chaim
Member
We got notice this afternoon that one of the apartments in my building has bedbugs. They are treating on Wednesday and have a huge checklist of things we have to have done by then or we are responsible for all treatment costs for the building and surrounding buildings if it spreads (min $200, possibly tens of thousands). Well, it looks like I'm pulling an all-nighter or two.
Anyway, there will be an exterminator here on Wednesday and we are not allowed to be here when he is here (I guess the chemicals are dangerous or something like that, they didn't say why, only that we can't be here once he's here and for at least two hours afterwards). Every part of the apartment has to be easily accessible. I can't have a locked gunsafe or cabinet (everything needs to be opened), I can't hide them in a drawer because our drawers must be open, I can't even hide them behind furniture or under my bed because our furniture has to be at least 6" away from the wall and the mattress and box spring have to be removed from the bed (fun, I have a queen sized memory foam mattress- those things are like 200lbs).
I thought about having a friend take them, but if the bed bugs and/or their eggs have made their way to the apartment I assume they could be on my soft cases or the foam of my hard cases so the cases should probably be treated. I can't transport them without cases (against MD law). I thought about buying new cases but, that is too many new cases for my budget. I thought about one new case to transport them one at a time, but I simply don't have the time (I'm on a strict timeline to get a ton of work done to prep or I may be held liable for a lot of money that I don't have).
Here is what I'm considering:
1) Just take the risk that the exterminator is honest and he won't make an "inventory" and come back for my guns (I doubt he'd be stupid enough to take them at the time, no deniability). I don't think I want to take that risk.
2) Same as above, but invest in a cheap gunsafe (I can't afford a good one, plus they are heavy and I'm in an apartment that I'm leaving in September so I have to be able to move what I buy soon) just in case. This is better than the first.
3) Risk spreading bedbugs should they be in my unit and have a friend take the guns anyway. Most likely my cases are OK since bedbugs feed on us and they'd want to be near "food", so I doubt they'd be there. However, I store my guns in my locked walk-in closet so the cases and my clothing come in contact so the cases probably aren't completely safe. I do want to be sure I don't have bedbugs, and if they are here I want to be rid of them. Plus, my friends I've talked to about taking the guns would need some convincing that they wouldn't be at risk of bedbugs so I don't know it is even an option.
4) Keeping the guns in my car's trunk. A very long-shot, I almost definitely won't go this way. In MD it would be illegal to do this, plus I do want my gun cases getting some of the treatment (see #3).
5) Hiding the handguns, handgun boxes, ammo and other gun related items in cardboard boxes and the long guns in the box my golf clubs came in. Maybe the exterminator wouldn't check what is in the boxes so I don't have the risk of #1 and 2. Then, hope for the best like #1.
6) Same as #5, but buy a lightweight gunsafe like in #2 in case the exterminator did look in the boxes and does come back (or send someone back) later.
Of course, there isn't much I can do (other than the unlikely #3 or 4) if he is stupid and leaves with the guns. At least if he is that stupid, the police will have a pretty good idea who took the guns (note to self, just in case be sure to put my gun purchase paperwork and serial numbers someplace the exterminator can't find them but easy for me to find just in case, like my car).
(man I hate living in an apartment)
Anyway, there will be an exterminator here on Wednesday and we are not allowed to be here when he is here (I guess the chemicals are dangerous or something like that, they didn't say why, only that we can't be here once he's here and for at least two hours afterwards). Every part of the apartment has to be easily accessible. I can't have a locked gunsafe or cabinet (everything needs to be opened), I can't hide them in a drawer because our drawers must be open, I can't even hide them behind furniture or under my bed because our furniture has to be at least 6" away from the wall and the mattress and box spring have to be removed from the bed (fun, I have a queen sized memory foam mattress- those things are like 200lbs).
I thought about having a friend take them, but if the bed bugs and/or their eggs have made their way to the apartment I assume they could be on my soft cases or the foam of my hard cases so the cases should probably be treated. I can't transport them without cases (against MD law). I thought about buying new cases but, that is too many new cases for my budget. I thought about one new case to transport them one at a time, but I simply don't have the time (I'm on a strict timeline to get a ton of work done to prep or I may be held liable for a lot of money that I don't have).
Here is what I'm considering:
1) Just take the risk that the exterminator is honest and he won't make an "inventory" and come back for my guns (I doubt he'd be stupid enough to take them at the time, no deniability). I don't think I want to take that risk.
2) Same as above, but invest in a cheap gunsafe (I can't afford a good one, plus they are heavy and I'm in an apartment that I'm leaving in September so I have to be able to move what I buy soon) just in case. This is better than the first.
3) Risk spreading bedbugs should they be in my unit and have a friend take the guns anyway. Most likely my cases are OK since bedbugs feed on us and they'd want to be near "food", so I doubt they'd be there. However, I store my guns in my locked walk-in closet so the cases and my clothing come in contact so the cases probably aren't completely safe. I do want to be sure I don't have bedbugs, and if they are here I want to be rid of them. Plus, my friends I've talked to about taking the guns would need some convincing that they wouldn't be at risk of bedbugs so I don't know it is even an option.
4) Keeping the guns in my car's trunk. A very long-shot, I almost definitely won't go this way. In MD it would be illegal to do this, plus I do want my gun cases getting some of the treatment (see #3).
5) Hiding the handguns, handgun boxes, ammo and other gun related items in cardboard boxes and the long guns in the box my golf clubs came in. Maybe the exterminator wouldn't check what is in the boxes so I don't have the risk of #1 and 2. Then, hope for the best like #1.
6) Same as #5, but buy a lightweight gunsafe like in #2 in case the exterminator did look in the boxes and does come back (or send someone back) later.
Of course, there isn't much I can do (other than the unlikely #3 or 4) if he is stupid and leaves with the guns. At least if he is that stupid, the police will have a pretty good idea who took the guns (note to self, just in case be sure to put my gun purchase paperwork and serial numbers someplace the exterminator can't find them but easy for me to find just in case, like my car).
(man I hate living in an apartment)
