6 Comments
User's avatar
Nick Winney's avatar

oh gawwwd... SLUGS IN THE MOUTH! NO!

Expand full comment
Jeannine's avatar

See what happens to me when Miguel leaves us to our own devices? 😂

Apparently their slime contains a substance that acts as an anesthetic - the critter scientists theorize that the sudden mouth numbing deters predators from eating them, though some foolish people lick them on dares. I'm not sure if the effect is strong enough for treating toothaches or not (I made that part up), but I have no plans to find out!

There are even some people out there who eat them (albeit after feeding them on cornmeal for a while and then soaking them in salted water to remove the slime ). While researching in Google, I came across recipes! 🤢 I've no plans to try that, either, in fact this is one of the times when I'm REALLY glad to be a vegetarian!

Expand full comment
Evelyn K. Brunswick's avatar

Maybe they're not that much different to eat than snails, which of course people do eat here in France. Snails being I suppose a bit like slugs in little houses (snug houses, at that).

I don't eat snails, just for the record.

Expand full comment
Jeannine's avatar

They're very closely related. I'm glad to hear that the snails will be safe from you! 😎

Expand full comment
Evelyn K. Brunswick's avatar

They're so cute!!!

Expand full comment
Jeannine's avatar

Aren't they? I really did have pet slugs as a child, but they were small, run-of-the-mill slugs from the garden. Apparently, one has to go to California to find the gloriously huge banana slugs (or order them on-line - I wasn't making that part up, people really are willing to pay $10 to $20 each for the little beasties). My parents also gave me permission, but Dad never put one in his mouth.

Expand full comment