I had fearsome slug problems in Houston. The slug bait works well—but it kills birds. I had several dead baby birds (they tend to be feeding on the ground during their “learning to fly” stage.) They eat the bait because the poison is hidden in grain.

Best solution is to put the slug bait in a plastic bottle (soda type bottle). Put the lid on, and cut a hole (slug door) in the side of the bottle about half way down. Bury the bottle up to the slug door. The slugs will crawl in and eat the bait. The birds will not.

Dispose of the whole bottle when a few slugs have made it their graveyard.

Note: Beer does not kill slugs. They are attracted to the beer, and they probably drink it. They also swim around in it and out the other side because I’ve watched them do this. A deeper container just seemed to make their stay last longer. I never actually saw any of them drown.

Second Note: Don’t use salt. It does kill slugs, but it ruins the soil for all other things you are trying to grow. Slugs weren’t much of a problem in the hill country, but I haven’t tried growing strawberries yet, a favorite food of slugs!