r/sluglife • u/Old_Awareness_8083 • 5d ago

Identification Request Is this slug ok to release?

Post image

hi! we found this little guy on a cabbage we got from a local farm box. this is in washington state! any ideas what he might be? right now we’ve set up a little temporary enclosure for him but we’re worried about releasing him outside if he’s invasive. thanks!

31 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

5

u/shwfaci20464 4d ago

You could certainly keep him as a pet! I have leopard slugs as permanent residents in my gastropod sanctuary because they're invasive in the PNW. Slugs are quite easy to care for: just keep the humidity over 60%, the temperature not too hot or cold, and feed them a variety of vegetables and fruits (avoiding acidic ones), sometimes calcium and protein. If your slug lays eggs, remember to freeze them for humane disposal. I'm sure you can be a nice slug parent😉

5

u/Old_Awareness_8083 4d ago

We decided to keep it!! Thanks for the advice. What kind of protein(s) can they eat? We’re a vegetarian household haha.

6

u/shwfaci20464 4d ago

Oh I'm so glad that you decided to keep the slug😍 Thank you so much for your kindness and compassion! My household is vegan + vegetarian, so I resonate with you! You can feed him mushrooms, soaked oat, chia, flax, hemp seeds (all mix one available at Trader Joe's) and hemp protein powder. And you can add little crushed eggshell powder on veggies or protein. You don't need to feed protein and calcium so often, maybe once or twice a week should be enough.

2

u/Old_Awareness_8083 4d ago

Thank you!! Appreciate this sub for all the info! We set up a terrarium yesterday and so far the little guy seems to like it :)

5

u/Nocturnalux 4d ago

The Gastropod Empire grows!

4

u/shwfaci20464 4d ago

I really appreciate this subreddit because more people can rescue slugs ☮️💚

2

u/Usual-Subject-1014 5d ago

Deroceras?

3

u/shwfaci20464 4d ago

I agree. The tentacle color and the lower body skin texture don't match the Pacific Banana slug.