Bug bombs?

deadfeds

Arachnopeon
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Jun 7, 2019
Messages
39
So we were keeping everything in this room directly across from our bedroom. We had an issue with mites on our fruit flies for a bit, i believe I've gotten them taken care of. However, I have a little girl (baby) due in September and we plan to use the bedroom across us as a nursery, so we have moved all of the critters (reptiles & arachnids) into our bedroom across the hall and living room, which is a little bit down the hall and across. We would like to sanitize the nursery room, my girl has suggested we use these bug bombs by blocking the doors off with towels. Is this a safe method? Obviously I do care about the welfare of my child and would like to do everything I can to clean the room, however my spiders and tarantulas are a big part of my sobriety and I would be devastated if something were to happen to them. Amy advice, as always, would be greatly appreciated.
 

deadfeds

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 7, 2019
Messages
39
What exactly are you trying to kill with the bug bomb?
Possible mites left behind and whatever else is alive I guess. Ive used bombs im in the past, no question, no problem, but i didn't have my own creatures or the connection with them at the time. Now because of mine, im thinking twice because I don't want harm to come to them.

Bleach and elbow grease. Better than a bug bomb.
I got cleaner with bleach, my girl is pregnant and says its gonna stink. I say a bug bomb will stink as well.

Bug bombs don't clean anything.
They just poison everything.
Not that I'm supportive of the plan, but that is the idea. We clean later, but the bug bombs kill whatever is there. I would rather not risk using the bombs. I just would like to get some peoples advice to see how much I should argue with her.
 
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moricollins

Arachno search engine
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3,687
The bug bomb won't do anything that bleach won't do. And it'll do it much less effectively than directly applied bleach. And those chemicals can't be any good for the baby...
 

DomGom TheFather

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I wouldn't use them.
Especially not for mites.
A good cleaning will solve the same problem.

Not that I'm supportive of the plan, but that is the idea. We clean later, but the bug bombs kill whatever is there. I would rather not risk using the bombs. I just would like to get some peoples advice to see how much I should argue with her.
Tell your wife to check out the active ingredient in the bomb and to look up the effects of pesticides on fetal development.
She'll come around.
 
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Chebe6886

Arachnobaron
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Apr 24, 2018
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522
Yeh it’s like using a nuclear weapon to take out an Indian(feather not dot) teepee village. When a couple colt 45s and lever action rifles would do fine.
Also that poison will settle on to ever surface and you very like get some level of exposure to the Ts.
 

aprilmayjunebugs

Fiery but Mostly Peaceful
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Nov 7, 2019
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Is it carpeted in that room? I might try a mixture of borax, baking soda, and salt applied liberally, left for a few days, and then vacuumed up, maybe repeat once for good measure. All those ingredients dry up and kill invertebrates with no chemicals left behind that would be harmful to humans.
 

TheDarkFinder

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Ok. I am going to be a little mean here. But we have not evolved for the last 5 million years to be put into clean rooms. Children that are raised in clean conditions have a higher rates of asthma, allergies, and even autism.

With out the fruit flies, your mites will go away. They require the flies. If you are really worried apply diatomaceous earth in the whole room. After 10 hours, your mites will be dead. Use hepa vaccum to remove. Repeat as many times as you think is necessary.

I would NEVER EVER use a bug bomb in a room that I was going to put a newborn infant. Not 6 months in advance not 2 years in advance. The chemicals used in bug bombs can cause some serous neuralgic effects.

If you do this, your insects will have to leave the house for a minimum of 2 weeks. I can not count how many times I have heard bug bombs doing a total party kill for all tarantulas and insects.

There is zero reasons to do this. Wash everything and use diatomaceous earth, please don't use a bug bomb, for the sake of your child.
 

deadfeds

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 7, 2019
Messages
39
Ok. I am going to be a little mean here. But we have not evolved for the last 5 million years to be put into clean rooms. Children that are raised in clean conditions have a higher rates of asthma, allergies, and even autism.

With out the fruit flies, your mites will go away. They require the flies. If you are really worried apply diatomaceous earth in the whole room. After 10 hours, your mites will be dead. Use hepa vaccum to remove. Repeat as many times as you think is necessary.

I would NEVER EVER use a bug bomb in a room that I was going to put a newborn infant. Not 6 months in advance not 2 years in advance. The chemicals used in bug bombs can cause some serous neuralgic effects.

If you do this, your insects will have to leave the house for a minimum of 2 weeks. I can not count how many times I have heard bug bombs doing a total party kill for all tarantulas and insects.

There is zero reasons to do this. Wash everything and use diatomaceous earth, please don't use a bug bomb, for the sake of your child.
I see nothing mean here but facts, and i thank you for them. I do not like the idea either. She is in the nesting stage, and i would like to help however possible but I felt this was going too far. Ive consulted arachnoboards for any issue or question I've had and she knows this and is part of the experience with me. I wanted a post like yours to shine some facts on the situation and possibly get other ideas. Thank you, no hard feelings here. The bug bombs have sat here for years anyway, never been used here just mostly given away when people needed them, she just got paranoid about the mites and this led to some disagreement in how it should be dealt with. I will look into what you suggested, ive never heard of it. Ultimately what we came to agree upon is that I will be responsible for the sanitization and cleaning, and i can do whatever I see fit.
 

Marlana

Arachnoknight
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Mar 27, 2020
Messages
211
Mites in fruit fly containers are grain mites. They pose absolutely zero harm to your baby! They die off fast when grain is removed. Honestly the bug bomb is way more of a threat to your newborn than grain mites.

Although I completely understand nesting and the crazy ideas you get during this stage. I was on a cleaning frenzy for over a month. You literally don’t think logically. Every single tiny thing feels like a potential threat to your baby. Even after I had my daughter...I crossed a busy street once because I saw a squirrel and instantly needed to protect my baby! From a squirrel... 🤣 my husband still brings it up.

I think during this time it’s important to have someone there to put their foot down (if needed) and explain that you’re overreacting and potentially doing something more harmful in response. She’ll understand. Just explain that the mites are gone, the bug bombs are way more harmful to an infant. If she’s insisting than diatomaceous earth on the carpet is a great natural way to take care of any insect in the room. But I don’t think that’s necessary.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
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Dec 8, 2006
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Not that I'm supportive of the plan, but that is the idea. We clean later, but the bug bombs kill whatever is there. I would rather not risk using the bombs. I just would like to get some peoples advice to see how much I should argue with her.
Bombs can kill Ts, bleach won’t kill your woman’s nose or her life
 

The Grym Reaper

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Jul 19, 2016
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A 10% bleach solution will kill any mites/most insects lurking about and it isn't going to make the room stink of bleach for more than a day
 

EpicEpic

Arachnoangel
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Apr 13, 2020
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872
Mites are everywhere. Unless that room is kept super humid and has food for them to eat, they will just die off.

This sounds like super overkill to me. Mites don't like little girls anyway. ;)
 
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