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.

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.

In article , sukibot8
@yahoo.com says...
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.
There is a Human flea that usually are spread by working
with pigs. I believe it is more of an European/African
issue than American. Cat/dog fleas don't need specific
type of blood but have just developed as mentioned to
specific furs and body temp of host animals. Cat fleas
(I believe dog fleas too) will have a "moustache" of
bristles where the Human flea will just have a few. Your
flea problem may be from wild animals living under your
home or in the attic or walls.


2. Is Borax toxic to humans?

As with anything else it can be and can also cause
respiration problems.

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

I believe the Borax treatment, due to its particle size
will mainly effect the larvae stage where as boric acid
designed for carpet treatments will have smaller
particles that the biting adult will ingest and die from
also. Borate treatments will be a slower mode maybe
taking several days to see results, but can work.

--

http://home.comcast.net/~larflu/owl1.jpg

Lar. (to e-mail, get rid of the BUGS!!

In article , sukibot8
@yahoo.com says...
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.
There is a Human flea that usually are spread by working
with pigs. I believe it is more of an European/African
issue than American. Cat/dog fleas don't need specific
type of blood but have just developed as mentioned to
specific furs and body temp of host animals. Cat fleas
(I believe dog fleas too) will have a "moustache" of
bristles where the Human flea will just have a few. Your
flea problem may be from wild animals living under your
home or in the attic or walls.


2. Is Borax toxic to humans?

As with anything else it can be and can also cause
respiration problems.

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

I believe the Borax treatment, due to its particle size
will mainly effect the larvae stage where as boric acid
designed for carpet treatments will have smaller
particles that the biting adult will ingest and die from
also. Borate treatments will be a slower mode maybe
taking several days to see results, but can work.

--

http://home.comcast.net/~larflu/owl1.jpg

Lar. (to e-mail, get rid of the BUGS!!

"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.

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.

Ingesting borax can cause irritability, anemia, skin inflammation and
lesions, hair loss, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and even death.
Potentially lethal doses from borax ingestion are one teaspoon for
infants, two for children, and five for adults. The most significant
toxicity concerns for borax center around ingestion poisoning and its
reproductive toxicity through ingestion. While borax has not been
shown to cause cancer or mutations, some animal studies have prompted
concerns that it may be a human reproductive toxin, and the California
EPA is currently evaluating it for possible consideration as a
reproductive toxin under Proposition 65. Borax's conversion to boric
acid in water prompts concerns for dermal absorption through broken
skin, especially among sensitive infants and children.

Cheers,

Ned