Pest control and reptile safety

[shade-ilmaendu]

Hey - long time since my last posts. To any who remember my 20 questioning Apollo is doing great - 600g, just moved up to small adult rats and husbandry has been a breeze since getting the AP tank.

But a problem arises... We may have a bed bug infestation on our hands. I can only imagine I picked them up at the laundromat in town as we haven't traveled or slept anywhere else and rarely have guests over. I've been browsing around exterminators in my area and while many of them say they'll consider child and pet safety, I'm betting most people are thinking cats and dogs and not the effects it could have on reptiles. I'm wondering what precautions I should take and to what extent once treatment begins.

Apollo is housed in our living room so unless they spray all baseboards I'm not sure if he'll be terribly near an affected area, but I can't help but worry. I lost a betta many years ago after my parents fumigated even though I followed the necessary precautions. I know you don't use bombs for bedbugs but I'm concerned nonetheless. Some sites advise covering the enclosure with a towel to prevent any spray from getting near it but is that enough? Should I consider housing him somewhere else for a time while treatment is ongoing? Are there any other precautions I should take? Should I treat it as a semi-quarantine and wash before handling him in case poison gets on my skin or clothing after sleeping in the bed where treatment will likely occur?

Sorry for the million questions again, I tried to look for threads about this but most of what I found was about how to deal with mites, not other household bug problems.

[dylan815]

I would remove your reptile from your home for the time being and until bug problem has been dealt with. I wouldn't risk it with your animal.

[bcr229]

Reptiles react more badly to the insecticides used for pest control than cats and dogs do. I would arrange for your snakes to be elsewhere for a few days.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

The problem with pets control is that to be truly efficient all room must be treated otherwise bugs can migrate to another part of the house/apartment and than move back in everywhere.

It is always recommended to removes all cold blooded animals from rooms being spread.

[HeidiHudson]

Bed bugs are wingless insects that feed solely upon the blood of warm-blooded animals. Well, there are many pest control companies are available like California Rodent control, Positive Pest Management, Empire pest control, etc., who are experts in getting rid with bed bugs.

[Jeanne]

Forget pest control companies.. my in laws run one.. their pesticide did nothing for a bed bug infestation tht resulted frm our son moving back home.. the reason it didnt work..they admit its watered down, and was told to me its done so they dont get rid of your bug issue.. job security if they got to keep coming back to spray.... go to amazon.. order cyonara 9.7. Spray ur plc urself.. including under couches, wooden anything as well... remove reptile frm home while treating.

If u wnt more info on bed bug management, private message me. We got rid of ours and didnt hav to get rid of one belonging or piece of furniture as is so common.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[JacksReptiles]

I do know that I have used bed bug spray in my snake enclosures to get rid of mites and it worked great. But fumigating I am not experienced in.

[Bogertophis]

I do know that I have used bed bug spray in my snake enclosures to get rid of mites and it worked great. But fumigating I am not experienced in.

Mis-using pesticides (including "off-label" use) can & has injured or killed reptile pets...so please refrain from making a comment like this, or at least be very specific as to what & how it was used- otherwise readers may assume that any & all "bed bug spray" can be used this way with no harmful effects. Okay?

Just because something effectively kills bed bugs (or other pests) doesn't make it safe to use for pets of any kind, much less our sensitive & defenseless reptiles. Long term residual exposure can also do damage, even if nothing is obvious for a while (& that's true even of products designed for snake mites). I also suspect that not all "bed bug sprays" are created equal (ie. they don't all contain the same things).