Son has fleas? **UPDATE** - we have fleas for sure. Ewwwwwww. Now, WWYD?

The exterminator just left and said we have fleas and they are hatching eggs and all that sorta fun stuff.

He showed us one that he "caught."

Do you think I can just buy spray stuff myself? Or should I have the exterminator do it?

It will be 250 dollars to do the entire house, including the outside. Better price than I had in my mind..but still. So creeped out.

Being that I'm pregnant, I have to evacuate the house for 12 hours...

I'm so creeped out...and still itchy.

Thanks for all your advice!!!

**************************




Ok, I feel like everyone is going to think I'm some horrible mom here - between the dirty finger nails and now this. But I need help.

I think my son has fleas. In fact, I think we all may have them.

We are all bitten to the high heavens around our ankles - it is so itchy and they look like flea bites.

We are so itchy, we all sit in line formation and scratch each other..

We have no pets.

I haven't seen a flea, but I don't know what this is from.

I use antibacterial swifter wet solution and the entire downstairs is wood and tile.

My son is bitten so much - the doc gave us cream and stuff, but I think we are still getting fresh bites.

we have had a lot of contractors come in and out of our house recently - so maybe someone tracked something in?

Now, my DS carries around 3 or 4 different stuffed dogs. Some of them go EVERYWHERE with us - supermarket, car wash, you name it. I throw them in the washing machine and dryer often, but do you think that may be the cause??

Any experience with this? I don't get it. My house is usually spotless, or I try to at least keep it that way.

Message edited 10/28/2010 1:00:48 PM.

Re: Son has fleas?

Have you checked the corners of your mattress for bedbugs? I didn't think fleas bothered with people?

Re: Son has fleas?

if it is fleas, i don't really think you'll see them unless you have a sever infestation. You would need to get the house bombed-I think that's what it's called.

Def. wash EVERYTHING on a sanitary cycle if you have one.

It's a def. possibility that one of the contractors could have brought them.

Re: Son has fleas?

get a crew in there, fast, could be bed bugs. Have them bomb the house and call it a day. Good luck!

Re: Son has fleas?

I was also going to suggest, that it may actually be bed bugs considering how huge an epidemic it is. Someone could have tracked in bed bugs, but fleas, not so much I don't think.

Re: Son has fleas?

oh no...not bed bugs

ugh

It's so weird, because we all have them on the ankles area..so I figured maybe fleas, as that is where they tend to bite.


I guess a call to an exterminator is in order.

Re: Son has fleas?

Sorry to crash but this sounds like bed bugs to me Definitely get that checked out ASAP!!!!!!!! I have experience with bed bugs so FM if you have any questions!

Re: Son has fleas?

Yeah, I don't know much about bed bugs... just around the ankles seems like fleas to me. And this warm, damp weather is heaven for them. If you can, keep it as cool as you can in your house (although I think it really takes a frost to kill them).

Growing up with dogs, you get them sometimes.

Vaccuum, vaccuum, vaccuum! I've read that you can put the vaccuum bag in a ziploc and then put it in the freezer to kill any fleas that were in there so you do not have to go through bags. If you have a bagless, empty it outside each time. Get your corners and base molding.

I think I've also heard about sprinkling salt in carpets then vaccuum the next day. Aparently salt kills them.

And laundry, laundry, laundry! If you have bites on your ankles, they've hopped onto your pants or socks to get there. Gross but they can lay eggs so be sure to wash your clothes very often.

I know there are sprays and things for animals but check for something for the house like for the floor or furniture. If that does not take care of it after a week or so, there are store bought foggers. Not sure how much an exterminator would charge.

Good luck!

Re: Son has fleas?

Did you recently move? The house, pets or not, may have fleas. And bedbugs generally bite the upper torso due to the attraction to carbon dioxide when we breathe. Fleas generally bite the ankles and legs, so I do think it's fleas. People do NOT carry fleas, they do not generally hitch rides like bedbugs can. But your house can absolutely have fleas even if you do not have a pet. There are some checks you can do to see if you have fleas. Forget what exactly but google it. I hope you get resolution soon.

Check your mattress seams for bedbug signs...if nothing there, I really believe you are in a home that has a flea infestation. Are there carpets, rugs. etc?

Message edited 10/27/2010 11:53:07 PM.

Re: Son has fleas?

I would go get a few cans of bug fogger. Get the flea ones. Put them in your house and leave. Then when you come back be sure to clean every single surface. Wash all of your linens in HOT water in one day. Maybe go to the laundry mat when you are fogging the house. I had them once when we had a dog. The bomb/fogger did the trick. Just be sure to put away any food, utensils etc. and to wash all the surfaces after to remove the chemicals.

Re: Son has fleas?

People can carry fleas. They are big though and usually hide in hair along the scalp and are super itchy. I've seen it. I would watch any rugs... sounds like they are in the floor somewhere.

Re: Son has fleas?

This is fleas. Having gone through this and having my ankles be completely covered in bites I can relate. Get a good carpet flea spray/foam and vacuum up all your carpet. This is where they generally fester, no so much on hard floors. Repeat up to two or three times. Wash the stuff animals in hot water and dry and repeat. The fleas can be gone in one day, but you want to repeat if there are any eggs or stubborn fleas.

Re: Son has fleas? **UPDATE** - we have fleas for sure. Ewwwwwww. Now, WWYD?

he exterminator just left and said we have fleas and they are hatching eggs and all that sorta fun stuff.

He showed us one that he "caught."

Do you think I can just buy spray stuff myself? Or should I have the exterminator do it?

It will be 250 dollars to do the entire house, including the outside. Better price than I had in my mind..but still. So creeped out.

Being that I'm pregnant, I have to evacuate the house for 12 hours...

I'm so creeped out...and still itchy.

Thanks for all your advice!!!

**************************

Re: Son has fleas? **UPDATE** - we have fleas for sure. Ewwwwwww. Now, WWYD?

If you don't have pets, how did you get fleas in your home? Did the exterminator have any ides where you got them?

Re: Son has fleas? **UPDATE** - we have fleas for sure. Ewwwwwww. Now, WWYD?

Get him to do it. Not a bad price at all and you may spend that much trying different approaches to rid them yourself. Get it over with and move on because you sure don't want them hanging around when you baby gets here =)

Re: Son has fleas? **UPDATE** - we have fleas for sure. Ewwwwwww. Now, WWYD?

Have it professionaly done!

When I was younger, we had a dog that brought us fleas. My parents tried to bomb the house themselves, but it wasn't enough to get rid of the infestation we had. We had to have the house professionaly bombed, but I do remember having to be out of our house for 24 hours. Again, though that was over 20 years ago so maybe they use different chemicals now.

Re: Son has fleas? **UPDATE** - we have fleas for sure. Ewwwwwww. Now, WWYD?

have it professionally done. you don't want to be messing around with home treatments on your own.

Re: Son has fleas? **UPDATE** - we have fleas for sure. Ewwwwwww. Now, WWYD?

For $250 have them do it. That is really a good price.

Re: Son has fleas? **UPDATE** - we have fleas for sure. Ewwwwwww. Now, WWYD?

Oh geez, that SUCKS! Im sorry you even have to deal with this. For $250, Id go for it and take the peace of mind that comes with it knowing a professional handled it.

Re: Son has fleas? **UPDATE** - we have fleas for sure. Ewwwwwww. Now, WWYD?

UGH!!! That blows! Have the exterminator do it...it's worth the $250 for peace of mind.

Re: Son has fleas? **UPDATE** - we have fleas for sure. Ewwwwwww. Now, WWYD?

Re: Son has fleas? **UPDATE** - we have fleas for sure. Ewwwwwww. Now, WWYD?

You have to (flea) bomb the house.