Pest Control

EnigmaNyx

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 21, 2020
Messages
273
Maybe an odd question, but is pest control detrimental to owning T’s?

A bit further of an explanation, we have pest control come out every 3 months to spray inside and out. I checked to see what they spray for and T’s aren’t listed but I can’t imagine what they’re spraying would be good for our 8-legged friends.

My idea was to have them come and spray inside and out, but tell them to stay out of the room we will be keeping our T’s in. Just wanted to hear your thoughts on the matter, and maybe some suggestions or maybe I’m worrying about nothing.
 

vicareux

A. geniculata worship cult member
Joined
Mar 14, 2020
Messages
496
If they are spraying for any kind of an insect (roaches),i believe the pesticide can be fatal if it comes in contact with the tarantulas. Also keep your feeders away in that case.
 

Royalty

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 11, 2020
Messages
246
I have been using some diatomaceous earth and some oil mixture stuff I put right into my potted plants. For my isopod terrarium (the big one) I put a wild caught baby toad in. ( we have hundreds of them over the summer).

I had an issue with fungus gnats and some white flies in the large isopod terrarium. I no longer have so many flies (still some in the terrarium. I can not use the pesticide stuff in it since the isopods the toad helped a lot tho)

I also use spring tails in my tarantula enclosures. I have not had much of a problem with gnats or pests in those ones.
 

Arachnoenthusiast

Arachnoknight
Active Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
286
I wouldn't spray anything inside the house. Outside.. maaayyybe. Personally I haven't sprayed or sprinkled any insecticide for years. I use diatomaceous earth as well.
 

EnigmaNyx

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 21, 2020
Messages
273
I wouldn't spray anything inside the house. Outside.. maaayyybe. Personally I haven't sprayed or sprinkled any insecticide for years. I use diatomaceous earth as well.
Fair enough, I figured if I kept it away from that room it'd be okay but I really wouldn't want them to be affected at all even if that means I can't have them spray inside. We live in southern texas so insects and nasty bugs galore. I mostly sprayed the inside for recluses, cockroaches, and ants.
 

Jesse607

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 29, 2002
Messages
715
The insecticides used have tremendous residual activity. You will always run the risk of cross contamination, even long after discontinuing such a service. Regular vacuuming does wonders for indoor spiders. Peridomestic roaches (American, Oriental, Turkestan, other Periplaneta sp.) that come from outdoors or pipes are not a serious threat to infest the inside your home unless you live in unsanitary conditions or have plumbing issues. Ants and german roaches (the ones that actually infest homes) can be treated by knowledgeable professionals using baits and crack and crevice and spot treatments. Pest control companies will scare you into thinking you need regular treatments because it makes them money....I know, because I've worked in the industry for a long time now.
 

EnigmaNyx

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 21, 2020
Messages
273
The insecticides used have tremendous residual activity. You will always run the risk of cross contamination, even long after discontinuing such a service. Regular vacuuming does wonders for indoor spiders. Peridomestic roaches (American, Oriental, Turkestan, other Periplaneta sp.) that come from outdoors or pipes are not a serious threat to infest the inside your home unless you live in unsanitary conditions or have plumbing issues. Ants and german roaches (the ones that actually infest homes) can be treated by knowledgeable professionals using baits and crack and crevice and spot treatments. Pest control companies will scare you into thinking you need regular treatments because it makes them money....I know, because I've worked in the industry for a long time now.
You're both a scholar and a saint.
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
Unfortunately seems that this "pest control" madness is a recurring nightmare that many U.S keepers needs to face. Here in Italy doesn't exist a similar scheduled heresy, in fact I've never heard/read about such an annoying and invasive (I mean, inside homes as well) practice before joining this site.

I blame those U.S sci-fi movies of the '50 - early '60, with giant bugs etc probably that triggered such nonsense :pompous:
 

Dead Blue Deer

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 29, 2020
Messages
34
Thank you for bringing up this question. I live in AZ and for the first year and a half we were here, we regularly had pest control spray the outside of the house/perimeter of the backyard. The reason was because we didn't want scorpions coming into the house (we have cats and a dog, plus we didn't want to accidentally step on/get stung by one).

I quickly began to notice that the pesticides were killing unintended bugs — wolf spiders, young A chalcodes, beetles that just happened to be walking by — as well as geckos, which eat said bugs. Early this summer, we stopped having the pest control company come by, out of concern for the wild critters. Haven't had a problem with scorpions, and there aren't any dead bugs showing up anymore.

In your case, if pest control -must- come by, don't have them spray inside, full stop, and when they spray outside, make sure all your windows are closed, A/C is turned off, etc, so nothing gets sucked inside.
 

EnigmaNyx

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 21, 2020
Messages
273
You make great points! The only reason we had pc come by is for the animals we had indoors (3 cats, 1 dog) and our son. Similar to AZ, there are some more dangerous type creatures around and I'd rather not have them indoors. I realize I can't stop all of them, but I'm open to changing my methodology in order to prevent any harm from coming to our future 8-legged family.
 

Jesse607

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 29, 2002
Messages
715
No reason to live in fear. The fear for brown recluse is blown way out of proportion and used as bait for pest control companies to get your dollars. There is so much misinformation online and every necrotic skin infection is diagnosed as a bite, even in regions that don't have this spider (which makes you think...). I once did monthly pest inspections for an orphanage that was strictly opposed to using insecticides. We used sticky traps and would catch 10-30 (mostly wandering adult males) brown recluse every month. That had been the case for at least a decade. Not a single report of any bites ever! It was a large old (historic) stone/concrete/masonry building with 5 stories. The operators/management was fully aware of the large population, and how long it had been present, and saw the evidence crystal clear that the spiders were of no concern even in large numbers.
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
No reason to live in fear. The fear for brown recluse is blown way out of proportion and used as bait for pest control companies to get your dollars. There is so much misinformation online and every necrotic skin infection is diagnosed as a bite, even in regions that don't have this spider (which makes you think...).
In Italy there's present, in the whole nation, Loxosceles rufescens, which basically is part of "the brown recluse" 'gang', with L. laeta (in South America) and such. As I write this, I have a couple of specimens (spotted) in one of my garage, probably others in the cellar etc

As we know those are incredibly shy and not defensive at all spiders - altough being fair enough and honest, no one would love a bite from those, if nothing for the risk % of ending with Loxoscelism.

There's nothing serious for justify a pest control about that, with that said. It's a pure finest scam used by pest control companies, for make big bucks :)
 

DomGom TheFather

Arachnoprince
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Apr 26, 2020
Messages
1,975
Unless there are termites or bedbugs or some major infestation, the pesticides are scarrier than any crawler.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Maybe an odd question, but is pest control detrimental to owning T’s?

A bit further of an explanation, we have pest control come out every 3 months to spray inside and out. I checked to see what they spray for and T’s aren’t listed but I can’t imagine what they’re spraying would be good for our 8-legged friends.

My idea was to have them come and spray inside and out, but tell them to stay out of the room we will be keeping our T’s in. Just wanted to hear your thoughts on the matter, and maybe some suggestions or maybe I’m worrying about nothing.
Pest control is NO FRIEND TO Ts!
 

MamaJen77

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
0
Pest control is NO FRIEND TO Ts!
I have a few Ts and worry about my brother in law bringing bed bugs into my home. He often ends up on my couch. If I did happen to get them. Could I use diatomaceous earth dust on the furniture and baseboards? My Ts have their own room that has no carpet nor any furniture but the shelf they are on and my gianormous enclosure for my sugar gliders. I am not one that handles my Ts and take every precaution that I can that they are safe when I attempt feeding, watering etc. I place their enclosures (small as they are both slings) inside of a large tote before opening the enclosure and always have my catch cup handy. The room has no carpet and the tote is on the floor. If I were to refrain from using it in their room, would they be okay?? I realize should one escape a walk through this would be a certain death sentence and I fear DKS too much to risk sprays that probably would not help the situation anyway. I have lived through getting rid of a bed bug infestation when I inadvertently moved into a house rife with them and had to completely start over furniture wise 10 years ago. I KNOW my brother in law and his fiance have bed bugs. I have SEEN them on their furniture. BUT the brother is a bit of a mental case and we are the ONLY family he has left.. My mother in law and sister in law are both deceased. We are the only place he can go when he is on the outs with the old lady. I just want to nip the situation in the bud NOW without hurting my Ts. I have wanted a tarantula since I was 15. My mother was dead set on me not getting one. Then, I married an arachnophobe and it took me 20 years to convince him that i NEEDED them in my life. I got the chance to get ONE and chose both a GBB sling AND an Aphonopelma Seemani sling :D I have since gotten my mother interested in my hobby enough that my T. Albo will be a dream come true when Santa visits this year. SO I REALLY REALLY do not want to hurt my precious babies. PLEASE HELP :D
 

MamaJen77

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
0
Pest control is NO FRIEND TO Ts!
I have a few Ts and worry about my brother in law bringing bed bugs into my home. He often ends up on my couch. If I did happen to get them. Could I use diatomaceous earth dust on the furniture and baseboards? My Ts have their own room that has no carpet nor any furniture but the shelf they are on and my gianormous enclosure for my sugar gliders. I am not one that handles my Ts and take every precaution that I can that they are safe when I attempt feeding, watering etc. I place their enclosures (small as they are both slings) inside of a large tote before opening the enclosure and always have my catch cup handy. The room has no carpet and the tote is on the floor. If I were to refrain from using it in their room, would they be okay?? I realize should one escape a walk through this would be a certain death sentence and I fear DKS too much to risk sprays that probably would not help the situation anyway. I have lived through getting rid of a bed bug infestation when I inadvertently moved into a house rife with them and had to completely start over furniture wise 10 years ago. I KNOW my brother in law and his fiance have bed bugs. I have SEEN them on their furniture. BUT the brother is a bit of a mental case and we are the ONLY family he has left.. My mother in law and sister in law are both deceased. We are the only place he can go when he is on the outs with the old lady. I just want to nip the situation in the bud NOW without hurting my Ts. I have wanted a tarantula since I was 15. My mother was dead set on me not getting one. Then, I married an arachnophobe and it took me 20 years to convince him that i NEEDED them in my life. I got the chance to get ONE and chose both a GBB sling AND an Aphonopelma Seemani sling :D I have since gotten my mother interested in my hobby enough that my T. Albo will be a dream come true when Santa visits this year. SO I REALLY REALLY do not want to hurt my precious babies. PLEASE HELP :D
 

MamaJen77

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
0
they live in a very unkempt apartment. There are 5 people living in a 2 bedroom apartment....with dogs...cats....lice...bed bugs...roaches...its pretty freaking disgusting. I have expressly stated that he is no longer allowed to stay here. I am throwing out the livingroom furniture and replacing it. thankfully that room is not carpeted. But I do have to treat the room. The room my ts are in are on the opposite side of the home with the kitchen and laundry room. My dining room essentially belongs to my gliders and tarantulas. The only rooms that are carpeted are the bedrooms. It is too cold to move the gliders and tarantulas to the garage, even with a space heater. I have ZERO friends willing to let my tarantulas hang out with them for a few days for me to do anything chemically. So I am looking at other alternatives and many on my FB groups have recommended DE I was wondering if I sealed the enterance to their room with heavy duty plastic and treated the room thoroughly, would they be safe? I do know that if they were to escape it would be HORRIBLE for them to come into contact with it so every possible precaution would be taken.
 
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