The Dangers of Rat Lungworm and What to Do about it

[@yesterday-today-forever]

Aloha! I'm on a neighbor island and we've had an infestation of slugs in our yard for years. I thought I would share a recent experience with natural remedies for our slug problem that I stumbled across. At night I would notice several huge cane toads in our backyard and I came to realize that in those areas where the toads hung out there were no slugs to be seen. I came to learn after doing some online research that toads loved to eat slugs! So in that part of the yard where the toads hung out it was slug free, no wonder why the toads were taking care of the slugs in the backyard. Then I made another observation, in another part of the yard (where the toads couldn't get to) we cut down overgrown parts of our moringa tree. This part of the yard was infested with slugs in the evenings, especially around that tree because the slugs would feast on the fallen leaves at night. After cutting, a lot of sawdust and fine tree shavings were left behind around the tree. Then I started to notice that there were NO slugs in that area to be seen at night whereas before it would be an infestation of slugs everywhere. It's been months since we cut the tree and still no slugs. Then it dawned on me that slugs don't like sawdust/tree shavings! I didn't need poison or salt, the tree shavings and sawdust took care of that, very happy😊🌺

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Thse are some great observations. Iʻll have to give some of them a try

[@DarrynJones]

I live in the tropics of Australia at roughly the same latitude and the way we treat raw leaves is to soak them in a sink full of salted water, this kills any slugs or pests and if there are any they float to the top. Then you rinse off the leaves and they're good to go.

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Do you have rat lung? Studies have been done out here and it hasn't been proven to be 100% effective without a special wash solution

[@mynativehawaiiangarden8709]

Is it Possibly on Maui?

[@DarrynJones]

@@HomesteadinHawaii yes, we have rat lungworm here. I don't see people talking about it much, though, so maybe it isn't as prevalent.

[@Cowabunga808]

Hey Sean, ever try the drunk slug method? I get lots of slugs and snails at my place. Tried picking them one by one. Found a solution that works here. Got a few aluminum pie pans, poured the cheapest beer I could find in them after placing them slightly buried to the rim in the garden in the problem areas. The snails and slugs are attracted to the beer, come in for a drink, get drunk, fall into the dish and drown. I was pretty surprised how well it worked for me and a neighbor. Might be worth a try! Thanks for the great video, best of luck 🤙

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

I have heard of it but never tried. Can never seem to get enough beer to make it into a dish. It always gets drunk too quickly 😅🤣

[@TheIan818]

That cleared up some of my concerns about rat lung worm disease, thank you!

[@jedi_mapperp4073]

Hey Shawn - Best practical advice video on this topic I've seen. I have a friend from high school who lives on Luana Farm with her husband and daughter near Honaunau. Earlier this week she made a post on Facebook featuring one of your videos about air layering. "Hey, I follow that guy!"

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Awesome! My sister has a friend on the mainland who was telling her about my channel and she was like "hey, that's my brother!"

[@jedi_mapperp4073]

@@HomesteadinHawaii I knew it wouldn't take long for locals and dreamers like myself to find and share links to your videos. All of your videos are focused on very useful information for people who want to adopt the island lifestyle and values. Slow but steady channel growth is the result. Your channel won't end when you decide to move back the mainland (because you won't) :) Forgot to mention I got my Hawaii teacher license - Earth Science, Physics, and Tech Ed. STEM.

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

@@jedi_mapperp4073 I'm not going anywhere. Hawaii is home at least till.my kids graduate. Slow but steady, that's how I roll.

[@Lululila67]

Aloha! thanks for covering this! You can buy natural slug killer off of Amazon by the way that isnt harmful to your pets or you (they are pellets you sprinkle around your plants or anywhere you want). And they work! I've been using these here in ca. Safer Brand: slug and snail killer is the brand. Also you can use salt to kills slugs and snails around your yard too.

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

That works but we just have a pair of tongs and a jar of saltwater and pick the slugs off at night

[@sallysallysally]

Thanks for all the information and another great video. I hope everything is okay with your California family.

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Whew! Finally getting back into gear here. Thanks for the kind words. We are back in Hawai'i, took care of my father in laws affairs and now settled back into our lives. It is good to be home.

[@thisoldditty]

thanks for the heads up.

[@abalonegoddess]

Thanks for making this video! I've been curious about this topic. How about growing greens in a green house on platforms with feet in salt?

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

You can try everything, but there are no guarantees in life. I prefer to by my raw greens from the mainland and cook the rest. Personally I just don't want to risk it. Slugs seems to find a way.

[@placefor16]

Thank you for sharing, this is very informative.

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Thanks for watching. Its good to be aware

[@johndraws5988]

Helpful content for something I worry about.

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Nothing to worry about. Just be akamai

[@eddieco]

Hey Shawn, great info, thanks! At about 1:40 into the video, it suddenly goe black, and stays that way for a few seconds.

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Oh! Thanks, I put this one out super quick, I must have missed something.

[@emilyhsmith]

Mahalo, take care!

[@emilyhsmith]

🤙🙏 🌺

[@IrishDM]

Thank you

[@piyao4666]

what about greens grown inside a secure greenhouse? would a properly built greenhouse stop the slugs from invading?

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Its gotta be super sealed. Even then no guarantees

[@kirbymcd1]

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure in this case, but how treatable is rat lung worm?

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Not very. Most of the time it gets misdiagnosed and then when it is noticed its too late. Some have found that certain mushrooms help though

[@atulanandadas]

Chaga Mushroom

[@michelestout9438]

Would raised beds covered with a light row cover would help and make it safer?

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Can try, but there are still risks

[@DRiceArizona]

Is there a certain amount of time before you show symptoms and what are they doing for treatment protocols?

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Most of the time it gets misdiagnosed but it is getting better. Some people claim chiagi mushrooms help. For the medical profession essentially they perform a spinal tap once dignosed

[@Lomu10dh]

Nice informative video! But do you guys have Hedgehogs in Hawaii?, cause here in Europe there the slug killers especially the one withouse a house. Let me know. Kind regards from The Netherlands!

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Hedgehogs sound like they’d be great, but unfortunately there are none in Hawaii. We have to rely on ducks and centipedes to keep the slug population in check

[@juanmaryinez6593]

I got rat lung dedise I got in oceanviw Hawaii. Horrible.

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Ooh! No fun. I know a few who have and it looks like no fun.

[@shapho4056]

Oh cool where did you live in Hawaii?

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Hawaii Island aka big island, but Maui has rat lungworm now too

[@shapho4056]

@@HomesteadinHawaii oof I'm on Oahu and in watching this as I'm eating some guavas from the neighbor lol

[@poisxe]

Is it eating the slug or eating the slime?

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Mostly the slug but science is still out on slime so they recommend washing

[@thecatguy4301]

Eating my home grown collards right now. Delicious.

[@vivianseda8371]

How about micro greens?

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Maybe if its inside your home where you know no slugs can get too

[@snakeplisken7323]

Raised beds. Borax. Wash thoroughly. Its Commiefornia btw..

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

Raised beds don't work either

[@behnodm1124]

my wife said u have honest face .

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

That's nice. I like to think I'm an honest guy.

[@freedcorporateslave]

Oh no, trouble in paradise. Perhaps growing heading varieties of greens would be a good work around? Don't be smashing any banana slugs in California, they are the only local bananas we get!

[@HomesteadinHawaii]

No raw greens period. Escargot is life or death out here.