Mystery flea infestation with no pets

A few weeks ago, we discovered that our house had fleas, but we have no
pets. We don't know where they came from nor how to get rid of them.

The possible causes a
1. There has been a raccoon hanging around outside our house--near the
garbage can, on our roof, in our yard. Could it have fleas and leave fleas
in the yard? Perhaps some jumped on us as we entered the house?
2. I bought a basket weave tote bag in Jamaica around the time we first
noticed them. Could I have brought fleas back from Jamaica?
3. Playing with dogs in our friends' houses -- this is not a frequent
thing? Could some have gotten on us?

I think it is important to know the source so we don't get the problem
again. Any ideas would help.

We went to Petco and got some flea spray and sprayed all the rugs before we
went on a week's vacation. When we got back, the fleas were still there.
I've been reading posts about borax, bombs (which we would really like to
avoid), and lots of vacuuming. Which methods work and don't work? Should
we just give up and call an exterminator?

Also, how long does it take for a flea to bite and for me to feel the bite?
This would help me pinpoint what room I got bit in.

Well I can't be of much help as (thankfully) I've never had a flea problem
but I did find a flea on me the other day while I was out shopping at IKEA.
My only guess as to how it got on me (I do have 2 dogs but they're flea
free) is that I caught it from lying down on their furniture. The place was
over run with people (busy saturday afternoon) so it's not entirely
impossible that I got it from there. I just happened to feel it on my neck
and luckily got rid of it before I got home and gave it to the dogs
(although they are treated). Having said all that, I think you could have
gotten a flea from a myriad of places. Your backyard is a very possible
place if it's grassy (from what I've been told they like to live there). I
wouldn't suspect your friend's dogs unless you noticed them scratching a lot
but one sure way to find out is to call the friend and ask if she has a
problem and if her dogs are treated for fleas. The bag also sounds
plausible as I could see one hiding in the folds.

Like I said, not much help sorry. Good luck!

With vaccuming I'm sure you know to toss the bag as soon as you finish
vaccuming. I think I've heard that the borax works really well
"Suki" wrote in message
...
A few weeks ago, we discovered that our house had fleas, but we have no
pets. We don't know where they came from nor how to get rid of them.

The possible causes a
1. There has been a raccoon hanging around outside our house--near the
garbage can, on our roof, in our yard. Could it have fleas and leave
fleas
in the yard? Perhaps some jumped on us as we entered the house?
2. I bought a basket weave tote bag in Jamaica around the time we first
noticed them. Could I have brought fleas back from Jamaica?
3. Playing with dogs in our friends' houses -- this is not a frequent
thing? Could some have gotten on us?

I think it is important to know the source so we don't get the problem
again. Any ideas would help.

We went to Petco and got some flea spray and sprayed all the rugs before
we
went on a week's vacation. When we got back, the fleas were still there.
I've been reading posts about borax, bombs (which we would really like to
avoid), and lots of vacuuming. Which methods work and don't work? Should
we just give up and call an exterminator?

Also, how long does it take for a flea to bite and for me to feel the
bite?
This would help me pinpoint what room I got bit in.

Well I can't be of much help as (thankfully) I've never had a flea problem
but I did find a flea on me the other day while I was out shopping at IKEA.
My only guess as to how it got on me (I do have 2 dogs but they're flea
free) is that I caught it from lying down on their furniture. The place was
over run with people (busy saturday afternoon) so it's not entirely
impossible that I got it from there. I just happened to feel it on my neck
and luckily got rid of it before I got home and gave it to the dogs
(although they are treated). Having said all that, I think you could have
gotten a flea from a myriad of places. Your backyard is a very possible
place if it's grassy (from what I've been told they like to live there). I
wouldn't suspect your friend's dogs unless you noticed them scratching a lot
but one sure way to find out is to call the friend and ask if she has a
problem and if her dogs are treated for fleas. The bag also sounds
plausible as I could see one hiding in the folds.

Like I said, not much help sorry. Good luck!

With vaccuming I'm sure you know to toss the bag as soon as you finish
vaccuming. I think I've heard that the borax works really well
"Suki" wrote in message
...
A few weeks ago, we discovered that our house had fleas, but we have no
pets. We don't know where they came from nor how to get rid of them.

The possible causes a
1. There has been a raccoon hanging around outside our house--near the
garbage can, on our roof, in our yard. Could it have fleas and leave
fleas
in the yard? Perhaps some jumped on us as we entered the house?
2. I bought a basket weave tote bag in Jamaica around the time we first
noticed them. Could I have brought fleas back from Jamaica?
3. Playing with dogs in our friends' houses -- this is not a frequent
thing? Could some have gotten on us?

I think it is important to know the source so we don't get the problem
again. Any ideas would help.

We went to Petco and got some flea spray and sprayed all the rugs before
we
went on a week's vacation. When we got back, the fleas were still there.
I've been reading posts about borax, bombs (which we would really like to
avoid), and lots of vacuuming. Which methods work and don't work? Should
we just give up and call an exterminator?

Also, how long does it take for a flea to bite and for me to feel the
bite?
This would help me pinpoint what room I got bit in.

Well I can't be of much help as (thankfully) I've never had a flea problem
but I did find a flea on me the other day while I was out shopping at IKEA.
My only guess as to how it got on me (I do have 2 dogs but they're flea
free) is that I caught it from lying down on their furniture. The place was
over run with people (busy saturday afternoon) so it's not entirely
impossible that I got it from there. I just happened to feel it on my neck
and luckily got rid of it before I got home and gave it to the dogs
(although they are treated). Having said all that, I think you could have
gotten a flea from a myriad of places. Your backyard is a very possible
place if it's grassy (from what I've been told they like to live there). I
wouldn't suspect your friend's dogs unless you noticed them scratching a lot
but one sure way to find out is to call the friend and ask if she has a
problem and if her dogs are treated for fleas. The bag also sounds
plausible as I could see one hiding in the folds.

Like I said, not much help sorry. Good luck!

With vaccuming I'm sure you know to toss the bag as soon as you finish
vaccuming. I think I've heard that the borax works really well
"Suki" wrote in message
...
A few weeks ago, we discovered that our house had fleas, but we have no
pets. We don't know where they came from nor how to get rid of them.

The possible causes a
1. There has been a raccoon hanging around outside our house--near the
garbage can, on our roof, in our yard. Could it have fleas and leave
fleas
in the yard? Perhaps some jumped on us as we entered the house?
2. I bought a basket weave tote bag in Jamaica around the time we first
noticed them. Could I have brought fleas back from Jamaica?
3. Playing with dogs in our friends' houses -- this is not a frequent
thing? Could some have gotten on us?

I think it is important to know the source so we don't get the problem
again. Any ideas would help.

We went to Petco and got some flea spray and sprayed all the rugs before
we
went on a week's vacation. When we got back, the fleas were still there.
I've been reading posts about borax, bombs (which we would really like to
avoid), and lots of vacuuming. Which methods work and don't work? Should
we just give up and call an exterminator?

Also, how long does it take for a flea to bite and for me to feel the
bite?
This would help me pinpoint what room I got bit in.

Borrow a cat or dog for a few days. Apply Frontine or Advantage as
directed on the package. The fleas will go to the animal for blood and
the application will kill the fleas. DO NOT USE HARTZ PRODUCTS - only
Frontline or Advantage from a vet.


-MIKE

Borrow a cat or dog for a few days. Apply Frontine or Advantage as
directed on the package. The fleas will go to the animal for blood and
the application will kill the fleas. DO NOT USE HARTZ PRODUCTS - only
Frontline or Advantage from a vet.


-MIKE

Borrow a cat or dog for a few days. Apply Frontine or Advantage as
directed on the package. The fleas will go to the animal for blood and
the application will kill the fleas. DO NOT USE HARTZ PRODUCTS - only
Frontline or Advantage from a vet.


-MIKE

Suki wrote:

The possible causes a
1. There has been a raccoon hanging around outside our house--near
the garbage can, on our roof, in our yard. Could it have fleas and
leave fleas in the yard? Perhaps some jumped on us as we entered the
house?

Possible. If that's the case, I'm at a loss as to preventive
suggestions.

2. I bought a basket weave tote bag in Jamaica around the time we
first noticed them. Could I have brought fleas back from Jamaica?

If you flew back home immidiately after purchasing the bag, it's
possible, but not likely.

3. Playing with dogs in our friends' houses -- this is not a frequent
thing? Could some have gotten on us?

This is my favorite suspect. I once got fleas on my cats and all over
the house, because a visitor, who also had cats, probably carried flea
eggs in her clothes and dropped them off at my place.
Most of the flea sprays you can buy kill grown fleas, but leave eggs and
larvae untouched. This is probably why you haven't had success so far.
Get hold of a spray with the ingredient methoprene. I don't know what
the trade names for this are in your country, but any pet store or vet
would know.
Methoprene is applied to any surface where flea eggs and larvae may
dwell, in practice any horizontal surface. It prevents eggs and larvae
from developing into adult fleas, and they die instead.
If used correctly, this effect will last around five months.

Niels Peter
www.bluewhite.dk
"Cats Are People, Too!"

Suki wrote:

The possible causes a
1. There has been a raccoon hanging around outside our house--near
the garbage can, on our roof, in our yard. Could it have fleas and
leave fleas in the yard? Perhaps some jumped on us as we entered the
house?

Possible. If that's the case, I'm at a loss as to preventive
suggestions.

2. I bought a basket weave tote bag in Jamaica around the time we
first noticed them. Could I have brought fleas back from Jamaica?

If you flew back home immidiately after purchasing the bag, it's
possible, but not likely.

3. Playing with dogs in our friends' houses -- this is not a frequent
thing? Could some have gotten on us?

This is my favorite suspect. I once got fleas on my cats and all over
the house, because a visitor, who also had cats, probably carried flea
eggs in her clothes and dropped them off at my place.
Most of the flea sprays you can buy kill grown fleas, but leave eggs and
larvae untouched. This is probably why you haven't had success so far.
Get hold of a spray with the ingredient methoprene. I don't know what
the trade names for this are in your country, but any pet store or vet
would know.
Methoprene is applied to any surface where flea eggs and larvae may
dwell, in practice any horizontal surface. It prevents eggs and larvae
from developing into adult fleas, and they die instead.
If used correctly, this effect will last around five months.

Niels Peter
www.bluewhite.dk
"Cats Are People, Too!"

Suki wrote:

The possible causes a
1. There has been a raccoon hanging around outside our house--near
the garbage can, on our roof, in our yard. Could it have fleas and
leave fleas in the yard? Perhaps some jumped on us as we entered the
house?

Possible. If that's the case, I'm at a loss as to preventive
suggestions.

2. I bought a basket weave tote bag in Jamaica around the time we
first noticed them. Could I have brought fleas back from Jamaica?

If you flew back home immidiately after purchasing the bag, it's
possible, but not likely.

3. Playing with dogs in our friends' houses -- this is not a frequent
thing? Could some have gotten on us?

This is my favorite suspect. I once got fleas on my cats and all over
the house, because a visitor, who also had cats, probably carried flea
eggs in her clothes and dropped them off at my place.
Most of the flea sprays you can buy kill grown fleas, but leave eggs and
larvae untouched. This is probably why you haven't had success so far.
Get hold of a spray with the ingredient methoprene. I don't know what
the trade names for this are in your country, but any pet store or vet
would know.
Methoprene is applied to any surface where flea eggs and larvae may
dwell, in practice any horizontal surface. It prevents eggs and larvae
from developing into adult fleas, and they die instead.
If used correctly, this effect will last around five months.

Niels Peter
www.bluewhite.dk
"Cats Are People, Too!"