Are Flea Bombs Safe For Pets?

Are you one of the millions of New Jersey homes that has pets? If so, you already know how pesky fleas are during your spring and summer months. They come in a few at a time, and soon you’re overrun and being eaten alive before you know it. When fleas are present, your animals scratch constantly, and it drives you and them mad.

It’s very stressful dealing with fleas, and many people use over-the-counter methods and flea bombs to combat the problem. If you’ve considered using flea bombs, you might want to look at their safety and effectiveness. Can these insecticides hurt you or your pets?

Understanding Flea Bombs

When fleas move in, you’re eager to kick them out. The good news is that you can combat them in many ways, but you want to choose the safest route possible. Not only will fleas bug the animals in your home, but they will also directly attack you.

Some people are more susceptible to fleas than others, but they will use any host to get a meal. Flea bombs are also referred to as foggers. They come in a canister device that you release into the air. Inside is an insecticide that sprays into your home, killing anything in its path—including any live fleas and their eggs, larvae, and even the pupae. This is important because many products only kill live fleas and don’t do anything to the eggs. However, if you don’t take care of the eggs, you’re just prolonging the battle for another day.

The good news is that flea bombs are successful at eradicating the problem in many cases. Many flea bombs will kill anything crawling, so if you see dead ants, roaches, spiders, or ticks, then the insecticide was doing its job.

When there’s a significant flea infestation, these fela bombs might just put a small dent in it. If you’re throwing many different chemicals and treatments at these pets, you can make them immune, which creates what is known as the super flea.

The Dangers of Foggers

The insecticides in flea bombs are quite harsh, and they must be to kill the fleas. Flea bomb canisters have a warning that you should remove all people and animals from the house before using them. These chemicals can be toxic if inhaled, and you certainly don’t want to destroy your lungs.

It would help if you stayed away for a few hours to allow the flea bomb’s fog to dissipate, which should be covered in your product’s instructions. Things in these canisters include the following:

• Permethrin
• Tetramethrin
• Nylar
• Methoprene
• Cypermethrin

If you look up these chemicals, you will find that they’re all toxic to anything living. So, while flea bombs can be used on carpets or in your home, they can also be hazardous to your health if you breathe in any of these poisonous fumes.

Our Kapture Pest Control experts are well-versed in handling flea issues so you don’t need foggers to send those fleas packing. A technician will evaluate the situation and see the best course of treatment.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Fogger Treatments

If you decide to use flea bombs despite the risks, you must prepare the area. You want to cover any foods as the poisons from these bombs can leach into your groceries.

Prepare

Make sure to run the vacuums and get any corners cleaned out before using flea bombs. It’s always best to use a vacuum cleaner with a canister you can empty, which you should do outside. Moving the carpet fibers all around helps to loosen any lodged eggs, which makes the fogger more beneficial.

Getting as many of these critters up before the flea bombs go off is advisable. You want to wrap up any clothes or toiletries, so the chemicals can’t get on them—specifically your toothbrush. Other things that these flea bombs can impact are plants and some older and more delicate furniture. Seal off any electrical outlets, as you don’t want any mists or moisture getting into those.

There will be a brief period of exposure to the chemicals when you set the bombs off. So, it would help if you had a mask on to prohibit yourself from inhaling any of the toxins.

Set Off the Bomb

Now it’s time to set off the flea bombs. You want to prepare to go somewhere for a few hours, and you should take your animals with you. You can also leave them outside while doing this process if they don’t travel well.

Find a central location to place the flea bombs—FYI, you might need two or three depending on the square footage of the area you wish to treat. Check the specifications on the canister as each brand is different, but you need to plan on letting the chemicals sit for around eight hours before reentering.

As soon as you return, open your windows and get some fresh air flowing through your home to kill any lingering toxins from the flea bombs. These applications can usually be repeated every 2-3 months, just check the specifications for more information.

Why Are Fleas So Troublesome?

Before you treat a flea issue with flea bombs or other treatment options, it’s best to have some understanding of fleas. First, many people think that fleas have wings, but they do not fly. Fleas hop rather than take flight, and they feed on blood.

The only source of nutrition they receive is from finding a host, and they’re not too picky about that host either. They will take man or beast when they’re hungry. Did you know that there are currently more than 2,000 types of fleas that scientists have identified?

1. Sand Fleas

If you live in the eastern part of the state near the coastline, you will probably notice some sand fleas. These tiny bloodsuckers borrow in the sand and can multiply very quickly. They can get up to an inch in length, but most remain about half that size.

While they prefer to burrow in the sand, they feed on beachgoers. They’re more active in the mornings when the weather is cooler, as they tend to go underground in the wet, cold sand when the temperatures rise. If you have a pool around your home or sandpits, they can certainly leave the coastal areas and hang out at your house.

2. Cat Fleas

The cat flea is the most common flea we deal with in New Jersey and the ones most often treated with flea bombs. They’re in abundance, and they don’t just like cats either. Though they originate in Africa, they made their way to America decades ago.

They prefer a cat, hence the name, but they don’t mind a dog either. The problem with this flea is that they will transmit tapeworms to any animal they bite, so the more bites your dog or cat receives, the more likely they are to develop tapeworms.

3. Rat Fleas

The very mention of a rat sends shivers down most people’s spines and has them running to the store for flea bombs. Rat fleas primarily look for rats as their host, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have a few wander in your home with or without vermin present. The real issue with these fleas is that they carry serious diseases.

Do you remember the bubonic plague that wiped out a large portion of Europe? It was caused by rat fleas that would come into the homes and bite humans. So, rat fleas prefer vermin, but they will take your blood in a pinch. If that flea has been infected with any disease from the blood of a rat, they will transfer it to your blood.

4. Hen Fleas

If you live in one of the state’s rural areas, you might need to use flea bombs to deal with hen fleas. If you have chickens or turkeys, these fleas can become a problem. They received the nickname stick tight fleas because they will attach with a death grip and don’t like to let go.

You can easily see these fleas in the eyes, comb, or even the bird’s wattle. They’re not much of a threat to humans, but they can destroy your animals if they suck too much blood and cause them to become anemic.

5. Chigoes Fleas

You will also want to use flea bombs if you find chigoe fleas in your home or on your pets. These pesky bloodsuckers love to burrow into your skin. They will cause ulcers to form that come with swelling and redness.

They’re often called chiggers by some folks, but they’re still a member of the flea family. They tend to be active all summer and late into the fall, so being around water or large fields only increases the chances of an encounter. Flea bombs can help to get rid of these tiny critters.

6. Dog Fleas

Dog fleas are sometimes called adult fleas. They’re a pest that likes to burrow into an animals’ fur. Though it’s a challenge for them to live in the skin, they will explore each strand of your pet’s hair.

They will attach to any animal, just as long as there’s fur to explore. However, they’re not too dangerous to humans as they want the protection of the fur.

Are Flea Bombs the Formula for Flea Relief?

Flea infestations can be horrific to manage, especially since they multiply so quickly. You can have fleas get into your house even if you don’t have an animal, which sounds crazy but it’s true.

Since this insect is so small, it can slip in on your shoes and pant legs, and they can also just hop in if you leave the door open. However, the nightmare all starts in your yard. Flea bombs won’t be successful unless you treat the entire problem.

Treat Your Yard

When you treat fleas with flea bombs, you must still go to the source. Since fleas come from the outside, you need to treat the area where they dwell. Remember, they like hairs on a dog or cat, so the grass blades also provide some shelter for them, though there’s no host. Keep in mind fleas can live several days without a host, but they can’t multiply without one.

If you have animals, you need to treat the area where they use the restroom and play. This is often a hot spot of activity, and the fleas will be more active here. If you don’t have animals or live in a rural area, you want to treat the areas where you congregate.