Not a Question, a Warning.

[ladybirder]

We quite often see questions on here asking how to get rid of slugs etc. Well make sure you don't accidentally kill your pet at the same time by putting down dangerous pesticides. If they can kill a pet they can kill a child and don't be fooled if it says 'Pet Friendly' on the packaging.

http://www.theargus.c...er_Sussex_dog_killed/

[webbo3]

slug pellets should be used sparingly, they must have had a fair amount or piles of them for the dog to eat so many, these are the only true animal/child friendly slug deterrents.

http://www.google.co....ICIBw&ved=0CDoQ8wIwAA


Dave.

[boxtops]

We use slug pellets but mostly in our pots, and very sparingly.

[ladybirder]

Says in the article they think someone threw them into their garden webbo, so they don't know if it was deliberate. I find it hard to believe somebody would do that. Horrible.

[irish-quizzer]

Introduce a family of hedgehogs,to them slugs are delicacy and think what good you are doing to the animals survival.Biggest problem would be finding hedgehogs in the first place.My son is a vet ,in early summer they get a procession of people with hedgehogs .They pick them up after hibernation,Last one he was given gave birth to 5 babies which we released when they grew a bit .have seen them and mother frequently on our farm
Slug pellets are definitly very dangerous to pets

[ladybirder]

I agree IQ, I always recommend getting hedgehogs into your garden if possible and if you can get a few thrushes as well, job done.

I am against using pesticides and to think this poor little dog died in agony is just awful.

[lankeela]

Another thing to be careful of now the weather is turning colder is anti freeze - ensure you don't spill any when topping up your motors as it has a sweet taste and is lethal if licked up by animals.

[woofgang]

indeed lankeela, also (and this is often missed) any screenwashes or sprays designed for use at low temperature.

[SpikeyBush]

I never use slug pellets. If I did then the slugs would fill up with them and in turn be eaten by the frogs, robins and bluetits. They would then ingest the toxin and dehydrate. End result is no predators so the slug population would explode and to control them chemically would in the end require a Herculean quantity of poison. That isn't a good idea.

Plant plenty of wildflowers. They are hardy and the slugs don't tend to go for them. They are also beautiful and help the bees & butterflies. If you have room and suitable circumstances, dig a pond too. No need to go pinching tadpoles from local bogs, the frogs will find your pond sooner or later and they hoover up slugs like there's no tomorrow.

Everyone seems to have been giving out about slugs & snails this year but I have not had a problem with them despite my garden being very wet and not an ounce of poison laid out.

Why pay good money for toxic pellets when you can get nature to do the dirty work for you for free?

[ladybirder]

You're a man after my own heart Spikey. I'm afraid too many people like their gardens neat and tidy and won't allow wild things to grow, regarding them as weeds. And to keep the garden neat and tidy they lace it with poison, not caring about the damage they do to our wildlife.