RedFawnMom Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Is there anything I can use inside the house to get rid of spiders that is not just "pet safe", but safe for a dog undergoing chemo/fighting cancer? I've been holding out, but our spider/bug problem is getting worse and I can't take it any longer. Any suggestions? Quote Always missing our angel Lucy, a four year osteo survivor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JarBear Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Try food grade diatomaceous earth. You can sprinkle it along baseboards, behind fridge and cabinets, anyplace spiders and bugs like to hang out. It 's non toxic and won't hurt the pups as long as they don't get it in their eyes or breathe a lot of the dust. Putting it around the foundation of the house and in crawl space or basement will help too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FountainLady Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 I just go around and suck them up with my vacuum cleaner - we go on "bug patrol" once a week in the summer. I don't like using chemicals unless I absolutely have to. We pay close attention to all the corners in rooms, from floor to ceiling, and any nooks and crannies where they may be. Quote CORY and CRICKET - Solitary Tremble & CASPER - Pj's Mia Farrow* With CAPT. GUS - Solitary Trigger, RAINY - Peach Rain, PUP - Red Zepher, DOC - CTW Fort Sumpterand MAX - Shiowa's Silver Maxamillion / Afghan .... all waiting at the bridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbotaina Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 What you need is my cat, Fat Juana. She hunts down and eats spiders Seriously though - I think the vacuum is a good idea. I've never used DE, myself, but I've read here where folks have good results with it. Good luck! Quote Meredith with Heyokha (HUS Me Teddy) and Crow (Mike Milbury). Missing Turbo (Sendahl Boss), Pancho, JoJo, and "Fat Stacks" Juana, the psycho kitty. Canku wakan kin manipi."Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Wouldn't use diatomaceous earth around a chemo dog. You really don't want to risk inhalant irritation --> respiratory infection --> pneumonia. The insecticides would be fine. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest larock Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Spiders are icky, I really feel your frustration but we don't use any chemicals either. We use the vacuum too. We bought a cottage a few years ago that hadn't been lived in for a while (or cleaned but that's another story); and the spiders were everywhere. We basically had to vacuum the house weekly, including the entire basement but did finally get ahead of them. We don't even see them now and DH even commented that he hadn't seem one in a while. He should know, he's the go to guy if there's a sighting...now if we could only get them to go away on the outside of the house... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest d0ggiem0mma Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Maybe try using something on the outside of the house to keep them from coming in, then just keep vacuuming the ones already inside? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greysmom Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 There are a couple companies that make a "safe" insect spray that is basically either mint or cinnamon essential oils. It works for ants, so it would probably work for spiders. Check your local hardware store or home depot Quote Chris - Mom to: Felicity (DeLand), and Andi (Braska Pandora) siggy by Chris Harper, on Flickr Angels: Libby (Everlast), Dorie (Dog Gone Holly), Dude (TNJ VooDoo), Copper (Kid's Copper), Cash (GSI Payncash), Toni (LPH Cry Baby), Whiskey (KT's Phys Ed), Atom, Lilly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BrianRke Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 There are a couple companies that make a "safe" insect spray that is basically either mint or cinnamon essential oils. It works for ants, so it would probably work for spiders. Check your local hardware store or home depot I've tried a couple of those "safe" insect sprays and they had little effect, if any. I sprayed a spider and it eventually died but I think the cause of death was drowning. lol I use Cutter outside to try and keep the bugs away. I just dont let the dogs out till its completely dry. I never use anything in the house except the electric paddle I picked up at Home Depot for $10.00. I have had way too much fun with that thing. I look forward to a fly or bee getting into the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedFawnMom Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 I can't believe so many of you had the same answer about using the vacuum! You vacuum the live ones?? I would be so freaked out by having them in the vacuum canister! (We have a Dyson with a clear canister.) When it comes time to empty it, I would always wonder if it was possible the spiders could still be alive... Batmom, just curious, what makes you say the insecticides would be ok? We are getting rid of the ones we find and I do vacuum in corners and such, but just getting rid of the ones we see isn't going to eliminate the problem. And it's getting worse! There was a HUGE spider in our kitchen today that had apparently started making a web above our bread box. When I say huge, I'm talking like almost two inches long. I went to open the bread box and screamed louder than I have in a very long time. Thank god I'm married and my husband isn't afraid of them! I may try the pet-safe cinnamon oil stuff just for the heck of it. Maybe it won't kill them outright, but I wonder if it will at least be a deterrent? I think the big problem is that our windows are old so they're finding ways of getting in, and we didn't even spray/put down pesticides outside this year because of Lucy, so it's worse than usual. Ugh. The spiders are actually the least of my worries today. Yesterday I was working from home when I discovered WASPS in our family room. I saw a couple of dead ones on the window sill and as I was investigating, a few more starting flying around my head. I freaked out, put Lucy's harness and leash on and literally ran out of the house, got in the car and drove to my mom's and stayed there until my husband got home from work and got rid of them. We still don't know what the deal is with the bees - there were some flying around outside the window but he couldn't find a nest. I think it's time to suck it up and invest in new windows. Quote Always missing our angel Lucy, a four year osteo survivor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 Batmom, just curious, what makes you say the insecticides would be ok? Dog undergoing chemo has immune suppression, not heightened chemical intolerance . "Pet safe" should be fine. Dusty inhalants like diatomaceous earth I would worry about for the reasons stated. As far as I know there are no "natural" insecticides that will kill spiders without also being harmful to even a healthy dog. That said: Spiders are really really hard to kill so insecticide of any type other than a size 9 shoe may not be your best option. THAT said, if you kill whatever the spiders are eating in your house (fruit flies?), the spiders will leave or starve to death. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest d0ggiem0mma Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 (edited) I still say get some Ortho Home Defense Max and spray it around the OUTSIDE of the house. Spray liberally around all windows & doors, along with where the house meets the pavement, and where your siding ends. Keep the spiders and the bugs they eat outside and keep the pesticides away from your pooch. You can try the all natural mint/cinnamon spray stuff inside or just vacuum up the pests. You can always empty the canister outside if you're afraid of survivors! Edited July 23, 2011 by d0ggiem0mma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LindsaySF Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Agreed with Batmom. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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