Harmful pesticide to hedgehogs banned in Guernsey

The GSPCA and the RSPB in Guernsey have welcomed the ban of the pesticide, metaldehyde in the island.

By the summer of 2020, islanders will not be able to buy or use the product as a pest control after the ban by the States Assembly.

It follows a similar ban by the UK's Department for Environment at the end of last year.

Metaldehyde is an organic compound used to try and control slugs, snails and other gastropods.

But it has been said that 5g of slug pellets that contain 50-60g of metaldehyde per kg, is potentially deadly to hedgehogs as well as domestic animals too.

It is difficult to tell if a hedgehog has consumed metaldehyde but some symptoms can include hyperaesthesia, particularly to sound, tachycardia, anxiety, hypersalivation, ataxia, dysmetria, tremors, occasionally bluish-coloured faeces or vomit.

Suppliers of metaldehyde will no longer be able to sell it from 30th June 2019 and it is prohibited from use the following year on the 30th June 2020.

The manager of the GSPCA has said that it's fantastic news that the States have banned this pest control.

The leader of the RSPB Guernsey has also welcomed the ban and says there are many other ways of controlling pests in the garden.

The RSPB are calling on people to look on their website at the non-chemical tips to control pests in the garden.