From fleas to cockroaches, pests can easily infiltrate a home within days. Regardless of how clean you keep your home, these pests can quickly proliferate, making your home an uncomfortable place to be in. If you have pets, however, you may be wondering whether or not a pest control service is safe. Luckily, the answer is yes. Here are some tips to ensure pet-safe pest control services.
Let Your Exterminator Know About Your Pets
Many exterminators have specific services that are designed for homes that have pets. Some products can be laid in areas inaccessible to pets as well as products that aren't harmful to larger animals but can still get rid of bugs. In addition, exterminators need to know about your pets not only so they use the appropriate pest control products, but also so they don't accidentally let them out or startle them.
Keep Your Pets Away While the Exterminator Is Spraying
Keep your pet in a kennel somewhere while the pest control service is being performed. Your pest control expert will be able to avoid the area that your pet is currently in and your pet will be kept away from all products and sprays while still wet.
However, when treating severe infestations like bed bugs or fleas, it may be necessary for the exterminator to use gasses or more significant products. In that scenario, it's necessary to take your animal out of the home. Depending on the situation, your exterminator can advise you how long to keep your pet away from the home.
Don't Forget Birds and Fish
Birds, fish, or reptiles require further preparation for pest control services. Their tanks or cages will need to be completely covered to make sure that none of the product used gets inside. Most of these animals should be safe if they are completely covered during the services, but you may want to inquire with your veterinarian as well. Your vet can tell you about the risk factors for your specific species of animal.
Remove Any Toys or Chews
Before the pest control services take place, remember to remove any toys, chews, and pet bedding from around your home. These are things that your pet is going to come in contact with frequently, so if these items are exposed to the pest control products used, your pet could ingest the ingredient over time. You can place these items in a trash bag and then put them back out once the extermination has been completed. Don't forget any food dishes or water dishes that are out. Even if they are empty at the time, the residue of the treatment could remain and harm your animals.
Keep Pets Off the Lawn
Pets should usually be kept away from the lawn for at least a few hours following the use of pest control products and up to 24 hours if the product used is a granular one. Granular treatments generally need to break down and be absorbed before pets can safely enter the lawn. Otherwise, your pets can get pick up the remnants of the treatment on their fur.
You will need to monitor your pet outside if your pest control specialist installed any bait stations, such as gopher bait stations, buried in the yard. These bait stations can be attractive to pets and they might try to dig them up and eat them. Pets may also try to eat animals that have come in contact with the pest control products. For example, if the exterminator sprays for rodents like mice and rats, those rodents may become a threat to your pets. This is especially risky for smaller animals, such as small dogs and cats.
If you're still worried about your pets, you can contact your pest control company for further instructions. To find out about our pet-friendly pest services, contact us at The Original Bugman Pest Elimination, Inc.! We'd be happy to help in any way that we can!
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