Trying to conquer a pest problem when you have pets can be incredibly difficult. For one thing, if your pet goes outside regularly, there's a large chance he or she will just track whatever you've recently gotten rid of right back in. For another, not all pest removal strategies are pet friendly. So what do you do? How do you keep the pests away with as little disturbance to your pet as possible?
First Things First: What's the Nature of the Pest?
Before you go overboard and decide to tent your house and move you and your pets out for a while, it is important to figure out what exactly you're dealing with. There are some pests (ants, for example) that you might be able to eradicate on your own using a few simple DIY methods. For another, the method of pest removal for bedbugs is going to be different than the method of pest removal for termites or cockroaches. If you're lucky, you'll have seen the pest or several of the pests. If your problem seems to be largely nocturnal, you're going to have to do some investigating. Here is a great article that gives a quick rundown of the telltale signs of different pests – check it out and see if anything sounds familiar.
You've Identified the Problem: Now What?
Remember: how you deal with a pest depends largely upon which pest you've got. There are plenty of general DIY pest control solutions you can undertake that pose little to no threat to your pets. Go over your house top to bottom and inside and out. Look for cracks and holes and seal them up with an environmentally responsible filling. Steel wool, for example, makes a great plug for small holes because mice and rats won't chew through it. Install weather stripping on your doors and windows to keep pests from crawling in around those fixtures. You can also try sprinkling eco-efficient "pest deterrents" on the property. Coffee grounds, for example, are good for your landscaping and can be a great deterrent for a variety of pests that might want to invade.
But What if the Problem is Serious?
If you've got an infestation or if you're dealing with a pest like bedbugs, you're going to need to take extreme measures. Before you do anything else, you need to find and hire a pest control expert –schedule an appointment with Hulett Environmental Services by clicking the link. Once you've got an appointment with a pest control expert, you can start figuring out how to keep your pets safe during the pest removal process.
Where Should Your Pets Go?
Sometimes you'll be able to keep your pets at home with you, especially if the pest problem is localized and your pet pest control expert is using human and animal friendly measures to eradicate whatever pest is trying to infiltrate your home. Obviously you'll want to secure the pets so they won't get curious about what the exterminator is doing, but that should be enough. Other times, like with bedbugs or termites or an infestation that is more serious, you'll have to find a place to board your pets. Boarding presents its own set of problems: it's expensive and you risk exposing your beloved pets to the illnesses, diseases and issues that are plaguing the other animals boarded at the same facility. The last thing you want is to get rid of the bedbugs and bring home fleas. Make sure you choose a boarding facility that keeps healthy and ill pets separated. If you're really worried, your best bet is to stay with a friend or family member who doesn't mind accommodating your nervous animals. If you don't want to put anybody out and can afford to do so, you can book space at an animal friendly hotel, motel or short term rental building. Finally, make sure that, before you allow your pets back into your home, that all traces of the pest removal process are gone. Do a thorough cleaning to get rid of any residue or other materials that you worry might harm your pet. Then you can get back to the business of just doing your best to make your home as unattractive as possible for pests in the first place!
