They hit sexual maturity at about dime-sized. They can store sperm for 3 months or so. They can lay clutches, more than one a week, for the duratoin of their sexual maturity. You don't have to cookfor your snails, its also easy to keep a bag of frozen green beans inthe fridge to feed them or to buy a calcium rich prepared food (I use ken's veggie sticks and catfish pellets, both 16% or over in calcium content). They will lay eggs even if they are not fertilized as part of reproductive health. Some fish and other snails will eat the clutches if submerged, but its always been easier for me to take them out and crush or freeze them.