Some questions about flea infestation

We have a flea problem in our house. Can you help us by answering the
following questions so we can combat the problem?:

1. Are there human fleas versus cat/dog fleas, someone told me that cat/dog
fleas cannot reproduce by biting humans--they need cat/dog blood. Is this
true? If so, how can we tell whether we have human or cat/dog fleas? Since
we have no pets, I am hoping we have cat/dog fleas and that they will die
out on their own.

2. Is Borax toxic to humans?

3. Once a flea comes in contact with Borax, how long does it take to die?

Thanks in advance.

"Suki" wrote in message
...
We have a flea problem in our house. Can you help us by answering the
following questions so we can combat the problem?:

1. Are there human fleas versus cat/dog fleas, someone told me that
cat/dog
fleas cannot reproduce by biting humans--they need cat/dog blood. Is this
true? If so, how can we tell whether we have human or cat/dog fleas?
Since
we have no pets, I am hoping we have cat/dog fleas and that they will die
out on their own.

AFAIK, fleas are fleas. The ones that rode in on my brother's dog may have
preferred dog blood, but they feasted on me nonethless.

2. Is Borax toxic to humans?

Not that I know of but I have heard that it's very bad for cats.

3. Once a flea comes in contact with Borax, how long does it take to die?

Don't know on this one. I can recommend that you repeat whatever you do
about 2 1/2 weeks later because the flea life-cycle is about 3 weeks. Then
you'll catch the ones that hatched after the first application but before
they reproduce. We always had much better luck with the chemicals from the
vets office than anything else.

Leigh in raLeigh



Thanks in advance.

"Suki" wrote in message
...
We have a flea problem in our house. Can you help us by answering the
following questions so we can combat the problem?:

1. Are there human fleas versus cat/dog fleas, someone told me that
cat/dog
fleas cannot reproduce by biting humans--they need cat/dog blood. Is this
true? If so, how can we tell whether we have human or cat/dog fleas?
Since
we have no pets, I am hoping we have cat/dog fleas and that they will die
out on their own.

AFAIK, fleas are fleas. The ones that rode in on my brother's dog may have
preferred dog blood, but they feasted on me nonethless.

2. Is Borax toxic to humans?

Not that I know of but I have heard that it's very bad for cats.

3. Once a flea comes in contact with Borax, how long does it take to die?

Don't know on this one. I can recommend that you repeat whatever you do
about 2 1/2 weeks later because the flea life-cycle is about 3 weeks. Then
you'll catch the ones that hatched after the first application but before
they reproduce. We always had much better luck with the chemicals from the
vets office than anything else.

Leigh in raLeigh



Thanks in advance.

"Suki" wrote in message
...
We have a flea problem in our house. Can you help us by answering the
following questions so we can combat the problem?:

1. Are there human fleas versus cat/dog fleas, someone told me that
cat/dog
fleas cannot reproduce by biting humans--they need cat/dog blood. Is this
true? If so, how can we tell whether we have human or cat/dog fleas?
Since
we have no pets, I am hoping we have cat/dog fleas and that they will die
out on their own.

AFAIK, fleas are fleas. The ones that rode in on my brother's dog may have
preferred dog blood, but they feasted on me nonethless.

2. Is Borax toxic to humans?

Not that I know of but I have heard that it's very bad for cats.

3. Once a flea comes in contact with Borax, how long does it take to die?

Don't know on this one. I can recommend that you repeat whatever you do
about 2 1/2 weeks later because the flea life-cycle is about 3 weeks. Then
you'll catch the ones that hatched after the first application but before
they reproduce. We always had much better luck with the chemicals from the
vets office than anything else.

Leigh in raLeigh



Thanks in advance.

I once had horrible fleas. I got some basic flea powder at the store
and dosed all the rugs. I took bedding to the laundry and ran it
through boil/bake. Clothing was bagged for 2 weeks and I only wore
things that could be boiled and baked. I vacuumed twice a day and put
snipped-up flea collars in the vacuum bags, which I burned on a daily
basis.

At the end of two weeks I was flea-free. Had to treat the cats for
tapeworm subsequently...

I once had horrible fleas. I got some basic flea powder at the store
and dosed all the rugs. I took bedding to the laundry and ran it
through boil/bake. Clothing was bagged for 2 weeks and I only wore
things that could be boiled and baked. I vacuumed twice a day and put
snipped-up flea collars in the vacuum bags, which I burned on a daily
basis.

At the end of two weeks I was flea-free. Had to treat the cats for
tapeworm subsequently...

I once had horrible fleas. I got some basic flea powder at the store
and dosed all the rugs. I took bedding to the laundry and ran it
through boil/bake. Clothing was bagged for 2 weeks and I only wore
things that could be boiled and baked. I vacuumed twice a day and put
snipped-up flea collars in the vacuum bags, which I burned on a daily
basis.

At the end of two weeks I was flea-free. Had to treat the cats for
tapeworm subsequently...

Hi Suki,

There are many types of fleas, Non of them inhabit man exclusively.
Flea bodies are designed to live on a particular host animal by grabbing
onto the fur. Fleas will bite people ( as you have already experenced)
but will not live on a person. Fleas have four stages of develpoment.
Egg, larve, Pupa, and adult. When a pupa hatches it will feed on any
warm blooded animal( you and me included.)

Boric acid is a stomach poison that works by being ingested. If you
ingest enough of it you will be sick. Some people think that its
dessicant qualities effect flea development but it is a more common
theroy that flea larva eat the boric acid and it kills them.

The boric acid can attack an adult fleas outer cutical and kill it but
it is not the most efficent method of control.

If you have a pet, most of the spot on treatments can solve your
problem. fleas like to stay ont he host so by treating the animal you
can eventually control all of the fleas. Without an animal your best
recoures is to use a product that attacks as many stages of flea
development as possible. Vaccum regularly, find a product to apply
directly to your homes floor that is both an adluticide and has a growth
inhibiting hormone to control further development.

Suki wrote:

We have a flea problem in our house. Can you help us by answering the
following questions so we can combat the problem?:

1. Are there human fleas versus cat/dog fleas, someone told me that cat/dog
fleas cannot reproduce by biting humans--they need cat/dog blood. Is this
true? If so, how can we tell whether we have human or cat/dog fleas? Since
we have no pets, I am hoping we have cat/dog fleas and that they will die
out on their own.

2. Is Borax toxic to humans?

3. Once a flea comes in contact with Borax, how long does it take to die?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Suki,

There are many types of fleas, Non of them inhabit man exclusively.
Flea bodies are designed to live on a particular host animal by grabbing
onto the fur. Fleas will bite people ( as you have already experenced)
but will not live on a person. Fleas have four stages of develpoment.
Egg, larve, Pupa, and adult. When a pupa hatches it will feed on any
warm blooded animal( you and me included.)

Boric acid is a stomach poison that works by being ingested. If you
ingest enough of it you will be sick. Some people think that its
dessicant qualities effect flea development but it is a more common
theroy that flea larva eat the boric acid and it kills them.

The boric acid can attack an adult fleas outer cutical and kill it but
it is not the most efficent method of control.

If you have a pet, most of the spot on treatments can solve your
problem. fleas like to stay ont he host so by treating the animal you
can eventually control all of the fleas. Without an animal your best
recoures is to use a product that attacks as many stages of flea
development as possible. Vaccum regularly, find a product to apply
directly to your homes floor that is both an adluticide and has a growth
inhibiting hormone to control further development.

Suki wrote:

We have a flea problem in our house. Can you help us by answering the
following questions so we can combat the problem?:

1. Are there human fleas versus cat/dog fleas, someone told me that cat/dog
fleas cannot reproduce by biting humans--they need cat/dog blood. Is this
true? If so, how can we tell whether we have human or cat/dog fleas? Since
we have no pets, I am hoping we have cat/dog fleas and that they will die
out on their own.

2. Is Borax toxic to humans?

3. Once a flea comes in contact with Borax, how long does it take to die?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Suki,

There are many types of fleas, Non of them inhabit man exclusively.
Flea bodies are designed to live on a particular host animal by grabbing
onto the fur. Fleas will bite people ( as you have already experenced)
but will not live on a person. Fleas have four stages of develpoment.
Egg, larve, Pupa, and adult. When a pupa hatches it will feed on any
warm blooded animal( you and me included.)

Boric acid is a stomach poison that works by being ingested. If you
ingest enough of it you will be sick. Some people think that its
dessicant qualities effect flea development but it is a more common
theroy that flea larva eat the boric acid and it kills them.

The boric acid can attack an adult fleas outer cutical and kill it but
it is not the most efficent method of control.

If you have a pet, most of the spot on treatments can solve your
problem. fleas like to stay ont he host so by treating the animal you
can eventually control all of the fleas. Without an animal your best
recoures is to use a product that attacks as many stages of flea
development as possible. Vaccum regularly, find a product to apply
directly to your homes floor that is both an adluticide and has a growth
inhibiting hormone to control further development.

Suki wrote:

We have a flea problem in our house. Can you help us by answering the
following questions so we can combat the problem?:

1. Are there human fleas versus cat/dog fleas, someone told me that cat/dog
fleas cannot reproduce by biting humans--they need cat/dog blood. Is this
true? If so, how can we tell whether we have human or cat/dog fleas? Since
we have no pets, I am hoping we have cat/dog fleas and that they will die
out on their own.

2. Is Borax toxic to humans?

3. Once a flea comes in contact with Borax, how long does it take to die?

Thanks in advance.