Slug Pellets Near Plants

[HollieK]

Hi. I've been offered some tortoise-safe plants grown in pesticide and fertiliser free soil but the person uses slug pellets to prevent the slugs from getting to the plants. Would they still be safe to feed to my tortoise? I'd obviously wash the plants before feeding. Thanks.

 

[Tom]

What is the active ingredient in the slug pellets? You'd have to look that up and check to see how toxic it is. It might be some sort of "home remedy" type ingredient that would be totally safe, like boric acid or brewer's yeast or something benign.

Also, how far from the plants are these pellets. Inside the drip line or out?

 

[Blakem]

Definitely no flesh eating slug repellent

 

[Blakem]

 

[HollieK]

Hi. Thanks for the replies! She scatters them around the base of the plant. This is the back of the tub if it helps. TIA

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Hi. Thanks for the replies! She scatters them around the base of the plant. This is the back of the tub if it helps. TIA
View attachment 214141

Well I can't help you, but that's a great packaging photo. What have you found out regarding using the plants?

 

[PA2019]

So I have been reading up on slug removal recently as I am trying to remove them from my pens also. After looking at the picture I *think* the pellets are Doff-brand blue slug pellets. If correct, the plants are a no-go IMO.

Metaldehyde is the active ingredient for Doff pellets and can poison dogs and cats. I haven't been able to find a documented case of reptile poisoning but there are loads of warnings for accidental mammalian ingestion. I'm not sure how long it can stay in plants before degrading, but I have read that the plants themselves are more resistant to slugs/snails after application of the compound. More resistant probably means some amount of metaldehyde stays active in the plant.

Here is a link for info on metaldehyde poisoning in mammals.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/toxicology/metaldehyde-poisoning/overview-of-metaldehyde-poisoning

I started using Sluggo pellets last week and am seeing the slug and snail population dropping significantly. You live in the UK so I'm not sure if it is available there but the active ingredient is iron phosphate, and is safe around pets.

http://www.pestproducts.com/sluggo.htm

 

[PA2019]

Maybe TMI, but here is an excerpt from a pesticide information profile from Cornell specifically on metaldehyde. It's an old reference, but does state the following specifically regarding edible vegetation.

Breakdown of Chemical in Vegetation
Metaldehyde must not be applied to edible parts of plants. Specific product labels should be referred to for particular crop guidelines (e.g., 4% baits should not be applied to strawberries within six days of harvest, nor to citrus within 14 days of harvest).

Link

http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/extoxnet/haloxyfop-methylparathion/metaldehyde-ext.html