How to Care for Slugs

Co-authored by Deanne Pawlisch, CVT, MA

Last Updated: August 6, 2024 Approved

If you are looking for an unusual pet, a slug is a great choice. Caring for slugs is easy for both older and younger kids, and it helps them gain responsibility. Slugs can be kept in an aquarium, where they feed off plants such as fruits and vegetables. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that slugs are very sensitive to chemicals. Because of this, keep them away from things like hairsprays and tap water. All slugs are different, but they generally live between one and five years.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Providing a Habitat

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1
Find the right container. Slugs generally do well in aquariums. An aquarium should be at least 20 centimeters by 20 centimeters (8 by 8 inches). You can buy an aquarium online or at a pet store.^{[1]
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- Make sure to provide proper ventilation. The lid should have holes for ventilation. Something like a mesh lid, for example, would work well.
- Slugs are very small, especially in comparison to reptiles that are usually kept in aquariums. Examine ventilation holes carefully and make sure a slug cannot creep out of these holes.
2
Provide substrate. It's best to use soil, grass, and leaves from outdoors for the substrate. If you took the slug from outdoors, use soil, leaves, and grass from the area where you found it. Make sure to sift through soil before adding it to your aquarium to remove any bugs.^{[2]
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- Once a week, remove your slug and put it in a safe container with air holes. Remove the substrate and then replace it.
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3
Invest in aquarium supplies. Slugs may benefit from certain aquarium supplies such as fake plants and leaves. You can also bring in real material from outside, such as twigs, for slugs to climb on.^{[3]
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- If you bring anything in from outside, make sure to inspect it carefully before putting it in your slug's tank.
4
Clean the aquarium regularly. Once every three months, clean the slug's enclosure when you remove and replace the substrate. You can rinse things like twigs and aquarium supplies in distilled water and then let them air dry outside. If twigs get soggy or soft in response to water, replace them with new twigs.^{[4]
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- Slugs are very sensitive to chemicals. Only use distilled water when washing the slug's aquarium. You should refrain from washing anything with soap.
- Slugs are sensitive to tap water, so opt for distilled water.
Slugs prefer temperatures between 60–70 °F (16–21 °C). Put a humidifier next to their aquarium to keep them hydrated. If the aquarium is too hot or cold, the slug will bury itself and produce more mucous. If it is not humid enough, the slug will dry out.^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Feeding Your Slug

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1
Provide rinsed fruits and vegetables. Slugs feed off of plants. You can give them leftover fruits and vegetables from your kitchen. You can also give them fresh fruits and vegetables, as long as you rinse them in distilled water first. It's important to remove pesticides before feeding plants to your slugs.^{[6]
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- If possible, opt for organic fruits that do not make use of pesticides.
- In general, feed your slugs more vegetables than fruits. Slugs can die from consuming too much sugar, even natural sugar from fruits.
Slugs also feed off of plants they find outside. Add things like old leaves, grass, and other plants you find outside. Slugs feed on decaying plant matter, so if you have a plant that's dying you can feed it to your slug.^{[7]
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Slugs may not eat everything you leave for them. Uneaten food, especially fruit, can attract fruit flies. Fruit flies can threaten a slug's health, so remove uneaten food at the end of each day. This will minimize exposure to bugs and keep your slugs safe.^{[8]
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Slugs do not need a separate water dish, just a moist environment. You should, therefore, spray the enclosure with a water bottle each day. You should use distilled water, as tap water can be harmful to slugs. It's important to keep a slug's environment moist so they can absorb the water they need.^{[9]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Avoiding Common Mistakes

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Slugs are very sensitive to chemicals and absorb sprays through their skin. Do not use hairspray or aerosol sprays in the same room where you keep your slugs. This can cause them to die.^{[10]
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Slugs should not be handled too often. Only handle them when you need to remove them from the tank for cleaning. If you must handle them, pick them up with wet hands. Slugs dislike being handled and chemicals on your hands from things like lotions and soaps can be harmful to slugs.^{[11]
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3
Spritz the aquarium with distilled water regularly. Slugs need a moist environment to thrive. Each day, spritz the inside of your slug's cage with a water bottle filled with distilled after. Slugs may die if an environment is not adequately moist.^{[12]
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- It's very important to use distilled water. The chemicals found in tap water can kill slugs.

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Question

Can a slug live in a clean coke or water bottle?

Deanne Pawlisch, CVT, MA
Certified Veterinary Technician
Deanne Pawlisch is a Certified Veterinary Technician, who does corporate training for veterinary practices and has taught at the NAVTA-approved Veterinary Assistant Program at the Harper College in Illinois. Deanne has been a Board Member of the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Foundation in San Antonio, Texas since 2011. She holds a BS in Anthropology from Loyola University and an MA in Anthropology from Northern Illinois University.

Deanne Pawlisch, CVT, MA

Certified Veterinary Technician

Expert Answer

A clean coke/water bottle is too small to use as a slug habitat. Slugs and snails are omnivorous detritivores; that means they eat a lot and poop a lot. This means that they need more space than it might seem by size.

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Question

My slug seems to have escaped. Are there any special ways to call a slug or some kind of slug whistle I can use to get it to come?

Deanne Pawlisch, CVT, MA
Certified Veterinary Technician
Deanne Pawlisch is a Certified Veterinary Technician, who does corporate training for veterinary practices and has taught at the NAVTA-approved Veterinary Assistant Program at the Harper College in Illinois. Deanne has been a Board Member of the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Foundation in San Antonio, Texas since 2011. She holds a BS in Anthropology from Loyola University and an MA in Anthropology from Northern Illinois University.

Deanne Pawlisch, CVT, MA

Certified Veterinary Technician

Expert Answer

Unfortunately, there are no special ways to call a slug nor does a slug whistle exist. I suggest you make sure your slug’s habitat is secure to prevent escape.

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Tips

Slugs enjoy shady areas, so don't place the enclosure in direct sunlight. Provide hiding places, like a piece of bark.

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You can give them kitchen scraps of vegetables/fruits, provided they don't have pesticides.

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Give your slug a rock and some leaves for the first day and add some extra things later.

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Warnings

Always wash your hands before you pick up the slug. There may be things like salt on them which can be harmful to it.

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It is not legal in all places to have slugs as pets. In many states, you must have a permit to buy or sell slugs or it may be illegal to remove them from the wild. Furthermore, some exotic slugs, such as Giant African Land Snails, may be banned.

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Slugs can climb up walls, so use a lid and ensure the air holes in the aquarium are not big enough for a slug to crawl through.

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