Animal Activities

Greetings to every steemian and my special regards to @xkool24, the brain behind this contest. I'm so glad to participate in this Steem-Agro contest and I hope we share the same feelings, all the best to us all

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Garden snails are one of the various types of snails. They are soft-bodied animals without backbones that belong to the association of slow-moving animals but this is never an excuse for them to stay behind when there's snails' prison outbreak. Snails are one of the most sensitive animals I've come across in life. They possess muscular foot that secretes mucus which enables them to move from one place to another without covering any significant distance in a minute. No wonder the simile,as slow as a snail and they are so innocent that despite the fact that they are very slow in their movement, they still leave behind traceable map(trails) to locate them, except on surfaces that doesn't support their trails as a result of incompatibility. They feed on leaves, fruits and other decomposable materials, so they help in adding nutrients to the soil by helping to decompose biodegradable materials.

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Snails always carry their homes with them and that's a lesson for us to always place priority on our well-being and security.

I was surprised the day I got to know that snails have blood, thought not a red blood, which helps in the circulation of oxygen but unlike humans that have heamiglobin an iron-based compound which helps in the transfer of oxygen, it has a copper-based molecule , hemocyanin, that perform the same function. They are hermaphroditic in nature, so they have both male and female reproductive organs.

Most snails undergo cross-fertilization rather than self-fertilization. This helps in the viability of the offspring with an increase in its adaptability as there's a combination of two parent genetics.

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They lay the fertilized eggs in protected spot based on their location and within 1-4 weeks the eggs are been hatched into juvenile or baby snails and at this point they are very fragile. It would take some months to grow into a mature snail.

They are always very active at night because it is mostly humid at night and this would limit dehydration. It is also at this time that they could avoid day predators and the night temperature is just okay with them. The temperature at night is always more cooler compared to day time hours that's why they stay in moist-dark areas or under debris during the day. It is also at this point that plant make use of their stored food acquired through photosynthesis in the day time.

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Snails hunting was an adventure I always love to embark on with my peers when I was much younger. It was always a wonderful experience especially when you are among those that had a nice catch. I wonder why some persons do not like taking snails.

Some people freak out when they come in contact with a snail. There are thousands and one reasons why some persons do not consume snail; it could be they don't like the taste; it's not found in their locality, so they are not exposed to it; not culturally or religiously accepted to be consumed in their domain and so many others.

_{Hunted from the neighborhood}

I don't know if I would be right to say they are all missing out because snails are one of the nutritive animals. It is rich in protein, vitamins like B2, B12 etc; minerals like iron, calcium and potassium; they are low in fat content and this would benefit those that have high cholesterol level trying to manage their weight.

Snails could be prepared in different ways but I prepare mine by first getting it out of its shell using a pointed metallic substance that can go into it's shell. I then apply sodium chloride (salt) after getting rid of the unwanted intestinal organs, to help remove a good amount of the slimy content and thereafter I introduced alum that helps to remove the slimy content completely as well as other impurities. I then wash them thoroughly, seasoned and steam them appropriately and use them for my meal preparation or just consume them directly. They could go with any kind of soup and sauce.

_{Every household should have a taste}

Gone are the days were snail was regarded as a poor man meat, it is now consumed even more by the elites because of its nutritional value.

Give it a try if you haven't and let me know how you feel about it.

I would like @nsijoro @Naturalworld96 @thinkbest7 @dexxtero and @AlexeyWeb3 to participate in his contest.