Insecticide

[Boba]

Hey guys, so my apartment has a cockroach issue and they normally just spray the kitchen and living room, my snakes (two ball pythons, one is about 4 years, and the other is 2.5 years) are in my bedroom. They said our apartment is bad, so they need to spray all the rooms and we need to be out of the apartment for 2 hours. I believe snakes are more prone to pesticides than mammals, so I’m wondering if anyone knows how long I should keep them out of the apartment to be safe? I’m also assuming I should change out the bedding in their tanks before I put them back in? Anyone have experience with this? The pest control guys didn’t know anything beyond “they tell us to have you guys leave for 2 hours”.


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[Hugsplox]

I hate that they can't tell you more than "leave for 2 hours" but apartment folks tend to be.. bad in my experience.

We have professional exterminators do our home, but when they came and did their assessment they recommended that we not do the inside of the house because we have reptiles, so they only spray outside. Reptiles react to pesticides worse than a cat or dog would. If it were me, I would move the snakes and their enclosures somewhere else for a few days. SOME local reptile stores with board snakes for you but I'm not sure if you have something like this in your area. You can also check with your herp vet to see if they can either board, or recommend somewhere for you to board them while things settle down in your apartment.

Regardless, I wouldn't rely on a substrate change to get rid of anything that gets in their enclosures.

[Bogertophis]

If you want your snakes to live full & healthy lives, I'd get them out of there for a few days. As Hugsplox said, reptiles are far more sensitive to chemicals like this- but they cannot speak up & may die a long slow death- refusing to eat & just going downhill if they're exposed, or get cancer.

I'd call the pest control company & ask what they recommend for BIRDS in the apartment (known to be sensitive) in this situation, & pay attention to what they say. Or, don't bother taking their word for it at all- just don't let your pets be exposed to the stuff.

BTW, when I was in college, I shared an apartment in a no-pets building for a while. Someone in the building had a cat, & the next thing you know all the apartments had cat fleas jumping out of their carpeting. One day when I was in class, with NO warning (because there wasn't supposed to be any pets) they sprayed the building & I came home to find my hamster dead. Do NOT expose your snakes to this "stuff".

[Gocntry]

Well your profile says "Virginia" but not where..... If your near Manassas/Centreville you can contact

https://www.deepwoodveterinaryclinic.com/

I use them for my vet, and they do boarding too. They have mentioned to me they could board my snakes if needed.

Might be worth a shot for a temporary place for them to stay.

[Boba]

Do you think if I just ask them not to spray my bedroom that would be safe? And I’ll still take the snakes out for the day and thoroughly clean their tanks... I’ll call around and see if anyone near me does boarding.


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[Hugsplox]

Do you think if I just ask them not to spray my bedroom that would be safe? And I’ll still take the snakes out for the day and thoroughly clean their tanks... I’ll call around and see if anyone near me does boarding.


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I wouldn't risk that for a few reasons.

1. They may not communicate that to the tech that comes out to spray
2. You're still running the risk of something getting in your enclosures
3. Your bug issue isn't going to get fixed if you don't let them spray the entire residence.

Don't take this as me calling you lazy I promise I'm not, but don't be lazy about this. Find somewhere for your snakes to stay until this is over. It may cost you a little money to board them, but peace of mind is priceless.

[Bogertophis]

Do you think if I just ask them not to spray my bedroom that would be safe? And I’ll still take the snakes out for the day and thoroughly clean their tanks... I’ll call around and see if anyone near me does boarding.


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No, because the pest control guys are ONLY going to listen to the ones who HIRED them, & that's not you. They'll do what they're hired by the manager to do- if they skip a room & the bug problem recurs, they could lose their job if their boss finds out they didn't complete the job they were sent to do.

DO NOT RISK THAT. And when the bugs they missed persist, they'll only have to come back to spray again.

[Snagrio]

I've worked in pest control briefly, and procedures may be different between companies, but nonetheless I implore that you heed the advice of everyone who's answered before me and get those animals out and keep them out.

The pesticides most companies use are no laughing matter and can be extremely hazardous to all living things period (some of the stuff I worked with required heavy duty filtered gas masks that's how dangerous they can be), and you can never fully know just where exactly they've sprayed either. It can be on/in furniture, on the walls, every seam, the baseboards, just about any crevice you can think of because such places are the target areas to poison the pests.

In short, do yourself and your snakes a favor and find them a new place to live temporarily altogether, the risk is too great to do otherwise.

[Boba]

I found a place that will take them for a few days.

But I’m still not able to get the tanks themselves out. It took a team of people just to get them into the apartment, I’m gonna have to call a professional mover when I leave . If I cover the tops with a trash bag and tape it down on all sides so nothing can get in the top, then clean the tanks really well after, will that be enough? While still keeping the snakes out for 3-4 days?


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[Spicey]

I personally feel like that would be acceptable, provided you seal them up really well (maybe with something thicker than standard trash bag plastic, and wait until the room is well-aired before you open the tank to clean it out. Can you remove the decorations, etc. to another location also?