails.

Breeding: from purchase to sale

The snail business should be developed in stages. Completing tasks in a clear sequence will allow you to quickly reach the goal and get the first profit. So, in order to get 1 ton of product as a result, you will need:

• business registration;
• land plot;
• utility room;
• 750-800 pcs. queen bees;
• 4 racks;
• aviary for young animals;
• cuvettes for laying eggs (approx. 200 pcs.);
• 8 containers for sale;
• mollusks for young animals (about 150 pieces);
• feed (2 kg per 40 individuals);
• powdered milk (approx. 15 kg);
• compound feed, greens or chalk.

Read also: Cat and soba food production as a business

Armed with a detailed list of initial purchases, you can proceed to a more detailed study of the intricacies of breeding grape snails.

Buying snails

At the first purchase, you can limit yourself to a quantity of 300-400 pieces of individuals. The final cost will be about 1200-1600 dollars at a price of 4 dollars apiece.

You can buy a batch of snails from foreign breeders. The most popular suppliers of shellfish are Poland, Tunisia, the Czech Republic and Germany. When choosing a company, focus on time-tested partners. Suppliers operating on the market for more than a year value their reputation and guarantee product quality.

Care

Mollusks are unpretentious creatures. Caring for them is easy if you familiarize yourself with the process of breeding and growing. Be sure to purchase specialized literature, arrange a meeting with experienced breeders and learn the technology from the inside.

You will need to protect the snails from insects and transplant them from one container to another in time. Also create for shellfish optimal conditions keeping, feed them according to the diet and the animals will be healthy and capable of reproduction.

Conditions of detention

Spacious and ventilated room - optimal location for keeping grape snails. Room of 20 sq.m. in a city apartment is suitable for these purposes. It can accommodate all the equipment and about 10 mollusks.

Temperature is one of the most important characteristics of a room. Grape snails feel great at 20-23 degrees Celsius. The humidity index must be at least 85%. At home, it is not difficult to provide such a microclimate. To maintain stability, stock up on heating devices in winter period. Drought in aquariums is unacceptable. Mollusks become slow and do not reproduce well.

To effectively breed aquarium snails, use special glass terrariums. To maintain cleanliness, they require regular cleaning. Waste products are removed every three days. Pay special attention to cleansing mucus, in which pathogenic bacteria can develop.

The soil is fertilized with minerals and other useful compounds. Calcium is considered the most valuable for the health of snails. Also, animals produce for themselves necessary substances from the mud.

Feeding

Proper feeding is the key to successful breeding of mollusks. The diet of grape snails consists of plant food in the form of leaves, weeds and various branches. Additionally, you can use special compound feed at the rate of 2 kg per 40 snails.

In nature, individuals crawl along trees, the leaves of which they feed on. This should be taken into account when creating molluscaria. By bringing the snails as close as possible to their natural environment, you will get regular offspring and healthy long-lived individuals.

reproduction

All mollusks are hermaphroditic creatures. However, mating is a necessary process for their reproduction. This takes place in the spring. After laying, both paired individuals will make.

When the masonry is over, the queen bees are transplanted into the aviary. The eggs are placed in a special incubator and after a week and a half the young are hatched. Newly minted snails are transplanted into an adult aviary after six months.

Growing snails as a business is a non-standard business area for Russia. However, the demand for snail meat and caviar is constantly increasing. The idea of ​​organizing a farm for growing them attracts with minimal start-up and regular investments, as well as little effort to run a business.

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Business Description

This business can be started by growing shellfish in an apartment or on personal plot. In the future, your own business can be expanded to the organization of a full-fledged farm. A feature of the snail breeding business idea is that the first profit will not be received soon. Since on average it will take about a year and a half to mature a snail, and in rare cases up to three years. Therefore, entrepreneurs are initially advised to purchase mature snails, thus, it is possible to slightly reduce the waiting time for receiving the first profit.

Business Relevance

Due to the popularity of these molluscs, starting a snail farm can be quite a lucrative venture.

Circumstances that determine the relevance of a business idea for growing snails:

1. The current economic sanctions create favorable conditions for the development of domestic production.
2. The emptiness of this market segment. This circumstance is due to the fact that shellfish farming is a relatively new type of business activity for Russia. In the world, the need for this delicacy is covered only by 60 percent.
3. Small start-up capital and monthly costs.
4. Source of regular and high income.

Types and features of reproduction of snails

Breeds suitable for growing snails for business purposes:

1. Grape. This is a terrestrial gastropod. The diameter of the shell of a mature mollusk is within three to five centimeters. A kilogram of snail meat is 30-40 individuals. In Europe this species snails are considered the largest and have been used as food since ancient times. Such food belonged and still belongs to the category of healthy and useful.
2. Arkhachatin. They are land gastropods. They live in warm tropical climates. The shell length of a mature individual is usually five to ten centimeters, however, some specimens are gigantic in size - 20 centimeters or more. In Russia, they can only be bred in warm enclosures - mollusks.

Grape snails Achatina snail

Since grape snails and Achatina are same-sex (hermaphrodites), each individual can reproduce in the same way. Their mating usually takes place in spring or early autumn. About 60 eggs can be expected from grape snails per year. One clutch of Achatina can have 300 eggs, and there are five or six of them in a year.

If something does not suit the mollusk, for example, low temperature, then they may not want to lay eggs. Therefore, it is important to provide them with stable comfortable living conditions. Incubators are being created to raise young animals. As a rule, the broodstock lives separately from the young.

Conditions for living snails on an artificial farm

Growing snails as a business can be organized in two ways:

• on the ground, through the organization of an aviary or greenhouse;
• indoors, through the installation of molluscaria.

Farm on outdoors outdoor farm Breeding snails in the apartment (mollusk) Farm in a greenhouse

Farm growing

Farm on land plot is the creation of special enclosures. To grow snails on a personal plot, you will need shady place, which should be enclosed with a fence on the foundation, about 20 centimeters deep. This is necessary to protect the mollusks from rodents and other pests that live in the ground and pose a threat to snails.

The height of the wall is about half a meter or a meter, and its shape is concave so that the pets, rising up, fall into the enclosure. The fenced area is covered from above metal mesh with small cells. This measure will protect the shellfish from birds, reptiles or other animals. Shallow trenches are formed in the paddock to collect water in them, and hills, here the snails can hide from moisture.

Inside the enclosure, plants are planted that the snails will eat, for example:

• burdock;
• nettle;
• wild grapes, etc.

Grape snails hibernate during the cold season (for about three months). Part of the mollusks at this time can be transferred to warm room, this will allow you to quickly grow new offspring and recoup the initial investment.

Caring for shellfish in greenhouses allows you to control the temperature of the air and its humidity. AT greenhouse conditions snails grow much faster than outdoors. However, this method not suitable for a small farm, since it requires significant physical costs and initial financial injections.

In order to grow about a ton of grape snails during the growing season, you will need a plot:

• with a natural diet of thirty to forty individuals, one square meter of vegetation will be required, the height of which should be at least 10 centimeters;
• artificial feeding allows you to place up to 200 mollusks per square meter.

For 20 snails, one kilogram of feed or grass will be required, they are also fed with chalk, powdered milk, etc.

Snail care in the apartment

You will need a room with an area of ​​​​20 square meters. Shelves are equipped in it, on which special tanks for snails are installed, they are called molluscaria or terrariums. The entrepreneur will need to imitate the conditions of the natural habitat of future pets. In such an environment, they grow faster, because they do not fall into hibernation, and the breeding cycle is carried out all year round.

Requirements for living conditions for snails on a farm indoors:

1. In one mollusk, with a capacity of 50 liters, six individuals of grape snails are settled.
2. It is permissible to plant only one pair of Achatina in one tank (50 liters).
3. The air temperature in the molluscaria for growing grape snails is 22-23 degrees Celsius, and Achatina is 25 degrees Celsius.
4. For grape snails, the bedding is formed from soil, leaves and coconut fiber, fertilized with calcium (to build a shell) and other elements.
5. For Achatina, the litter is formed exclusively from coconut fiber / substrate, without soil.
6. Balanced diet (special compound feeds and natural food are used).
7. Good room ventilation.
8. Air humidity - from 80 to 90 percent.
9. The bedding should always be damp and clean (it is changed twice a week).
10. Invalid sharp drops humidity and temperature.

Market analysis and target audience

The organization of large-scale production of snail meat will allow entering the European market. Thus, it is possible to sell large quantities of the finished product. At the same time, it is important that the product meets European quality standards.

Growing snails at home should be focused on the domestic market. First of all, these are elite restaurants, semi-finished products manufacturers, large grocery stores. In addition to shellfish meat, another delicacy can be supplied to the market - snail caviar. Demand for this product is growing rapidly due to its unique taste and special mushroom flavor.

The demand for snails is not limited to the food industry. An entrepreneur will be able to earn a lot by selling them as raw materials for the production of medical and cosmetic preparations. Here, mollusks of the Achatina breed will be especially valuable.

Shellfish extracts are included in the following medicines:

• bronchorelaxants;
• drugs that restore metabolism;
• anti-aging complexes;
• means to restore potency.

• people with problems of the musculoskeletal system;
• people with gastrointestinal diseases;
• pregnant women as a source of calcium;
• older people as a source of calcium.

To expand the target audience of the market will allow the sale of the product at a price lower than foreign suppliers. Insofar as domestic manufacturer does not pay customs duty and delivery from abroad, it has the opportunity to offer a better price to its customers. This will attract new customers, which will be not only restaurants and shops, but also simple people with an average income.

Step-by-step instruction

In order for a business project to bring high profits and pay off, you need to carefully consider each item of the business plan for breeding snails.

Convinced of the rationality of the implementation of this idea, the entrepreneur should adhere to the following sequence of actions:

1. Business registration.
2. Search for suppliers of shellfish.
3. Selection of a place for organizing a farm (indoors, outdoors or in a greenhouse).
4. Remodeling and/or renovation of the premises or building a farm on the land.
5. Farm equipment.
6. Obtaining permission from the veterinary service.
7. Shellfish breeding.
8. Search for distribution channels.
9. Advertising.

The preparatory process will take about two months, and the first profit will be received approximately a year after the start of production.

Business registration

The main nuances of the business registration process:

1. Official registration of entrepreneurial activity in the form of an individual entrepreneur or LLC. Setting up an LLC is suitable for a medium-sized or big size. The IP form is ideal for breeding snails at home.
2. Classifier code - 01.49.9 "Breeding of other animals not included in other groups." This type of economic activity includes the item "breeding of earthworms, earthworms, snails, etc. on farms."
3. A suitable taxation system is simplified, according to the 6% scheme.
4. After organizing the farm, the entrepreneur must obtain permission from the veterinary service to conduct this type of activity. A businessman will need quality certificates for each batch of goods.
5. Obtaining permits from regulatory authorities (Rospotrebnadzor, Sanitary and Epidemiological Station, Fire Prevention).

Room and location

When breeding snails indoors, the following requirements are imposed on it:

• area from 20 square meters;
• communications: electricity, heating;
• no direct sunlight.

A spacious room in an apartment can serve as a room.

When organizing a snail farm on a land plot, the following requirements are imposed on it:

• a warm climate is desirable - this will shorten the hibernation time of the mollusks;
• the area depends on the number of individuals that are planned to be grown on the farm;
• the absence of potential threats is desirable - moles, lizards, hedgehogs, shrews, etc .;
• utility room available.

The video shows the device of a snail farm in the Moscow region. Filmed by the channel: “The main farm portal FERMER. RU".

Necessary equipment

Consider a list of equipment for a farm for breeding snails indoors at the rate of 30,000 heads.

Containers for snails - from 200 to 1000 rubles Containers and enclosures for snails - from 200 to 1000 rubles Shelving - 20,000 rubles Thermal mat - 700 rubles

Staff

To maintain a snail farm for 30,000 individuals, one worker is required.

It will perform the following functions:

• animal feeding;
• cleaning terrariums;
• monitoring the growth rate of shellfish;
• selection of goods for sale;
• control over temperature, humidity and other parameters.

The entrepreneur himself can take on:

• functions for the formation of company reporting;
• payment of taxes;
• establishing sales channels and others.

Otherwise, on permanent job you will need to hire a sales manager, and it will be more profitable to outsource accounting.

Promotion and advertising

For effective sale snail meat and caviar will require:

1. Develop a corporate website. It should contain information about the farm, its product, living conditions for snails, as well as contact information for partners and buyers. On the site, you can provide for the delivery of goods to order.
2. Place information about the company and its products on thematic forums and electronic bulletin boards.
3. Create social media groups.
4. Call or visit restaurants and other establishments in person Catering, with a proposal to regularly market their products. You can also offer snails for sale in supermarkets, hypermarkets and other stores. Large customers should sell goods at favorable price, ensuring optimal delivery conditions.

Financial plan

Financial planning allows you to determine the income and expenses for organizing a future farm and assess whether it is worth doing this business project.

Initial investment

Starting capital to start a snail farm.

Recurring expenses

Monthly investment in the farm.

Income

A population of 30,000 mollusks will yield approximately one ton of snail meat. Estimated selling price for one kilogram is 600 rubles. Thus, by selling the first batch of snails, you can earn 600,000 rubles in about six to eight months. By selling caviar, you can still get about 250,000 rubles a year. The average price for 50 grams of caviar is 10,000 rubles.

Thus, the revenue for the first year will be 850,000 rubles. In the future, production volumes should be increased, expanding the herd to approximately 50,000 snails. In this case, for the second year of the farm's operation, its income can reach 1,200,000–1,500,000 rubles. As a result, the average monthly profit will be 50,000 rubles.

Risks and payback

Snail business risk factors:

• the extinction of snails due to non-compliance with the conditions of their maintenance, diseases, etc .;
• extermination of mollusks by their enemies - moles, hedgehogs, birds, etc. (with street breeding);
• slow growth of snails due to non-compliance with the conditions for their life;
• marketing problems, as snails are an exotic product for Russian consumers.

The payback period of a snail farm is about two years.

* Calculations use average data for Russia

Many people eat seafood, one of which is squid and octopus meat. They are cephalopods, characterized by the simplicity of the body structure, while much less known is the consumption of relatives of these animals - gastropod mollusks, which carry a shell on their body and, for simplicity, are united under the common name snail. However, in some European countries (Spain, Greece, Italy, France, Switzerland), such animals are not even a delicacy, but serve as food for people for many centuries - even in Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, snails were eaten by different segments of the population due to their simplicity receipt and preparation.

For Russia, such management seems exotic due to the non-use of snail meat in Russian cuisine. With the spread of restaurants dedicated to certain cuisines of the world, snails began to be used in cooking, so there is a certain demand for such meat in Russia. Players have already begun to appear on the market selling kilogram packages of such a delicacy, but the demand has not yet been fully satisfied, so there is an opportunity to fill an empty niche.

The advantage of such an undertaking is the possibility of breeding snails both in rural areas and in a city apartment. To start, you will need to register a business entity indicating the code (OKPD 2) 10.20 Processed and canned fish, crustaceans and molluscs.

After that, you should contact the veterinary service for advice and permissions; the production and sale of snail meat is regulated by the technical regulations for the meat of fish, echinoderms, crustaceans and molluscs, but since legal act it is supposed to use animals obtained from water resources, difficulties may arise, because it is worth considering also local legislative acts, which can limit or, conversely, simplify the conduct of a particular type of business. For all registration, it is better to have at least 50 thousand rubles in reserve in case additional permits are required.

Can be said with big share the likelihood that shellfish meat will have to be transferred to a veterinary laboratory, which will issue certificates for the sale of meat based on the results of the check - this practice is carried out throughout this country, without exceptions by region. An interesting feature is that snails are usually sold alive, perhaps without being fed for several days in order to cleanse them.

Two types of snails are traditionally eaten - Helix pomatia and Achatina fulica. The first ones in Russian practice are called grape snails and are a common species that is ubiquitous in the southern and central territories of Russia. Very unpretentious and easy to breed and maintain animals, while individuals are quite large and nutritious. It was the grape snail that was used by man for food for many centuries.

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An alternative to it - Achatina giant - traditionally lived in countries with a warm climate, where it was eaten by the natives. Her survival in vivo Russian climate is impossible, while in some European countries it can become a real disaster for Agriculture are plant pests. Outwardly, these species are not difficult to distinguish; grapes are valued more due to more healthy and nutritious meat. In the complexity of breeding and the initial cost of the mother tribe, they do not differ, but when kept in a private house in the fresh air, Achatina may not survive the winter, as they are African animals; grape snails hibernate during cold weather. However, Achatina, on average, are somewhat larger than their grape counterparts, and for a change, it is quite possible to breed both of them - some kind, but an assortment.

In fact, there are other species that are hypothetically suitable for eating - Helix adanensis, Helix aperta, Helix hortensis, Helix lucorum, Archelix punctata, Otala lactea, Otala vermiculata, Iberus alonensis, Cepæa nemoralis, Theba pisana, Sphincterochila candidisima and some others. , but these species are more exotic, which means they are difficult to get, and they will be bought with less interest. But as an even greater expansion of the range, it is worth considering the possibility of their breeding.

The biggest obstacle to this endeavor is long term snail maturation. This mollusk is slow not only in its movement, but also in turning into an edible individual, and in laying eggs - under not very favorable circumstances, the snail may not produce offspring after fertilization for up to a year, preserving and carrying the resulting biomaterial in itself. In order for the mollusk to be ready for consumption, it should take from 6 months to 3 years, for a common grape snail, this period is on average one and a half years with artificial content and three years when bred in nature. Therefore, it is best to purchase already adult sexually mature individuals, which will allow you to immediately get offspring.

Since snails are hermaphrodites - bisexual creatures - each animal lays eggs. Achatina breed more intensively - up to 160 eggs per year, ordinary grape - only 60. If it was decided to breed only grape snails, then about eight hundred animals will be required, 50 rubles each (sexually mature large individuals are especially valued, but you can buy the whole batch in bulk much cheaper - about eight thousand instead of forty). Each Achatina will cost 100 rubles (here, of course, wholesale purchases of mother tribes are also preferable), but only 200 individuals are needed. The weight of grape snails is on average 50 grams, Achatina - up to 70, so it is better to take mollusks "by weight" from professional breeders of such animals; pet lovers who keep snails as pets will ask for money for each mollusk without offering large lots. However, among such lovers there are many who want to give away the resulting offspring for nothing, since there is simply nowhere to put the animals, but this method of obtaining a tribe is not promising - they will often give away young snails that still need to grow up, slowly eating not free food during the year.

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It would seem that the easiest way is to go to the garden and collect mollusks by hand, only the garden must be large, and the businessman must be patient - it is impossible to find Achatina in Russia in the wild, in principle, and 800 grape snails are clearly not sitting in a row waiting for the hunter. In general, having tried and spending a little time looking for a wholesale supplier, you can purchase future fathers and mothers of all offspring for a maximum of 10 thousand rubles, while both large Achatina and their smaller grape relatives will be available.

The breeding of snails in the natural habitat and in the apartment differs significantly. If we take into account the farming activities for the maintenance of gastropods, then a plot of no more than 50 m 2 is required, which is enough to equip as a simple garden. The only condition is a completely fenced area so that the unhurried inhabitants do not crawl and the elimination of all possible lovers of snails. You can get rid of bird attacks either by installing a transparent canopy or placing a scarecrow on the plot (a very dubious method, but sometimes it works), but even a simple canopy will significantly reduce the attacks of birds that do not really like to get close to human habitation.

The biggest problem may be some species of large beetles that also like to feed on snails, pesticide baiting can kill the offspring themselves, so it may be necessary to select the optimal poison that spares the mollusks while destroying insects.

A good fence should get rid of another natural enemy- hedgehog; but there will remain the possibility of another attack from under the ground - moles. It is impossible to cover the ground with boards, the snails themselves need soil, therefore, if moles are found to have been dug, they will have to be forcibly driven away. The fence itself should have a rounding inward at the top so that those who love to crawl along the vertical surface of the snail could not get out. Even more effective way there will be a supply of the weak electric current(about 4 volts, maximum - 12, more - means to cook the snail ahead of time), fired at the top of the fence - the clams will receive a discharge and fall back.

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As mentioned above, only grape snails can be bred in the fresh air, especially resistant Achatina can withstand temperatures as low as two degrees Celsius, but, due to the lack of ability to hibernate, they begin to die with further cooling. The grape snail will simply hibernate for three months - this is one of the disadvantages of keeping mollusks in the garden, for winter time the animals burrow into the soil, climb into the shell and sleep, respectively, without leading an active (as far as it can be active in a snail) lifestyle and, most importantly, not multiplying. However, it will not be enough just to settle the mollusks on a plot of land; you need not just the presence of plants, but also a special composition of the soil, which, moreover, must be regularly updated at least by simple digging. Providing snails with a fruitful garden means losing a crop, so the best way out is to settle animals in a weed-covered area; ideal - to plant wild non-agricultural grapes.

To fertilize the soil in an aviary equipped for mollusks, you need to throw freshly cut weed grass, and also add calcium fertilizers to form a snail shell. The site must be constantly moistened and protected from direct sunlight - another reason to pull at least a canvas canopy. The advantage of this content is saving on food, which the mollusks will receive from weeds and other useless plants, it remains only to periodically feed and fertilize the earth with minerals. A month will require no more than a thousand rubles for such events. It is also worth remembering that in natural conditions snails grow longer.

Breeding mollusks in a city apartment has its own characteristics. Snails are good because they can be located in all three spatial dimensions, so a room can have an area of ​​​​20 m 2, in which about 10 mollusks will be located (in fact, this is the same terrarium, only with a certain filling, made independently) 10 thousand each. Here you can already contain any species, including the more valuable African Achatina; the main thing is to create conditions close to natural for snails. Most important indicators- temperature environment and humidity. Grape snails will be pleasantly surprised by the absence of winter and the opportunity not to fall into suspended animation and, to celebrate, will increase the number of mating seasons, while Achatina will simply consider that they are in their native Africa. The average temperature is about 23 degrees Celsius, this mode is liked by most species, not only these two. The soil should be saturated with calcium, as well as mud - the mollusks naturally feed on it, getting the nutrients they need. nutrients. Feed of plant origin is suitable, all the same weeds and just plant leaves. It is constantly necessary to moisten the molluskaria, when dry, the snails become inhibited and lethargic (how lethargic a snail can be), and then die displeasedly. Moisturizing helps with the necessary cleaning of the mollusk every 3 days with digging the soil; if neglected, animals will suffocate in their own waste, mucus and rotting food.

Well, such breeding is the possibility of obtaining valuable snail caviar; you can find it during the mating periods of molluscs, which caring parents instilled into the kidney. If you allocate one mollusk for the mating games of snails, after planting them there, then you can extract a considerable number of clutches with least cost and without disturbing animals in other mollusks. Snails will not be able to leave the limits of their dwelling only in the case of a tightly closed lid (gastropods are relatively strong creatures), in which you need to do maximum amount holes for air access. The holes should be no larger than 5 millimeters so that the smallest newly born snails also do not crawl out. The monthly maintenance of mollusks in an apartment will be about 5 thousand rubles, which will be spent on public utilities and feed.

The largest individuals remain for breeding, the rest are sent for their intended purpose of breeding. Packages of live snails are valuable, but this is possible in the case of an established trade. Mollusks can be kept without food for several days, after which they can be killed and rid of the shell, subjected to quick freezing and sold in this form. Such a product will be valued much lower, but it will not be necessary to keep living beings together with the dead and those who have begun to decompose in anticipation of a purchase for many days. In the case of grape snails, you can take advantage of the natural instincts of mollusks: for this, you need to artificially lower the temperature in the room so that the animals think that winter is coming, hide in shells and burrow into the soil. Then the snails are removed from the ground, sorted into kilogram bags and sent to the freezer (in general, no more than two 10 thousand each will be needed) in anticipation of being sent to the consumer's table.

When farm breeding such a trick will not work and is possible only with the onset of real frosts. In any case, there will be a year and a half to come to grips with future distribution channels; These include large hypermarkets, specialty restaurants in major cities and buyers in other countries. Export can become the most profitable direction, but the conclusion of such agreements will require the greatest effort. You will have to spend money on ordering packaging and labels, which will average 10 rubles from a one-kilogram package sold for 200 rubles. It will be possible to sell up to 4,000 snails per month, which will amount to 200 kilograms of products or 40,000 income. It can be increased if you closely engage in the laborious collection of caviar.

When farming the profitability of such a business can reach 90%, when breeding in an apartment - a little lower. The payback, however, will be at least two years, a year and a half of which will only be spent waiting for the first batch of the delicacy.

Another promising area is cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, gastropods are used in the production of helicidin, which in turn is the basis of some drugs that relieve coughs. Chemical industries will be interested in buying snails due to the isolation of lectins from them, which are used in some industries. At the same time, such cooperation can bring even more significant income than orders for cooking, and for implementation, you can use illiquid individuals who, for various reasons, cannot go to food industry. However, in such an undertaking there is a risk of being completely without buyers, because the product is exotic in its own way and not very in demand, while Russia is not a big consumer of such delicacies. Therefore, it is especially important to carefully study the market before starting.

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Pereslavl-Zalessky never ceases to amaze. It seems like we've seen everything here. But this is how you come once again and arrange a firework of new impressions for yourself.
The other day we discovered a special place for ourselves. A place surrounded by protected nature, saints and historical monuments, and at the same time completely unusual, even unique, given its location - not by the Tyrrhenian Sea, but on the shores of Lake Pleshcheyevo. I'm talking about a grape snail farm - agricultural farm "Ulitka" in Pereslavl-Zalessky.
As Aleksey Dyachkov, the owner of this special Pereslavl landmark, says, there are different farms - large and small. This one is small, but on a small plot of land there lives an impressive number of creatures exotic for Russia - grape snails Helix Aspersa. Here you can see and learn how snails live, what they eat, how they are prepared for consumption, and, if desired, taste them. Along with snails, vegetables, fruits, berries, and herbs are grown on the farm.And all this delicious splendor grows near the wallsNikitsky Monastery,to the sound of bells, against the backdrop of the brilliant expanse of Lake Pleshcheyevo.

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We arrived at the Ulitka agricultural farm in mid-April. At that time, when snails, like all nature, are just beginning to wake up from hibernation.

Herbs in beds and greenhouses come to life. And the snails, the southern individual, are behind them.

Snails live on the ground, in thickets of grass. Outwardly, all this resembles beds covered with small greenhouses.

In winter, molluscs burrow into the soil by 30 cm and fall into suspended animation. It was in this state that we, in fact, found them. We arrived early.

Grape snail is a southern delicacy, unknown to many of us and untested in taste. Perhaps that is why everything that you learn here is a curiosity for both adults and children. It is understandable - communication with nature is always a miracle. And even more so with such a unique creature as a snail.
You can come to the agro-farm "Snail" as a group (10-20 people) or individually (2-3 people). The program, depending on the desire, can be very different: a tour of the farm, acquaintance with snails, snail races, snail tasting, treats with agricultural farm products (jam, vegetables, herbs, all kinds of barbecue), etc.
Galina, Alexei's wife, knows how to cook snails correctly and tasty, and this is not an easy art. The guests really like the exotic kebab - snails are strung on skewers alternately with vegetables. Served with special sauce.
There are two special zones on the territory of the farm, equipped with sheds, tables and benches, where guests are received and treated.

Visitors are taken in for tastings warm time year - from May to October (upon prior request). Individual tourists are expected on Saturdays at 19.00. You must inform about your visit to the farm in advance, at least 4 hours before arrival.

So, what is the agro-farm "Ulitka"?
The "Snail" farm is an object of the type of tourism that is in demand now - agrotourism. What is very developed in the same Italy, Spain, France, is now actively developing here in Russia. Like any rural tourism program, the snail farm offers a range of services - accommodation in small house(there are several of them on the farm), eating organic products, getting to know snails and various plants(herbs, vegetables, fruits), tasting. Those. You can come to the farm both in one day and for several days.
Photo of the house from the farm website (http://agroturizmulitka.blogspot.ru).

The Snail Farm is a Club of people who are passionate about their work, based on a family farmstead, or more precisely, a specific family that grows snails not for restaurants (where often neither cooks can cook them correctly, nor there is no demand from customers), but for in order to personally, actually high level prepare this unique product and present it to your guests. Both growing and cooking snails is a delicate matter. In order for the snail to be tasty, you need to know how to feed it, how to properly clean it, butcher it. And Alexei and Galina know this.
Farm "Snail" - a place where you are provided with cognitive recreation in nature. A lot is waiting for you interesting information, but the main thing is communication, food, hospitality, a round table, Fresh air and stunning landscapes. And best place not to be found for an agricultural farm! Indeed, on the one hand, the domes of the Nikitsky Monastery are looking at you, on the other, Lake Pleshcheyevo. And next door is the miraculous healing spring of Nikita Stylite. And all this is surrounded by the famous Pleshcheyevo Lake reserve.