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Original poster

How to find and stop slugs in the house

18 replies

LinenMaxiDress · 07/12/2023 07:30

Where the hell are these little buggers coming from and why can’t I track them down and eliminate them? 😑

Over the last month or so I keep finding slug trails on the living room carpet but haven’t been able to find out where they’re coming from. On one occasion I found one big fat bugger and chucked it out, but the mystery trails keep appearing. There is a sliding door close to where the trails are but it’s never opened and there’s no evidence of where the slugs could be getting in.

The trails are always in the same area and go round an armchair which we’ve tipped upside down and examined in case it’s become a slug hotel. Nothing evident.

Theres never an obvious start or end to the trails either - it’s like footprints in new snow that just start in the middle of nowhere!

We have a dog so can’t put anything like slug pellets down.

Any ideas? It’s driving me nuts! Do I have to set up a night vision camera to catch them?! Help!

ps it’s summer where I live

OP posts:

Unbego · 07/12/2023 07:35

You'll have damp somewhere. Once you've got damp they can get in anywhere, through the smallest crack. Fix the damp and they'll go.

TheCrowFromBelow · 07/12/2023 07:37

If you can’t see them under any of your furniture, they must be coming in and the sliding doors are the only option. We had the same with our French doors, I shook salt around the doorframe concentrating on the corners and also refreshed the sealant outside, that seems to have stopped them. I try and make sure the dog has not left any food as well as I think they were coming in for that.

Original poster

LinenMaxiDress · 07/12/2023 07:42

Oh interesting, thank you. We have had a lot of rain over the last few months so need to check the damp situation. I’ll try salt as well.

We sometimes get them coming in another back door where the dog’s food is as they seem to go nuts for leftover biscuits! But those ones are always obvious and we immediately eject them to the garden and the problem is solved. The living room mob are much more persistent!

OP posts:

margegunderson · 07/12/2023 07:44

Look around the doors and skirting-they squeeze through the tiniest gaps.

Aliceinnorthernland · 07/12/2023 07:47

We had this. I switched the lights off and used a torch to find where most of the tracks were. They were coming in inder our french doors. I would never have thought it possible. I occasionally sprinkle salt around the threshold of the door frame and they've stopped.

MrsMoastyToasty · 07/12/2023 07:58

We had a leak on the water supply pipe under the house and they were popping up through a small gap in the floorboards next to the internal stop tap. Dh lifted the floorboards and it was like a lake under there. Once we got the supply pipe replaced we never saw them again.

Beamur · 07/12/2023 08:00

Put a couple of beer (or similar) traps down. Bet they are finding a tiny gap in the french doors.

DejaVoodoo · 07/12/2023 08:29

Slugs come into my kitchen at night, dance on my chopping boards, then leave before I get up.

They must be able to squeeze in through the smallest gap, and then, more amazingly, remember the way back out again!

BellaTheDarkOverlord · 07/12/2023 08:35

DejaVoodoo · 07/12/2023 08:29

Slugs come into my kitchen at night, dance on my chopping boards, then leave before I get up.

They must be able to squeeze in through the smallest gap, and then, more amazingly, remember the way back out again!

Dancing on your chopping boards made me picture a little midnight slug disco and made me laugh 😂

We have them coming in the bathroom and kitchen. I find little slug trails on kitchen floor in the morning. We’ve been blocking up some gaps with expanding foam. I once stood on one in the dark 😱

Original poster

LinenMaxiDress · 07/12/2023 08:38

Oh wow, thanks everyone. I didn’t realize they could get in such small gaps so will have a really good look around the door seal, check for damp and try out salt or
beer traps.

Based on the trails they appear to either dance too or stagger around drunkenly in circles…

OP posts:

madeinmanc · 07/12/2023 08:50

I have this issue, too. They're coming up a drain that I can't access at the moment for complicated reasons.

The other day I put a cup of scalding hot coffee down on one first thing in the morning, only realised when I lifted up the cup and half a slug and its innards fell off the bottom 🤮🤮🤮

Truly one of the most disgusting experiences of my life and I feel bad for the slug that met that end.

GMsAWinner · 07/12/2023 08:51

Agree, I'd rule out damp. My Mum had slugs in her bathroom, turning there was a leak at back of her washing machine on the other side of the wall. If settee is near outside wall, check mortar any possible leaks from gutter. If inside, is there pipework or possibly a radiator the other side. As others have said, they can squeeze through small gaps.

The only other option, I don't suppose you've got a cat? We've had a couple in our lounge but I'm sure the cats have brought them in on their coats (sound one once).

Fluffycloudsfloatinginthesky · 07/12/2023 08:57

Sometimes I get them in the kitchen - only place I can see them getting in is the patio doors (or the catflap but I always find them at the patio door end) I stuck salt outside along the frame and it seemed to do the trick.

Violetparis · 07/12/2023 08:57

We once had a slug peaking out of the little overflow bit on the upstairs bathroom sink. I poked it back down with the end of a toothbrush. It disturbed me for days, must have come up through a pipe.

madeinmanc · 07/12/2023 09:31

Violetparis · 07/12/2023 08:57

We once had a slug peaking out of the little overflow bit on the upstairs bathroom sink. I poked it back down with the end of a toothbrush. It disturbed me for days, must have come up through a pipe.

😮😲😱

The thought is actually sending shivers of horror up my spine.

Damnloginpopup · 07/12/2023 09:43

Yes to beer traps and salt. And if you release them outside they'll be back in again.

YorkieTheRabbit · 07/12/2023 09:47

Dogs can bring slugs in, they seem to catch them on their fur. I speak from experience

NoCloudsAllowed · 07/12/2023 09:56

Get up in the night, turn light on, spot a few and follow where they go, they will do a U-turn and head back to their entry point.

What kind of floor have you got? We have a clay soil and use to have awful slugs, we put a membrane and insulation in under the floor then fitted LVT over a ply base and the fuckers haven't found their way through that yet!

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