is it cruel to kill slugs in the garden?

Question

why not catch them and put them somewere else

Answer 1

I think you are right. Just catch them in a bottle and put them somewhere else. But make sure it's not in an area that would cause them to destroy someone else's crops.

And to the people that kill them with salt... That is extremely cruel. It's one thing to kill them because they are destroying your crops, it's another to torture them as a form of revenge or simply for your viewing pleasure.

Answer 2

Not wanting to assume anything, but have you had the same thoughts over the last bit of meat that you ate! Are slugs higher than this on the food chain?

Ideally, yes. Over the garden fence into your neighbours garden. The one with the nice cottage garden.

They are a pain though, but I'd never take delight and watch them suffer with salt!

To say 'catch' them, how fast do your ones travel?!

Answer 3

It depends on how you kill them on whether it's cruel or not.
No, don't catch them and put them somewhere else, where they're either someone elses problem or they'll starve.

The people who equate killing any life form with dollars and cents without considering the moral factor are, well, immoral, I suppose. But then we're a society who says it's okay to eat one animal but another we spend thousands on and call it a pet.

I have a yard with lizards and toads and I no longer have a problem with snails.

Answer 4

Hello Jock!
If people would start gardening properly there wouldn't be a need to kill slugs or snails. If I find their eggs, I put them on the bird table, and if i find them, i put them in a bucket and take them to the woods. If you go out to the garden at night-time with a torch, they are easy to find. They are also fascinating creatures to watch. Lazy, useless gardeners torture them with salt. Why fight nature?

Answer 5

I fill a bottle with salt - water and drop them in there , one by one. First of all i am sick and tired of them eating my plants till there is nothing left, they eat bulbs as well and plants cost a lot of money. Should you ever come this way you will see there are millions of the things around. I do not feel guilty getting rid of them.
Maybe you can start up your own little business making meals with them. I will be your main supplyer if you like hehehehe.:)))) Sorry i believe in looking after God's little creatures and all that but then some people eat them.

Answer 6

No in fact take a salt shaker out and watch them curl up as you sprinkle them. You can also put a shallow pie plate or dish in the garden and fill it with stale beer. The slugs crawl in and drown

Answer 7

No not at all. If this were the old days and you had to depend on your garden for your years supply of food and the slugs were wrecking it....they'd be killing you.

Answer 8

it depedns do you feel its right to kill slugs in the garden, garderners, pet owners people who like their garden want them gone, vegiterian, animal rights activists, vegans etc. would say its wrong. But you decide its a rhetorical question.

Answer 9

who are you anyway? cruel to kill slugs? they eat the plants the kill everything they are bad bad bad critters just make sure you remove them from the garden before killing them.

Answer 10

Collect them up in a Pyrex bowl, then put cling film over the top. Place the bowl in the microwave for 2/3 minutes depending on the power rating of the oven. Then listen to the little suckers go pop, this will kill them and you won't have murdered them in the garden, thus avoiding your dilemma.