Somebody is going to look after my spiders, but there may be a problem. (need input sorta fast)

Tim Benzedrine · Jun 27, 2015

So, as I've mentioned elsewhere a while back, i am going on a two week vacation. I have nobody to look after my spiders and some friends volunteered to take them while i am gone. But i just learned of a twist. On the 18th of this month, an exterminator was there. he does not spray, they said, but puts down a powder. What it was I'm not sure. I do know it is not for roaches, but beyond that, I'm unsure of the purpose, I forgot to ask.They think he may not have placed it in that room, and intend to place my enclosures on a workbench above the floor. I still am concerned. But I've also worried some about leaving them at home for what will amount to 18 days. but this new revelation has me worried. What sort of stuff would be placed in powder form and I wonder what sort of danger it may present. I leave tomorrow, by the way. I know there are measures I can take in order to leave them alone here at home, but not being able to check on them kind of stresses me out. any risk assessments? I can take a large tank to place the enclosures within and the top could be covered, only to be removed when they need to fill or change water lids, if that would help...

Dave Marschang · Jun 27, 2015

18 days unsupervised is a cake walk. I say they will be fine.

cold blood · Jun 27, 2015

god61021 said:
18 days unsupervised is a cake walk. I say they will be fine.

lol, he's almost done with vacation and already had them being watched...the exterminator came 9 days ago...but yeah, coulda just left them for 2 weeks, probably wouldn't have been an issue at all.

But now, what's done is done...if its gonna effect them, there's nothing you can do at this point...if there was exposure, its too late....you'll know if they start twitching around and dying. Too late to worry now Tim. Best of luck with them buddy, I hope the powder doesn't have an adverse effect on them.

Dave Marschang · Jun 27, 2015

wait...it says he leaves tomorrow....im confused cold blood.

cold blood · Jun 27, 2015

god61021 said:
wait...it says he leaves tomorrow....im confused cold blood.

My mistake, I soulda figured god would read it right:laugh:

I even re-read it after your post...still read it wrong...lol:wall: Clearly I'm the real confused individual here:biggrin:

Yeah, feed them up real good, make sure all water dishes are filled and leave them at home, not worth the risk...maybe they can stop by your place mid-way through your vacation to feed or water them for you.

Tim Benzedrine · Jun 28, 2015

They live three hours away, so they won't be able to travel to them. i am goingto use one of the alternative methods that have been discussed in previous threads in this topic. specifically, i think i will house their enclosures within a large tank that i can cover most of the top with a sheet of plexiglass. Most are still in the small bottle-cap water dish phase, which is part of my worry. I will be gone a total of 18 days, the vacation itself is two weeks, but I am leaving tomorrow and my flight does not leave til the 30th. i will return on the 14th, but will not get home until the 15th. there is no way those caps will remain full in that amount of time. but I am either stuck with leaving them here or taking them, which is why it is such a dilemma. Risk of dehydration or risk of toxin. Not a very good set of choices. i am most concerned about my geniculata. It is the last really small one i have and would probably suffer the most it is probably only an inch in size now. The others are at least two inch and the parahybana is an easy three to three and a half inch. my spiders are the one thing that slipped my mind when i planned the trip. i had only had them less than a month when i formulated the plan, and it only dawned on me later that there might be a problem. i have to make up my mind by tomorrow afternoon.

Fyrwulf · Jun 28, 2015

If they insist it was a non-toxic powder, it was probably diatomaceous earth. I'd call and ask to double check, but your Ts will be fine with that so long as they don't make contact with the floor.

Tim Benzedrine · Jun 28, 2015

They said a powder, but not that it was diatomaceous earth. I think my friends have used that before on their own to combat fleas. But that is a good thing to consider so I will ask them, just in case, thanks!

MrsHaas · Jul 1, 2015

Have fun on your vacation!!

Tim Benzedrine · Jul 3, 2015

Thanks! I arrived here in Canada Tuesday, having a fine time and it has only just begun! My spiders are reportedly doing fine so far.

cold blood · Jul 3, 2015

I'm jealous Timothy:smile:

Hope you have a great time...hopefully you're fishing:wink:

Tim Benzedrine · Jul 5, 2015

Thanks, no fishing, but looking for wildlife. Scored a wolf on my very first expedition. That was a crowning achievement that can only be matched by a grizzly, which we will begin searching for tomorrow. Got a black bear later after we found the wolf. Will also be going out for prairie rattlesnakes.

cold blood · Jul 5, 2015

I didn't realize there were rattlesnakes in Canadia.

Moose are very cool to find.

BCscorp · Jul 5, 2015

Hi Tim
Sounds like your in the west of the country, whereabouts? Hope you enjoy your trip up here eh.

---------- Post added 07-05-2015 at 08:17 AM ----------

cold blood said:
I didn't realize there were rattlesnakes in Canadia.

Moose are very cool to find.

Yes there is!

Northern Pacific rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus)
Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus)
Desert Nightsnake (Hypsiglena chlorophaea)
Prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis)

Tim Benzedrine · Jul 5, 2015

Yes they have Crotalus viridis out west. Scorpions too apparently. And I do hope to see moose. Pronghorn antelope will be a sure thing I am told. Western Canada is not the Canada a lot of us of think of when we think of the country.

cold blood · Jul 5, 2015

Tim Benzedrine said:
Yes they have Crotalus viridis out west. Scorpions too apparently. And I do hope to see moose. Pronghorn antelope will be a sure thing I am told. Western Canada is not the Canada a lot of us of think of when we think of the country.

You got that right, never gave the western part of Canada a thought, I assumed Ontario or Quebec or something....the western part never crossed my mind as I've never been there

Canada's too friggin' big!

gcandd · Jul 5, 2015

Would not mind seeing a wolf myself sounds like a sight to see. would pass on bears, ain't that dangerus ?

cold blood · Jul 6, 2015

gcandd said:
Would not mind seeing a wolf myself sounds like a sight to see. would pass on bears, ain't that dangerus ?

Wolves look like dogs...not too much of a big deal IMO...barely different from a yote.

Its not dangerous to SEE a bear. I've seen many and have never once felt in danger.

Tim Benzedrine · Jul 19, 2015

Just digging this up to report that my spiders did just fine away from home. I had one moult before I returned, and it was a bit of a surprise because I had not expected it to moult in the interim that I was gone as it had moulted in May,and has reached the size where I thought two months was just a bit unlikely. The other was my new genic that I DID expect, given its current size.. it moulted the night of my return.
The friends that kept them messaged me stating that the Orkin guy had left a note saying "I noticed lots of spiders and sprayed for them. Fortunately, he had sprayed outdoors and even more fortunately, it was after myself and the spiders had vacated the premises. I'm a little unsure why spiders outdoors would warrant spraying, though.

In retrospect, I do not regret taking them away while I was gone, at least I did not have to wonder how they were doing, if there was a loss, I at least would have been warned rather than be shocked if I had returned home to find casualties. They were kept on a workshop in the basement of the home, where the temperature was a constant 71 degrees, and they did not even suffer any substrate dry-out. Before I left I checked carefully for any sign of chemical contamination that one might find in a workshop and noticed none. (They really do little actual work in the workshop). So all's well that ends well.

Ellenantula · Jul 19, 2015

Tim Benzedrine said:
the Orkin guy had left a note saying "I noticed lots of spiders and sprayed for them. Fortunately, he had sprayed outdoors and even more fortunately, it was after myself and the spiders had vacated the premises. I'm a little unsure why spiders outdoors would warrant spraying, though.

I always figure more spiders outside, less bugs getting inside. I bet Orkin just doesn't like the competition -- so they kill the natural predators so they (Orkin) will be needed to come out and spray more often!

Somebody is going to look after my spiders, but there may be a problem. (need input sorta fast)

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