Flea Infestations: Signs, Behavior, and Eradication

Signs of a Flea Infestation

• Bites on Your Legs

Those who don’t deal with fleas promptly could end up with an infestation. How do you know if you have an infestation in your home? Well, it’s hard to deny when things get to this level. One of the first signs that you have a significant problem is there’s bites on you.

Flea bites look like tiny red spots and appear primarily on your legs and ankles. Unlike bedbugs, that will bite you anywhere, fleas don’t usually get beyond the legs. The bites can be intensely itchy as the fleas inject their saliva into the skin when they feed, so if you have an allergic reaction, you’ll itch like mad.

• You’ll See Them Hoping About

Even though the flea is tiny, you can still see them on lightly colored objects. They can jump on you, the couch, your pets, and any surface where they are looking for a meal. Remember, fleas aren’t picky about their host, and they will feed on you or Fido. An engorged flea is easier to see than one that hasn’t fed, as they get significantly larger.

One of the best ways to test for fleas is to put a sticky trap down that’s typically used for mice, or you can put down some water in a bowl. If the fleas are active and jumping around, they will land in the water, drown, or on the sticky trap and won’t be able to get off. If you have any questions about whether or not you have a flea infestation, this is a sure way to know.

Behaviors Exhibited by Animals infested with Fleas

It’s easy to tell when your dog, cat, ferret, or other pet is bothered by fleas. First, the digging is intense. Some animals are more bothered by flea bites than others. Oddly, fleas tend to bother some pets more than they will other ones. If the animal is digging and can’t rest, it’s a pretty good sign that fleas are torturing them.

Additionally, it’s important to note that fleas aren’t the only thing that can make pets itch like crazy, as allergies will do the same thing. You need to do some detective work and see if your pet has bite marks, flea dirt, and any live bugs on their body. Don’t always assume it’s fleas, as other issues can occur.

When a pet becomes infested, tearing out their fur to get the flea is commonplace. The real danger is that when they accidentally eat one of these fleas in this process, the flea can give them tapeworms. Tapeworms are another major issue, as they can cause an animal to lose nutrition. So, if you see a pet tearing out their fur and digging incessantly, you must get prompt medical attention and treat the home.

Fleas can make your pet very sick, and if the infestation is bad enough that the fleas are making the pet anemic, they can die from this condition. So, staying on top of your pets inside and outside is essential to ensure their safety during flea season.

Ways to Eradicate a Flea Infestation Problem

Once you’ve identified you have fleas in your home, you have a few options on how you can treat them. First and foremost, your vacuum cleaner will be your best friend. It’s essential to use it to get as many fleas and eggs as possible out of your carpets. People always tell us they have hardwood floors, which isn’t a problem.

Ironically, fleas can burrow in the cracks and crevasses of that floor, so you want to ensure that you use the vacuum on these areas, too. It would help if you did this a couple of times each day while fighting flea issues.

• Floor Treatments

There are many floor treatments you can use that help to kill any fleas and eggs. Some folks use homemade remedies like salt, diatomaceous earth, and borax. However, what you should use depends on whether or not you have children or sensitive pets. Diatomaceous earth comes in food grade and is safe for pets and children, so it’s a good way to treat carpeting.

• Flea Bombs for Infestations

Flea bombs are another popular choice for people to help with an infestation. The only downside is that you must leave the home with the pets for several hours. It might not be possible for some folks, as they have nowhere to go. They’re also highly toxic, and you must set it off and leave, so there are some dangers with the chemicals.

• Chemical Sprays and Traps

Any local hardware or big box store has sprays to kill fleas. These sprays go along the baseboards of the home and are toxic to the fleas. Another option is a flea trap with a light that attracts the fleas, and when they jump toward the light, the sticky trap captures them. Both can be effective, but what will work best depends on the size of your infestation.

Calling in Professional Reinforcements

If you’re dealing with a flea infestation, it’s a war. It would help if you had a professional with things to fight off these pests you won’t have access to. Additionally, you need the advice of someone who deals with these critters daily and can give you their wealth of knowledge to help you restore peace and calm to your home.

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