The dry seasons in Nigeria, particularly the harmattan season was not favourable for the snails at all.Many baby snails died. At least 10 of them must have died. I felt really bad. The little creature were dieing helplessly in the snail pen.
I began to regret, I wish I hadn't started at all. I couldn't return them to their natural habitat. The condition out there was even more harsh than it was in the snail pen. The leaves had all dried. The ground was as hard as rocks. The snails seemed doom. The nights, at this time was so cold the snails dug deep into the ground for warmth. The day time was so dry. Many of them estivated. I felt sad. They didn't come out to play or eat. I feared they would all die. Oh what a tragedy!
The dry season is almost over now. The Archatina marginata snails have remained buried in the soil, most times when I dig them out I find they had estivated then they shed the covering and within two days they are back inside the soil. The Archatina fulica snails are more rugged, only few of them estivated.
There is another problem in the snail house. Sugar ants are beginning to invade the snail house. I don't know if it has to do with the dry season too. Killing them manually don't seem to be working. They just won't go away. Changing the soil in the snail house is not an option because the soil is full of tiny eggs and babies. Ants and earth worms won't let the snails be. Oh what terrible contenders!
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