Interesting slug reports, could it be that the slugs in both cases were
feasting on calcium? I heard once that octipi eat certain shells for the
calcium. As for the chipmunk carcass they could have been knawwing  the
bones and in the case of the bird crap isn't the white part calcium. I'll
have to scrape some off the car and have it tested /. just an observation,
probably wrong as usual. mark
-----Original Message-----
From: Aydin Orstan <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wednesday, May 06, 1998 2:35 PM
Subject: Re: Land Snail Scavengers?
 
 
>Paul,
>
>A few years ago one of our cats killed a chipmunk in our back yard. I took
>the chipmunk from the cat & put it uncovered in a secluded spot to see who
>would show up to eat it. A few hours later when I visited it, there were
>several small slugs crawling over it. I don't know if the slugs were
actually
>eating anything, but they were certainly attracted to the corpse. I suppose
>testing this with a piece of meat won't be too difficult. Now that you
>brought it up, I may try it one of these nights. I will post the results
>here.
>
>Also, one recent morning I was watching a slug crawling on a large rock in
my
>back yard. There happened to be a deposit of bird feces on the rock. As the
>slug was passing by it, it changed directions & went right to it. Then it
>positioned its mouth on the feces & remained there for several minutes. It
>must have been consuming it.
>
>A.
>