Pet control visiting my apartment...

Hi everyone, I just got a notice that pest control will be visiting my apartment building to do their routine treatments.

This is the first time I'll be having this done while owning BP's, so I was wondering if I should be evacuating my little snakey-babies out of their house for a few hours (they've requested that cats and dogs are out, and fish tanks are covered with air pumps off).

I also have crested geckos, a pyxie frog and a pacman... also not sure if I should be packing them up - I'm leaning on yes for the two frogs since they absorb liquid through their skin...?

Just wanted to pick your collective brains! I've a week to prep if I need to go and grab anything to transport anyone.

I just went through this about 2 months ago, but the apartment complex only gave me 3 days to plan. I had to board my cats and ferret at the vet clinic for 3 days (mainly because I figured that if I could still smell the chemical, then the cats would be able to smell in much better) and wrap all my fish tanks. I did not have my BP yet, but I removed what equipment I did have just in case. The chemicals that were used are pyriproxyfen 0.1% and pyrethrin 0.05%. This was for a general yearly pest service for fleas, roaches, spiders, crickets, ants, and other pests per the apartment complex. I know than pyrethrins can be highly toxic to reptiles even in low doses and can be inhaled or absorbed through the skin, so I would probably try and get your animals out, or at least try and find out the exact chemicals that they will be using first so you can do some research.The house had a chemical raid-like smell for about 3 days, even with all the windows open and fans going in half of them. Terminex said it was safe for people / mammals after it dried (which took about 12 hours, again with fans blowing on the floors) but it did leave a residue on the floors that I mopped up before bringing the cats home. I left all the pets at the vet until I could not smell the chemical and until I have mopped the wood floors.

I am supposed to treat the apartment quarterly, but I may able to only have them do outside and lay out hormone traps / baits inside since I now have a snake. I absolutely don't want them spraying anything in the house at all now that I have the snake. I can't board him, and I'd be afraid that even if I could remove him, the stress would cause him to go off feed or that the residual smell would irritate him.

When I called terminex and told them what animals I had, they said that it is safe once dry for dogs and cats / people, but didn't know how it would effect "exotics" like the ferret and birds. So just to be safe they told me to remove all the animals, including the fish :sigh2: Where they thought I could take an 80 gal tank of goldfish, I have no idea. I just plastic wrapped the tank, and they were all fine.

Hope this helps :)

I would remove all reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates as they react badly to insecticides. Make sure all the lizard and frog tanks are either wrapped in plastic or in a tightly sealed trash bag so that the fumes can't enter and settle.

If your snakes are in a rack you can run the water bowls and hides through the dishwasher, wash the tubs, and wipe the rack(s) with a damp cloth to remove the chemicals before you put the snakes back.

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Originally Posted by Crowfingers

So just to be safe they told me to remove all the animals, including the fish :sigh2: Where they thought I could take an 80 gal tank of goldfish, I have no idea. I just plastic wrapped the tank, and they were all fine.

Hope this helps :)

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Plastic wrap! Great idea! That'll keep my tanks clear of anything getting into them.
I've got two 20 Gal and one 30 gal tank, no way in heck am I able to move the three of them somewhere.

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Originally Posted by Pixel

Plastic wrap! Great idea! That'll keep my tanks clear of anything getting into them.
I've got two 20 Gal and one 30 gal tank, no way in heck am I able to move the three of them somewhere.

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I went to lowes and got the big rolls of 4 mm (101 um) heavy duty plastic sheeting that's used in construction work and duck taped it in layers around the tank. Had to turn off all my intake filters and air valves, but that shouldn't be a problem for frogs, except maybe the fogger if you have one