Slug & snail pellets swap to Iron phosphate slug bait

Why make the swap

• Why switch to iron phosphate slug bait

  Check the label for metaldehyde. The National Pesticide Information Center says iron phosphate baits are much less toxic to dogs, and slugs stop feeding almost as soon as they eat it.

• What's the concern with slug & snail pellets

  Metaldehyde bait is tasty to pets, and dogs are poisoned more often than any other animal, with severe tremors starting 30 minutes to 6 hours after eating it. The UK has banned outdoor use of metaldehyde slug pellets.

• General information, not medical or veterinary advice. Ask your doctor, or your vet if a pet could be exposed.

• Good to know before you buy

  Less toxic isn’t non-toxic. Iron baits often add a chelating agent to help the iron work, and NPIC notes case reports of dogs falling ill after eating iron phosphate bait. Our pick’s safety sheet doesn’t say whether it has one. Call your vet if your pet gets into it. Read and follow the label, store it out of reach of children and pets, scatter granules evenly, never in piles, and keep dogs off treated beds until the granules dissolve.

  Garden Safe iron phosphate slug & snail bait, 2 lb: Iron phosphate, 1% (maker's safety sheet).

• Sources (4)

  1. Merck Vet Manual: dogs are poisoned most often; 3 oz of bait can poison a 30-lb dog (opens in a new tab)
  2. National Pesticide Information Center: iron phosphate slug baits are much less toxic to dogs (opens in a new tab)
  3. Merck Vet Manual: signs start 30 min to 6 h after ingestion; the UK has banned outdoor metaldehyde pellets (opens in a new tab)
  4. NPIC PestiBytes Ep. 20: iron phosphate baits often contain chelating agents; case reports of dogs falling ill; spread granules evenly (opens in a new tab)

  Health and safety facts on this page come from these sources. What a pick is made of comes from its maker's listing or website, as stated on the date we checked.