Frog help please

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by Selleri, Mar 26, 2017.

  1. Selleri

    Selleri Koala

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    Today I tackled the stinking, stagnant soup bowl we like to call our pond (It's just a large planter sunk in the ground in our "woodland area") and found a frog. :) We call him Carl Gustav after the king of Sweden. He is rather large, so must either have travelled to us only now, or lived there all winter.

    Now I have a little problem. I googled that frogs eat also slugs, which is a definite plus (please don't correct me if I'm wrong- I'd like to keep that dream). However, the combination of pond, hostas, slugs and Carl Gustav has an obvious problem- slug pellets.

    Are slug pellets harmful to frogs if eaten second hand (i.e inside a perished slug), and do frogs fancy the pellets raw? I have done two applications already and Carl Gustav is still very much alive, but I'm a bit concerned.

    After the potential frogicide I committed today (I just realised that the foamy bits may not have been rotten leaves based after all... [​IMG]) I'd like to do my best to keep Carl Gustav happy.
     
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    • clueless1

      clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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      I think Mr Gustav will be fine. I'm pretty sure that the poison in slug pellets is just some kind of salt. Toxic in large measures, or if you're a slug, buy harmless in the kind of doses that Carl will get by scavenging.
       
    • ARMANDII

      ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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      Well, Slug Pellets are known to kill Hedgehogs and birds after they have eaten Slugs/Snails killed by Slug Pellets so, logically, why would they not kill Frogs?:doh:. I used Slug Pellets long ago but when I decided to stop using any pesticide, insectide, etc I also decided not to use Slug Pellets, [I didn't like the taste of them anyways:dunno::heehee:]. Now I have no factual scientific proof but over the years since then my wild life [insects, birds, and Hedgehogs has increased although perhaps my Butterfly visitors are not as numerous but I put that down to outside influences such as pesticides used in Agriculture.:snorky:
       
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      • clueless1

        clueless1 member... yep, that's what I am:)

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        I thought that was true years ago, but I believe the recipe has changed to be non-toxic now?
         
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        • ARMANDII

          ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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          Unfortunately, clueless, Metaldehyde is still commonly used in Slug Pellets.:dunno: The RSPCA say...........

          "Slug/snail pellets
          Metaldehyde is a common ingredient of slug/snail baits or pellets. However, not all slug baits contain metaldehyde; it is important to check which type has been ingested. Metaldehyde poisoning is extremely serious and is usually fatal without urgent treatment. Metaldehyde is the most common known cause of dog deaths in cases referred to the VPIS.


          Dogs may initially appear unsteady on their feet and twitchy, but may rapidly deteriorate and suffer continuous convulsions and possibly respiratory failure."

          I think the problem is that most of the Slug Pellets are imported and there are less controls in manufacturing overseas. There are some "organic" pellets for sale but there is no scientific proof that these are not harmful to Wildlife.:coffee::snork:

           
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          • luciusmaximus

            luciusmaximus Total Gardener

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            ARMANDII is correct slug pellets will poison a hedgehog or a bird. I agree that its logical to assume a frog would also suffer the same fate. There have been numerous cases on the Island involving hedgehogs . I had a hog in Oct who's symptoms were typical of poisoning - not sure if it was slug pellet or rat poison:sad:. The hog died before I could get to vet, but there was nothing vet could have done except PTS:sad:. I try to garden as organically as I can and restrict weedkiller to a minimum.
             
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            • luciusmaximus

              luciusmaximus Total Gardener

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              The hedgehog I had in had the same symptoms as seen in dogs. He also began foaming at the mouth :sad:. Poison is a horrible death.
               
            • ARMANDII

              ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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              I think the way the Organic Slug Pellets work is that you fill the container with the pellets and then hit the Slugs with the container.
              [​IMG]
               
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              • NigelJ

                NigelJ Total Gardener

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                I believe the organic ones are ferric phosphate based and are not poisonous to pets, hedgehogs and birds.
                 
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                • ARMANDII

                  ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                  Hi Nigel, you're correct.:coffee::snorky: They're obviously pricier with the going rate from around £5 to around £8 with advice to use Nemaslug in conjunction to get real effect.:coffee::snorky:

                  [​IMG]
                   
                • redstar

                  redstar Total Gardener

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                  many of you have seen my hosta'sssssss. and said, hey no slugs. My response is I have toads, and frogs and birds. So no would never think of putting down anything to kill the slugs. If anything I would use, would be a dish of beer. But cannot recall when I needed that as I have toads, frogs and birds.
                   
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                  • ARMANDII

                    ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

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                    You always need a glass of cold beer, redstar, it would be wasted on the Slugs:heehee:

                    Agreed, I have my Frogs, my Hedgehogs and Blackbirds who do a great job of Slug Control.:hapydancsmil:
                     
                  • luciusmaximus

                    luciusmaximus Total Gardener

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                    I have Hedgehogs and Blackbirds but still a fair few slugs around........ large, fat orange things and even larger green, mottled slugs :hate-shocked: :biggrin:. I have not seen a Blackbird eat a slug but they are very keen on the leftover Hedgehog biscuits:snorky:.
                     
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                    • joolz68

                      joolz68 Total Gardener

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                      Spikes Hedgehog biscuits are a slugs favourite meal,i use those and then chuck the slugs in the green bin :)
                      I spray my hostas with a garlic solution,seems to keep them away
                       
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                      • Selleri

                        Selleri Koala

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                        Good news, Carl Gustav is doing very well. It is also possible that he might be a she as some more foamy bits have appeared on the surface of our little pondlet. :wub2:

                        Our slug pellets swear on the label that they are safe for dogs and other animals. They are also very popular amongst the slug population but I'm not sure how efficient they actually are since my newly sprouting hostas are already half eaten. Maybe if I use even more it will be more difficult for the slugs to slither their way over the pellet mounds?
                         
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