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Original poster

Anyone else terrified of slugs?

51 replies

Slugwimp · 31/01/2020 13:48

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a fear of slugs. I think it may tip into the realm of a phobia, as I’m so averse to them. The sight of one makes my skin crawl, and I feel a bit sick.

Last night, I got up around 2am to go to the loo (it’s downstairs). There was a small slug on the tiled wall. I wanted to cry. I told my DP, who got up and flicked it out of the window. It took me ages to get back to sleep. When I did finally get back to sleep, I dreamed that a whole family of them were in my bathroom, big ones! And that they wouldn’t die when I put salt on them lol. I asked DP to inspect the bath/shower before I would go in this morning. Never scrubbed myself down so quick in my life.

Now, I’ve heard about slugs being a nuisance in people’s houses. That they have a good memory, and will keep coming back even when put outside. I’m absolutely terrified that this one will come back. Sad Or worse, there’s more lurking in there somewhere...

I’m so scared. I hate them SO much. I keep getting a lump in my throat when I think about that one on the wall. But I know it’s totally irrational. How can I overcome this fear?

OP posts:
ItsJustTheOneSwanActually · 31/01/2020 18:28

There aren't any where i live, it's lovely. (Too dry and too cold in winter)

MagicFormula · 31/01/2020 18:30

YES!! I am absolutely terrified of them. I don't just hate them, I am scared of them. If there is one on the pavement, I get a sort of physical reaction to them, it makes me feel sick.

There was one in our living room one day. Randomly in the middle of the room. I burst into tears and was still crying about an hour after DH removed it.

I don't like worms either, or snails.

No idea why over got this phobia but it's bloody horrible. I also find other people think it's hilarious so don't take it seriously!!

sweetkitty · 31/01/2020 18:30

This thread is making me feel unwell. I’ve had a phobia for as long as I can remember. I have rabbits and they are attracted to their food, it freaks me out. I don’t go out after dark at Summer because of them. If I walk the dog and there’s loads out it freaks me out and I go home quickly. I hate them.

I love spiders, have locusts and roaches in the house but they can vanish off the face of the earth.

Makesmilingyourbesthobby · 31/01/2020 18:32

I’m not terrified of them but they certainly make me feel sick when I see one they are just gross.
My DD1 (11) is terrified of Moths and Butterfly’s though yes Butterfly’s but she’s fine with all other bugs including slugs.

HermioneWeasley · 31/01/2020 18:39

Yes. They are unspeakable. What are they even FOR?

woooooo · 31/01/2020 19:01

Slugs are gross. After it's been raining and they're bloody everywhere. If it's dark I shine my iphone torch on the pavement so I don't stand on any. That squelch is 🤢

I put a camera out last summer to catch wildlife in my garden. All it caught was a massive slug devouring a pork pie I'd put out. It left the pastry. Googled it and yes, they are meat eaters! Never knew.

Had them in my old house - 2am, flick the kitchen light on and there they'd be on the kitchen lino. Stood and watched them slimily slide back under the kitchen units...they can flatten their bodies to flatter than nothing 🤮

BobTheDuvet · 31/01/2020 19:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

scooter125 · 31/01/2020 19:13

Horrible creatures, a plastic poopscoop is best to move them away. Funny thing, I'll often pick up snails by hand and carefully move them off the pavement so they don't get crushed. I'll gingerly move spiders with a card-and-glass manoeuvre, yet I've held a four-inch-diameter tarantula and been fascinated by it. I can't stand centipedes yet I've held a Giant Millipede, a foot long and an inch thick, crawling up my arm..

mathanxiety · 31/01/2020 19:31

I hate them. The best thing about living in the American Midwest is that we only get the little piddly ones. Every time I start cursing the horrible winters and summers here and pining for milder climes I remember slugs, and count my blessings.

thirdpassport · 31/01/2020 19:32

Yes! They’re absolutely gross! I have similar feelings for snails, worms, slow worms and the like!

FoamingAtTheUterus · 31/01/2020 19:35

I stayed on a friend's sofa once and woke up to the sound of the slug colony she gets in her living room munching on some paper that was on the floor.

I grabbed her car keys, ran outside and slept in the car Blush

BritneyPeedOnALadybug · 31/01/2020 19:38

Someone bought my ds a book about slugs when he was 3. It was a picture book with rhyming words discussing all the horrible ways we deal with slugs, and then the tables turned and the slugs started doing the same things to humans. Ds was traumatised, I was traumatised, I threw the book away. Who the hell thinks that is a good book to create, let alone to give to an unsuspecting mother and small child

😱😱😱

BobTheDuvet · 31/01/2020 19:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MistletoeNWine · 31/01/2020 19:47

Yes! We moved to an old farmhouse in October and I've had to get rid of two, one in my cat's bowl! Envy thank goodness he didn't eat it. So squishy and their little antenna things poked in and they both played dead Hmm

CoodleMoodle · 31/01/2020 19:51

I'm not scared of them but they repulse me like nothing else. If I went to hell, it would be wall to wall snails.

We used to live in a horrible damp flat and they would crawl into the kitchen and bathroom, under the fridge, everywhere. There was one crawling up the wall by the bathroom light switch, I nearly touched it and screamed the place down.

But the worst: once I woke up and there was one on the ceiling right above my head Shock I've never in my life got out of bed so fast!

Singlenotsingle · 31/01/2020 20:05

Slugs are disgusting and any found in my garden can expect to be salted. We used to keep chickens and they ate them.

I think you can get a training course to teach you not to be afraid of things (mice, spiders, flying, and probably slugs as well). Worth it if you actually have a phobia about them..

spacepoppers · 31/01/2020 21:03

I have a serious slug phobia also. They make me feel physically sick, awful things. It's unreasonable I know, I just can't help it! Also, weirdly, I don't feel the same way about snails.

Lozz22 · 31/01/2020 21:14

They don't bother me. I just pick them up and pop them back outside. Although when I was still married to my husband I woke up one morning to see something dark on the ceiling but being half asleep didn't think anything of it and fell asleep again. Turned over and put my arm across the bed only to feel something slimy on it. Woke up to find a slug laid in bed next to me. Shot out of bed to get rid of it, more so the Moggy didn't come in and try and snaffle it down and chucked sheet in the wash. A slug is just a snail without a home

Shenanagins · 31/01/2020 21:23

I read somewhere that they eat baby birds. No idea if it’s true as too scared to google it 🤢

Original poster
Slugwimp · 31/01/2020 22:34

@Lozz22

OH MY GOD! That’s the thing of nightmares! How on Earth did it get on your ceiling, and then on your bed?!

Don’t think I’ll sleep tonight after reading some of these posts Sad

This evening, I got DP to do a thorough investigation of the bathroom whilst I watched. Blush This involved pulling everything out from under the sink, pointing a torch behind the toilet, etc. The good news is, there were no slugs that may have been hiding in the dark shadows of the bathroom all day. However, that doesn’t put my mind at ease that they won’t come out again tonight. I’ve been jumpy all day, at the slightest thing brushing me or touching me. I ended up in tears, as all this is really crippling me. Sad Over a bastard slug!

OP posts:
eandz13 · 31/01/2020 22:39

I'm absolutely terrified of slugs and worms, I'm not even scared of spiders or other creepy crawlies, just the slimy ones. I have a recurring dream now and again that I'm trying to run home but I keep falling into piles of slugs, it always sticks with me the whole day after and gives me the shivers 😣

alohamore · 31/01/2020 22:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MoonlightMistletoe · 31/01/2020 22:53

I hate hate hate hate HATE the slimy fuckers!

It all stems from when I trod on one with my bare foot in the middle of the night while staying at a family members. It exploded and I actually cried and scrubbed my foot with bleach out of pure horror. I do not recommend washing with bleach it was a stupid thing to do.

Lozz22 · 31/01/2020 23:21

Slugwimp seriously I have no idea how it happened. I'm guessing it just fell off the ceiling and landed on the bed cos there wasn't a slime trail coming down the wall and headboard. My Mum said it was a good job I wasn't asleep on my back with my mouth open 🤢🤮 my Sister hates them. We were stood in the kitchen one night and she started jumping about going ugh ugh ugh and pointing to something. I was like what's up and she's like a slug a slug. Turned out in the dark it was a duster that was half hanging out the cupboard nearly wet myself laughing 😂

DrCoconut · 01/02/2020 00:03

We get them in the house sometimes and since being single I've had to learn to cope. Long handled beach spades are your friend.