Gross story... Check your carts before you power up!

[dharmajones93]

It's fall in Midwest USA and that means... Lots of bugs trying to get into my place to stay warm. Seriously these invasive stink bugs. I suck up like, no joke, 30 of them every day with the vacuume. Did I mention they stink? When alarmed they release this putrid stink that is somewhere between piss and formaldehyde.

Anyway, I picked up a few new games today at a new store in town. As usual I test them all out at home to make sure everything is in working order. A few snes games don't work, which lead me to my other post in the Hardware/tech sub. So I pull out a few other carts from the shelf to test.

When things aren't going well I pull the snes off the shelf and start inspecting it for issues. I open the cartridge flap to discover a familiar putrid odor... It's stink bug. I don't see the bug, and immediately assume they've snuck in and, becoming alarmed by jamming carts in and pissed all over in my system

Just to be sure, I start looking in my carts just to make sure there ren't any stow aways, and low and behold, a smashed stink bug in my super Mario world. I could smell it before I saw it.

Moral of the story, always look inside your cart before you plug it in. Multiple scrubings with alcohol hasn't gotten rid of the smell...

[oldgamerz]

it happens, I would try to clean the cartridge pin connector and the cartridge as well. I am not sure if a stink bug can permanently damage a console 

never use water only 97% Isporary Alcohol/rubbing alcohol is what I use on my consoles and cartridges with some cotton swabs or Q-tips, not the balls but the those sticks with 2 cotton ends on either side

[bikingjahuty]

I know a local collector that bought a PS2 from the flea market, brought it home and put it in his game room. Fast forward a few days later and he started getting really bad rashes on his legs and arms mostly. Goes to the doctor and doctor tell him they are bug bites, probably from bed bugs. He goes home, lifts up his mattress and there are bed bugs on the underside. He then proceeds to get rid of mattress and a bunch of other furniture since the bugs are all over his apartment. While cleaning up he goes up to the PS2 he bought and sees several of the bed bugs near it. Decides to plug it in for the first time and pops the drive open and there are more inside. Ends up finding out they originated from the PS2. He ended up throwing away the PS2.

[oldgamerz]

I know a local collector that bought a PS2 from the flea market, brought it home and put it in his game room. Fast forward a few days later and he started getting really bad rashes on his legs and arms mostly. Goes to the doctor and doctor tell him they are bug bites, probably from bed bugs. He goes home, lifts up his mattress and there are bed bugs on the underside. He then proceeds to get rid of mattress and a bunch of other furniture since the bugs are all over his apartment. While cleaning up he goes up to the PS2 he bought and sees several of the bed bugs near it. Decides to plug it in for the first time and pops the drive open and there are more inside. Ends up finding out they originated from the PS2. He ended up throwing away the PS2.

Bed bugs are a major pain, I had them in my apartment once, also if you have bed bugs I know that  97% Isporary Alcohol/rubbing alcohol is said to stop them from spreading, I soaked my mattress in rubbing alcohol and managed to kill all the bed bugs after being infested I threw out my favorite chair, and went commando on the rubbing alcohol in my apartment and managed to save the bed and all the rest of my furniture,

 but I also had an exterminator come out at least 2 times, but after going commando on the bed bug spray combined with the 97% Isporary Alcohol/rubbing alcohol and after making my apartment clean I got rid of all of them and best of all saved my mini couch and my queen sized bed

Yes if you are on a budget and have bed bugs you also also use rubbing alcohol as well to get rid of bed bugs, in which I am not sure if it works getting rid of stink bugs though

[Flashback2012]

I know a local collector that bought a PS2 from the flea market, brought it home and put it in his game room. Fast forward a few days later and he started getting really bad rashes on his legs and arms mostly. Goes to the doctor and doctor tell him they are bug bites, probably from bed bugs. He goes home, lifts up his mattress and there are bed bugs on the underside. He then proceeds to get rid of mattress and a bunch of other furniture since the bugs are all over his apartment. While cleaning up he goes up to the PS2 he bought and sees several of the bed bugs near it. Decides to plug it in for the first time and pops the drive open and there are more inside. Ends up finding out they originated from the PS2. He ended up throwing away the PS2.

[kashell]

I (thankfully) haven't had a gross story like that happen to me, but those goddamn stink bugs are the WORST. Vacuuming them is one way to get rid of them. I always flush them down the toilet after smashing them in case a vacuum isn't close by.

[98dgreen]

It's fall in Midwest USA and that means... Lots of bugs trying to get into my place to stay warm. Seriously these invasive stink bugs. I suck up like, no joke, 30 of them every day with the vacuume. Did I mention they stink? When alarmed they release this putrid stink that is somewhere between piss and formaldehyde.

Anyway, I picked up a few new games today at a new store in town. As usual I test them all out at home to make sure everything is in working order. A few snes games don't work, which lead me to my other post in the Hardware/tech sub. So I pull out a few other carts from the shelf to test.

When things aren't going well I pull the snes off the shelf and start inspecting it for issues. I open the cartridge flap to discover a familiar putrid odor... It's stink bug. I don't see the bug, and immediately assume they've snuck in and, becoming alarmed by jamming carts in and pissed all over in my system

Just to be sure, I start looking in my carts just to make sure there ren't any stow aways, and low and behold, a smashed stink bug in my super Mario world. I could smell it before I saw it.

Moral of the story, always look inside your cart before you plug it in. Multiple scrubings with alcohol hasn't gotten rid of the smell...

Yeah on the East Coast Stink Bugs are the worst they have been in years.

[dharmajones93]

Yeah they are definitely getting significantly worse every year.

But Bed Bugs.. I'd just move out and leave everything but the games. I'm an apartment dweller and lucky enough to never have dealt with them. I'd take stink bugs any day.

[98dgreen]

Yeah they are definitely getting significantly worse every year.

But Bed Bugs.. I'd just move out and leave everything but the games. I'm an apartment dweller and lucky enough to never have dealt with them. I'd take stink bugs any day.

Actually I have not seen many around here for like 4 or 5 years until this season.

[aliensstudios]

I live in Colorado, so insects typically aren't an issue but I did find that one time when I went out of town, I left the cartridge door open on my NES. When I returned ~10 days later, their was a cobweb in it with a nasty spider inside. Luckily I took the NES outside and shook it and he jumped out and ran away but it didn't sit well with me for a while that something I use often would be inhabited by a spider after a few days of non-use.

[marvelvscapcom2]

I have had a few horror stories involving nasty consoles. Luckily no bugs yet.  But I have gotten consoles that I had to throw out. That were literally slimy from all the cigarette smoke.  If you didnt know.  Black consoles can turn brown.  I would have never know it.  Flat out brown from chronic smoking.  The inside when powered on smelt somewhere in between open anal cavity and bubonic plague.   Open it up to find grime, gunk, a clump of dog hair and tons of dust.   It made me puke.   And I will never forget it.

When I order stuff on ebay I sometimes ask if its a smoke free home.  I dont judge people for their habits.  I know its d.  But the smell is so awful. 


How big is a stink bug btw? Lol.   

[98dgreen]

I have had a few horror stories involving nasty consoles. Luckily no bugs yet.  But I have gotten consoles that I had to throw out. That were literally slimy from all the cigarette smoke.  If you didnt know.  Black consoles can turn brown.  I would have never know it.  Flat out brown from chronic smoking.  The inside when powered on smelt somewhere in between open anal cavity and bubonic plague.   Open it up to find grime, gunk, a clump of dog hair and tons of dust.   It made me puke.   And I will never forget it.

When I order stuff on ebay I sometimes ask if its a smoke free home.  I dont judge people for their habits.  I know its d.  But the smell is so awful. 


How big is a stink bug btw? Lol.

Stink bugs are about thumb nail size.

[masamune]

Ewww, some of these stories are making me itch all over.

 

[oldgamerz]

ABOUT BED BUGS, DON'T READ IF YOUR SQUEAMISH THEN YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW THIS

SORRY BUT SOME OF US NEED TO READ THIS AS COLLECTORS ESPECIALLY

HOW PEOPLE CAN GET BED BUGS, THEY EVEN SPREAD IN CLEAN ENVIRONMENTS AND ARE WORSE THAN ROACHES AND MICE COMBINED

For the record bed bugs are much worse and can hide and even cling to your clothing just from sitting down in a chair. at a doctor or dentists office. or getting thrown out furniture or electronics, or a city bus or car. especially rundown hotels and motels have them.

This is a photo of a bed bug after it's bitten someone, it's rear turns red when it is full of your blood and looks like a stink bug before biting you


What bed bugs do is once you relaxed of sleeping on a couch chair or bed is they can naturally sense when you are sleeping or relaxed, once relaxed they begin their move and suck your blood. and then take a shit on your mattress. or soft furniture. Then  lay their eggs to hatch more of them.

they don't just bite in one place on your body, no just one of these bugs create at least 3 itchy bites that can also increase anxiety levels in your brain. If you want to do more research you can, but I am not exaggerating I'd never want to deal with bed bugs ever again.

worst of all bed bugs can even spread in clean environments, and hide and are harder to get rid of, if you have a lot of things in your home, collectors

But I think the bed bug population is down now but was higher 5 years ago like on the Eastern United States and the mid west


FROM GOOGLE COPIED AND PASTED POPULATION OF BED BUGS IN 2011-2013

The survey reveals that nearly every pest management professional (99.6 percent) — from coast to coast — has encountered a bed bug infestation over the past twelve months, compared to the 99 percent who reported bed bug encounters in 2011 and 95 percent from 2010.Feb 18, 2013

From Google how long one of these bed bug bastards can live?
Although bed bugs can live for over a year without feeding, they typically seek blood every five to ten days.

HOW I GOT RID OF BED BUGS IN MY OLD APARTMENT

97% Isporary Alcohol/rubbing alcohol combined with spraying. Bed bug spray in every corner and carpet cracks and every single room is the only way to kill bed bugs, permanently ,  and keep them from hatching more. You know you got bed bugs in, and or on your mattress when you see little black dots usually on the bottom. of the mattress or inside you can't remove the black spots.

the black spots is their poop, and there is no way, to wash that off your mattress or furniture even if you do manage to save that bed or chair or whatever.

STINK BUG COMPARISON


this story make me even more leaning toward getting all my consoles repaired when they break or malfunction before even considering buying another one of the same console.