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teddy_bears_org Sep 10, 2005

Hey all, we picked up 5 great bears in Pennsylvania a couple of weeks ago at an auction. Problem, I think they have mites or something. Anytime new bears come home we make sure the best we can they are clean before moving into the collection. These guys have something, I think mites or something like that. I have heard you can freeze them or throw them in a bag with moth balls? Any suggestions?

As we speak, they are sitting next to ice cubes in a plastic bag. Wandering what you think?

Thanks
Teddy-Bears.Org
Scott

Delartful Bears Sep 10, 2005

I think freezing them might be a good solution, but I'm no expert.

I just wanted to wish you the best of luck with it all!

Danni

doodlebears Celebration AmbassadorSep 10, 2005

Pop them in the freezer for around a week making sure that they are sealed well. The mites should all be dead by then. Once removed from the freezer let the bears rest in the sealed bags for a day and if you see anything on them pop them back into the freezer again. If the bears are mite free once they are at room temperature   give them a nice brushing over a light coloured cloth or card to really make sure all the beasties have gone. Once you are satisfied everything is ok then you can place the bears with the rest of your collection.

Jane

WildThyme Sep 10, 2005

I was going to tell you to do the same thing that Jane just said!  Right on Jane! 

Beary truly,
Kim Basta
Wild Thyme Originals

Dilu Sep 10, 2005

WOW guys, thanks for the info!  I am really glad to know this.

My mom used to put the rattlesnakes she would catch in the freezer.

She would leave them there until somone got home who could kill them for her. 

Then, because she has an evil streak, she would put them in my freezer ( on the back porch)....:rolleyes:

And you'all wonder why I'm wonky?

Diloopy

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner SponsorSep 10, 2005

Why on earth would your mother catch them LIVE and how did she get them to the freezer??!!  YIKES!

Daphne Sep 10, 2005

As I'm about to go make dinner I'm thinking twice about opening my freezer!!! Eeeewwww, Dilu!

Dilu Sep 10, 2005

OK,

She would catch them in the garden-  remember the last part of her life was lived in a rural area in the Sierras where rattlers were abundant.  Now those area's have grown so that the poor snakes are hiding higher, for the most part.  Prior to leaving the area I don't think I had seen one in  at least 10 years. hmmm :/

So there she would be all 95 LBs 5 feet of her, hauling all her hoses and watering her garden that was big enough to feed the town. (She always did overdo it a bit)  and a nice li'l ol' rattler would be sunning on a rock.  She would use her pitch fork and scoop those babies up and dump them in a burlap bag.  She used burlap to keep various parts of the garden moister in the dry summer heat-100+ degrees.

Well she didn't want to kill the sucker so she would throw it in the freezer, which would make it get sleepy, very sleepy, (hibernating time.)  Then when dad would get home he had the gruesome task of dealing with the killng part.

This woman was/is crazy, truly, but she was also increably independant in an age were this was frowned on in women, she was fearless, and she was "pigheaded" according to my dad, or "very determined" her words.  :D

She knew no happy medium, it was her way or the household was miserable....As long as she didn't bother dAd in the studio I don't think he cared.  I just hid in my bedroom, coward that I was. ;)

BUT she taught me much, some of which was what not to do in a relationship, and she taught me that even women have a right to fight for their dreams and not let "any man" stop you. 

All in all- I see more positives than negatives here.

Say Daphne- did you end up ordering out?

Should I tell you guys about the annual late September-October migration of tarantulas, walking across the tarmaks of country roads all over the Sierra's?

oops-  I already did- :lol::lol::lol:

Actually, Tarantulas are nice little 8 legged critters, they eat nasty bugs and don't bother people unless tormented.  Honest. :D

hugs

dilu

Come on....don't I have interesting little useless tidbits in my pea-brain?

Carolyn Green Sep 11, 2005

Goodness gracious me - I am glad that I live here in NZ where there are not any rattlesnakes - how
scary and tarantulas - nice little 8 legged critters - eek! Scary.

Scott - best of luck with your prediciment - I hope that a little overnight sleep in the freezer helped
and your Bears are free of the mites.

Carolyn

teddy_bears_org Sep 29, 2005

Are mothballs not the answer? QVC actually recommends this, place bears in sealed box with mothballs for 48 hours.

Pipa Sep 29, 2005

Do Bears catch mites alot ?? is it coommon thing in bears? Ewww not sure i will collect anymore now LOL

clare14 Sep 29, 2005

Eeew Pipa, I know what you mean  , were they old bears Scott??  And do bears get mites a lot??  I've never heard of this before :redface:

Dilu, I love your posts, you're a wealth of information and fascination, I could listen to you for hours    Bless ya

kbonsall Sep 29, 2005

But mothballs reak! Oh my dilu your story freaked me out... Now I too will be peaking around the freezer door

My dad had some sort of a snake incident when he was younger kind or like this but I wont repeat it - very squeemish story - but he is deathly afraid of them now because of it...

kbonsall Sep 29, 2005

LMAO bears catch mites when they dont use protection LMAO sorry, its the first thing that popped in my head!!!

I started cracking up reading these posts and a lady I worked with looked at em funny LOL

Pipa Sep 29, 2005

i'm going to be going through my bears with a nit comb now just to make sure hehe 

Eeew Pipa, I know what you mean  , were they old bears Scott??  And do bears get mites a lot??  I've never heard of this before :redface:

Dilu, I love your posts, you're a wealth of information and fascination, I could listen to you for hours    Bless ya ;)

clare14 Sep 29, 2005

Tee Hee!!

Pipa Sep 29, 2005

Daphne Sep 29, 2005

Scott,

Am I to trust that freezing the bears didn't work?

Daphne

Dilu Sep 29, 2005

If mites need air to survive how would it be to put the bears in something like those bags AS-SEEN-ON-TV  that suck out al the air?

Then you wouldn't have that mothball smell-which can be pretty potent for a long time.

Just an idea....don't know if it weould work or not.....hmmmmm

Pipa Sep 29, 2005

Sounds like a good idea Dilu !!!

teddy_bears_org Sep 30, 2005

Scott,

Am I to trust that freezing the bears didn't work?

Daphne

Don't know, now I do not even want to take chances. Now I am going to freeze them for 7 days, brush and then throw in mothballs for 7 days! Or maybe, a freezer with mothballs in it. Seriously, I do not know if it did or not. Tried it and guess it did. Just have allot of bears and not a freezer big enough to hold them all. Once the 20 or so bears have been cleaned, all new bears will be thrown in the freezer.

matilda Oct 1, 2005

Keep us upto date! Am very interested in the out come. :pray: Matilda

Eileen Oct 1, 2005

I can't absolutely swear to this, but  . . .

I've discovered that Febreeze kills all kinds of little buggies. I used it my plants to zap whitefly, and on a really pesky housefly that camped out on my monitor. It might work to Febreeze the bears, then leave them in plastic for a while, then do the brush test.

Eileen