Snails, Slugs, and ....

For those of you who have back yards, can you tell me what you do to combat the snails and slugs with a curious dog!? I always used that snail/slug bait before and it worked great, but derrrr... it's POISON and just can't use it now that we have Bailey. Well, now whenever he cruises outside at night, he either plays with 'em outside or brings them in. It is so nasty... :-& AND HE has been known to EAT ONE OR TWO! EWWWWW!!!!!! :-& Not to mention, those nasty things CAN'T be good for him! Obviously if I stand outside with him, then he'll do his "thang" and come in.... but I want him to be able to cruise in and out whenever he needs to go, without one of us having to stand guard.

 

Hi. The info below is from: http://chefsgarden.com/insect_informati ... &%20Snails

The most commonly used prevention is the slug and snail baits that are sold in garden centers. They do work if you follow the directions on the box and replace them when it rains heavily. They contain Metaldehyde and as the snails eat it they will slowly die. Many formulations can be dangerous to use around birds or pets so I hardly ever recommend the baits. Fortunately there has been a new bait developed called "Sluggo" that is safe around pets and will break down into iron in the soil. It is pricey but good and very safe.

The first thing that needs to be done is to try to eliminate as many of the snails as you can find. You don't have to go out into the garden at night with a flashlight. You can place boards out in the area propped up slightly and they will hide there during the day. Go out in the afternoon and remove them from the shady side of the board and destroy them. Follow their slime trails to track down their hiding places. Beer traps work by drowning slugs but hardly ever catch snails as they are not really beer drinkers.

The best way to prevent snails and slugs is to create barriers that they cannot cross over to get to your basil. Any type of copper can be used to make a wall that electrically shocks their body (fun isn't it) or wood ashes, crushed egg shells, or diatomaceous earth which cut into their soft flesh.

Encourage natural enemies such as birds, toads, and salamanders, also chickens and ducks are efficient snail hunters. Good luck and don't have too much fun.

 

Well this may not help but I live in the woods ad we just use salt to kill them .I just pour some on them and they dissolve .Then I scoop it up .My way may not be the best way but i kill alot that way .

 

chessmind, thanks for the info!! :idea: I am hoping not to use slug/snail bait so that Bailey doesn't get into it. I tried lining the OUTSIDE of the fence and well, that just didn't work, those darn slugs are smart (or good jumpers, ar ar ar)

malti - what kind of salt? I'm assuming "rock salt"..... and since you didn't mention it, I'm assumin it doesn't upset the doggies?

I can't stand those nasty critters! when I first open the door now, I go out with a napkin and scoop up the slugs that are on the brick patio... but Lord only knows where the others and snails are hiding in the brush, grass, plants, and stuff. :-& Sure enuff Bailey comes cruising in with a snail in his mouth -- TOTALLY TRAUMATIZED.... lol.. and soon to be dead, that's for sure

 

Regular salt .The kind you use in cooking and stuff .I have bought large amounts of it and just covered the yard in it .It melts them ..When we were children ,we would use all moms salt just watching those things melt .It was fun then to watch them melt (kids are not as sweet as people say ,LOL ) Anyway ,I salt my yard where Sam and the others go out and it keeps them gone .I have never had any of my dogs be sick because of it either .Of course when I see one melting ,I scoop it up ...We use alot of salt here and not in food either .Just what I do .Pour some salt on one ,just coveer it and watch it just melt ...LOL !

 

oh you are eeeeeeeeeevil, malti! hehe......i luv it.
Okay, i'm going to line the fence line with plain ole' salt tomorrow.... Bailey brought in a FRIEND from outside tonite!! Poor little snail was allllll curled up in it's shell... and Bailey was just battin' it around on the carpet! LOL...... I guess I can't feel too sorry for them :-({|= , considering I'm fixin' to MELT 'EM! lol

 

MELT A FEW FOR ME TOO !!!!!! LOL !
I still like to watch as those slimy things dissolve .....Does that make me a sicko or just a SLIMEBUSTER !!!!!!!! LOL !

 

Slugs usually get stuck on Sasha's legs. I hate having to pul them out of her hair.
Malti- Is the salt ok for the garden, flowers etc?

 

I use it everywhere .In the garden and flower beds (I use to have flowers that were real ,now I have plastic ones ...LOL !) just kiddin' there ! ,I just use it when I see one .Usually ,I find them most under the deck and around the pool deck ,so I use alot in those areas . But I look each time I go into the flowers and garden areas and if I see one I melt it .I guess it would be according to how much you salted a flower but if nothing else scoop the things up and put them in a salt tank ...I have a old drum and I fill it partial with salt and keep a lid on it ,if I am in a place and need to scoop them up ,I do and drop them in the little barrel ,and they melt .

 

Well, I poured the salt in a line around the perimeter of the flower/weed bed and also along the fence...... Bailey came in with a snail in his mouth last nite, but I'm assuming that was a little friend that was "inside the line"......

and..... you're killin me, malti, you have this infatuation with the meltin! Perhaps we should start calling you melti!?

 

melti,malti ,molti ,yes moles Also ....Here we have moles really bad and I pour salt down the holes ..lol .sometimes I pour other stuff too ,Usually my dogs dig them up and take care of it ...but you can call me anything you want ...I am open to it ...After all I am the SLIMEBUSTER !!! MALTI -THE BODYGUARD ...BLOODY MARY AND GOAT GIRL ...heck you can call me JOE and I would answer ...LOL ! MELT ....MELT ...Melt ...?


PS ,I hope you melted the snail he brought in .That way you could see that it works .

 

lmao..JOE!! ... nooooooo I actually pitched it over the fence!! I think I have a feeling I know how that melt thing works.

 

Chicken !!!!! Not melting a snail ! Just pour it in the shell ,he will come out really quick !!!! ....LOL !

 

by the way...Puttin:
The same thing happens with Bailey -- the little slugs get stuck in his hair too! And, well.... we all know how they get stuff out of their hair!! Either by mouth or by mommy! ewwwwwww either way!!

 

Okay, the salt didn't work.... ( I put a "line" of it around the perimeters but it didn't seem to stop them.

Does anyone know of any snail/slug bait that is not dangerous for dogs? I just can't stand this anymore! ewwwwwww :x or perhaps another suggestion?

 

Salt will melt them but you have to use alot of it .How much did you use ? If just a thin line ,it more than apt would not ,have to have a large amount so they can't get over it ...

 

don't think this suggestion was offered but i remember my mother using beer when i was younger.

she would find a shallow pan, it has to be shallow enough for the snails to crawl in but deep enough for there to be enough beer in there. just pour the beer in and set the pan out. i remember they would crawl in to drink the beer and then drown (or get drunk and fall asleep)..

anyway, it did work.

gross but worth giving it a try

 

I heard that too ,but my dogs will drink the beer too .But if you could keep it in a place for snails and jkeep the dog out of it ,it might work .

 

I have a better idea... how about *I* drink the beer and not give a rip about the snails!? hehe.......

KIDDDDING......

That actually sounds interesting! I might have to try that! but, hmmm, :-# I agree, I don't really have a place I could put something like that so that Bailey doesn't get into it.... Well, heck, I'll have to try and figure something out. I stepped on a slug last nite and it literally squished up between my toes! can you say "EWW!" "EWWW!" and "EWWWW!"???
:-&