Outside for a day?

[AmyPrime]

Hi, I've just signed up for the list, though I've poked around before registering. I'm tryiing to find out whether temperatures in the 40-55 F range would be harmful to our two chins -- if it were only for maybe four to five hours.

The story: All the apartments in my building are getting exterminated tomorrow (so quick replies appreciated!). The company says the chemicals are not harmful unless you touch them, but the leasing office says all residents and pets should leave the apartments for three hours after the treatment. So, we see three options:

(1) Put them in the bedroom, with the door shut and window open, away from any potential bad stuff. This would be OK according to the extermination company's version.

(2) Put them out on the balcony while I run to campus to teach and go to a meeting. This would certainly give adequate ventilation, but the high tomorrow is only supposed to be 55. (Sunny, though.)

(3) Bring them to a friends' house, but this would be difficult to coordinate and probably much more stressful for them than just moving the cage a little way.

They are only about four months old, if that makes a difference.

Thanks much,
Amy

[CHINCHILDREN]

40 is low; 55 they can handle. but, i would worry about drafts.

did you think of taking them with you in a carrier and leaving them in your office while you teach?

good luck.

[galtinel]

Remove your animals, any of their feed/toys they chew and the replacement bedding you have on hand. You will want to wash down their cage(s) when it's "all clear" to go back in and air out the apartment before they return.

I live in San Diego and we have a case where there is an ivestigation into a death where a woman was found dead inside after a complex was tented for fumigation. I don't trust "extermination chemicals", so I'd also pull 100% of the food that is in bags/boxes. Stuff in cans should be ok, as long as you wipe off the outside before opening it.

In otherwords, play it safe. Think of your worst case senario and then react to it.

[AmyPrime]

40 is low; 55 they can handle. but, i would worry about drafts.

did you think of taking them with you in a carrier and leaving them in your office while you teach?

good luck.

We only have a small cat carrier; would they be okay for three hours?

Amy

[d-spot]

When we had our place exterminated, we bagged all of our food including the stuff in the fridge, covered all of our kitchen utinsels and dinnerware, and took all of the animals and plants out of the house. The fumes can kill plants too. We kept all the animals out even longer than they said we had to, because when we returned, the house smelled weird and i figured it was better to be safe than sorry.

I would remove your chins, their toys, and their bedding, just like Gatinel said. Putting them on the balcony or in a room probably isn't a good idea because extermination fumes can leak anywhere and even with a breeze, the fumes may be too much for such small, young animals. Taking them with you or to a friends house is probably the best bet.

[AmyPrime]

Thanks everyone. Dusty and Bun-Bun are going to stay at our friends' house tomorrow. And they'll get their first bus ride! Whee!

Amy

[jessiegrl22]

Hey,
Your chins would probably be better off with you in the cat carrier at work. People ship chins all of the time on airplane in just a small carrier. My parents live 3 hours away from where I go to school, so when I go home my chin goes with me. He's fine, and usually just sleeps the whole time.
That would be playing it safe, which I'd recommend.
Good luck,
Jessie