Help! Roach Infestation

Tiptoe Manifesto

Arachnopeon
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Jan 9, 2023
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So I just moved into a new place. It has been newly been renovated. Everything is clean. I’ve been in my new place for about two weeks. There are giant cockroaches. What is the best thing to use to kill them that won’t potentially hurt my arachnids and other invertebrate pets in the house. I want to kill the cockroaches but I don’t want to use chemicals that could potentially kill my pets. If I remove my arachnids and invertebrates from the house could I bug bomb the house and then a couple days later bring them back? I am from the north and I’ve never had to deal with the situation until I moved south.
 

Hardus nameous

Yes, but only on Tuesdays!
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Feb 24, 2018
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Bug bombing is all but useless against roaches unless the gas circulates to where they are, and that still doesn't kill the eggs.

You might try looking into poison baits. They can make the roaches' frass (faeces) toxic before killing the roach, and roaches eat roach frass thereby killing exponentially. That also helps spread the poison to where the roaches congregate and gives the young ones something deadly to munch on.
 

Tiptoe Manifesto

Arachnopeon
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Jan 9, 2023
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I know if you use flea and tick topical medicine on your dogs and their dander gets into your spider enclosures it can cause paralysis and kill them that’s why I asked about chemicals. Could I use bait and roach spray under the sink where they come out of the wall?
 

Dementeddoll

Arachnoknight
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Nov 25, 2016
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I believe that combat food bait that you put in crevices works. My grandparents used it to get rid of a big roach infestation in our childhood home and they didn’t wanna use bombs because they didn’t want us( their grandchildren) inhaling it. They disappeared and I also used it in a apartment I lived in when the dirty neighbors roaches were coming to my apt. Saw like 3 which was more than enough for me to go get that and they disappeared.
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
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As a surfeit of caution, if you resort to a poison bait I'd strongly consider knowing what the toxin is in you want a systemic poison that doesn't tend to spread in the environment and should avoid neurotoxins due to their much more unpredictable natures. The problem is neurotoxins are much more effective and thus the active ingredient in most roach baits.
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NocturnalSkies

Arachnopeon
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Dec 2, 2021
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Ive had to deal with this too. Roach infestations are HARD to get rid of but it can be done. Honestly the most important thing before poison, is to throw away anything roach infested. And it doesn’t matter what it is. If it has roaches, throw it out. I had to throw away all the dressers in my bedroom because I was keeping it warm in general for the critters, and unfortunately it invited more critters. And I don’t even keep accessible food around. They were eating the chipboard material the furniture was made from and paint off the wall(as evidenced by paint dust) the furniture was infested with hundred of roaches. And don’t underestimate them. If there’s even a small hole or crevice in something, they’ll be there. I got rid of them(and have done the same for others) by:

throwing away ALL infested items.
Plugging up holes and hiding spots in walls and items with silicone(one of the only things they can’t eat)
Long term strategy of reducing access to edibles as much as possible, and setting Hoy Hoy trap a roach bait traps ALL over. Now bait traps are usually 100% useless as they don’t catch enough roaches and are random chance based. But the difference with these is they use a mating pheromone bait, and these things can catch 100’s of roaches a day. After a few months of doing this I’m 99% roach free in my room, and the kitchen has seen a huge reduction in number of roaches seen. I also use the roaches(Germans) as feeders sometimes since im the only one who lives in the unit besides my roommates and we don’t use any pesticides. The 1st instar babies are great for scorpion slings.
 

myrmecophile

Arachnolord
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Vacuum up all roaches you see, if you use baits, do not over apply. No caulking gun approach, small pea size dots only.
 

The Snark

Dumpster Fire of the Gods
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As an interim measure you could do what a roomy of mine once did. I woke up in the middle of the night to a weird tap tap sound. Tracing it to the source she was sitting on the kitchen floor by candle light, wapping them with a large spoon.
 

Introvertebrate

Arachnoprince
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...........There are giant cockroaches. What is the best thing to use to kill them...........
For those of us who work hard to maintain roach cultures, you've also got an easy, unlimited feeder supply.

.........I am from the north and I’ve never had to deal with the situation until I moved south.
North where? Sounds like you've never lived in a large urban area.
 

Wolf135

Arachnoknight
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May 14, 2016
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179
The only way I've seen that works with killing roaches are the bug bombs but we used about two for each room and we would put down bait about a week later.

Some will say the bombs don't work but you have to get the right brand, set off a good amount and give it about six hours of letting it kill the roaches.

I never had any problems with my Ts afterwards but we aired out the house really good with fans for a few hours.
 
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