Feeding and Nutrition :: garden slugs

[scripta_elegans]

I won't feed these to the kids intentionally, but they do seem to appear in the pond rather frequently. I do get them out, but does anyone know if they are toxic in and of themselves? I have found tons if info on how horrid the poison is that peple use to kill them, but my yard is pesticide/herbicide free. Do I still need to worry? Will it hurt them if they happen to get one that I missed?

[marisa]

I've read of people giving their turtles slugs. I can't remember if it was RES or not, but I can't see why a stray slug that's free of pesticides/herbicides would hurt them.

I imagine using pesticides would be to eliminate a large number of them. I've done away with individual ones by putting some salt on them (they fizz away, kind of like the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz ).

[scripta_elegans]

I'm melting! Melting! Thanks Marisa!

[TheComputerGremlin]

For some reason, maybe just tales told to scare children into not eating them, I was under the impression that they contained poison that was harmful at least to humans and maybe dogs. I mean, obviously you can't patrol the pond constantly, and if the turtle has eaten a few and survived, no harm I guess.

And I think, sad as it is to watch, the only pesticide-free way to rid your yard of some of them at least is salt.

[Take-One]

I used to feed my tuts that. It didn't harm them at all.

[imderanged]

I have heard leaving out shallow pans of beer will also et rid of slugs. They like beer aparently, but when they crawl in they drown.

[Tenodera]

I have heard leaving out shallow pans of beer will also et rid of slugs. They like beer aparently, but when they crawl in they drown.

But that would attract a whole lotta other bugs, including wasps...