# cockroaches in Sacramento... how can I find this without pest control?



## yamar2001 (Aug 13, 2017)

I should add I also know to close drains before going to bed as they can come through the plumming


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

> My complex offered to have pest control come in


I would certainly let them come in, especially if the landlord is paying. They will most certainly be able to do more than you can yourself. They may also go into other units, which you can't, if they feel the need.


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## yamar2001 (Aug 13, 2017)

joed said:


> I would certainly let them come in, especially if the landlord is paying. They will most certainly be able to do more than you can yourself. They may also go into other units, which you can't, if they feel the need.




In the southeast portion of the country they deal with this on the regular, it seems hasty to jump right in and start spraying nasty ass chemicals before exhausting other options. Because this is a new observation (within the last week) I've just now made sure all food is sealed etc. Prior I was leaving potatoes on the counter (they apparently love starches) and doing other things that may have been encouraging them to make themselves at home.

I'm leaving town July 4th for a week, if its worsened by then perhaps I will ask them to spray while I am gone.

I also plan to talk to some people who share my building to ask if they have experienced this before and whether professional pest control helped.


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## PestGuy (Jan 15, 2018)

If they are American cockroaches they most likely are coming from a central source, possibly a utility or boiler room in the basement? Your best bet here is to seal off any and all cracks, crevices, and gaps around pipes going into all the walls, eg. under the sinks, baseboard heaters, gas/water lines behind the stove or fridge. In multiunit apartments, exclusion is usually the best and safest method of pest control. These roaches prefer dark, moist locations, so the complex should have pest control come in and at least inspect any nearby sewer drains, or floor drains in the basement if any exist. They can also treat the utility rooms with insecticides, gel baits, or granular baits to keep the roaches away from the units.


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## yamar2001 (Aug 13, 2017)

PestGuy said:


> If they are American cockroaches they most likely are coming from a central source, possibly a utility or boiler room in the basement? Your best bet here is to seal off any and all cracks, crevices, and gaps around pipes going into all the walls, eg. under the sinks, baseboard heaters, gas/water lines behind the stove or fridge. In multiunit apartments, exclusion is usually the best and safest method of pest control. These roaches prefer dark, moist locations, so the complex should have pest control come in and at least inspect any nearby sewer drains, or floor drains in the basement if any exist. They can also treat the utility rooms with insecticides, gel baits, or granular baits to keep the roaches away from the units.


thanks so much for your help!!!

There's no basement or utility room connected to my building...its a four plex essentially. I'm pretty sure the utility room is actually across the street.

I know that drainage on the property is not good and perhaps something is backed up. Don't know... we haven't had rain in a long time. You are totally right in that they should come out and inspect the property. 

I'll write them and say I'd like for someone to come out to access the situation but not spray chemicals. Today I purchased *Combat Max bait *stations, and also ordered *Advion* from Amazon, should arrive Tuesday. People say Advion worked very well for them.

On a side note, I talked with my *neighbor upstairs. He's been here 3.5 years and he's never seen a roach, and I know for sure he's up at odd hours of the night* frequently. I guess this is a good sign, means my infestation is hopefully not too bad?

Also *figured out where these dumb-dumbs like to hang out.*.. in one of my cabinets where I was storing some pans that were not used very frequently so I wasnt in there alot. Regardless I should have noticed this poop in the cabinet before today, but all this is brand new. I've attached a photo. Does not appear that they hang out much in the other cabinets... at least I don't see much splat

I'll put some bait traps in the cabinet that they like hanging out in, and also under the couch. I have a dog so I have to be careful where I put them. There's also a gap in between the floor and dish washer, should probably put a bait station or some gel (I have Combat gel) on an index card and slide it in the gap huh?

I'll look at getting this place sealed better too though I don't currently see any gaps. I will say *at one point there was a ~1/5 inch gap in between the door and the door frame... they easily could have gotten in through there. 
That's now sealed properly*


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## yamar2001 (Aug 13, 2017)

PestGuy said:


> If they are American cockroaches they most likely are coming from a central source, possibly a utility or boiler room in the basement? Your best bet here is to seal off any and all cracks, crevices, and gaps around pipes going into all the walls, eg. under the sinks, baseboard heaters, gas/water lines behind the stove or fridge. In multiunit apartments, exclusion is usually the best and safest method of pest control. These roaches prefer dark, moist locations, so the complex should have pest control come in and at least inspect any nearby sewer drains, or floor drains in the basement if any exist. They can also treat the utility rooms with insecticides, gel baits, or granular baits to keep the roaches away from the units.


here's the photo of the dung. I never saw any big cylinders or anything like that. I'm not 100% sure I have American cockroaches, but that's what I believe to be case... thought they were big and pooped large too?

I should have a dead one to photograph sooner than later and I'll update this thread.


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## yamar2001 (Aug 13, 2017)

the more I think about it, when it would rain heavily, often times the water would stay sitting for extended periods in the garden just outside of my door (I'm on the first floor). I am sure that is an ideal environment for a roach, its no surprise they made their way inside eventually.


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## PestGuy (Jan 15, 2018)

Can't really tell from those pictures. I've only ever seen clusters of roach droppings, and they look a little bigger than grains of pepper all in one area. Another good and fairly safe product to use is a type of boric acid, like Niban Granular bait. Put it in small trays in out of the way areas. Roaches love that stuff, and they can't become resistant to it.


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## Nik333 (Mar 1, 2015)

Roach poop can big, but is sometimes smeared.


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## yamar2001 (Aug 13, 2017)

Haven't seen a roach in four nights and I'm often up several times in the middle of the night. I had previously seen a roach 3 of 4 nights in a row.

Maybe sealing up all the food helped, and also wiping down the sinks, taking out garbage before bed. Or maybe they are scramming the second they hear my feet hit the ground, but it does seem strange that all of the sudden I haven't seen one... I'm not complaining.

When I sweep the kitchen/living room (daily) I do still see some dung, but not nearly as much. 

Hopefully they are going through my Combat bait stations and bringing it back to their nest.

I also cleaned out my entire closet there's nothing on the ground anymore, so their nest can't be there.

Advion arrives Friday...


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