I have put a list together with the top 10 most frequently asked questions about fleas. It is pretty quick to go through and I recommend that you do that right away because understanding everything about these annoying bloodsucking parasites will make it a lot easier to get rid of them. This will in the end benefit you, your family and your pets health.
Can fleas live on humans?
Many people who have experienced flea bites wonder whether fleas can actually live on humans. The answer to this question is a reassuring no. Fleas typically found in the households consist of cat fleas also called as Ctenocephalides felis. Apart from cats, these fleas also live on dogs, but rarely on humans. That being said, fleas do like to bite humans but they generally like to hide in furry, soft and dark places. Thankfully, human skin is not covered with enough hair for the fleas to live comfortably in.
Do fleas have wings?
Fleas are insects but they do not have wings like most others in this category. They make up for this drawback by using their powerful hind legs for jumping from host to host.
What do fleas look like?
Like most insects, the body of a flea is also divided into three parts: head, thorax and abdomen. Flea bodies are generally thin and flat and this enables them to move quickly and easily through the animal’s hair. Fleas are also covered with tiny spiky hair that helps attach them to their host’s fur. As explained above, fleas are wingless but they use their strong back legs to jump high from host to host.
What do fleas eat?
The piercing mouth parts of the fleas enable them to draw blood from their hosts. Fleas generally prefer warm blooded animals to feed on. They are equipped with anti-blood clotting saliva that enables them to easily draw blood from their hosts.
Where do fleas come from?
Fleas are capable of hitchhiking on to your pet’s body from other indoor and outdoor animals, people’s clothing, or from the bodies of rodents like rats and mice. They are generally incapable of traveling long distances without a host.
What kind of environment do fleas prefer?
Fleas like to live in warm climate and generally cannot withstand extreme hot or extreme cold conditions. Hence, our homes are ideal for them since we always tend to air condition, humidify or heat our homes to make them comfortable for us. Unfortunately, these things also make it comfortable for fleas to thrive in.
What do flea bites look like?
In humans, a flea bite is generally characterized by a red spot surrounded by a red halo. The bites itch a lot and cause a great deal of discomfort. Flea bites on pets appear as raised red dots or large areas of redness. Scratching constantly in the bitten areas may lead to flea allergy dermatitis as well as loss of hair in patches and roughened coats. Check out the flea bite pictures section to see what the bites look like.
How do you identify flea eggs?
Flea eggs are normally colorless but may have black spots on them. Certain types of flea eggs are yellow or pearly white in color. Flea eggs are very tiny and are best viewed under a magnifying glass.
How long do fleas live?
Fleas can live without a host for a few days (to up to 2 weeks). They live longer on long haired animals and shorter (up to a week) on smaller haired animals. The larvae of fleas need the excrement of adult fleas to survive. In its absence, they try to find other organic materials like dead skin cells, food particles and feathers etc to feed on.
Can fleas cause diseases?
Fleas are not only extremely annoying; they are also a source of diseases in animals. Extreme flea infestations can cause nervous conditions in your pets. Flea dermatitis is an allergic reaction that may cause the pet to lose hair or have a roughened coat. Fleas that have come from rodents can also cause diseases like the plague and murine typhus in humans.
