Chesten

Sorry for this topic.

We moved addresses a couple of days ago. Seen 2 large roaches, one in a bedroom one in a bathroom. The husband dealt with them and I've bought bait boxes.

Are such critters an inevitability or can I expect to eliminate them (is my attempt to eliminate them a surefire path to insanity)?

Im pretty grossed out at the thought tbh. I'm kind of living in fear of seeing one when I turn on a light. Also I would have preferred to spray certain areas that aren't baited but the baby is just starting to crawl so I'm obviously cautious about over zealous use of toxic chemicals.

Finally, we just had our stuff delivered from storage. Is there a link do you think?

Nutmegger

Are you in a rental? If so, ask the landlord to provide extermination services. Contact the owner (or the super if you are in an apartment building) to ask for a visit from the exterminator. I'm afraid roaches can be a fact of life in US apartments. Good luck!

Chesten

Hadn't thought about landlord. Thanks.

Smartyy

If you have already paid for things to help prevent roaches, you may be able to get the landlord to reimburse you. Not sure if it would work but worth a try as it is their responsibility after all.

Kill those critters!

Nutek

From what I have seen on tv, you can use them to trade things, such as cigarettes, with people in other rooms. Also note smuggling.

Chesten

Another good idea.

In case relevant to future prevention, it's a house with small yard. There's a wood stack 2 metres from back door which I'm wondering about moving though may not be worth the effort and limited options/ distance anyway. I guess being extra quick to clean and keeping food in airtight containers are my other tactics?

Nutmegger

I wouldn't worry about the wood stack. The bottom line is that they were in the house when you moved in, and you need to ask the landlord to ameliorate the situation with professional help. Yes, keeping food away from them will help, but you have to get to the root of the problem, that they are hidden away in the house and need to be eradicated.

Chesten

Got it. Thanks.

kateinbrooklyn

Do you still have moving boxes in the house? Roaches are attracted to the glue.

Chesten

Yeah there are some. I'll fix that.

Rete

Depending on where you live, they might have been palmetto bugs. Roaches can be brought into the home in bags from the supermarket, from the boxes from the storage unit, or already be in the home. Unless you, yourself, hired a private exterminator, the cost to you for the roach motels is less than the cost of a coffee from Starbucks. Doubt if your landlord would reimburse you for that. He needs to call an exterminator to come to the home monthly to spray for all types of insects, i.e. roaches, termites, spiders, etc. Our Orkin man comes once every 5 weeks to do the inside and outside of the house. When I lived in a NYC area apartment house, the exterminator came every third Saturday of the month.

Also beware of bed bugs which you can bring home in clothing or bedding that you buy that is not sealed in plastic. You can also get them from public transportation as they are carried on clothing that people wear.

iarnell

LOL! Don't forget their entertainment value too - roach racing's a real thing. Can probably train them to fight one another as well (I guess just starving them for a while would work).

Chesten

I'll try and find my sense of humour and love of nature.

Nah... although im a veggie, in this case I want them dead!!!

petitefrancaise

Oh dear god, I remember our first sighting of Texas brown roaches.... yuck! I was horrified. We had just bought our house, moving boxes everywhere and I got pest control in. We continued to have issues with various things until we got all the holes sealed up in the exterior of the house - sealed properly around pipes that kind of thing. I hadn't seen anything for years and then spotted a large mouse poop on the kitchen worktop . I'd been leaving the kitchen window open for the night and this particular window does not have a screen. Kept it closed since!!

Smartyy

I'll ship you my black widows if you would like too? Can make your place into the sanctuary