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Discussion » Questions » Home and Garden » What is the best way to stop slugs getting into the house?

What is the best way to stop slugs getting into the house?

These last few weeks, slugs have been getting in under the door during the night. The door is timber and there is a very small gap between the bottom of the door and the frame. There are no other gaps or cracks.

Posted - August 21, 2020

Responses


  • 182
    The Pelosi solution seems best, a ten foot high protective wall around your property. Mind you, police say if you buy a house in a known area of constant drive-by shootings you are asking for trouble - even if you are not directly involved in the disputes - most often drug related I'm told. 
      August 21, 2020 1:03 PM MDT
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  • 5808
    what, they are at war with the slugs?
      August 21, 2020 1:35 PM MDT
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  • 182
    Depends on the caliber. Point twenty-twos can be survivable, but when you dig out what turns out to be a point three fifty-seven or a forty-four, they can go through walls and furniture, and through you too, and must be cause for concern. 
      August 21, 2020 2:49 PM MDT
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  • 52903

     

    ~

      August 21, 2020 1:07 PM MDT
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  • 5808
    ...oh man, the slugs were outside the house,
    now the slugs are still alive
    and waiting for you to rebuild.
      August 21, 2020 1:33 PM MDT
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  • 537
    It looks like a shot from a horror film. Has the girl used telekinetic powers to set the house on fire from a distance? 
      August 22, 2020 12:16 AM MDT
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  • 52903

    No.  The amount of flames, presence of the fire engines and the girl’s position outside the house suggest that the fire started at least ten to twenty minutes prior to the photo. The girl had time to get out of or away from the house and is admiring her handiwork from afar. 

    ~

      August 22, 2020 12:49 AM MDT
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  • 44173
      August 21, 2020 1:13 PM MDT
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  • 5808
         Maybe put a door sweep at the bottom of the door?
    Slug bait outside the door?
    Glue traps that they would have to crawl over
    to access door opening?
         Have you tried laying a rope around your door opening?
    Don't know if they would crawl over it.
    Rattlesnakes won't crawl over a rope, so I've heard.
    Good luck
         Glue traps, if they trap them,
    you could have a slug roast...haha
    aren't they snails without shells?
    ...But that's a hell of a way to go,
    trapped on a glue trap, starving to death.
    ...maybe just a double rubber door sweep. haha
      August 21, 2020 1:30 PM MDT
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  • 537
    I will look into the possibility of getting a rubber door sweep. 
      August 22, 2020 12:18 AM MDT
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  • 10029
    Glue traps turn into a terribly tragic situation for so many creatures that people don't intend to harm. They're really terrible. 
      August 22, 2020 4:18 PM MDT
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  • 6023
    Ducks ... they'll gobble up those slugs.
      August 21, 2020 2:59 PM MDT
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  • 17364
    I have a vague memory of my aunt pouring salt on slugs.  I just don't remember the result.
      August 21, 2020 10:08 PM MDT
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  • 52903

     

      Oh, believe me, it works, and it’s both immediate and it’s over very quickly. 

    ~

      August 21, 2020 10:12 PM MDT
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  • 17364
    If you put salt by the door would it stop them from coming in? 
      August 21, 2020 10:44 PM MDT
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  • 52903

     

      It can, yes. The caveat is the time factor. Over a period of time, the effectiveness of the salt dissipates, especially once it’s exposed to weather, either indoors or outdoors. 
      As soon as salt comes into contact with any moist* part of a slug’s body or a slug comes into contact with grains of salt, a chemical reaction similar to burning and dissolving begins. The salt can be sprinkled over slugs, over their routes of travel, or a line of salt can be poured as a barrier to keep them out. Condensation, dew, rain, humidity, any other kind of moisture will “melt” the salt away, so it only lasts a few hours or a day. For those reasons, it has to be watched if expected keep them away.
      Another choice is beer. It has the same killing results as salt, it can last a little longer because it’s liquid, it can be poured directly on the slugs, or poured into shallow containers in the slugs’ paths. It has its drawbacks, which are that it attracts slugs (and snails) due to the scent and its ingredients, so instead of just killing them, there will be a lot more of them coming in to investigate. Secondly, your area will smell like a brewery or a bar. 

    *They‘re moist all over. 

      August 21, 2020 11:20 PM MDT
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  • 537
    Thanks everyone - your contributions are appreciated. I have thought about my options and have decided I will try using copper tape or wool pellets, which are recommended by some gardeners. They both provide a surface that slugs find difficult to cross, or are unwilling to.
      August 22, 2020 12:31 AM MDT
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  • 10449
    A 2 inch  wide copper strip  - slugs can't traval across copper because of a cemical  reaction between the copper and the slime the slugs produce. Cheers and happy weekend!
      August 22, 2020 4:34 PM MDT
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  • 537
    I have read about copper tape, and it seems that people get mixed results from using it. One experiment found that larger slugs were able to cross it by arching their bodies like caterpillars, thus minimising bodily contact with the copper. I have ordered a spray from Amazon which claims to deter them (the delivery came only a minute ago in fact). If it doesn't work I will try the tape. Happy Sunday!
      August 23, 2020 5:37 AM MDT
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