Fleas but no pets

[jenfur]

Okay, we do have a rabbit but he has never left the house. Last week, I looked down at my arm and noticed a black spot and then it jumped. I was a little freaked but figured maybe we brought it in from outside, no big deal, only one...a fluke...

Then a few minutes ago my DS points to his back and there is a little flea. What can I do, how did this happen? I don't want to fumigate with a bunch of chemicals Could it be my rabbit? How would he have gotten them? Can I ask them nicely to leave and see them to the door? Could this just be an odd coincidence and maybe my kids brought a few home after seeing friends with pets? Will they just die on theior own? I have known people who have had such huge headaches with fleas and I just don't want to even think about it... but I can't help it.

 

[F1Julie]

Fleas are a huge PITA. My fiance got them in his apartment and he doesn't have any pets. His apartment is on the ground level near the woods and a river. We think they came in from outside through a crack under the door. It took months to get rid of them and that was with an exterminator coming in every week. There are home remedies like sprinkling salt around the outside of your house (especially by doors) and putting borax on the carpet and then vacuuming it up. There are more tips I'm forgetting, but I found a lot of info just by google. Good luck.

 

[RadioFanatic]

it's funny you should mention this - we had to bring my kitty in to the vet yesterday b/c she wasn't feeling well and found out it was fleas - which makes no sense b/c she is an indoor cat - the vet said it just sometimes happens - we searched everywhere and cleaned her fave places and found nothing - who knows.

 

[tar heel]

Didn't you used to have dogs? By far the worst flea problem we've ever had was after our dog died. We had to get professional treatment, and it was awful.

No idea about rabbits and fleas.

 

[Uncle Remus]

Squirrels are the worst carriers of fleas.

 

[MsLeFever]

Chemicals may be your only cure. When we had fleas, we treated the cats and locked them in the garage. Then we set off 5 flea bombs and left the house and went to the drive in - then came back and opened the windows and sat on the porch while the smoke cleared. We actually had to do this TWICE before they were all gone.

NASTY critters.

 

[Plantlady]

We came home from vacation once, to find the house infested with fleas. We washed our dogs daily with flea shampoo.. and I found a flea killer powder that is pet and child safe (found it at walmart, but I don't remember the name).. I sprinkled it on the carpet, and vacuumed. I repeated the powder about four times.. over the course of about a week. The fleas were gone within a week, without us having to use harsh chemicals.

 

[Poohnatic]

I rented a house, and we got an infestation in the basement (it was a walkout). Landlord told us it was the highway grass in the backyard. Nasty little buggers and I had to use chemicals forever to get ride of the darn things.

Worst part was that my laundry room was down there, and I had to wash things several times to make sure they were gone.

Yes, it happens without pets!

Suzanne

 

[jenfur]

Didn't you used to have dogs? By far the worst flea problem we've ever had was after our dog died. We had to get professional treatment, and it was awful.

No idea about rabbits and fleas.

We had dogs, but two died and the other moved in with a friend so she doesn't live here anymore.

The only place I have seen them was in the basement and in the exact same spot. Would it be safe to only treat the basement since there doesn't seem to be many or should I go ahead and do the whole house?

 

[doxdogy]

You can carry fleas in with your from outside. We have been lucky this year and have had no fleas in the house.