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Thread: Pest control help

  1. #1
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    Default Pest control help

    Hello everyone,

    I am facing a new kind of a problem. my apartment management is doing a mandatory pest control visit tomorrow, and I have a a two year old fox squirrel (Male) in the apartment! what should I do? will he be harmed????

    Please help!!!

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    bump

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    What kind/size cage he and and where you keep it?
    Step-N-Stone
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    Default Re: Pest control help

    Quote Originally Posted by stepnstone View Post
    What kind/size cage he and and where you keep it?
    hello, and thank you for responding. He has never been in a cage he has a room for himself. and roams the apartment when I am home the rest of the day.

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    Quote Originally Posted by romeo View Post
    hello, and thank you for responding. He has never been in a cage he has a room for himself. and roams the apartment when I am home the rest of the day.
    YES, he will be harmed!! That's a very dangerous scenario for the squirrel, he/she needs a cage for his own protection especially when you are not at home.. They can get into more stuff than you can imagine. I had a squirrel climb a children's safety gate and it fell over on top of him when he reached the top of the gate and it killed him instantly. You need to remove and relocate the squirrel for the inspection. You will need a large pet carrier to take him in. Keep a close eye on him because he will immediately begin chewing his way out of it. It's not intended for squirrels and won't last long but That's what you'll need for now. After the inspection you should work on getting a very large cage for him to stay in while you're away. You're lucky he hasn't already been seriously hurt or killed. Also, if the wrong person discovers that you have him he could be confiscated and destroyed because it's illegal to own wildlife in most states. And YES, the Department of Natural Resources (so it's called in my state, your state has it's own name for the same thing) will remove that squirrel from your care and destroy it before they allow you to keep and love it. Amazing set of standards, you can buy a hunting permit for what...$12-$15 to hunt and kill as many as 25 squirrels per DAY (per hunter!), every day from mid August thru mid February, that's over 4000 squirrels per hunter, per year... BUT you cannot buy a permit to own and love JUST ONE!!! How messed up is that?!! So, protect him well.

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    Quote Originally Posted by Daisey007 View Post
    YES, he will be harmed!! That's a very dangerous scenario for the squirrel, he/she needs a cage for his own protection especially when you are not at home.. They can get into more stuff than you can imagine. I had a squirrel climb a children's safety gate and it fell over on top of him when he reached the top of the gate and it killed him instantly. You need to remove and relocate the squirrel for the inspection. You will need a large pet carrier to take him in. Keep a close eye on him because he will immediately begin chewing his way out of it. It's not intended for squirrels and won't last long but That's what you'll need for now. After the inspection you should work on getting a very large cage for him to stay in while you're away. You're lucky he hasn't already been seriously hurt or killed. Also, if the wrong person discovers that you have him he could be confiscated and destroyed because it's illegal to own wildlife in most states. So, protect him well.
    My room is very safe guarded for him, it just a bed and closet and his tower, no wirings or sharp objects, very safe as I worry about him as if he was my child
    My only concern now is weather its going to be a problem with pest control spraying the apartment! can i confine him in a room for a couple of hours, or is this a situation were he needs to be completely out of the apartment for a few days?

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    Quote Originally Posted by romeo View Post
    My room is very safe guarded for him, it just a bed and closet and his tower, no wirings or sharp objects, very safe as I worry about him as if he was my child
    My only concern now is weather its going to be a problem with pest control spraying the apartment! can i confine him in a room for a couple of hours, or is this a situation were he needs to be completely out of the apartment for a few days?
    If you can confine him to one room they won't spray (or go into) that would work, but my guess is they will want to spray all rooms?
    You would only need to remove him until the vapors are gone and the "spray" has completely dried. Been there, done that, never had a problem.

    You really should have a cage. Even if you were to leave the door open for his free roam at least you'd have something to resort to for his safety
    for times/things like this. If you had a cage I would have suggested cover it and move it out on your patio or balcony and if asked you could say
    it's a nervous parrot or some other bird. Whatever the case, if your not going to be there when they come in to spray, I would have him out of the
    apartment.
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    Default Re: Pest control help

    For SO many reasons he should be out of that apartment.
    *Fumes, dust, everything about pesticides is intended to kill life forms!
    *You will not be there and have no idea what the exterminators will do in your absence. Remember, to them, squirrels are pests and vermin, too.
    *He could escape in the process and you'll never know when or where he got out
    *Your landlord/HOA. nosy neighbor can turn you in for having an illegal pet squirrel UNLESS you are in Florida or West Virginia


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    Default Re: Pest control help

    Quote Originally Posted by romeo View Post
    Hello everyone,

    I am facing a new kind of a problem. my apartment management is doing a mandatory pest control visit tomorrow, and I have a a two year old fox squirrel (Male) in the apartment! what should I do? will he be harmed????

    Please help!!!
    If they are exterminating for rodents, and your pet is a rodent (albeit a delightful one), that's not good. I would say contact management and the pest control company if possible to find out what they will be using and/or ask for an exception. I would pretend that I had a sensitivity to chemicals and many allergies - and need the medical-related accommodation of their skipping my apartment. Meanwhile, can your fox squirrel stay at someone else's house the day of the event, just to make sure that it isn't accidentally exposed?

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    You should also consider wiping down everything after.
    I would imagine this will leave some sort of residue and with
    your squirrel out a lot, we don't want him licking this.

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    Quote Originally Posted by Nancy in New York View Post
    You should also consider wiping down everything after.
    I would imagine this will leave some sort of residue and with
    your squirrel out a lot, we don't want him licking this.
    Thanks everyone, so we talked to the management, and instead of spraying the entire place, they will only spray the first floor and will not go up to the second floor were the bedrooms are, would that work? or should I take him outside the apartment ?

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    If they are walking around spraying under the cabinets and the baseboards, stay with them and when they leave, wipe down every area they sprayed. If "spraying" is actually fogging the area with bug bombs, raise h*ll and don't let them do it. The residue will be EVERYWHERE.

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    Quote Originally Posted by romeo View Post
    Thanks everyone, so we talked to the management, and instead of spraying the entire place, they will only spray the first floor and will not go up to the second floor were the bedrooms are, would that work? or should I take him outside the apartment ?
    Can you clarify the following: Are they planning to spray the first floor of YOUR apartment, or the first floor of your building (not including your apartment)? I ask because I think you can get them to stay out of YOUR entire apartment as an accommodation to a human's medical condition (or alleged medical condition). I still wished that I knew WHAT they will be spraying, and how the spray mechanism will work (ex. is it a liquid application with minimal vapors, or an aerosol that primarily takes to the air before settling).

    If possible, I would remove your pet from the building while this is taking place. Can he stay at a friends house for a few hours that day while you a trusted person monitor the "spraying" of your building?

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    I told them I just had surgery which is true, they said they will only spray the first floor of the apartment, cuz the second floor is where the two bedrooms are. They told me to confine my pets to one room for an hour or two. they did not say what type of inspection it is, but I assume they will be spraying, they said it is not toxic !!!

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    Quote Originally Posted by romeo View Post
    I told them I just had surgery which is true, they said they will only spray the first floor of the apartment, cuz the second floor is where the two bedrooms are. They told me to confine my pets to one room for an hour or two. they did not say what type of inspection it is, but I assume they will be spraying, they said it is not toxic !!!
    When they say, "pets," they are probably referring to cats and dogs. I would still try to find out what substance, or substances, exactly are being sprayed. I would say that I have multiple allergies to mint and other typically non-toxic substances and need to know. If animals are permitted, mentioning that your pet is in order rodenta (aka a rodent) might help. Just don't say it's a squirrel if that's not legal where you are. Pet rats, guinea pigs, etc. may be legal and similar enough to make a point.

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    there is no way to know what kind of substance they use!!

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    Quote Originally Posted by romeo View Post
    there is no way to know what kind of substance they use!!
    That's too bad.

    (I once had a similar issue to the one described, and I had to go so far as to ask management which company they were using, and then contact the company and ask... I think they initially said that they didn't know, and then asked who in the company would know. Additionally, I mentioned that - in my case it was "non-toxic all natural" so I told them that and asked what options under that category their company provides.... Mentioning in case it's helpful, not to second guess.)

    Can you remind me what your plan is at this point? And which questions you have that are still not answered? I'm not sure if "non-toxic" means safe for squirrels. Does anyone who is reading this know? IMO, keeping pets locked in a room that isn't being sprayed is still a wildcard. Has anyone had experience with this? If I had to resort to keeping my pet in a room while exterminators where spraying, I would be in there with them if possible, and have an escape route planned in case the extermination was making it into that room through the vents or floor or something. Fans pulling air in from outside may or may not help depending on whether or not a 1st floor window is open nearby. In my experience, the direction of air flow through buildings is highly variable.

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    Quote Originally Posted by Rocky1 View Post
    That's too bad.

    (I once had a similar issue to the one described, and I had to go so far as to ask management which company they were using, and then contact the company and ask... I think they initially said that they didn't know, and then asked who in the company would know. Additionally, I mentioned that - in my case it was "non-toxic all natural" so I told them that and asked what options under that category their company provides.... Mentioning in case it's helpful, not to second guess.)

    Can you remind me what your plan is at this point? And which questions you have that are still not answered? I'm not sure if "non-toxic" means safe for squirrels. Does anyone who is reading this know? IMO, keeping pets locked in a room that isn't being sprayed is still a wildcard. Has anyone had experience with this? If I had to resort to keeping my pet in a room while exterminators where spraying, I would be in there with them if possible, and have an escape route planned in case the extermination was making it into that room through the vents or floor or something. Fans pulling air in from outside may or may not help depending on whether or not a 1st floor window is open nearby. In my experience, the direction of air flow through buildings is highly variable.
    Ok ya'll, I think were ok they came in and sprayed the kitchen and down stairs bathroom nothing else. they showed up at 1 pm when he went to sleep upstairs in the room, and woke up around 5 pm, I think we are in the clear now.

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  26. #19
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    Default Re: Pest control help

    The first step you need to take is to simply let the exterminator know you have a fox squirrel, and what kind they are. If the licensed exterminators are trained, then they will help you to navigate the pest control situations in homes with animals.
    Like, a few years back, I was also dealing with similar issue. I told an exterminator in Walnut Creek that I have a small squirrel. As the exterminator said that they will use only pet-safe pest control products which is not harmful for your squirrel.

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    Default Re: Pest control help

    Hi DonaldWilson, and welcome to The Squirrel Board.
    This is a very old thread. Always look at the upper left corner of the last post in a thread and you will see a date. If nobody has posted since -- for example -- 2016, like this one, you probably will never get a response to your own post.

    It's confusing, I know. We have a big, active forum which has been around since 2005, and newbies do this all the time.
    Island Rehabber
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    If you can't afford the vet,
    You can't afford a pet.
    NEGLECT IS ABUSE.

    "Better one day in the trees, than a lifetime in a cage."

    '...and the greatest of these, is Love. '

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