Stopping Slugs Getting In House?

Question

How can I stop slugs getting in my house? Ive lived in several houses in my area and all of them seem to get infested with slugs. I hate the horrible slimey pests and want to stop them getting in the house. What is the best way to do this? I normally have to kill them with salt and throw them out when they are dead.

Answer 1

First thing to do is place a fair amount of a quality slug killer outside of all exterior doors. If you have plants nearby, move them away from the doors. If they're in pots, surround them with more of the slug killer once you have moved them. If you can place sharp gravel for a couple of feet outside of the doors it may hamper them because they can only move on the slime trail they make.

You can also try cutting a grapefruit in half, eating it, and placing the empty skin downward outside of the door. In the morning you will find that it will be full of slugs - for some reason they can't resist grapefruit skin. One thing they find even less irresistable is ale. Dig small hole outside of the door and place an empty margarine tub in it. Part fill it with ale. Slugs like nothing more then a good booze up. In the morning you'll find it full of dead slugs because they'll have fallen in and drowned.

One thing to remember is to break up all the slime trails you find. Slugs and snails use them like a road. Once the trail is made, others will follow, if you've broken up the trail, it'll be harder for them.

Being in the house is unusual, but it does happen. Try and find out how they are getting in. Best time is in the cool of an evening. Once you find where they are coming in, then you have a better chance of stopping them by attacking their source. Again, break up the slime trail. You may not be able to see it so well inside so you must make certain it's gone. A good strong floor cleaner, even bleach, will sort this out for you.

They may already be inside if you have a damp problem somewhere (in which case you'll need to call in a damp-proofing expert), but this isn't really likely unless they have access to a food source inside your home - like pot plants and/or vegetables stored in the kitchen.

Hope this is of some help and best of luck with getting rid of them.

Answer 2

You can lay a trail of dried lavender to repel them away from where you don't want them to go. This is fine if you do not want to kill them, but if you do, then half fill a glass with beer/ale and that will do the trick, as the slugs will crawl into the glass to drink and then drown.

Answer 3

Aaagghh! I have them in the house - i go down at 2 in the morning and throw the big ones out - thank you for all the good advice. I will attack from the outside, clean up the slug trails (love the idea that they are like railway lines for them to follow!!) - bleach, salt and pellets - look out yukky slugs, here i come. But, as with all wildlife, i will have a conscience about killing them - i hear they are very poisonous and i have cats, dogs and grandchildren!!
Thanks folks ........... xx

Answer 4

You could use metaldehyde or other bait/poison combos as a slug killer or set out a tin with beer in it. Apparantly slugs love beer, they drink, fall in and drown. Not pretty, but I guess it's better than having dead slugs throughout your house!

Answer 5

WOW inside the house? that's pretty bad. try burying plastic cups in the yard (bury them all the way up to the top so they;re level with the ground) then fill them up about half way with beer. Slugs are attracted to the smell and drown in the cup.

Answer 6

put slug pellets all around the house, ive never heard of slugs going ito a house befor

Answer 7

Pretend your a Jehovahs Witness, they will soon scarper.

Answer 8

Surround your house with a slug fence...post no slugs allowed signs.....post wanted dead or alive slug signs

Good Luck

Answer 9

Find a product(like Diazanon)that you can sprinkle around the foundation of your house.

Answer 10

sprinkle salt around the area you think they are coming from.. it kills em instantly