Slugs have a highly varied diet and are generally omnivorous, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter. Their diet can include:
- Leaves, seedlings, and young plants, especially soft, fleshy leaves and vegetables such as cabbage, lettuce, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, and tomatoes
- Decaying plant material and decomposing vegetation, which they help break down into humus
- Fungi and mushrooms, which some slug species prefer
- Fruits like apples, strawberries, and grapes, eaten by some slug species more specialized in frugivory
- Animal matter including worms, carrion (dead animals), animal waste, and even other slugs in some cases
- Miscellaneous items such as cardboard, paper, discarded human food, feces, and pet food
Some slugs are carnivorous or cannibalistic, feeding on worms or other slugs, while others are primarily herbivorous. Overall, slugs are generalists and opportunistic feeders, consuming a wide range of organic matter depending on the species and availability
. They use a radula, a tongue-like organ with thousands of tiny tooth-like structures, to rasp and chew their food
. Slugs can consume up to twice their body weight in food daily, focusing on moist, shaded environments where their preferred foods are abundant
. In summary, slugs eat a broad spectrum of plant material (leaves, seedlings, fruits, vegetables), fungi, decaying matter, and animal matter, making them adaptable feeders in many environments.
