Is it cruel to put salt on SLUGS to kill them?

Question

Is it cruel to put salt on SLUGS to kill them?

Answer 1

I don't know, but I once did it and my mother's cat looked at the slug, then at me, then back at the slug, as if saying "interesting that".

When I went into the kitchen and came back out she'd eaten the slug.   I realised, belatedly, the look on her face was "are you going to eat that, or can I have it?"

Blecch.  Miss her, but she had no taste...

Answer 2

I hate it. I think it's horrid. If you want them to die more nicely then make a beer trap and they will die drunk in a bucket of beer.

But you may not want to waste the beer then use slug pellets. :(

Answer 3

Yes, they don't bother anybody and usually only come out at night.

Answer 4

Cruel to you or them?  

Whatever way you kill them is cruel really isn't it?

  

You could:  leave them be; pick them up and throw them over the fence so they become your neighbour's problem; put out a saucer of beer so they drown happy (but you will have to dispose of the mess) or use pellets so you can go away and let them die annonimously.

So, there are alternatives to using up your salt and hear them fizz and watch them die, though the first time it is quite fascinating to witness in a greusome sort of way!

I've tried all these methods and these days I just let them be as my dog ruins the garden anyway.  

Answer 5

I hate to see anything suffering, and I'm sure being dissolved in salt must be an awful way to go!

However, they are such an awful pest in the garden. I have allowed them freedom so far, but looking at my Hostas this year...

I think I'll dry the beer trap next year!

Answer 6

It does seem very cruel my ex was terrible for putting salt on them, use to make me cringe I couldn't do it !!!

Answer 7

well you could use pickle instead

Answer 8

You could take them all to the vet and have them gently put to sleep

Answer 9

No, use SLUG-GO.

Answer 10

I think so.  I usually cut them in half with a trowel or spade.  It's quick and they don't have hours of agony as they would in salt.  Then, I leave them where I've halved them, and usually birds come along and eat them up.

This way the birds benefit from having their dinner served up for them, they can't eat salted slugs, and the salt could harm the garden where the slug dies.

With snails, I've found if I bury them shell side down in mud, they can't reach the ground to crawl away, and again the birds love having the captive snail as a tasty snack.  It's not cruel, nature would have birds eat snails and slugs anyway, I just help them...

Answer 11

i can't do it

then of course, i've never had too much respect for gardening.

oh well.

i can't do it. it's inhumane and pointless. : /

Answer 12

Yeah, just put out a little saucer of beer. They will go for it and drown. But they will die happy.  

Answer 13

Your decision. I don't think it's cruel, because they're slugs. And slugs are horrible.

Answer 14

Try ya foot instead hehe

Answer 15

There are better ways.

Look at some of the answers here.

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/ind...

Answer 16

if they're in your way, just move them. don't kill them.

Answer 17

Yes of course. What would you do if you were that slug, going home or whatever, doing whatever, and then a huge thing came up to you and put  "weird crystals" on yo and you dried up and died. How would you feel? Hmm?  Gotta think about that and respect nature. Yes, it's just a slug, but what if that slug was you?...

Answer 18

Of course not!

Answer 19

i think so, just pick them up and move them if they're annoying you that much.

no need to KILL them :s x