Pest Control... HELP!

Hemolymph

Arachnosquire
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Alright, my nosy landlord is coming around to all the apartments and spraying every baseboard, cabinet, and doing "pest control treatment".

I've got to figure out where I can move my tarantulas (out of the apartment, obviously..)....

Does anyone have any experiance with this.. and know how long my tarantulas need to be out of the apartment ?

I don't want them to get hurt.

Thanks,
Jeni
 

Gene

Arachnoknight
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When I was in an apartment I could request they not spray. Can you not do that? If you have a bird or fish tank you really shouldn't spray around them anyway. Just a thought.

I know it's probably different in some places but you could ask. I think there is a right to privacy or something. Best of luck with that one. Got any really good friends that don't mind Ts? :D
 

Pixie

Arachnoknight
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It depends on which products are used in the spraying process.

Some dry out quickly and aren't volatile for long and vice versa.

I would play it safe and keep them away for a month. I am also lucky that my best friend lives one street corner away and would help me with such a problem.

Pixie
 

Gene

Arachnoknight
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I know from my days as a pest control tech that a lot of the chemicals that are being used now are baits and specifically designed for certain pests. I guess it would help to know what the tech is using too. A lot of chemicals have a residual effect and aren't wet or sticky for long but the chemical traces are still dangerous to insects & presumably Ts for a while. Usually between 30 & 60 days.

There are way too many variables to consider here and with out specifics it would be hard for anyone here to gauge the time or effects. This is just an opinion and please don't hold me to it but unless the Ts are sprayed directly or the chemical is over applied I don't know that there is a danger to Ts in their enclosures. Some one please correct me if I am wrong. Unless of course they are fumigating the area (bombing).
 
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MilkmanWes

Arachnobaron
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Pixie said:
It depends on which products are used in the spraying process.

Some dry out quickly and aren't volatile for long and vice versa.
Stop the exterminator on his rounds before he gets that far and talk to him. He should be able to tell you exactly what and how much of it he is using. Also tell him that you have pet Tarantulas and ask him about it. I would imagine that this is an uncommon but not unheard of question for them if they have contracts at several aparment complexes.

Of course you could always claim an allergy and insist they bypass you.

Or bribe the exteminator.
 

Gene

Arachnoknight
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I don't disagree with you in the least. Take them out if at all possible. But my curiosity has been piqued now and I would love to know as much about the situation as she can tell us. I may even call some pest control companies and see what they say regarding tarantulas.

When I worked for a company they taught that spiders in general were less likely to be effected by the typical sprays because they don't groom as much as other insects. I can't prove that as I seem my A. avic gooming quite a bit. :?

Another question: Usually pest control contracts treat 2 to 3 time a year. If she has to remove her Ts each time for a month that could mean she only has them at home 9 or 10 months a year :eek: :eek: That would suck.
 
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Jesse607

Arachnodemon
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Cover up your T enclosures with a blanket or towel for the day just to be extra safe, and make sure you don't let your T's walk on the baseboards or in the cabinets for a couple of months. Everything should be fine, unless they fumigate, in which they would tell you that you need to move out for a couple of days.
 

MizM

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My interest was piqued this weekend, I found an ant on my H. "longipedum" :eek:

I have been calling exterminators all day, and so far, no one will treat ONLY the outside and they have ALL advised that I remove the entire collection for one month if they DO treat for ants!

I'm waiting for Terminix to call me back... the sales rep for my area said that they had just dealt with someone with a huge T collection and she would rather have the manager talk to me.

The guy that sprays every month at my work says they use an encapsulated formula that is harmless unless it gets on your shoes and you track it around. He guarantees that I could have a T on my desk and it would not be harmed.

So what do ya do... the ants can kill Ts, the ant KILLER can kill Ts! Sheesh! Right now, I've put jalapeño pepper juice around the enclosures, but I'm STILL a nervous wreck!

Sorry, I went off on a tangent... in YOUR case, definitely ask the exterminator what he's using. He will be more than happy to tell you how it will affect your Ts and what you should do with them during the extermination.
 

Gene

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Hey MizM,

It is difficult to get a lot of pest control companies to do outside treatments alone, that much is true. We used to do them if the customer was not home and reschedule if there was a need to do inside treatments. Once any problem was taken care of inside we recommended doing outside only as a preventative. Treating only every 3rd month or so inside.

There should be a granular pesticide that you can buy at hardware stores that will control ants & other insects from entering your house. You have to distribute it around the perimeter of you home. Have you tried that?
 

MizM

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Gene said:
Hey MizM, There should be a granular pesticide that you can buy at hardware stores that will control ants & other insects from entering your house. You have to distribute it around the perimeter of you home. Have you tried that?
That's what I used to use, but I haven't been able to find it anywhere in the last year or so. I THINK it was Ortho brand, but I sprinkled it around the nest, without disturbing the little monsters. They would greedily take it down into the nest and everyone would feast... and all be dead within a week! It was WONDERFUL stuff. I killed of two fire-ant colonies that extended from one side of my driveway to the other side of my yard with that stuff!! :eek:

They probably took it off the market cuz some kid or dog found it on the ground and munched on it!
 

Gene

Arachnoknight
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Pheonixx said:
no offence and i feel for your situation but i am curious why you made another thread? why not just bump the old one if noone is replying...this board is already pretty cluttered... :?

heres the "old" thread
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=28654
They were only 8 minutes apart. I venture to say it was a mistake especially since she hasn't posted since. :)
 

UberUsumbara

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May 31, 2004
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Advice from a professional!

I actually work in pest control, I do termites but had to learn all about all different kinds of pesticides and formulations and I don't think there is any danger to the spiders as long as they do not crawl in the affected areas. Modern pesticides are designed to stay where they are applied! I run across many chemophobes on my job who think that all pesticides are going to release a deadly gas or something and affect the whole house. Just move your spiders while they are applying the pesticide, and just make sure you do not put them back near the affected area and they will be fine! All extermination companies will tell you to keep them out for a while just to cover any liability they may have.
 

Hemolymph

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My landlord is one of those "know it alls" who does all the maintenance himself. So.. my guess is that it's a 99.9% he's doing it himself with some kind of spray.
So I doubt I'll be dealing with anyone but him.

I am worried that if I tell him I have tarantulas he may kick us out ! At least.. my boyfriend doesn't want me to even mention them incase of that.

I also have snakes and sugar gliders...I am going to have to get them ALL out tomorow somehow.

So I am kind of getting mixed information.. but from what I gather so far.. as long as the tarantulas aren't in a sprayed area or come in contact with a sprayed area, they should be okay ?

I wish it was a company and not my slumlord.. he probably doesn't know anything if i were to ask him about my pets being okay.

Grrr...

- Jeni
 

Hemolymph

Arachnosquire
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UberUsumbara said:
I actually work in pest control, I do termites but had to learn all about all different kinds of pesticides and formulations and I don't think there is any danger to the spiders as long as they do not crawl in the affected areas. Modern pesticides are designed to stay where they are applied! I run across many chemophobes on my job who think that all pesticides are going to release a deadly gas or something and affect the whole house. Just move your spiders while they are applying the pesticide, and just make sure you do not put them back near the affected area and they will be fine! All extermination companies will tell you to keep them out for a while just to cover any liability they may have.

Thankyou! This helped a bunch !!

xox
jeni
 

MilkmanWes

Arachnobaron
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Hemolymph said:
My landlord is one of those "know it alls" who does all the maintenance himself. So.. my guess is that it's a 99.9% he's doing it himself with some kind of spray.
You can probably toss everything said out... we were under the assumption i think that it was a proffesional using a proffesionals tools.

Wes
 

MizM

Arachnoprincess
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UberUsumbara said:
I actually work in pest control, I do termites but had to learn all about all different kinds of pesticides and formulations and I don't think there is any danger to the spiders as long as they do not crawl in the affected areas. Modern pesticides are designed to stay where they are applied! I run across many chemophobes on my job who think that all pesticides are going to release a deadly gas or something and affect the whole house. Just move your spiders while they are applying the pesticide, and just make sure you do not put them back near the affected area and they will be fine! All extermination companies will tell you to keep them out for a while just to cover any liability they may have.
How did we get 2 threads? :confused: N-E-Way, thanks Uber! That's what I'm hearing from most people. Is it Botar(?) that has his place sprayed every 3 months. Someone here does and has no problems. So I'm going for it because I KNOW the ants will kill the Ts!!
 
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