# Painting and buns?



## Spikethebunny (Feb 25, 2013)

So I just got 24 hours notice from my super that they will be coming into my apartment tomorrow to repair & paint my bathroom ceiling (there was a leak above and the paint chipped off). I actually tried to tell them it wasn't necessary and that I get migraines in paint smells, but they insisted. I live in a very small apartment and do not have the option of closing Spike off in another room (he is not in the bathroom, but in the living room. But I can't close any doors around him). The only thing I can do is open all my windows and hope that because it is just a small patch on the ceiling it isn't too bad. But I am quite worried the fumes (and perhaps their loud noises while they work) could be harmful to Spike.

Has anyone else had paint fumes near their buns? Anyone have any suggestions to make this better? I do not have anywhere I can take him...


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## LakeCondo (Feb 25, 2013)

Any chance you could take time off when they're there?


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## Spikethebunny (Feb 25, 2013)

Unfortunately, I can't. I was off sick all last week with bronchitis. My husband will be home all day while they are here, though. 
If he keeps all the windows open, do you think the fumes will be ok?


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## kkiddle (Feb 25, 2013)

Is he in a cage of some sort? When I lived in an apartment, I always left for the weekend when they did work. I would take the buns and leave because they never showed up at the times they said they would and I didn't trust them around my babies. If you could put him near a window (but out of direct sunlight) that would be best. And probably furthest from the workers as possible. OR could you reschedule? I know my apartment complex was awful at that. They pretty much said, this is what you get, deal with it!
Anyway, I hope you find a solution.


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## hannah_biota (Feb 25, 2013)

Is there any way you could provide zero VOC paint for them to use? Lowes & Home Depot both carry them. Keeping Spike near an open window is definitely a good idea. I'm sure he will be fine!


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## Nancy McClelland (Feb 26, 2013)

Since it's a bathroom I'd keep the door closed and a fan going. Placing a saucer of milk in there will help absorb the smell, but most paint nowadays is water based and is not harmful to you or pets even if it does stink.


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## Spikethebunny (Feb 26, 2013)

Thanks everyone.

Well, they came in today and just fixed my sink. But they said they will be back in a week or two to do the bathroom. They said it will be one day of scraping and priming (which should not contain any harmful fumes) and then one day to paint over that. She said the strongest fumes will last a couple hours but the scent may linger for up to 24 hours. I do not have a choice on the type of paint they use. Because it is a bathroom ceiling and gets steam on it, they are insisting an oil based laquer needs to be used to seal it. I will not be able to get the time off work, but my hubby will be home with Spike. We don't have anywhere we could take him.

My plan is to close the bathroom door after they leave, open every window (hopefully it is not super cold) and move him away from the bathroom and hall towards the window (He is in an x-pen). He generally spends most of his day sleeping in a cat tent, so I'm hoping that might protect him from some of the fumes as well as the drafty open windows. I'm also thinking I might set up a fan to try and blow the scent away from him and back down the hall and out the windows.

I'm going to be watching him carefully afterwards and probably going to be totally stressed out for him. I love that they keep insisting they are doing me a favor by painting the ceiling. It just has me super worried about my little guy. I don't know what I'd do if he got sick because they insisted on painting my apartment when I told them I didn't want them to...


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## Spikethebunny (Feb 27, 2013)

So, a friend has offered to take me and Spike in while they paint, which is really nice of her. She said I can bring his xpen and all his stuff so he feels right at home. I am just debating which is tougher for him: moving him (he hates being picked up and put in his carrier) or the paint fumes. I am leaning towards moving him to my friends for a day or two being the better of both options...


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## Spikethebunny (Mar 8, 2013)

Okay. I really need some advice, cause I am stressing out. So the note got slid under my door tonight. They start fixing my ceiling Tuesday. Again, keep in mind it is a small patch, above the shower (basically all of where the shower is). According to the note, this is a process where they may take a few days, mostly due to having to wait for things to dry. They will be scraping off the old paint, putting up Sheetrock, sanding that down (which they said could be dusty) and then painting. 

I need advice because I am soooo torn over what to do with Spike. If he didn't freak out every time I moved him, I would take him to my friend's house who offered to take us in. The problem is, when I do move him, it is not easy and he shakes for like an hour afterwards and gets stressed out. Going to a friends would mean bringing him somewhere he doesn't know and moving him twice (there and back).

My husband and family think that since it is just a small portion of the ceiling, I should move him as far away as I can and open all the windows. They think that is better for him than stressing him out by moving him.

I really am torn. On the one hand, I'm worried about plaster dust and paint fumes, on the other hand, I'm not happy moving him either.

Help! I need some opinions.


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## JBun (Mar 8, 2013)

it sounds like staying there might be best for him, and you can just see how it works out. If you think it's getting to be too much, you could still go to your friends. On thing you can do to at least limit the dust, is get some lightweight plastic sheeting, in the paint section at walmart or home improvement store, and tape it up to block off the area where they are working, with a flap left open as a doorway to go through. This will keep a lot of the dust, and also some of the fumes, from spreading throughout your house, and getting to you and your bunny.


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## PaGal (Mar 8, 2013)

My husband and I have worked with renovating two houses and one of his cousins bathroom. Putting up sheetrock, covering it with spackle and then sanding is very dusty. The part that is really dusty is the sanding the spackle. The sanded spackle floats through the air and will get on everything. It's very fine dust, I'd compare it with baby powder. 

I believe you said they are doing the area directly above the shower? That's not a very big area but depending on how experienced they are it could need a lot of sanding which means a lot of dust. If they are good at spackling , they'll get it on thin and it will take less sanding.

How big is the cage he is kept in? I am just wondering if there is a way you could possibly put a box over the cage. But then you might have to worry about him getting warm inside. Do you have a closet you could put him in?

I am just trying to think of options for you. I can see where you would be concerned about moving him to your friends if he gets that nervous.


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## Spikethebunny (Mar 8, 2013)

He is in an xpen. It's pretty big, so I don't think a box would work. Our closets are terribly tiny (we live in such a small place!) so I'm not sure I could get him in one. 

The plastic is an interesting idea. I wonder if the landlord would mind if I did that. I wonder if I could create a little room in the corner for him with that. Hmmm...


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## Spikethebunny (Mar 11, 2013)

This is the site they are fixing. A pretty small area. We bought some plastic sheeting to block off the room and a fan to blow the fumes, etc away from Spike. We are hoping to open as many windows as we can, but it is supposed to get cold again and I don't want him getting a drafts, so maybe not the one right by him. 
It starts tomorrow. My family says I am over-reacting (I hope so!), but I am going to be a big ball of worry until they are done. :-(


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