Insect pest company spraying garden.. safe for pets?

[jak2002003]

My partner is insisting we get out garden sprayed with an insecticide.  I have 2 aviaries with parakeets and finches, and also an ornamental fish pond with goldfish and turtles.  I am worried that the stuff they will spray the garden with will be harmful or kill my pets!!!!  (also we have 2 small dogs).

 

I can't trust the company that is going to do this as they are likely just to say its safe so they get a job, or the staff don't know themselves.

 

It seems an unnecessary risk to me as we don't even have a problem with insects (only big snails eating some plants).  

 

Anyone know what chemical these companies use and if its safe for birds , dogs etc.  Thanks.

 

 

 

[giddyup]

No! I mistakenly let my dog into the garden when he was a puppy just after it was sprayed. I had to rush him to the vet shortly after as he was shaking and showing signs of poisoning. Ever since that happened he suffers from allergies and scratches and licks his paws a lot. The pest company hadn't warned us of any dangers, but besides that, the indiscriminate spraying kills a lot of good bugs as well as small lizards etc. I cancelled their services after my dog got I'll.

[dotpoom]

33 minutes ago, giddyup said:

No! I mistakenly let my dog into the garden when he was a puppy just after it was sprayed. I had to rush him to the vet shortly after as he was shaking and showing signs of poisoning. Ever since that happened he suffers from allergies and scratches and licks his paws a lot. The pest company hadn't warned us of any dangers, but besides that, the indiscriminate spraying kills a lot of good bugs as well as small lizards etc. I cancelled their services after my dog got I'll.

Wow!...good the OP decided to ask first. A really valuable piece of information that. Doesn't apply to me but thanks for your knowledge.

  Advice like this make Forums priceless. Cheers....

[topt]

Depends I think exactly what insecticide and the company you use.

 

I have a regular monthly spray inside and out to prevent termites etc. and when I had 2 GSDs never had an issue from whatever chemical they were using. Used to keep them out of the garden for 2 hours or so after the spraying.

[jak2002003]

thanks for the replies everyone.

 

Well, we got a quote and it was too expensive... so crisis averted for the time being!

 

We used to get it done at our old house and did not have a problem with the dogs, but now I have small birds these are a bit more delicate than a dog or larger animal.  I can't imagine it will be good for them if they breath in the stuff when the garden is getting sprayed.  Also if they eat any dead insects that died in their aviary.

 

We have anti termite tubes under the house, and probably will just get these filled up with insecticide and not bother with the garden.  

 

I asked the pest guy if his spray would also kill the giant snails.. but he said no.  So, really it seems pointless to spray the garden when we don't have any insect pests anyway.

 

I wonder if we can eat these big snails, or any tips to get rid of them?  Thinking about getting a big bucket and collecting them each evening, then the nest day dumping they out in the forest lol.  

[peterb17]

I too was concerned about the insecticide they sprayed every month in the garden. To be honest can’t see the point.

I asked the landlord what they were spraying ( thought I was mad) he said ask the contractor- they said just keep the dog in for a couple of hours. 

 

To be honest - I would be much more concerned about your aquatic friends- they can be very sensitive to pesticides.

[Smithson]

I think those big snails are edible, ducks like them, so do lizards -  a good reason not to spray. Besides the dogs and birds, I'd be worried about the safety of people, especially kids. I don't think there's much point asking the company whether the chemicals are safe.

[PBob]

Snails will not be affected by most insecticide sprays. I collect the big ones at night and drown them. Was catching around 40 a night a couple of years back (record was 67). Rarely reach double figures now, even in the wet season. Tip, they are attracted to the biscuits I leave out for the outside cats.

 

Garden sprayed every other month with no ill effects on the cats. The indoor cats are not let out until the spray is dry and any visible cockroaches have stopped twitching.

 

Do not spray the garden if you have any aquatic life you want to keep. Most sprays are highly toxic to fish etc and it is difficult preventing spray drift and run off from entering ponds etc.

[xtrnuno41]

Any insecticide is poison, so can effect ALL living creatures.

I had snails here in the garden (Europe) and red about the waste of coffee they didnt like.

Everytime i made coffee, i threw away the coffee leftover in the garden. Also this is organic waste to work in your garden. i even see i activate worms in the ground ?! Also cats shouldnt like it, but there is a cat coming and he doesnt mind.

And it worked (looks like), in time they mostly disappeared, just so now and then ill see one.

But way way less. I know Thailand doesnt have that much coffee machines like here, 

maybe you can use the instant coffee and spray the plants they like?

[emptypockets]

If you know anyone from Isaan they would take the snails happily. We often take frozen snails to the relies in Bangkok. Quite a delicacy apparently.

[UKJASE]

i went to the farm shop and bought my own poison with guidance.  i then googled it to see how dangerous it was.

 

easy to apply with a spray bottle.  plus it gets applied just when i need it, not every month like the company would do.

 

also saves 300 baht a month

[RJRS1301]

13 hours ago, Smithson said:

I think those big snails are edible, ducks like them, so do lizards -  a good reason not to spray. Besides the dogs and birds, I'd be worried about the safety of people, especially kids. I don't think there's much point asking the company whether the chemicals are safe.

Yep snails not aff3cted but would be very concerned about the birds and the acquatic creatures. 

[drtreelove]

On ‎3‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 5:58 PM, xtrnuno41 said:

Any insecticide is poison, so can effect ALL living creatures.

 

Hog wash ! you have no idea what you are talking about. There are many "soft chemistry" materials classified as "insecticides" that are far from harmful to "all living creatures".. There are long standing botanical pesticides that have been used in organic gardening and farming for decades, and there is a whole new generation of bio-insecticides and biological fungicides that are derived from naturally occuring botanical extracts, benefical bacteria and fungi and other plant pest control substances.  And also, there are methods of application that are specific and targeted and don't contaminate the larger environment or food products.

 

Here's a few available in the US with OMRI listing, with some available in Thailand under different names. Read the product descriptions and get an education.

INSECTICIDES:

https://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/

https://www.domyown.com/monterey-70-neem-oil-p-2841.html

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/azamax-azadirachtin/

https://www.planetnatural.com/neem-benefits/

Beauveria bassiana, an entomopathogenic fungus that attacks a long-list of troublesome crop pests (not plants) like aphids, thrips, whitefly, spider mites, mealybugs, root aphids and more!

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/botanigard-es-insecticide/

https://www.domyown.com/bioceres-wp-p-17144.html

Metarhizium anisopliae is a naturally occurring fungus — not genetically modified — found in soils worldwide. Once the spores come in contact with susceptible insects they penetrate the cuticle or exoskeleton and begin to grow inside, causing the insect to die.

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/met52-ec/

https://www.novozymes.com/en/advance-your-business/agriculture/crop-production/crop-production-met52

 

https://www.domyown.com/foxfarm-bush-doctor-force-of-nature-miticide-p-17475.html

 

https://www.planetnatural.com/product/monterey-garden-insect-spray-spinosad/

 

https://www.domyown.com/bonide-all-seasons-horticultural-spray-oil-p-1525.html

 

https://www.domyown.com/bonide-insecticidal-soap-rtu-p-1667.html

 

https://www.domyown.com/evergreen-pyrethrum-concentrate-p-1875.html

 

https://www.domyown.com/monterey-bt-insecticide-p-2821.html

 

https://www.domyown.com/essentria-general-household-spray-p-1957.html

 

https://www.domyown.com/ecovia-ec-p-9660.html

 

You probably won't find Thai pest control companies using these, so it's best to do your own. 

 

What the more resonsible and trained PC operator's here use for outdoor perimeter spraying to keep down ants, cockroaches, centipedes etc, and for indoor base board spraying for ants and cockroaches, is usually pyrethroids, like cypermethrin.  This is low toxicity for mammals, with re-entry designated for as soon as the material dries. Cats are most sensitive to pyrethroids but it takes a relatively high concentration to affect a cat, not at the low concentrations used for pest control. The material is so dilute if mixed according to product label rates, that it is not going to cause any negative effects or poisoned pets. Except, as others have pointed out, most hard chemistry pesticides are extremely toxic to fish and other aquatic life.  Foliar sprays should take into account and avoid pollinator foraging periods. honeybees.

There are some PC operators who spray the whole garden and not just the targeted ant trails and common entry points, and some that still use older generation toxic pesticides like organophosphates and carbamates. Some of those can make you or your dog sick with direct exposure.

Termite control through the underground closed systems are usually with fipronil or fenucarb. "Closed system" is the key term, these should not be sprayed in an open environment, but some PC operators may do so. One PCO in Chiang Mai, when I asked what he was using, proudly showed me his fenucarb training certificate and appeared very responsible about his work and avoiding environmental contamination.

I don't know it all but I do have some experience and extensive training and licensing from Calfornia, one of the most strict jurisdictions. You can forward questions or copy of PCO proposal and materials and I will be happy to review and comment to the best of my abilitiy.

 

Home Pro has some sweet little plastic hand-held pump up sprayers, white with green top, and the yellow with blue is really nice, and they have some organic program compatible insecticides, wood vinegar and citronella and neem. I keep the yellow one with eucalyptus and citronella extracts for outdoor mosquito repellent spraying around doors and windows. I just started growing some lemon grass to make my own.  And the clear white sprayer to mix Chaindrite Stefast (bifenthrin a pyrethroid) for monthly outdoor barrier sprays for ant trails, cockroach and centipede home entry points, doorway thresholds.  I keep a can of Chaindrite Crack and Crevice for spot spraying.  Most of our pest control is accomplished with cleanliness, sanitation and exclusion, fully screened and pestering my family to keep doors and windows closed. We have big water monitor lizards that come around, but thats another catergory.