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Confused
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up_all_night_and_losing_it
newbite
Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 4
Posted 10 months ago
Mon Jan 19 2009 8:27:50
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I'm sorry to have to come to this forum. I was sitting on the sofa last night and caught what is clearly a bed bug. I have had no bites, which surprises me, because I am generally very sensitive to any bug bite, but I'm freaking out. My apartment is pretty much a nightmare scenario. Old building, with lots of cracks and uneven floors and I have a tremendous amount of clutter.
I will be calling my landlord this morning to get my apartment treated. I'd like to do the thermal remediation, but I have doubts they will pay for it. I've read the FAQs and know I have to somehow get rid of my clutter. The question I have is, what do I do with boxes of clutter that I can't just throw away? It's embarrassing to admit, but I have at least a dozen or so cardboard boxes that are filled with all manner of books, papers and random things. The prospect of going through these boxes item by item is so daunting, and I don't even know how I would know if they are "safe". I also have many books and record albums. I'd be happy to just move most of this to a storage locker, but how do I prevent these evil beasts from moving along with it? Any guidance is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help.
I apologize for any grammatical errors or typos. I've been up all night.
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phantom1
junior member
Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 65
Posted 10 months ago
Mon Jan 19 2009 9:28:55
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I don't know where you are located--and I am sorry you have come to this forum also. I am somewhat of a newbie to all of this having discovered my problem about 3 weeks ago but If you have a lot of stuff that you want to keep it's possible that you can have it fumigated and stored someplace safely while you treat the rest of the problem...
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up_all_night_and_losing_it
newbite
Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 4
Posted 10 months ago
Mon Jan 19 2009 9:37:38
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Thank you for your reply. I guess my best bet will be to see what the PCO (how sad am I to have to learn this acronym) recommends. I feel so dirty and ashamed and now I have to go to work and pretend this isn't happening. Hopefully none are coming along with me.
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phantom1
junior member
Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 65
Posted 10 months ago
Mon Jan 19 2009 9:52:57
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it happens to the best of us. It has nothing to do with dirt or anything like that. Try not to let it get to you....I know it's tough
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up_all_night_and_losing_it
newbite
Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 4
Posted 10 months ago
Mon Jan 19 2009 11:05:40
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Well, I called my landlord and he says no one else has reported any issues. He basically said to get back in touch with him if I see another one. He said that it must be something I've somehow brought into my apartment. I'm not sure what to do.
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MyWorstFear
member
Joined: Sep '08
Posts: 266
Posted 10 months ago
Mon Jan 19 2009 11:24:05
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Sounds like your landlord doesn't know much about bed bugs. Did you save the bug? You could post pictures here and get an expert's opinion on whether it really is a bed bug. Read the FAQ's before you go inspecting your bed so that you don't spread them, and then depending upon what state/country you are in, your landlord might be required by law to pay for the pco, who will inspect and then treat. 70% of people do not respond to bed bug bites, so not surprising that "no one else reported them" although landlords often lie! Many people who do react, still have a hard time finding an actual bug, although they will see the signs bed bugs leave behind.
Sorry you are here but I wish you the best of luck. Please report back and let us know how it goes and ask any questions. People here are extremely nice and knowledgeable.
You might want to check on the BedBug registry and see if your building has already been reported as having bed bugs. -
up_all_night_and_losing_it
newbite
Joined: Jan '09
Posts: 4
Posted 10 months ago
Mon Jan 19 2009 15:20:14
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Thanks for your reply. I'm pretty darn certain, but I'll try to post a photo. I'd love to be wrong. Right now I'm just feeling pretty hopeless about the whole thing.
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your host
Joined: Mar '07
Posts: 5,547
Posted 10 months ago
Mon Jan 19 2009 20:12:35
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up_all_night,
I did not catch where you are. Different PCOs have different protocols as far as dealing with stuff, including clutter. Papers and books packed in boxes, IMO, is a different kind of clutter than many folks have.
I do not know how a thermal provider would deal with this. It may be okay to keep the stuff there. Some treatments can be done to your home while you remove your stuff for fummigation in a truck with vikane gas. (This is expensive but so is storage depending where you live.) Neither is probably a good option if neighbors may be infested and sending bed bugs over -- it may be too soon to make such a decision.
As for the landlord, most people are bitten a long time before they see one bed bug. I would not wait to see another, personally.
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