Any pet owner will tell you that fleas are not only a major pest, but they can be nearly impossible to get rid of on your own. Not only that, but they can become a health hazard for both you and your family, whether they’re on two legs or four! Understanding these pests and where they like to live is the first step to preventing fleas in your home.
How to Tell If You Have Fleas in Your Home
Fleas are tiny, reddish-brown insects that hitch a ride on animals and humans alike, sucking their blood and causing irritation or serious illness. While they cannot fly, these little bugs can jump nearly eight inches to get onto a host from the ground or to jump from one host to another.
A flea’s life cycle may only be about 100 days, but it can produce up to 2,000 offspring during that time. Fleas typically like to stay on animals so they can continue to feed and breed, but they may also find their way into other areas of your home. The most common area for fleas when in your home is in your carpet, rugs, and even your furniture’s seams!
Some obvious signs that fleas are attacking your pet are when they’re itching more than normal or showing signs of skin irritation. You may also notice some bites on your own feet and legs as little red welts with a halo around them.
You can also see their feces as little black specks on your pet’s skin and bed, as well as in your own bedding and along the edges of carpeting. Additionally, their larvae can accumulate along the edges of carpeting or in cracks in your flooring.
How do fleas get into homes?
While fleas will usually feed on cats, dogs, and rodents, they can use any mammal as a host, even humans! However, you don’t even need to have a pet to get fleas into your home. They can still find their way in on the backs of mice and other rodents.
If you suspect you have mice getting into your home, an exterminator is your best bet to remove those pets and keep them from bringing in fleas. Frequent vacuuming will also help to reduce fleas in your carpeting, and changing your bedding regularly will keep these pests from bugging you in your sleep.
If you do have pets that go outdoors, regular flea prevention and bathing will help keep them from contracting fleas and bringing them inside. Talk with your vet about the best ways to keep your furry friends safe from fleas.
Should I be worried about flea infestations?
Fleas are obnoxious little pests that can cause severe skin irritation for you and your pets, as well as severe illness. Flea bites can cause allergic dermatitis in household pets, and their debris has been shown to cause the same in humans. Additionally, they can carry several bacterial diseases that put you and your family’s health at risk, including typhus, plague, and cat-scratch disease.
How can Seitz Bros. get rid of fleas in my home?
One of the most frustrating things about fleas is how difficult they are to get rid of once they’ve made themselves at home. Because of how pervasively they breed, do it yourself solutions only ever scratch the surface of a flea infestation.
Contact Seitz Brothers for help identifying and exterminating a flea infestation in your home! Our professional team will work with you to eradicate the fleas at their source and continue to prevent fleas from getting into your Scranton, PA home in the future. Please fill out the contact form on this page or give us a call to get started!
