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Apartment wants more proof - is this reasonable?
(4 posts)-
0vR_welmed
newbite
Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 2
Posted 1 month ago
Tue Sep 29 2009 2:06:42
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Hi folks, I hope you can give me some advice.
I moved into graduate student housing about a month ago and starting two weeks ago I started to notice red marks - bug bites - on my body. All lined up in sets of three. My sister is is New Yorker so I am aware of bed bugs.
A week ago I picked a quilt up to spread on the bed (it had been on the floor) I found a little bug on it which I thought I had squashed and threw in the trash (a plastic lined trash can). THe next day I decided to look up what bed bugs look like to try to ease what I thought was paranoia - turns out it wasn't paranoia at all. Amazingly the bug was not dead and was still in the trash can - I collected and squished it, keeping it for Health and Human services to look at.
I live in graduate student housing - this is my first week of classes. This was not what I had in mind. The building is only two years old...
In any case the pest control guy for the University came over and confirmed what I found was a bed bug. He stayed about an hour - we pulled apart the bed and couch looking for signs of bed bugs. No spots, no additional bugs.
I am still in the process of unpacking, and downsizing so the place is a bit cluttered.
I am also very allergic to pesticides.
Housing has said that they will not do anything until I am completely unpacked and only then if I find further evidence of an infestation - which does not include bites. I have to find out where they are hiding or they won't treat.
Is this reasonable? Isn't finding one adult proof enough? How can I find these stupid bugs - which came with the apartment (I had no problem before and all my stuff traveled through death valley in freaking July) - as I am not permitted to pull up the rug or remove baseboards?
Its industrial carpeting - anything can live in that.
I feel like every minute they put me off these things are getting into more and more of my stuff. It is disrupting my sleep, and making me a nervous wreck. Which is a real problem when you are starting your PhD program.
Please help - is what they are asking reasonable? Could it just be one loan bed bug? Or should I start making their lives as uncomfortable as mine is?
Thanks. It's too late to just move right?
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Upset_Undergrad
newbite
Joined: Sep '09
Posts: 6
Posted 1 month ago
Tue Sep 29 2009 8:21:47
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same problem, but going into my second year of University. I havent found any sign of buggs though... which is annoying me as I know I have them, but the PCO wont come til I find them...
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I have some ideas for you.
1) Order a set of Climb Up Insect Interceptors and install them on your bed & furniture to help collect a specimen. Double sided carpet tape, cardboard sticky traps or BBAlert monitor devices may also be useful.
2) Educate yourself with the FAQs & the free comprehensive guides found on the links page to learn to perform an effective search... Get some clear packing tape, a good light source & a magnifying glass... You can place a nylon stocking in the hose of a vacuum cleaner... securing the end with the nozzle attachment & vacuum areas of carpet or other surfaces that are hard to inspect. Dump the contents of the stocking on a light colored surface & look for evidence... Keep in mind that live bed bugs will survive the process & be prepared to capture them with the tape.
3) Hire a professional inspector or a reliable K9 team to assist you, if you are unable to obtain further evidence yourself & continue to be bitten.
4) I agree completely that bites plus an adult bed bug specimen should be sufficient evidence for treatment of your dorm room by the university. You can pursue the administrative route and make effective complaints to the university, regulatory agencies or the media to motivate the housing office to do the proper thing & treat the infestation before it spreads throughout the rest of the building / campus.
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Ovr_welmed
If you decide to move... you will want to have your contents treated to ensure that you do not carry bed bugs with you to your next residence.
The contents can be professionally treated with heat or Vikane gas to kill bed bugs & eggs... both of these options can be very expensive in some regions
Grad school is demanding... You have my total sympathy.
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