Slugs!

[teaandtoastwithmarmite]

Hello I need advice please on how to stop slugs coming in my house. Seen some trails for a while but only the odd small one. Well last night there were 3 of the big bastards slithering around my carpeted hallway like they own the place. Tonight just seen one at the bottom of the stairs. They give me the ick big time. I don't understand where they are coming from except a bit of the hallway carpet has come loose so maybe there. Also by the porch door there's a low meter cupboard so maybe the side of there. It's a rented house but I'm not sure the landlord will be interested. Thanks

Salt around the edges will deter them

Thanks I'm worried the cat will eat it

Going to try it anyway. I'm sure she wouldn't like the taster

Taste

Garlic water is meant to deter slugs and snails from plants

you make it with a whole head of garlic simmered in water until soft. Water reduces so concentrated . Spray on

They come in when there's gaps and damp. If your landlord won't sort out the gaps and damp, they'll keep coming in. You can kill them with salt when you see them but more will come in. Don't spray garlic onto your carpets.

Do you think I should report it to the letting agency then? DH thinks there's nothing they could do.

I would report it yes. But I also wouldn't be too optimistic about them resolving it. Damp can be tricky as it's not always obvious where it is, what's causing it and how to fix it. And fixing it can be expensive. So landlords don't always bother. Or maybe they try and can't. It's a structural problem though so you as a tenant can't sort it and also as a tenant you should let the owner know about structural problems.

Have you been there long? Have the slugs been there long?

We've lived here almost 3 years. Started noticing trails a few months ago but only seen the odd small one. I think there is a damp issue as we get mould in the box room, bathroom and conservatory. It's not too bad though and I use those little dehumidifier things where you put the round thing in and it soaks up the water. I did report that but apart from them painting over it once nothing was done. We are saving a deposit to buy though so DH doesn't like me making a fuss. I've noticed the carpets are lifting a bit though lately. We have a cat and I'm sure we will get blamed although it's not her so I think I should report all this anyway so at least it's documented

Yes, I would. It sounds like the agents are not too active but by telling them you're keeping your side of the bargain and hopefully protecting yourself.

Hope you manage to buy somewhere soonish.

Incidentally after three years even if your cat had been at the carpet they wouldn't be able to recoup the entire cost from you as a carpet that age is worth less anyway.

Do watch your cat around the slugs. If they've eaten pellets elsewhere it would be bad for the cat.

My cat brings slugs in, eew! I think they stick to his fur.
As I have a massive problem with slugs eating my garden, I’ve just bought some copper tape to stick around pots. Maybe it will work around your house boundaries to stop them coming in? Apparently it gives them an electric shock.

Move. Only half kidding. A few years ago we were in a rented ground floor flat. Ended up going from a couple of slugs to loads, very quickly. Mornings were the worse and I was literally going around with a plastic bag picking them all up (different shapes/ colours/ sizes). I couldn't figure out where they were coming from. I remember my Dp lifting up the sofa and seeing hundreds of them clinging on underneath there. That was the last straw for me!

@Hairyfairy01 gosh that sounds awful. I got DH to lift up the sofa earlier. Thankfully none there
I've figured out that where the waste pipe is in the garage all along there is the drain and through the kitchen is adjacent so maybe they are finding a gap to get through to the hallway. I've reported it but prob won't hear anything

I live in a modern, new build, well maintained house. I get slugs in my utility room, presumably through my back door. It's irritating but not particularly problematic. If you go down in the dark, they'll be out and about and you can Chuck them out. We catch a few whenever the dog gets us up for a midnight wee.

New builds can have damp! A lot of UK houses do; we have a high water table. New builds also have gaps. This is how slugs get in.

@picklemewalnuts I would be 'ok' with that but this is a hallway in the middle of the house and it has carpet. I probably need to be a bit more chilled about it but I can't help imagining them all down there whilst I'm in bed

DO NOT USE GARLIC WITH CATS!!

It is very toxic to them

frontiervet.com/onion-garlic-poisoning/

Sorry for the alarmist post, but an PP advised using garlic and It worried me.

We've just put Nemaslug all over our garden, front and back, including raised beds and big pots/troughs. You could try that, then there won't be any to come inside the house?

We had them by our under stairs cupboard. Turned out we had a leak on the water supply pipe and under the floorboards was like a lake.

Thank you! Much appreciated. I think I'd rather have slugs than a house smelling of garlic lol. Much I didn't know about the cat thing so thank you

We have had water backing up in the garage before from blocked drain and I do think they are coming from a gap somewhere around then hence appearing in the middle of the hallway. There are two doors between that and the front and a kitchen and conservatory between that and the back door and the trails only seem to be in the hallway and occasionally living room