A single mother who was once on welfare now earns a six-figure income raising giant snails.
Chris Buckley owns a snail farm with more than 5,000 mollusks, which he records online. She is the world's first “Snife Fluencer”.
She specializes in African land snails, a very large species whose shells alone can measure up to 10 inches (23 centimeters).
Chris' business took off after he started posting about snails on the social media app TikTok.
Her video quickly went viral and she became famous.
The snails that Chris breeds can sell for up to €60 each, and her business now turns in five-figure sums each month.
S.W.N.S.
Chris, from Munich, Germany, became interested in snails while caring for his son, who was hospitalized for several months with a gastrointestinal perforation.
Due to her need for full-time care, she was unable to work and also had to care for her other son.
The family of three was forced to rely on the state for a living and received food donations from the church.
At the time, Chris was spending all his time meeting the needs of his sons, so he felt he needed a hobby of his own.
Chris didn't have time for a dog or cat and needed something low-maintenance.
So, after doing a little research, she decided to keep a snail as a pet.
She paid €60 for an African land snail and a terrarium and it completely changed her life.
S.W.N.S.
Chris, who did not want to reveal her age, said: “I was a single mother of two children and I was living on money from the state.
“My life has been about taking care of others. I had nothing of my own, and the idea of a snail was very appealing. Snails don't need any attention.”
She started posting videos of her pet snails on TikTok in 2019, and the videos quickly went viral.
Chris said: “It was a very quick change. People now recognize me. It's strange because I'm a very private person, but every day thousands of people ask me about snails.”
“I was just posting pictures of my pet and the second video I posted went viral, and suddenly I was an influencer.
“My oldest son helps me with social media because he's that age. He's the one who suggested I should go on TikTok.”
S.W.N.S.
Two years later, she started her own snail breeding business and currently has over 5,000 snails in storage.
The snail breeding business was so successful that the family stopped claiming benefits and were now able to live comfortably.
Chris has three employees and generates five-figure sales each month.
She added: “My life completely changed. I was living in a council apartment and receiving food donations from my church.
“I still live in the same apartment, but the snail saved my life.”
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