Relocating snails

Gers

I seem to have a snail farm in my back garden. For a long time I didn't notice as I was looking for slugs, but now I can't miss them. Every morning there are at least six or seven making their way up my lovely pots to eat my plants.

Now I go hunting. Armed with a little container and gloves I scoop off any I see and take them to the field opposite the front and chuck them in. There's research to suggest that snails have a homing instinct but this lot would have to get through two drystone walls, into the barn, down the whole length of the barn, out the other side, back down the length of the barn from outside, up three stairs, through a door and down three stairs to get 'home'.

I couldn't bear to kill them personally but certainly don't want them around killing my plants.

Is there a humane way of eradicating them?

Davesnave

The only humane way to eradicate them is to have a garden which bores them (and probably you) to death!

Yes they home, but research suggests their sat navs are useless beyond about 20 metres, so taking them on a one way trip may help, especially if access points to your garden are limited.

The next step might be to arrange attractions near the accesses which waylay them, such as beer traps.

Now, I realise that this is killing them, but maybe you could adopt the same attitude as a Buddhist I once spoke to about this (or maybe he was a Hindu....can't recall.) He said such measures were OK by him, because the snails have a choice, and one is not morally reponsible if they "choose" to dive into the beer.


Made sense to me.....but then, I tread on them. :o

Gers

Davesnave wrote: »

The only humane way to eradicate them is to have a garden which bores them (and probably you) to death!

Yes they home, but research suggests their sat navs are useless beyond about 20 metres, so taking them on a one way trip may help, especially if access points to your garden are limited.

The next step might be to arrange attractions near the accesses which waylay them, such as beer traps.

Now, I realise that this is killing them, but maybe you could adopt the same attitude as a Buddhist I once spoke to about this (or maybe he was a Hindu....can't recall.) He said such measures were OK by him, because the snails have a choice, and one is not morally reponsible if they "choose" to dive into the beer.


Made sense to me.....but then, I tread on them. :o

Oooh, couldn't tread on them, the thought of the noise and the sensation is horrible.

I don't know where they are coming in as the garden is fully enclosed by walls so they must have been here for ages and just got a city of snails going, probably on their 25 generation by now! Their sizes range from little one to stonking huge ones about an inch or more across. Snailizzla land.

Thanks Dave - I shall stick to snail hunting and relocating in the field opposite. :eek:

Biggles

Gers wrote: »

I don't know where they are coming in as the garden is fully enclosed by walls

Walls are no problem; think how easily they climb up your pots??

Errata

I teach any snails I find to fly.

Davesnave

Errata wrote: »

I teach any snails I find to fly.

Oh, they can do that; it's the landing they have trouble with.

Farway

Errata wrote: »

I teach any snails I find to fly.

They must be the ones that fly onto my runners & windows then

arbrighton

Errata wrote: »

I teach any snails I find to fly.

Yeah, mine tend to fly into the river

moneyistooshorttomention

I'm guessing mine are recycled - into birds stomachs??

As I crush them with whatever comes to hand first and presume the resident birds have a feast by helping themselves to whats left.

Gers

Biggles wrote: »

Walls are no problem; think how easily they climb up your pots??

Yes - but read the journey they must take to get back. I suppose you mean getting in in the first place? Pretty high walls but then they have the time! I shall continue to remove and relocate, seems the best option there is.

I read about killer snails in USA - they only feast on the brown nasty ones. Don't seem common here.

Gers

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I'm guessing mine are recycled - into birds stomachs??

As I crush them with whatever comes to hand first and presume the resident birds have a feast by helping themselves to whats left.

:eek: The thought of squishing them makes me want to gag. Weak stomach perhaps.