At my wits end with cage cockroaches
I really need help or suggestions. Here is my situation.
A few years ago I broke up with my ex and moved to the first apartment I found that I could afford. I didn't spend any time researching the building- I just needed a place to live and took the first place I found.
Little did I know that this complex has chronic, ongoing bug problems. There are pest control trucks here nearly every week. However moving here tapped out all my resources and shortly afterwards, housing prices skyrocketed. I can't afford to move anywhere except another building with the same type of problem.
I do my best to keep my apartment bug free and I thought I was succeeding. Then, a few months ago, I was cleaning the girls' C&C cage... and found bugs living *inside* the coroplast itself, in the little grooves. Ugh.
I discarded the cage and the folding table it had been on, and built them a new one. I used plain, heavy-duty vinyl sheet over those foam puzzle-shaped floor tiles, enclosed in wood borders. The new cage is larger and square, and on the ground. They love being able to easily come out and run around.
Then I found bugs living in between the pieces of wood where they are screwed together.
I disassembled the cage, took the girls to a boarding facility and had the exterminator come spray my apartment. I thought it was finally under control. I put the cage back together and started using puppy pee pads so that I could easily change and discard their cage liner every day, so there would be nothing for bugs to eat.
Well, today I pulled the cage out from the wall and guess what's living *under* the cage??
I don't know what to do. I think they need a hard cage with absolutely no cracks or crevices, that is up from the floor, like a petstore cage... But big enough for 3 active piggies. (Their current cage is 4 feet by 5 feet). I am at my wits end. I desperately need some ideas, advice, suggestions. It's not fair to the girls to live in this condition and yet nothing I do seems to work. They aren't neglected- I already clean their cage every day. I can't completely disassemble their cage every day! Does anyone have any thoughts?
A few years ago I broke up with my ex and moved to the first apartment I found that I could afford. I didn't spend any time researching the building- I just needed a place to live and took the first place I found.
Little did I know that this complex has chronic, ongoing bug problems. There are pest control trucks here nearly every week. However moving here tapped out all my resources and shortly afterwards, housing prices skyrocketed. I can't afford to move anywhere except another building with the same type of problem.
I do my best to keep my apartment bug free and I thought I was succeeding. Then, a few months ago, I was cleaning the girls' C&C cage... and found bugs living *inside* the coroplast itself, in the little grooves. Ugh.
I discarded the cage and the folding table it had been on, and built them a new one. I used plain, heavy-duty vinyl sheet over those foam puzzle-shaped floor tiles, enclosed in wood borders. The new cage is larger and square, and on the ground. They love being able to easily come out and run around.
Then I found bugs living in between the pieces of wood where they are screwed together.
I disassembled the cage, took the girls to a boarding facility and had the exterminator come spray my apartment. I thought it was finally under control. I put the cage back together and started using puppy pee pads so that I could easily change and discard their cage liner every day, so there would be nothing for bugs to eat.
Well, today I pulled the cage out from the wall and guess what's living *under* the cage??
I don't know what to do. I think they need a hard cage with absolutely no cracks or crevices, that is up from the floor, like a petstore cage... But big enough for 3 active piggies. (Their current cage is 4 feet by 5 feet). I am at my wits end. I desperately need some ideas, advice, suggestions. It's not fair to the girls to live in this condition and yet nothing I do seems to work. They aren't neglected- I already clean their cage every day. I can't completely disassemble their cage every day! Does anyone have any thoughts?
I would consider going back to c and c but TAPE the holes in the coroplast. Any wood will encourage them to make a home and so will foam. Plastic is best. If you don't want to try coroplast I'd consider trying to use plexiglass (with support underneath). You can get metal leg pegs to keep them off the floor and harder to reach from the bugs at places like IKEA or Walmart. Don't keep the cage on a wall or in a corner. Push them at least a foot away from each wall so they don't have crevices to hide in. Continue with puppy pads. Roaches and other insects love to eat fabrics, wood and papoer so fleece liner and shavings won't work. Get some of your own spray to spay at any entrance into your house: doors, windows, etc. and if you like around the baseboards as well. This will help prevent bugs from getting in and kill a few inside. Put baking soda around your cage. Baking soda will kill insects. Carbon Dioxide bubbles blow up their stomach. If you want to attract these insects to some "yummy" baking soda as a trap leave some on the ground in a mixture that is 1/2 baking soda and 1/2 sugar. Don't put it with the pigs or in their reach though. Baking Soda can harm piggies if they ingest too much of it. Keep all foods stored tightly. Hope this helped!
I used to live in Florida. The insects there are ridiculous and hard to get rid of once they invade.
I used to live in Florida. The insects there are ridiculous and hard to get rid of once they invade.
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- And got the T-shirt
Just fasten the cage to any table you put it on, especially if you don't have a bottom in the cage. A friend of mine just lost her pig after it died from a fall. The cage wasn't firmly fastened down, and the pig managed to push it off the table.
You can get plexiglass at any home supply store -- Lowes, Home Depot, etc.
You can get plexiglass at any home supply store -- Lowes, Home Depot, etc.
- RavenShade
- Thanks for the Memories
If you have a local freecycle group, you can ask for a table. It was a long time ago, but I'm pretty sure I got my table for free. If you can't get it that way, many stores (even CVS) sell 6ft folding tables.