Snails and slugs are slow-moving creatures, so once seen, they are easy to catch. They are attracted to moisture, plant life, and things to hide under. Since snails and slugs are slow, they don’t move away from their hiding places all that much. Removing potential hiding places, like loose mulch, sticks, thick vegetation, and big clumps of dead plant matter is an effective prevention technique. So is removing moisture. They are so slimy and squishy that without moisture, they dry up and die. Salting them is a bad idea though, because it can ruin the soil. The best sign of snail and slug infestation is their trail. Snails and slugs leave a mucus trail everywhere they go.