Slugs, slugs everywhere

Before we moved to Tod. we lived in the Bowerham area of Lancaster, famed for it's humongous slug population. You could be washing up and they'd come up the overflow, go to the kitchen for a midnight snack and find 6+ slugs on the floor, carpets weren't a problem, they'd breed in the furniture. ICK

Unfortunately there's either a similar population in Portsmouth or we brough some with us. They *seem* to be confined to the kitchen for now.

Does anyone know any good indoor slug-repellents or traps?

I'm hoping we might be a good garden for the hedgehog rehoming but until then we have too many and they're multiplying.

We seem to be plagued with giant snails...
I was talking to a fella at work who tells me that instead of sprinkling ugly looking blue slug pellets randomly around the garden just place a few small heaps, discreetly screened from view! Apparantly slugs have a good sense of smell so will hunt out the pellets.

ahh, cool.

Do you know how long slug pellets take to work? I let my ferrets out in the back garden and one has a real thing for the odd slug-snack so I don't want him poisoned.

Use Growing Success slug pellets they are certified for organic use and are safe to use around children and pets, another good and cheap way to get rid of the slimies is put heaps of bran around the garden it really does work, it kills them and if you go out an hour after dark you can catch the buggers crawing over the bran and get rid of them, (I put them in a bucket and dispose of them in the park please don't tell the park gardeners !!!!)

OOps must have been typing at the same time, That one sounds good.
dont use slug pellets anywhere that pets go, if they get any on there fur and then clean themselves by licking their coat, they can swallow the poison and it is pretty nasty stuff.
There is a none poisonous slug killer called "Slug Stop", you sprinkle it round the plants and it kills the slugs by absorbing the moisture out o them. This is safer if you have pets and better for he birds.
Garden centres usually have it or you can get it here. Works on snails as well.

http://www.gardendirect.co.uk/slug-stop-15lt-p-732?zenid=3epc5dniphpo9v06hii5r7k783

There's always the 'slug pub' too, bury a dish or glass (or a beer can) with some beer in (don't think they are particular, any beer will do!) and the slugs sniff it out. They must all be pretty big boozers as they love beer! They'll drink the beer, fall in, drown...but, hey! They'll die happy... Or encourage hedgehogs to your garden (Not sure how, but maybe a 'Hedgehog Welcome' mat might do the trick!!

hedgehogs are definitely the bet answer if you can persuade them in

I'd love to have heggie-hogs in our garden. It seems there aren't any in the area. If anyone knows contact details for any hedgehog societies or such I can contact that'd be lovely. I believe in some areas they're kept as pets.

I think I shall try the 'slug pub' idea, I can pop down to the pub and ask for dregs, we don't drink ya see.

Thanks everyone :)

I used to have one in my garden, it stole the cat house I had made for a stray moggie, found cat sitting outside it in the rain, so had to build cat new home, next door to Mrs hegdepig.
She had moved in because of the cat food I was putting out, she stayed all her life and raised a few hedgepig families.
You cannot legally keep them as pets in the UK as they are classed as wild animals.
But if one moves in and you persuade it to stay that is fine.

Thanks for that information Woodbine, very useful.

I found the British Hedgehog Preservation Society website today: http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk

Apparently some heggiehogs who lose a leg or are unable to fend for themselves are sometimes in rescues and looking for an enclosed garden and some 'carers'

I have contacted a rescue in Keighley about this, describing our garden and mentioning we might be able to offer a home.

We already have a compost heap that I started in Octoberish time and with the spilt bird seed and the half of the garden I left to Nature anyway the garden is pretty well grown.

Our main issue is the steps, I'm not sure what hedgehogs are like with steps but I doubt one would climb down them unless desperate. they're about 10" high and a bit of a struggle for my ferrets who are a lot bigger than hedgies.

Anyway, I shall await the reply, I can always do the 'slug pubs'

Oh that would be brilliant, you would would make excellent hedgehog foster parents.

Admin wrote:Oh that would be brilliant, you would would make excellent hedgehog foster parents.

I'd like to think so. I have also contacted the BHPS for info on the steps issue to see if we'd need a gate before we can 'adopt' a heggie assuming there is one locally that needs a home....

I will definitely keep you all updated.


(I haven't told hubbie about any of this yet )

mine used to find steps no problem at all, used to climb a 4 brick high raised bed wall too, so you may need a gate

Slugs, yes we have oodles, on a damp humid night I go out and divide them. When I am done there are twice as many