Response of African Giant Snail (Archachatina Marginata) in Captivity to Deifferent Feed Items

Abstract

Thirty six (36) one-week old hatchling of giant snail were randomly selected and grouped into 4 batches on the basis of body weight. Each group was fed in captivity with either of the following feed items: water leaf, cocoyam leaf, potato leaf or compound feed (24.43% crude protein). Diets were fed ad libitum for 20 weeks. The result showed that snails raised on compounded feed had the highest body weight gain which was not significantly different (P>0.05) from those fed cocoyam and water leaves. Snail fed potato leaf had significantly lowest (P>0.05) body weight gain. Mean flesh weight of snails fed compounded diets and cocoyam leaf were 158±5.31 and 153± 4.04g respectively, these were significantly different(P>0.05) from those fed water leaf (148± 1.00g) and sweet potato leaf (139±1.10g). It was concluded that African giant snail can be raised successfully in captivity on cocoyam without any adversely response.

Keywords: Giant Land Snail, Cocoyam, Potato leaf, water leaf, compounded feed, captive rearing.