Fleas

Does anyone have suggestions of getting rid of these blood suckers in the house ?We have dogs indoors and just moved into this old house 3 months ago and to be truthful I think the fleas were already present .They seem to come out at night and work us over in bed. They seem to find mamma especially sweet and tender.
There are a few on the dogs ,but not to the degree that they would leave them for us...We've just discovered some mice in the walls and they might just be the host.I've read some online stuff and just checking for first hand experience.I've sprayed the dogs and dipped them and considering the environment in which we live doing anything outside will not be feasable.
They're on two levels and upstairs the dogs aren't even allowed to go and there they are ,so any advice gang...?

 

Flea relief

skyking...one old time remedy is to get a serving bowl (white works best) and fill it with water...then take a small lamp, like a goose-neck lamp,and place it with the bulb centered over the bowl...the fleas will jump toward the light,land in the water,and drown...this works best if the room is dark and the lamp is the only light source...other than that,you might want to buy "store bought" remedies...

 

Diatomaceous earth (my favorite stuff in the world)
But the sweet momma ain't going to like you spreading the stuff in the inside of the house. great around the foundation outside though.

Problem is that you will have many more flea eggs and larvae than you will adult fleas. Getting rid of them might be a multi month issue.

I have been known to powder the animals (dogs,cats and chickens) with DE
sprinkle it on their bedding. I might have also sprinkled some on to the couch,chairs, the beds and the carpet but I won't admit that to my missus' cause I'll wind up having to clean all the time.

mature fleas will die with in a couple of weeks without a body to feed on. The eggs last much longer. Vacuum Vacuum Vacuum.

sorry, that's all the advice i've got except this. Don't vacuum the cat unless you are wearing full leathers.

 

we just tried the candle and they didn't respond yet,must be over at the camp fire.Well the carpet is out,tile and bricks and the area of the world we live in doesn't have a ready supply of DE so we're back to dish soap and Pine Sol and a Malathion type product although I really hate to use it in the house.Thanks for the replies

 

Another possible solution.

My sister had a problem with fleas and regular dips didn't work, so her vet suggested using a dip that is usually only for livestock (diluted) -- I don't know the name but you can probably research it online. It also works for mange and anything else (most vets only know how to treat city dogs, and hers runs around her acreage and picks up who knows what).
Also, as soon as she dips the dog, she cleans the whole house -- you may have to break down and use some bug bombs to eliminate the entrenched critters.
I hope this helps.

 

borax or boric acid, both will work to control not only fleas but also roaches
work borax into carpets, spray boric acid along all cracks
anti-freeze for your vehicle left in small open containers the mice can drink from will take care of that part of the problem

 

At one time it was so bad at my rental house I was ready to burn it to the ground. I brought in the professional exterminators after trying most everything mentioned here. They were really really bad. walk thru with shorts on and you had no less than 50 or 60 on your legs biting you as you cleared the premises. It was terrible. The pros had to do both of my vehicles as well. Even with the pros they had to do it 3 times. They only charged me the one fee, and its been quite awhile ago, I don't remeber the cost. I considered it worth every penny at the time. jmho

 

If its real bad and their in the furniture and clothes etc. you may just have to call someone to bomb the house and sit in a hotel for a bit.

It's the eggs that are the real problem

 

total isolation will eventually kill them all off
but who can afford to vacate their house for over a year...lol

 

Fogger Bomb the House Twice in a Row.

 

Destroy the fleas but not the house as well!

Just make sure that there are no sources of ignition, such as a refrigerator, or freeezer motor or any electrical device that if switched on may cause a spark.

Aerosol type fogger bombs can work like a fuel air explosive, destroying your flea infestation in a flash, but also destroying your house in the process.

Read and follow the instructions carefully.

As was suggested, more than one treatment will be required, the fogger bomb will only kill the living fleas, you will still need to kill off the following generations as they emerge from their eggs, and do so before they can become adults to continue the reproductive cycle again.

Best results will probably be achieved by using a combination of strategies.

 

Verify that the blood suckers in question are actually fleas... bed bugs have made a resurgence lately and treating them is a different kettle of fish... check the seams of your mattress for blood spots or critters if they are there it's bed bugs if not disregard this post...

 

Good advice W Dr

getting rid of bed bugs is probably even more challenging than exterminating fleas.....then again....crabs may be an alternative hypothesis : O In sandy coastal areas, sandflies can be a problem...they have a nasty bite, and cause itchy sores.

 

No doubt they're fleas and looks like a all out frontal attack this week will ensue "To the victor goes the spoils"

 

I'd rather fight the crabs,I had those once and dealt with them and lice.

 

I have used Head and Shoulder's shampoo on my dog's...
The flea's ''boil'' off the dog's trying to get away...
Inside the house i use Bengal flea spray...and then i go to town for a couple of hour's while it does it's thing....

 

Not real nice but I have resorted to sprinkling 10% Sevin onto the carpets after heavily spraying every thing above. I just let it set for a few day and then vacumed well. Repeat for three times about five days apart and you will get them. Keeping the dogs/cats flea free is the key to keeping fleas out of your home. About every other week I take a small handful of 10% and rub them well (larger get more). This goes on all summer but it works. You have to get "ahead" of the critters so their eggs do not start hatching.

 

Ultimate Solution

Build a bunker complete with cogeneration and water treatment facilities. Fence in the yard with razor wire, build a ceder dog house and keep the dogs out side.

Use the infested house as a front or bunk house for the uninvited / unprepared.