General Chat

I have a few bites on my ankles (didn't know what caused them) and I have just found a flea walking on my daughters face, We don't have any pets so I don't know where it / they have come from How can I get rid of them. Thanks Vikkix

go to local vets or pet store and get a household flea spray. you must hoover house and spray everywhere and that should get rid, Karen

Have you visited people with animals or has your daughter? Children tend to play with stray cats so maybe that is it. Ann Glos

Hi Vikki Have you been to someone's house who has pets? They could have easily have come from there on clothing ect There are products you can buy for treatment of furniature and carpets, spray and powders. Treat asap as people are putting the heating on they can breed in carpets ect

Ewwww.. thats nasty...We had a bad case of them when we moved here about 2 years ago...We have no pets but the previous owners did.. I was covered in bites ( just me that is no one else )... Drove me insane..We ended up getting the place sprayed twice B4 they went away. That was inside and outside as they bury themselves in the sand.. Good luck.. Janet xx

Found this:- Flea Control in the Indoor Environment Indoor flea control involves mechanically removing all stages of the fleas, killing any remaining adults, and preventing immature forms from developing. 1. Start by vacuuming thoroughly, especially below drapes, under furniture edges, and where your pet sleeps. It is estimated that vacuuming can remove up to 50% of flea eggs. Vacuum daily in high traffic areas, weekly in others. Each time, seal your vacuum bag in a plastic bag and discard it immediately. Do NOT place mothballs or flea collars in the vacuum, since toxic fumes could result. 2. Use a product that will kill any remaining adult fleas and also stop the development of eggs and larvae. You will need a product that contains both an adulticide and an insect growth regulator (IGR), such as Nylar (pyriproxyfen) or methoprene. This can be in the form of carpet powders, foggers, or sprays. Foggers are especially good for large open areas. Surface sprays can reach areas such as baseboards, moldings, cracks, and under furniture where foggers cannot reach. Choose the product(s) you use with care, taking into account the presence of children, fish, birds, persons with asthma, etc. Your veterinarian can help you choose the appropriate products for your situation. 3. Wash your pet's bedding weekly and treat the bed and surrounding area with a product that contains both an adulticide and an insect growth regulator, such as Adams Carpet Spray. 4. Do not forget to also clean and treat your automobile, pet carrier, garage, basement, or any other place your pet spends much time. Anyone been to a farm / petting zoo or visited friends with pet? as pigs in particualar can has human fleas which you could pick up or pets can give you fleas if you've been in contact with any.

Thanks for the speedy replys. No we haven't been to anyones house who has pets for weeks. It makes me itch just thinking about it *shudder*

If you phone your council, you can get them to come spray your house. Depending on where you live, it will cost different. In West Norfolk, it's free, unless you want it done more than once ina two year period, otherwise it's £10. (This was about 10 years ago, mind)

Have you just got a new carpet? Daughter had that problem when she moved to her new house & recarpeted thruoghout.

Thanks Paul - just checked their web site and its £40 (not to bad). Same old carpets - just makes me more determined to get laminate now

I hate to say this , But does your daughter goto nursery/school/playschool? Bob

Be very carefull if you have fish indoors as some sprays can kill them. Jill xx :)

Hi Vikki I read somewhere that flea eggs can lay dormant for quite a while before they hatch so if previous owners had pets you could have a spot of bother. But they are easy to get rid of. you need to buy a flea bomb or 2 Plan a day out with your family and set them off inside your house with all the windows shut Remember to remove fish and other pets first and get someone else to do it for you if you are pregnant. After your day out come home,cover your nose and mouth shoot in and open all doors and windows,these bombs kill all the fleas larvae and eggs. After you do this throw your sheets and clothes in a hot wash, air your mattresses and blankets and vaccum your carpet and soft furnishings Regards tania

best thing u can do is rip carpets up and have laminate flooring

I believe without their natural hosts (cats and dogs) they will die out. They bite humans (in error) but cannot reproduce on our blood. They jump in response to vibration which is why vacumns suck them up so well! Bob

Vicki they can be picked up anywhere bus, schools, offices in fact my husbands' office had to be fumigated because of them Norah

Thanks everyone for your advice. Bob - no my daughter doesn't go to nursery (she's only 2 so stays at home with me) We have emailed environmental health (local council) and we are waiting to hear, it will cost £40 but at least I know they will do a thorough job Hubby liked the idea of the flea bomb, but I think he hoped it would be more bomb like ! - Think he wants to blow up the house lol Vikkix

The bombs are very effective, my Daughter had a problem when she bought her flat (with laminate flooring!). I read somewhere that cat fleas bite below the waist and dog fleas above the waist. Good Luck, I know how my Daughter was continually looking inside her clothes when she had the problem. You keep thinking that you can feel something moving don't you?

I seem to be particularly attractive to cat fleas - if there is one within a mile, it finds me! Moved into a flat which had had cats and was almost bitten to death. Environmental Health told me to use the spray particularly round the edges of the carpet(you know, the bit you can't hoover) as that is where they live - for anything up to five years! You can also, if you are as paranoid as I was, go round the edges of the room with sticky tape, dabbing and pulling. Animal fleas don't live and breed on humans, just come out for a quick bite and then clear off. Females and young children are more attractive to animal fleas than men - something to do with having a slightly sweet smell!!?? One day a week I work in a village hall which has no carpet, but parquet flooring. I always come home with my ankles ringed in bites. You could, I suppose, borrow someone's cat, leave it alone in the room and let the fleas jump on it...no, perhaps not. OC