Bedbugs and reptiles....

[Medduussa]

So I moved into a new apartment and surprise surprise I found a few bed bugs. I am trying to rid them myself, but that's another topic. So my concerns are do they pose any danger to my snakes or lizards? I was really scared today, after drying a frozen thawed rat on paper towel I saw a live bug crawling on it. I panicked that maybe my snake had swallowed one. Should I be worried? She had eaten the rat before I noticed the bug, as I went to throw out the paper towels.


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[ballpythonluvr]

So I moved into a new apartment and surprise surprise I found a few bed bugs. I am trying to rid them myself, but that's another topic. So my concerns are do they pose any danger to my snakes or lizards? I was really scared today, after drying a frozen thawed rat on paper towel I saw a live bug crawling on it. I panicked that maybe my snake had swallowed one. Should I be worried? She had eaten the rat before I noticed the bug, as I went to throw out the paper towels.


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I lived in an apartment once that had bed bugs in the bedroom where I kept my snakes. I never noticed any of them bothering the snakes but I totally removed the snakes from the bedroom anyways because Ehrlich came and did a pretty intensive treatment with pesticides for about three weeks straight. I didn't want my snakes anywhere near the pesticides either. Your best bet is to try and eradicate those little buggers now before they multiply and really become an issue for you. We had to throw away our mattress and stuffed animals that I had, and had to wash all of our clothing. They are a real pain to get rid of. Good Luck.

[Kaorte]

Bedbugs will not harm your snake. They will prefer to suck your blood They are also drawn to warmth and bare skin, two things that reptiles don't really have (cold blooded and scaled).

[Medduussa]

I lived in an apartment once that had bed bugs in the bedroom where I kept my snakes. I never noticed any of them bothering the snakes but I totally removed the snakes from the bedroom anyways because Ehrlich came and did a pretty intensive treatment with pesticides for about three weeks straight. I didn't want my snakes anywhere near the pesticides either. Your best bet is to try and eradicate those little buggers now before they multiply and really become an issue for you. We had to throw away our mattress and stuffed animals that I had, and had to wash all of our clothing. They are a real pain to get rid of. Good Luck.

Thanks! I will be treating my apartment with my reptiles far away from it! Just as long as the bugs will not harm them in the mean time.


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[Warren_Booth]

I am an evolutionary biologist that actually uses bed bugs as a model system to study a variety of population genetic and evolutionary questions. AS such, I have a bit of experience with them. I will make two comments. The later first - No, they will not harm your snakes. They are largely cued to mammals, therefore will feed on cats, dogs, rabbits, etc. However, humans are the primary host (of the human-associated lineage that is). The second point, and one you will not like to hear. You will not get rid of them yourself I am afraid to say. We work on a variety of questions, one being insecticide resistance. We are yet to find an actual field population that can be killed using the bed bug bombs and treatments you fine in big box stores, hardware stores, etc. Living in an apartment building, these are likely coming in from a neighbor (above, below, or side). The apartment management should pay for actual treatment. Simple ways for you to help reduce numbers before they get out of control, are to use climb up monitors under the legs of your bed (http://www.arbico-organics.com/produ...Fca6wAodmeQC0Q). Simple, cost effective, and extremely efficient at reducing numbers. Use these also for your sofa and chairs. Second, reduce clutter to zero. Bed bugs will hide in cracks and crevices, so magazines, pizza boxes, whatever, all act as hides for them to multiply, and that is something they do very effectively.

Good luck, but if you entered an apartment and found these, your apartment management company needs to treat these.

Warren