House Painting Affects.

[Gregory]

We are about to have our house painted inside and out and I was wondering what precautions I should take with all my Reptiles. Obviously they will be removed from the room they are in while it is being painted but I'm wondering what length of time would be required for them to remain away from any paint smells and such. Has anyone had any experience in this as I'd like to know any pitfalls in the procedure.
Please reply only if you have anything constructive to say.


Cheers, Greg.

 

[zoe]

when i was younger i had a long necked turtle and a man came and painted the roof of my bedroom (where he was kept) and said that he would be fine if we left him there but changed the water a few times. we had to go away for a few days and when we came back the fumes had caused all this froth to build up on the top of the water...i moved him into a completely new tank but unfortunately he died about a week later...
i would keep them away until the paint smells go away, especially any aquatic animals

 

[africancichlidau]

Yeah, I'd back up what Zoe just said and try and keep them away from all fumes if at all possible. You may be able to help speed up the fume dissipation process with using the old onion trick but you would need a few kilos of onions for a whole house. Good luck mate and take care with those animals of yours and also please keep us informed of how it goes.

 

[seth]

i used to be a painter.If you are using oil based paints they dry by oxidisation and remove oxygen from the area.Best to remove all the snakes and open all the windows.I'd keep them in the garage or patio for the night to be sure.
Plus the fumes will probably burn the mucous membraines in the snakes respiratory system.

 

[Magpie]

I would imagine the paint used would mostly be water based. Oil based is usually only used for door frames, window sills and the like these days. As the the effect of the fumes from water based paints, sorry but I don't know. They do dissapate very rapidly though so maybe it would be possible to move the reptiles into the room that will be the last to be painted, then when that room is about to be done, move them into the room that was first to be done?
You can also ask your landlord to use low VOC (volatile organic compound) paints as these will be better for both the animals and yourself.

 

[africancichlidau]

I had a volatile orgas, err sorry, organic compound once but the doc cleared it up a treat

 

[Gregory]

Yeah but ya have to keep taking the medication Phil otherwise it'll come back.

 

[Magpie]

Please reply only if you have anything constructive to say.

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[Gregory]

I get your point Craig but that was really only aimed at the people who tend to answer EVERYTHING with no valid input into the thread. Phil had already validated his posting earlier and was entitled to one free shot.

 

[Slateman]

comon Craig
My opinion was that water based paint is harmles, yem i mistaking?

 

[Magpie]

Afraid you are Slateman. Water based paints are a hell of a lot better than oil based, but still toxic. However, the exposure to a normal (non painter) person from painting a house a few times during your life probably isn't all that much, it's just far better to avoid it as much as possible.

 

[liedra]

We had our house painted recently - the fumes were pretty awful! I only moved my snake back into the room that had been painted after I could barely smell any fumes (cos I only moved back in there to sleep then too! (I have a partitioned room with the snake on one side and me on the other so our lights don't disturb each other). I'd say "trust the nose" in a "love the glove" sense ;-)

Cheers,
- liedra

 

[jake0476]

Im a painter and decorator by trade and even acrylics can be smelly to people with sensative noses most paints used these days on domestic dwellings is acrylics except for doors, doorframes,skirtings, and windows, but i would sugest to move your reptiles for a couple of days and give the room plenty of ventilation and if your going to use enamels or any oil based paints i would give it about a week to be safe......

 

[Gregory]

Well we seem to have gotten through the painting unscathed. I removed all the critters into different rooms while theirs was being painted and they were able to go back the next day. There's virtually no smell now.
Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Greebo]

people who tend to answer EVERYTHING with no valid input into the thread.

Whoever could you mean Greg?

 

[Alimor]

This topic and the advice given has helped me prepare for painting in our house. As a result my snakes are relocated temporarily - cheers folks!