Many pesticide labels state “Toxic to birds and fish” so what are you suppose to do when you have ants or pests invading and you have a bird present or a fish tank in the room? I mean, how would you feel if you were trapped in a small area and someone came in filling the air with something that choked you up, caused you to get sick and you couldn’t fly or swim away to escape? These household pets are really at your mercy because you can’t always move them while treating and any unfortunate mis-step could result in a sick pet or worse.
Of course you should consider other methods of achieving your goals like treating with baits or excluding the bugs out using pest proofing techniques. At times however you’re going to need to perform pest control around these sensitive animals and it’s best to know ahead of time just how you’ll protect them. There is a quick and easy precaution you should always keep in mind and it’s so simple. By covering the cage or the fish tank with a wet or damp towel during your service you can all but eliminate any problems that may befall these sensitive creatures. The damp cloth acts as a blocker of airborne pesticides and won’t allow even the smallest of particles in. Once finished you can launder the covering (by itself) and bada bing you should be fine. For fish tanks you might turn off the filter for awhile as an added layer of security.
The label warnings on insecticides are there for a reason and while it may seem like overkill to go this extra step to protect your birds and fish you might be right. But besides the bugs I’ll be happy if that’s the only kind of ‘kill’ I get when I’m treating around bird cages and fish.
