Bed Bug

Jazendar · Post by **Jazendar** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:51 am

Ok, so i've been getting bit at night for a while now, something about my skin that has attracted these guys. I don't have any pets, but somehow they snuck their way into my house and into my bed.

I couldn't figure out what it was for the longest time though, until last night. I finally found one on my shirt when I woke up and I put it in a plastic bag. I've read quite a bit on them, but before I take my bed and everything on it to a place to get sprayed or something, is there any other option that someone else has had experience with? They hide in the cracks of the bed and pillow linings from what i've read. I've looked a bit and haven't found anymore but that one.

They live for like 10-11 months even without eating, and the one I found was an "adult." I just got back from vacation, and while I was gone I didn't get bit at all.

When I got back, they were hungry I believe, I got bit atleast 30 times that night. When my girlfriend sleeps over, she is bight free it seems.

Any ideas what I can do to repell them or whatnot? Take everything out of the house and let it sit in the sun for a day or two? No idea =/

Post by **Arlos** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:56 am

In all honesty, this is when you should be talking to a professional pest service. Orkin, or whichever one you prefer. I would do it soon though, as I recall, bedbugs can carry diseases.

-Arlos

Tikker · Post by **Tikker** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 9:06 am

well, any living critter can carry disease

but yeah, call exterminators asap, otherwise your choice may be call exterminator and buy a new bed

brinstar · Post by **brinstar** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:03 am

for some reason i think i remember hearing that the bedbug population of north america is flourishing right now

Ginzburgh · Post by **Ginzburgh** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 10:20 am

I had bed bugs at an old apartment. It was an absolute nightmare.

I use to bring my laundry over my moms house (because I didn't have a washer and dryer in the apt and I was right out of college) and two weeks later, her house became infested as well.

I had to replace my bed spring and mattress, then I had to replace my mothers bed spring and mattress.

The hide in dark crevices, wall outlets, baseboard heaters, and a million different places.

In order to get rid of them, an exterminator had to come twice a month for six months and the bill was in the thousands, which was paid for by my landlord because the exterminator determined by the egg count that they had been there prior to my moving in. Every time the exterminator came, I had to move everything that wasn't furniture out of the bedroom. Clothes, DVD's, TV, Books, fucking posters...everything. And to add insult to injury, the spray they use leaves a greasy, stinky film on everything and you're not suppose to wash it off.

I still had to pay for the new mattress and box spring though, which I'm still pissed about.

Jazendar · Post by **Jazendar** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:47 am

Well now that sounds like a lot of fucking fun. >< The last thing I need right now is a bill for a few grand and some guy greasing my house twice a month. This sucks indeed.

Ginzburgh · Post by **Ginzburgh** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:49 am

You're at the beginning of a long and terrible journey my friend.

The first thing I would do is get some contractor bags, put all your clothes in the bags and bring them to the laundry. When you get back home, don't put your clothes back in that room.

Post by **Arlos** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:14 pm

A bill for a few grand, a guy gassing your room every month AND having to buy a new bed. You forgot the buying a new bed part. In all seriousness though, get ahold of an exterminator today, and have them come look at your place ASAP. At this point, you can't even move to get away from them, as you'll move bugs and/or eggs in your clothes, bed, sheets, blankets, etc.

-Arlos

Ginzburgh · Post by **Ginzburgh** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:17 pm

Twice a month and two new beds, one for me AND my mother. And to add insult to injury, I had to buy the cheapest bed I could afford and now, four years later my back is all fucked up.

I got another bed recently though.

Jazendar · Post by **Jazendar** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:20 pm

For christs sake do you have to mention in every post a new bed, and all of the other expenses =/

Kidding aside though, this is going to suck. I was hoping it was flees, which is sad in its own. That was until I found one this morning and put it in a plastic bag for further inspection.

Ginzburgh · Post by **Ginzburgh** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:27 pm

Well, you can go an easier route with the bed. You can have the exterminator spray the boxpring and inside the mattress (by spraying through the holes where the mattress handles are) and then you can buy a plastic bed sheet that zippers at the end. You buy two of those and wrap your boxpring and mattress and pending the plastic cover doesn't tear, whatever is still alive on the inside won't be able to get out so it will eventually die.

That was an option the exterminator gave me but I was living with a girlfriend at the time who was so utterly disgusted by the entire situation she demanded a new bed.

Tacks · Post by **Tacks** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:44 pm

Not really related but make sure they're actually bed bugs that are biting you. I got bit by something I can only assume is a spider about 3 years ago. My foot swelled so much that I could barely fit it into my shoe. My right foot was about twice its normal size and felt like a sponge when you pressed down on the skin. Kill whatever it is!

Jazendar · Post by **Jazendar** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:48 pm

It is, It was the exact same thing as the ones i've looked up online. I found one on me this morning when waking up and put it in a baggie.

Ginzburgh · Post by **Ginzburgh** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:51 pm

If you wake up in the middle of the night, flip on the light and pull back your sheets. You'll probably see a few. And there will probably be egg deposits in the seems on the edges of your mattress.

araby · Post by **araby** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 5:10 pm

this is horrible. I can't believe I read this today. I've had an irrational fear of things biting me in my sleep my entire life. It wouldn't have mattered if I had never been bitten by a bed bug, I just thought I was always, every night for as long as I can remember.

recently I started getting over this. Glenn Beck was talking about bottled water, conservation and how we all pretty much grew up drinking tap water. that got me thinking about bed bugs, how often we clean homes, how the air looks when you can see what is floating in it from underneath the movie projector in the theater...basically I came to terms with my obsessions about cleanliness, germs and the presence of bugs. I decided that I pay way too much attention to stuff that stresses me out, and then I read this and start scratching my head. /sigh

Jazendar · Post by **Jazendar** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 5:25 pm

I stripped the bed, flipped the mattress to both sides, and manually went through each article of bedding, searching almost every inch. The cracks in the actual mattress are a lot harder to concentrate on, so i probably missed a few cracks that could have contained some bed bugs. Other than that, I saw quite a few skins of bed bugs (excess after they shed). I also found a couple nests which I sprayed, and I found about 9 adult bedbugs which i put in a plastic bag. I could see the redness in their tint indicating the last time they fed (Last fucking night for most of them). This blows =/

Post by **Arlos** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 5:38 pm

Yeah man, definitely call Orkin or someone like that.

-Arlos

Gaazy · Post by **Gaazy** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 5:38 pm

Godamnit this thread makes me itch

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 6:08 pm

Post pics Jaz

araby · Post by **araby** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 6:29 pm

what do they look like?

Jazendar · Post by **Jazendar** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 6:53 pm

Leaving the house for the night but I'll post pics tomarrow.

Trielelvan · Post by **Trielelvan** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:02 pm

araby wrote:what do they look like?

Entomology 101 :google:

They kinda look like a shorter, flatter, broader louse.

Sorry Jaz >< That sucks bad.

Ginzburgh · Post by **Ginzburgh** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 8:10 pm

Ugg what a nightmare. I feel for you man.

Jennay · Post by **Jennay** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 1:41 am

Oh man that sucks. Is there any way to prevent it other than vacuuming and changing your sheets and cleaning regularly?

Post by **Martrae** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 7:50 am

Even that won't help Jennay. Lots of people pick them up by moving into a place with them or traveling then bringing them home.

Brin's right...they're becoming a huge problem in the US.