misc. BB questions - tattoos, laptop, going out of town,detection & transmission

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misc. BB questions - tattoos, laptop, going out of town,detection & transmission

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ImBugginOutDude

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Posted 3 years ago
Sun Jun 7 2009 23:27:36
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So I've got bedbugs. I'm a first timer. I've spent a few hours reading this site and others. I'm calling a PCO first thing tomorrow. I think I'm past my emotional/psychological freak out (for now), and I have a few questions that all y'all might be able to help me with.

- I still don't understand where they came from. How did they get into my room/bed? I'm the only one in my family/house that has them. If they don't live on the host, how do they move from place to place? Should I be worried that I'll spread them wherever I go?

- At first I wasn't sure what was causing the bites, but when I went and looked I found a whole bunch of them crawling around on my sheets. It seems like that's unusual based on what I've been reading. Any chance that that's good news?

- I have a tattoo. Does anyone know if it could be problematic to be bitten on the tattoo?

- My laptop spends a good deal of time on my bed. Can laptops become infested?

- I'm going out of town in about a week, where I'll be staying somewhere for about a month. This seems like it could be a problem because A) I don't want the bedbugs to come with me and B) I'd like them to be gone when I return.
A) The bugs won't travel on me, right? If I buy all new clothes where I'm going (I was going to buy new sheets there anyway), is there a pretty good chance I'll leave them behind?
B) I know that I'm supposed to act as bait for the BBs during the treatment. They probably won't be gone within a week, right? Should I wait to begin the treatment until after I get back?

I didn't include much background info on my situation because I thought it might be redundant/unnecessary. Let me know if having more information for context might help.
Emmm

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Posted 3 years ago
Mon Jun 8 2009 13:53:59
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I couldn't begin to tell you how you got them or what will happen while you're gone. There is an FAQ on how to not spread bed bugs while you travel, so that should help you on your trip.

As for the laptop, I don't know what the official line is, whether bugs tend to harbor there or not, but there are countless stories of people seeing one climb out of their laptops. I know I was concerned with mine because it's warm and spent time on the couch with me. It wound up being fine, but I kept it in a ziploc when not using it, only used it on a surface that had carpet tape surrounding it (the laptop) and would periodically throw mothballs in with it over time.

Is your house a standalone-- not attached to another? Does anyone else live there? Because if so, they'll be bait while you're gone, I imagine...
ImBugginOutDude

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Posted 3 years ago
Mon Jun 8 2009 14:15:54
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Thanks.

I realize, of course, that nobody here would be able to answer where they came from. I just don't entirely understand how they spread.

My house is a standalone but my family will be here while I'm gone, though not in my room.

EDIT: I also realize that my questions span across a few categories, but I thought this one most appropriate.
Traumabugged

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Posted 3 years ago
Mon Jun 8 2009 14:42:47
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ImBugginOutDude - 26 minutes ago »
Thanks.
I realize, of course, that nobody here would be able to answer where they came from. I just don't entirely understand how they spread.
My house is a standalone but my family will be here while I'm gone, though not in my room.
EDIT: I also realize that my questions span across a few categories, but I thought this one most appropriate.

For the sake of yourself don't let them come while you are gone. They could be exposed to bbs!
ImBugginOutDude

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Posted 3 years ago
Mon Jun 8 2009 14:59:24
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I live with them. They are already here. None of them seem to be affected.
JWhiteBBCTV

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Posted 3 years ago
Mon Jun 8 2009 15:26:57
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They spread by hitchhiking and although typical points where you encounter them are in hotels, other infested homes, used furniture that had a problem you can also encounter them on public transportation and other areas. The public transportation one is a much less common but can happen. What's to say you didn't sit in a waiting room where one happened to be and it walked on to you or a belonging? Rare, extremely rare, but not entirely impossible.

They can infest laptops although relatively uncommon.

I'm not sure about the tattoo scenario and it would probably be an individual by individual basis on whether or not your reaction would be severe enough to scar.

I can't say about the bugs and the bed and what it means in regards to your infestation. Every infestation can be different.

The bugs most likely won't be gone when you return so if I were you I wouldn't expect that. As for starting now or when you return, if you're only gone for a week or so, it shouldn't really matter (long answer as to why). As long as you're in the apartment for the first night or two after treatment, if you leave for a week after that it shouldn't matter although not optimal. If you wait a week or two to start thats a week or two that they have to lay more eggs.
ImBugginOutDude

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Posted 3 years ago
Mon Jun 8 2009 18:26:12
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UPDATE: PCO just left. Turns out they're not bedbugs after all.
spideyjg

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Posted 3 years ago
Mon Jun 8 2009 18:56:03
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ImBugginOutDude - 29 minutes ago »
UPDATE: PCO just left. Turns out they're not bedbugs after all.

So what were they?

Jim
Emmm

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Posted 3 years ago
Mon Jun 8 2009 19:29:01
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You lucky duck.
ImBugginOutDude

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Posted 3 years ago
Mon Jun 8 2009 19:49:12
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The PCO took one with him to work on identifying. Probably some sort of mite, I think. I'm not out of the woods yet, but I'm awful glad I don't have BBs.