[BUGBULLY]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Spiders and scorpions are arachnids, not insects.

Sometimes you are too technical! Normal people think of scorpions and spiders as in the same category as the rest of the little buggers.

[dynimagelv]

I have an American Eskimo and a Sheltie....keep em both trimmed shorter in the summer....used to have a very furry Siberian Husky and he LOVED the heat.....[loved the snow in NJ even more]

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by BUGBULLY

Sometimes you are too technical! Normal people think of scorpions and spiders as in the same category as the rest of the little buggers.

I suppose. But I figured the fact that they have 8 legs, 8 eyes (most), no antenni and no wings would be enough for most people to distinguish.

Oh, while we're at it, spiders and scorpions are not poisonous.

[RavenRose]

Originally Posted by BUGBULLY

I don't have dogs, but from one thing I have heard. It depends on if you have shade in your back yard during the daytime when the heat is the worse, also what kid of dogs do you have? I have heard the hairier they are the worse it is for them. I could be wrong.


Yes, you are right about the allergic reaction.

They're small, 4.5lbs Papillon and a 9lbs Tibetan Spaniel. Not the most hairiest of the dog species, but definitely not hairless. My cat, now she *loves* the heat. I tried to get her to come inside today, when it was 85 degrees out, but she refused.

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Oh, while we're at it, spiders and scorpions are not poisonous.

Not poisonous? Then what's venom?

[acl]

side note: coyotes a problem for cats?

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by RavenRose

Hi, everyone.

I'm moving to Las Vegas from Florida sometime in September (my job is transferring me). Besides the actual move out there, I've got only one concern: poisonous insects vs my animals.

I have 2 small dogs, a 4.5lbs Papillon and a 9lbs Tibetan Spaniel, and a 13lbs cat. All 3 spend a great deal of time outside as well as inside.

I'm not so much worried about me getting stung or bitten by anything, as I've never had an allergic reaction to anything, and I have great health insurance. My concern is for my animals. I don't know how much they'll try to attack or "hunt" any of these things, but I'm concerned that if they do, and get stung while I'm at work or something, then I won't be there to get them to a vet right away.

I usually leave all 3 of them outside here, and since I've never even been there to visit, I'm not sure if they will be left outside there (because of the heat). So they likely be in their crate during the day, or in the bathroom for longer periods of time.

Am I worrying for nothing? What do I do?

Also, what other types of creatures should I worry about? I've heard mention of Black Widows, but anything else would be greatly appreciated. (Please NO pictures of spiders. I can stomach anything else, but seeing spiders is too much.)

If anyone has any suggestions for living with my crew in LV, please feel free to PM me.

Thanks!
~Jayne

First of all you won't want to leave those little dudes outside in the summer. Most of us have doggy doors so they can come and go and get out of the heat. Secondly, if you live in Florida, you have more creepy crawly, dangerous critters per square foot than we have in 100 miles. We have had small dogs running in the family for over 40 years. They all are desert hikers. We have never had one bitten by anything although I admit I worry a little about snakes when we are outside of town. I do believe that they may have whacked a couple of scorpions. Once 17 years ago, and once 5 years ago. And that's all the scorpions I've ever seen in Las Vegas since the mid-60s. About 30 years ago my ex-wife's dog contracted Lyme disease someplace from a tick. There are spiders everywhere in this world and I don't know of any dogs that have ever complained about being bitten by one, especially not in Las Vegas. One HUGE advantage to living in Las Vegas is lack of nasty insects, especially fleas (they can't live in a dry climate) and no mosquitoes (except rarely). Snakes do not bite people in their back yard like one did my sister in Jacksonville, nor do they craw in your house and eat your bird in it's cage...again...Jacksonville. Alligators do not walk the streets like they do in Florida. We have nothing but conveniences here and very few inconveniences. No earthquakes, mudslides, tornadoes, hurricanes, forest fires, famine, floods, vermin, boils, pestilence or plagues. That is why the world is always knocking at our door.

13 lb CAT??? He'd make lunch of a coyote, but you'll probably never see one.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by RavenRose

Great! I was hoping you'd respond, I've read a lot of your previous posts, so it sounds like you've got some experience.

So, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds as if the venom in most these little creatures isn't going to be enough on it's own to hurt any of my animals, same as with humans, but only if there's an allergic reaction.

My next question will stem from this one: If you factor out the heat, how safe is it for them outside, like in a fenced in backyard, for extended periods of time? What kinds of predators/creatures do I need to be aware of?

I've never lived anywhere with a similar environment to Nevada, so I'm trying to figure out what to expect so I can keep my dogs safe.

Thanks!

Please. BugBully, I love you like a sister, but lets face it...you have to sell your service. The fact is that spiders and scorpions are so insignificant in Las Vegas that you can't even consider them a problem. That said, we all have exterminator service because nobody wants even one bug in their house...although I think I'm wasting my money sometimes. I have Terminix because they bought out the service I had before. I may switch to you BugBully because I like you, and I hate the Terminix company.

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by RavenRose

They're small, 4.5lbs Papillon and a 9lbs Tibetan Spaniel. Not the most hairiest of the dog species, but definitely not hairless. My cat, now she *loves* the heat. I tried to get her to come inside today, when it was 85 degrees out, but she refused. The thing about cats though is they can get into trouble very easily if you let them run loose. Cars, dogs, and angry neighbors.



Not poisonous? Then what's venom?

Cats seem to do well in the heat but she might change her mind when it's 115º outside. But you will be very happy when you discover what it's like to live where there is NO HUMIDITY. Cats can get into trouble if you let them run loose...and so can you...with city or county Animal Control.

[RavenRose]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

Cats seem to do well in the heat but she might change her mind when it's 115º outside. But you will be very happy when you discover what it's like to live where there is NO HUMIDITY. Cats can get into trouble if you let them run loose...and so can you...with city or county Animal Control.

Oh yes, the NO HUMIDITY part is gonna be my favorite part. I get a sinus infection just about every month, so this will be a treat.

My cat does not really go very far, she's a big putty tat that is a big baby. She never leaves the yard, unless she's picking on another cat (because she is *not* a cat, she is a dog and dogs hate cats, LOL) (she really is a cat, but she hates other cats).

[BUGBULLY]

Originally Posted by Buzz123

Please. BugBully, I love you like a sister, but lets face it...you have to sell your service. The fact is that spiders and scorpions are so insignificant in Las Vegas that you can't even consider them a problem. That said, we all have exterminator service because nobody wants even one bug in their house...although I think I'm wasting my money sometimes. I have Terminix because they bought out the service I had before. I may switch to you BugBully because I like you, and I hate the Terminix company.

Yep, Terminix and Orkin in my book are two of the worst companies. I was giving information to a lady yesterday who had posted an ad on Craigslist giving away a mattress with Bed bugs. I sent her a message saying what she could do to get rid of them. She had already called out Orkin who charged her $600.00 to just treat her bedroom. That was crazy, we only charge between $100 to $200. Those two companies charge outrageous prices just because they are a name brand company. But believe me you really don't see that many of their technicians staying too long. the company that I managed for 9 years had most of our techs and employees there for 5+ years, which is hard to see in this industry. When the company got bought out it lost 5 of its key people that had been with it for 6-9 years, due to the company that had bought it out.

All you have to do if you want to switch is give them a 30 day written notice. All contracts can be ended with that.

And you are right about the spiders and scorpions. I have lived in town for about 10 years and have never even seen a scorpion in my house. Did a scorpion Inspection in an Senior home on E. Flamingo once, and through the night we saw 100s of them. So they are here, just in certain isolated areas. Seen some spiders, which I don't do well with. The most seen insect in town though is the Ant. I swear Las Vegas was built on an ant hill.