Fleas usually arrive on a cat or a dog, but most of a flea problem lives in the carpet, the pet bedding and the yard as eggs and young fleas. That is why treating the pet alone often does not fix it, and why an empty house can come alive when someone moves in.
What to look for
Signs you have them
- Pets scratching, licking or biting at their coat more than usual.
- Small, dark, fast insects moving through your pet's fur, especially around the neck and the base of the tail.
- Black specks in the fur or on pet bedding that turn reddish brown on a damp tissue.
- Small, red, itchy bites on your ankles and lower legs, often in groups.
- Tiny insects jumping onto your socks or legs when you walk across the carpet.
- A sudden outbreak after coming home from holidays or moving into a house that has been empty.
Usual hiding spots
Where they hide
- Pet bedding and the places your pets like to sleep.
- Carpets, rugs and the gaps between floorboards.
- Under and behind furniture, where it is dark and undisturbed.
- Shaded, sandy or dusty soil in the yard and under the house, where pets rest.
- On visiting animals. Possums, rats and stray cats can bring fleas into a yard or roof.
The honest version
Why it matters
Flea bites are itchy and some people and pets are allergic to them, which makes the reaction much worse.
Pets can pick up tapeworm by swallowing fleas while grooming.
Only a small part of the population is adult fleas on the animal. The eggs, larvae and pupae are spread through the home, so the problem keeps coming back until those are dealt with too.
Flea pupae can sit dormant and hatch when they sense movement and warmth, which is why empty homes can suddenly have a flea problem.
Before we get there
What to do, and what not to
Do this now
- Talk to your vet about flea control for every pet in the house.
- Wash pet bedding in hot water and dry it in the sun.
- Vacuum carpets, rugs, floor edges and under furniture thoroughly, then empty the vacuum into the outside bin.
- Mow the lawn and rake up leaf litter where pets rest.
- Note which rooms and which parts of the yard are worst.
Do not do this
- Do not use a flea product on an animal it was not made for. Ask your vet.
- Do not treat the pet and ignore the house, or the other way around. Both need doing.
- Do not assume a home is flea free because it has been empty.
- Do not skip the vacuuming. It matters more than people think.
Our part
How we deal with it
Every home is different, so the detail comes with the quote. This is how a job like yours usually runs.
Inspect
We find where the fleas are concentrated, inside and out, and where your pets spend their time.
Treat
We treat the floors, pet areas and yard where fleas are living and developing. We explain what the treatment involves at the quote.
Coordinate
We tell you what to do with pets and bedding so the house and the animals are dealt with together.
Advise
We tell you what to expect afterwards and what to keep doing so the cycle is broken.
Asked a lot
Fleas: common questions
Something else on your mind? Put it in the quote form and we will answer it when we reply.
I do not have pets. How do I have fleas?
Fleas can be left behind by a previous owner's pets and lie dormant, or arrive on possums, rats or neighbourhood cats that visit the yard, roof or subfloor.
Why did fleas appear after we got back from holidays?
Flea pupae can wait in the carpet until they sense movement and warmth. When you walk back in, they hatch together and look for the first warm body, which is you.
My pet is treated. Why do I still have fleas?
Because most of the problem is not on the pet. Eggs and young fleas in carpets, bedding and the yard keep maturing until the home is dealt with as well.
What do I need to do before a flea treatment?
We explain the preparation at the quote. It usually involves the things in the list above: vacuuming, washing pet bedding and making sure your pets are covered by your vet.
The rest of the line-up
Other pests
Got fleas?
Better call Saulo. Send the details and a photo of what you are seeing and we will come back with a quote.