Once I read that most metaldehyde-based slug baits have an extremely bitter compound added to deter pets, I stopped worrying.

When one slug eats a poisoned slug, it might get a harmful dose, if the metaldhyde is not metabolized as it works. That's a good thing!

My guess is that, since the iron phosphate bait is so low in toxicity that I almost never see a DEAD slug with it, that slugs eating iron-phosophate-poisoned slugs would probably have to eat several to feel any effect.

However, even if a cat eats a dozen metaldehyde-poisoned slugs, that's very unlikely to affect the cat at all since the cat is hundreds of times larger/heavier than the slugs and any poison works on a "mg per kg" basis.

That said, I know there are many people who just never use any pesticide. Applause to them, if they can make that work in their situation and still have a garden.

That simply won't work in my situation, at least not when it some to slug/snail control. I probably have a 1000 sf. area to control, not easy. I don't use any pesticides in my garden area though. I don't want it touching or incorporated in any of my vegetables.

Pine needles as a mulch works well, slugs do not like to crawl on it . I also use coffee grinds. The combo seems to work.

tell me about the coffee grounds thing, Bob. does a light dusting work? or a heavy application is better? is it the texture they don't like or is there some compound in the coffee itself that deters them?

I think that it is the caffeine that does them in.

While you work on the solution, here is a link so everyone can see what you are up against. These are not like the teeny slugs in my garden...Washington slugs look like monsters. Good luck.
http://agr.wa.gov/PlantsInsect...

It is the caffeine , so brewed coffee actually works better as a spray. The grinds also work as a slow release nitrogen.

I thought when the coffee was brewed it was humans who got the caffeine, and not much caffeine remained in the grounds so the slugs wouldn't be bothered by it. Learn something new every day.

Greene - monsters is correct!

It looks as though someone else has also suggested coffee grounds; I found this tip on-line after long and anxious searching, and as we get through lots of fresh coffee I am delighted to have a valuable use for the left-over grounds. I understand that not only are they gritty and uncomfortable for slugs but also toxic to them, so I'll be spreading mine around the new plants going in this New Moon (best to put new plants and seeds in when the Moon is waxing.) Hopefully I'll have further news in a couple of weeks!

Another use for coffee grounds is with bromeliads to prevent mosquito larva from hatching in the water-filled "urn". I just put a pinch into the urns every few weeks or so.

I have put copper jewelry wire all my Brugmansia. Cheap on Ebay...so far so good., It's only been a couple of days, but I was going out every night then again before dawn. I'll give it a week and if no snails ALL my pots will get a copper necklace with wire. My mother puts copper tubes about 8" tall driven into ground like a spike in between all her roses. We both use coffee grinds in our soil mix,.along with other trash, coir fiber and cow manure.

Diatamaceous earth - OK- but I don't like the idea that you can breathe in that dust. I use crushed eggshells in a circle around my peppers - so far so good. Someone mentioned clay. Would the cheap non-clumping clay litter work -- spread out around the plants? I don't see why not.

i was just told by someone on another site: "your slug issue is telling you that you have too much moisture in your yard. the slugs are painting you a picture of the health of your yard as well." because you never see slugs in "healthy" yards, right??? to that I said, "my yard is plenty healthy, but I cant control the rain." she replies: "seems to me you haven't taken steps to deal with this issue when we get too much rain."

unreal.

Obviously that person is unfamiliar with the Pacific NW...

He/she needs to move to Mississippi!

Jason - I'm shocked that someone would be so bold as to tell you their opinion of your soil without seeing your gardens and soil first, and not taking your climate into consideration. Shame on them!

It is called ignorant ego, Arlene.

That's a term I just made up.

We gardeners have enough to do without having to tolerate the self-inflated egos of those who truly believe they know all the answers without experiencing the problems for themselves...in the same area with the same rainfall. Lord spare me from those people!