Snails!

[2liveque]

So many of them in my back yard! Can they be eaten? Any good repellent products PW folks can suggest?

[Durian Fiend]

They can be eaten. Just be sure to cook them, unless you're suicidal or otherwise would like to try on rat lung disease for size.

[geochem]

You should probably just kill them off - they are allegedly also carriers of meningitis - I do my best not to touch them and stomp on them when I find them. We went for a long period where I saw very few of them. There was, I think, an introduction of a biological control agent that significantly reduced their population for a while but they seem to be proliferating again...

[2liveque]

Any opinions on the snail and slug baits available in local stores?

[Kapoho Joe]

Sluggo works for me.

[bystander]

Most baits you can find around here have been reformulated with a much less effective active ingredient, chelated iron. What you want is something that has metaldehyde. Unfortunately this is hard to find now since it's supposed to be more dangerous for pets. Deadline is good.

[JG-HPP]

Beer! Just like slugs, these guys love it. Just fill a small bucket or deep potted plant tray with a cheap brew and they will climb in and drown. If you make a lid with an opening it's better so rain doesn't dilute it.

Deadline works great but I have had some pets that were also drawn to it and it is very toxic to them.

We also used to go out at dusk and sprinkle salt on their slimy parts.

[SBH]

And then you drink the beer []

A propane torch would also work well.

[DTisme]

Caught 2 snails "doing it" last night. Poured salt on 'em and ruined their date. Mwaaahahahaha!!!

[ElysianWort]

Hey Geochem: I think it's the ratlung disease that produces the condition eosinophilic meningitis.

Also, when you said: "you just stomp on them", I would advise against that.
Sure kill the buggers but these giant African snails will use up their last bit of energy and produce hundreds of eggs if you simply step on them and crush their shell. Sure they die from the stomp but you can do an experiment for yourself and see. Crush one, then come back a month or two later to discover a ton of visible little eggs all under the shell pieces.
I use a bucket of fertilizer. (potassium salts) In they go to their salty death. No eggs produced. They become part of the fertz treatment after that.