Snails in the garden

Lawrence1895

Is there anything, I can do against snails in the garden? I have loads of them, they seem to like going into the rabbit's hutch all the time, even if I clean the hutch all the time.

Don't really want any chemical weapons or stuff like that, there's children around, two cats of mine and of course the rabbits.

Thanks:)

kylith

You can get copper tape in gardening shops. The snails get a small static electric shock from the tape which will deter them from going over it. Unfortunately there's no way to get them out of the garden completely.

kildare.17hmr

Salt

pawrick

Noticed when helping out on a colony of cats that they would gather around the dry cat food which people who had been feeding the cats left out over night - maybe they are after the rabit food so taking it in at night might help reduce their numbers around the hutch?

If you want them dead use beer traps which work very well and are cheap to buy or make.

However if they aren't doing any harm to flowers etc. I'd leave them at it but maybe follow the advice re the copper wire as they will be food for birds/animals if left alone.

Pumpkinseeds

Snails seem to love my garden. I have 2 cats myself so I don't use anything toxic. I wash egg shells out then break them up around my plants. The snails don't like the feel of the jagged shells, so they don't climb over them and it stops them devouring my garden. You could give it a try around the edges of the hutch.

Ambersky

I second the idea that the snails and slugs are after any pet food that is left out or has been dropped by your pets.
Cat dog and even rabbit food is high energy food for slugs and snails and they will usually go for it in preference to the ordinary plants and greenery in the garden.
Personally I have given up the war on slugs and snails, they inevitably win unless you are willing to poison over and over.
My suggestions would be.
Make sure you take up all traces of pet food especially overnight.
There are lots of plants slugs don't eat like lavender, bamboo, privet, roses,ferns, begonias, geraniums, herbs such as sage, chives, parsley, rosemary etc so keep them and just give up on the ones they like. Google plants snails hate or dont like and you will find more extensive listings.
Maybe in order to get numbers down, go out some night that is a bit damp (any night recently) and go around picking up slugs and snails putting them into a bag and disposing of them as you wish.

Lawrence1895

The strange thing is, where I lived before, I had no snails whatsoever in the garden, even if there was food for the rabbits in the hutch outside.

Anyway, I will give the salt and the copper wire a try...so it's just leaving a bowl of salt out there or do I spread it around the hutch?

toadfly

You sprinkle salt on snails and they die of dehydration.

kildare.17hmr

My granny used to put a line of salt around flowerbeds and they would not go near them. Reckon it will only work in good weather because the rain would just wash it away. If there are loads in the garden every morning you could pour salt on them all and they will die, might reduce the numbers in the garden if anything

loveisdivine

The copper tape works brilliantly and its cheap. When we used to keep our guinea pigs outside we had the same problem with slugs getting into the hutch, but as soon as we put the tape around the legs of the hutch, it stopped.

Chinasea

I put on a pair of disposable rubber gloves and pick every single one that I can see up when it is raining.

I drop them into the nearby park and shrubland where there are no planted flowers etc., but lots of birds and foxes.

Sigma Force

As long as the rabbits can't get near the salt or whatever is used.
Some people use vasaline the snails can slip on it and can't grip to climb.
Or as said salt or copper. Or you could put down very sharp gravel, they don't really like going over it. When I was growing veggies I found beer traps worked really well. You just get some really cheap beer and put it in a plastic cup and leave it nearby they love it and at least they die happy which is better than the salt..althoug that's usually for slugs I presume it works for snails. I do like snails though, but hate slugs..which is silly really but there yah go.

planetX

Chinasea wrote: »

I put on a pair of disposable rubber gloves and pick every single one that I can see up when it is raining.

I drop them into the nearby park and shrubland where there are no planted flowers etc., but lots of birds and foxes.

I used to do that for my parents, put the snails in a bucket and took them a walk across the road to an empty field. Quite a lot of them used to cross back over the road - I'm convinced they have a homing instinct:)

Rancid

Ambersky wrote: »

I second the idea that the snails and slugs are after any pet food that is left out or has been dropped by your pets.
Cat dog and even rabbit food is high energy food for slugs and snails and they will usually go for it in preference to the ordinary plants and greenery in the garden.
Personally I have given up the war on slugs and snails, they inevitably win unless you are willing to poison over and over.
My suggestions would be.
Make sure you take up all traces of pet food especially overnight.
There are lots of plants slugs don't eat like lavender, bamboo, privet, roses,ferns, begonias, geraniums, herbs such as sage, chives, parsley, rosemary etc so keep them and just give up on the ones they like. Google plants snails hate or dont like and you will find more extensive listings.
Maybe in order to get numbers down, go out some night that is a bit damp (any night recently) and go around picking up slugs and snails putting them into a bag and disposing of them as you wish.

I totally agree!
I haven't used any slug or snail killer in about 25 years and if anything I have LESS slugs and snails now than when I did.
I see them regularly clearing up the spilled bird food, etc, then see their tracks leading back to the dark places they live.

I have a garden full of plants, shrubs, flowers, herbs, etc., and they're paying no attention to them, so no damage is done. I think years ago the only plants they ever devoured were the hostas, so I just never replanted hostas!

I agree with filling a paper bag with them at night and taking them to a park or similar spot and rehoming them.

Angel8ie

As kylith and loveisdivine mentioned earlier, a line of copper tape all around the hutch will keep them out. Unfortunately with the clouds threatening a downpour at any minute, if you use the salt all your efforts will get washed away.