Anybody deal with pet fleas?

Jstas

Here's the deal.

I ain't got fleas. The GF's mom had fleas 'cause she lets her cat run around outside without a collar on. Yeah, I know, dumb but, not my concern.

The GF's mom moved to new digs recently and and the GF had a bunch of stuff at her mom's place. The GF grabbed this stuff before her mom flea bombed the house. Again, dumb, she shoulda left it there while the flea bomb was going on.

So she brought this bag home back in November and I immediately took it back outside and tossed it in the garage to avoid having any fleas jump off and take up residence on one of her cats.

She got mad but I still have no fleas.

So this bag of her junk has been out in the garage since November. It's not climate controlled so it's it's pretty cold in there.

So what I'm trying to find out is, if I left this bag out there for the last 2.5-3 months, what are the chances of these possible fleas still being alive? I know eggs matter too.

Does the cold kill them? If so, I will throw this bag in the shed where it is only about 5 degrees warmer than the outside temps to ensure the little **** all die as well as their offspring. I'll leave it through January and February when it is normally mid 20's overnight and can dip in to single digits.

So anybody know?

decal

Why don't you just look for them?

Jstas

decal wrote: »

Why don't you just look for them?

If you have nothing positive to add and feel like making smart-assed remarks, go find something better to do with your time.

SDA1C

Cold will kill them but the no food thing will do it first. Why not go look through the bag for them like decal said?

jephdood

Agreed. Didn't seem very 'smart-assed' to me.. seems like a sensible idea. A quick look through the bag and its contents will tell you if you still have live fleas..

cubdog

Call your local University. Someone there will have your answer.

cubdog

SDA1C

cubdog wrote: »

Call your local University. Someone there will have your answer.

cubdog

LOL something along the lines of, "If you finished high school we can enroll you in some basic classes to get you on your way to your doctorate in "Figure it out for yourself and other common sense solutions.":cheesygrin:

tonyb

Yeah, cold will kill them, but being inbetween a bunch of clothes it is possible some eggs could survive. Hot water John, take those clothes and wash them in Hot water, as Hot as you can get it. Or hang them up in the garage and spray flea killer on them, let them sit a few days then wash them.

headrott

I would not count on the cold killing them (depending on the life cycle stage they are in). Fleas and insects in general are pretty damn resilient. While not an entomologist, I took a number of entomology classes in college including insect physiology so I probobly know more than the average Polkie here. One way to know for sure is to make sure there are no eggs left, which means some sort of chemical being used. The eggs usually hatch in a matter of days, but then you have 3 other life cycles invlolved to deal with. It's actually in the larval and pupal stages that they can "overwinter" and withstand cold temperatures. It's a flea form of hybernation. The larva and pupae can withstand very cold temperatures, so I would not count on the cold to kill them as more than likely that won't do it. Unfortunately, the only way to be sure is to use a chemical (or series of chemicals) on the bag (which the bag itslef can help to insulate the eggs, larva, pupae and adults from the cold).

I hope this helps you out John.

Greg

deronb1

Who would want fleas for pets? :cheesygrin:

dorokusai

Please just put that bag over your head.

Jstas

They aren't clothes.

There are some shoes, some stuffed animals, a some other stuff that you can't just throw in a washer.

You geniuses must have some spectacular eyesight if you can just see fleas on things. Especially flea eggs which are usually measured in microns.

inspiredsports

deronb1 wrote: »

Who would want fleas for pets? :cheesygrin:

Yeah, are we dealing with "Pet Fleas" or "Pet's Fleas" ??

snow

I dont know jack about fleas nor do I have the desire to learn but it seems to me that if the afore mentioned flea bomb worked in your GF's mom's house one would assume that another identical bomb would work in the bag. Why take chances with the cold working? simply buy another bomb and be done with it problem solved.

REGARDS SNOW

rebuy

If you look up fleas on the "internet" you can find all sorts of flee treatments and preventative ideas to help you win the battle.
Just so you know dog fleas don't have to live on dogs, they can prosper at your house. :sad:

Tell your GF's mom to use Advantage or Frontline on her cat and it will help kill the fleas and their eggs.

Flea Collars can kill pets if they have the wrong ingredients in them.

Get your flea products from a Vet, it's safer.

Polkersince85

I would put everything in the shed and set it on fire. Burn, Baby, Burn.

or you could just put the items in a trash bag and bomb it with the PreCor type spray. Eggs or lavae would not mature.

Cut the locking tab off the can cap and spray needed amount into the bag.

polkfarmboy

The flea eggs can last up to a year and survive the cold. My aunt had flea's on her dogs and I suggest you put everything in the tumble dryer thats a clothing item or if you have a small shed out back try get it air tight and blast heat into it. You can treat her stuff with chemicals too.

Heat is the only way to go when doing an eradication

Flea eggs dont starve and can be awakened by vibration from voices or from heat some place then they hatch and it may be longer than a year

cnh

I agree, get some Permethrin and Pyrethrin-Piperonyl Butoxide spray from a pharmacy and/or prescription. Spray "everything" with this, then wash what you can. If some things can be dried in a drier on High Heat for an hour do that as well. I suspect between the toxins and super heating. Everything should "die" if it's not already been frozen out and starved out already.

On a different but related note. When my daughter contracted lice (as a kid), we were advised to take all her stuffed animals and wrap them in air tight bags put away from everything else for a few weeks (month?). To make sure everything was gone! We left them in for a couple of months.

I suppose there are other solutions as well.


cnh

halo71

I think before you do anything here. You should post pics of the girlfriend. :cool:

rebuy

Yeah, what Halo said.....:twisted:

Her mom too if she is cute.

decal

Jstas wrote: »

If you have nothing positive to add and feel like making smart-assed remarks, go find something better to do with your time.

You can see fleas very easily. If you see fleas, you have nits. Pretty simple concept. I was trying to help you out. There was nothing smart-assed about my post, if you took it that way, well, that's your problem.

SDA1C

dorokusai wrote: »

Please just put that bag over your head.

AHAHAH No effn way. You have no idea how bad I wanted to say that!

SDA1C

rebuy wrote: »

If you look up fleas on the "internet"

Nope can't do that! To busy putting flames on a lawnmower! lol

SDA1C

cnh wrote: »

I suppose there are other solutions as well.


cnh

Like not being a dumbass and looking it up for yourself ?

tonyb

I guess we forgot to ask if this girl is a keeper or not. If not, just toss in the garbage and be done with it. If so, tell her burning it all is a way to cleanse her soul and a penence for being with you.

SDA1C

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Are you serious?

Need help getting rid of fleas?! WTF???

Tankman

@jstas...Good luck with that.Fleas can be very hard too get rid of.I would just get rid of the cat and or dog.They carry all kind of diseases,like Lime disease,black plague and so on.That's why i have never like any kind of animal in a home.And to think some people sleep with there cat and or dog in the bedroom.All it take's is one Tick or flea bite?..and it's all over!

snow

Tankman wrote: »

Fleas can be very hard too get rid of.

So can some GF's............. Just sayin :biggrin:




REGARDS SNOW

ratster

Pet fleas? Why don't you just get a dog? They eat a little more but it's easier to put the collar on when it's time to go for a walk.

halo71

He could always train them and start running a flea circus.

Sherardp

Is it possible to spray some sort flea fogger, or something similar on the stuff. If so, do that then wash the items afterward.