Cockroaches

I don't know if this is the right forum or not, if it isn't it can be moved to the right one. We get this notice today that there are COCKROACHES in the building. This really makes me mad. Now to start, our apartment is not a dump, it is fairly decent. What what makes me even more mad is that staff will be coming into our apartments while we are at work, and putting chemicals or whatever they use in our cupboards. We have to empty them out completely for them or else it can lead to eviction.

My main concern is firstly our cats, and secondly people coming in. Our cats are obviously going to be locked in the bedroom all next week (which they will hate) while we are at work. But now I am going to have to get locks for the cupboards so that they can't go in them. The letter says the chemicals they use are non toxic but I don't trust them.

Has anybody had any experiences with these disgusting little things and their pets? I personally havn't seen any in our apartment, but if I do I will scream like a banshee and be finding myself a new apartment just like that!

Originally Posted by Gilbert&Liam

I don't know if this is the right forum or not, if it isn't it can be moved to the right one. We get this notice today that there are COCKROACHES in the building. This really makes me mad. Now to start, our apartment is not a dump, it is fairly decent. What what makes me even more mad is that staff will be coming into our apartments while we are at work, and putting chemicals or whatever they use in our cupboards. We have to empty them out completely for them or else it can lead to eviction.

My main concern is firstly our cats, and secondly people coming in. Our cats are obviously going to be locked in the bedroom all next week (which they will hate) while we are at work. But now I am going to have to get locks for the cupboards so that they can't go in them. The letter says the chemicals they use are non toxic but I don't trust them.

Has anybody had any experiences with these disgusting little things and their pets? I personally havn't seen any in our apartment, but if I do I will scream like a banshee and be finding myself a new apartment just like that!

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When I first moved in here there were tons of them! It was really nasty. I complained to the landlord the day I moved in. It took like 3 trips from the exterminator to get rid of them It was really gross. I didnt really keep the pets away though. They didnt mess around where they had sprayed the stuff down.

One of the fun things about living on the beach is we have these enormous disgusting bugs about the size of my foot that are known as waterbugs. Occasionally one will make it's way in our place, and Serenity has a blast! She's such a mighty little huntress! I live in the downstairs of a duplex, and the owners have the upstairs sprayed regularly. I refuse to allow our place to be sprayed for the very concerns that you have. I'd prefer see an insect now and again and just won't take the chances with what may be in their "non-toxic" chemicals. I even have a note on the door stating never to enter without my presence and another that states Do Not spray insecticides in my home.

It sounds as if you've been given no choice, how frustrating for you. You must be feeling quite uncomfortable about people coming in when you're not there. It's good that the chemicals will only be placed in your cupboards as opposed to sprayed around the house. You are very smart to obtain locks to prevent your kitties from getting in there. A very simple idea to keep kitties out of them is to get a tight rubberband to connect the doors together by the handles. I do this with the cabinet below my kitchen sink, the only place I store cleaning products. Also, perhaps you would want to consider placing a note on the door stating your cats are in the bathroom and then another note on the bathroom door stating this again and Do Not Enter this room.

Sorry you're having to deal with this.

I grew up in Texas, Land of the Cockroaches. Texas even has the 3" tree roaches... ugh! The only way to not have cockroaches there is to be fastidiously clean and don't leave food out, ever. You can't control what your neighbors do, though.

I'm very anti-chemical but that's probably the only way to keep the entire complex from getting infested. I'd find out the name of what they are using and do research on it, and, like you, wouldn't trust the "non-toxic" label.

Good luck!

Cheers, from
SwampWitch

No I definitly do not trust the non-toxic label they have slapped on them. Which is why I am getting locks. the notice says that they will be using "an odorless gel, and non toxic dust" but it doesn't say the names.

I also don't trust them at all in the apartment. it says that all cupboards in the kitchen and bathroom must be emptied so I am assuming that is the only place they will be going into. I am going to phone downstairs tomorrow to ask more questions. But I am going to be extremely paranoid about this because I won't be around to see if they decide to spray anywhere else besides the cupboards.

Unfortunatly it is mandatory and I do not have a choice. It is either get this done or be evicted. I live on the 16 floor too so I don't know what the chances are of us even having them.

If you phone the insecticide company, they have to tell you exactly what the chemicals are that are being used. You can then run this by your Vet.

We have the BIG flying ones here.And it doesn't matter how clean you are,you still get them.The wood roaches are bad in firewood also.

They usually spray around the baseboards of the rooms, too. Maybe you could ask to talk to the exterminator. If they won't give you the name and number, try calling around to other exterminators and ask what's the usual procedure, and what is used.

Good luck!

Cheers, from
SwampWitch

If they spray our baseboards I am scrubbing them the second I get home!!! They said we arn't allowed to wash our cupboards for 3 weeks but if they spray anywhere else I am washing it off!!

Thanks for the ideas on talking to the exterminators

A house or building doesn't need to be a dump in order to have roaches. They can be brought in on clothing or in bags from places where there are roaches. They can be brought in with bags of rice and produce etc.

The only real way to get rid of them is to have an exterminator come in and treat the areas (either by spraying or using a "paste" that dries) where roaches love to live. Unfortunately once a large building has them, they're nearly impossible to get rid of.

You can reduce the number of them in your apartment by keeping it clean and storing certain foods like cereal, grains, rice, flour etc in air tight containers, and not leaving garbage around, and wiping up spills etc as soon as possible.

I've lived in buildings that have had roaches. Some really nice buildings too.. expensive high rises.

EDIT: Spraying involves you having to take empty out your cupboards, drawers and under sink areas, and I think you have to move everything away from the walls. I lived in a building that used to do that type of exterminating and it was a royal pain. And yes, they do spray the baseboards.

The paste method I mentioned is just that, a paste. You don't have to empty or move anything. The stuff they apply is like putty and they put it in certain places like under your cupboards or under your sink, at the bottom underneath your drawers etc. It's barely noticeable. And the best part is you don't have to empty anything and there is no odour. Apparently the roaches eat it and take it back to their nest and it kills them. Most places I've lived in have this particular method.

For 10 years I've lived in a high rise building. And while I haven't seen any roaches, I have those awful silver fish bugs. I was told that it's because the building is on the banks of a river and it's common in such buildings. I've gotten used to them and Abby usually takes care of those for me..well the ones she decides to catch and eat anyway, otherwise she just watches them wander around until I go and investigate and squish it myself, LOL

The ONLY "non-toxic" insecticide I know of is diatomatious earth. It's basically dried out diatom shells (they're almost quartz crystal like and sharp) mixed into some sort of bait. It's like a dust you kind of sprinkle everywhere in the corners. The insects eat the stuff and it shreds them inside out, or for soft bodied smaller bugs it shreds them if they touch it. Sort of like getting glass shards on your skin, or eating it. It's supposedly non-toxic, but it's just awful for your lungs (or any animal's lungs). It works awesome for lice on birds, just rub them all over with it, but they'll be sneezing for a week after.

I know tons of insect repellants that are "non-toxic" (to humans, may be quite toxic to cats or other animals). Cloves and garlic to name a couple, but they don't do too good for wiping out an infestation.

I hate roaches, if I had roaches in my apt, I'd move the first chance I get, I wouldn't even think about spraying, or bombing, or baiting. No matter what you do, once you get them they'll always find a way back.

well right now they are in the building. I havn't seen any in our apartment. And according to the paper they will be using dust, but it does say to move everything out of the cupboards and away from walls.