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Fleas
Fleas are wingless insects that live off the blood of mammals and birds. There are over 2,000 species of fleas, and due to their thick outer layer, are difficult to kill through force alone. When fleas feed on a host, they tend to leave raised and itchy bumps, and can sometimes cause diseases.
932 Questions
Can infected fleas with plague transmit it to horses?
Yes, infected fleas can transmit the plague bacterium, Yersinia pestis, to horses, although such cases are rare. Horses are not the primary hosts for the plague, and transmission typically occurs through flea bites or contact with infected animals. While horses can become infected, they usually do not develop the same severe symptoms as humans or other susceptible mammals. It's important for horse owners in endemic areas to monitor for fleas and take preventive measures.
There are some parasites that will feed on pet birds, but no fleas. If your bird shows signs of parasites, you should consult your avian veterinarian. Do *not* use chemicals such as Bird Protectors or mothballs to keep parasites away. They contain harmful chemicals that will shorten your pet's life.
Water fleas, which are small crustaceans belonging to the class Branchiopoda, do not possess tracheae. Instead, they breathe through gills located on their limbs. These gills allow them to extract oxygen from the water, which is typical for many aquatic organisms. Thus, water fleas utilize a different respiratory system than those found in terrestrial arthropods that have tracheae.
Can black pepper kill fleas on dogs?
Black pepper is not an effective or safe method for killing fleas on dogs. While it may have some insect-repelling properties, it can also irritate a dog's skin and respiratory system. For effective flea control, it's best to use veterinarian-recommended treatments, such as topical solutions, oral medications, or flea collars. Always consult with a veterinarian for safe and effective flea management options.
How long does a flea live for off the dog?
A flea can live for several days to a few weeks without a host, typically around 1 to 2 weeks depending on environmental conditions like temperature and humidity. In ideal conditions, they can survive longer, but they need a blood meal to reproduce. Without a host, their lifespan is significantly shortened.
Can a rabbit flea live on humans?
Rabbit fleas primarily infest rabbits and are not adapted to live on humans. While they may bite humans if they come into contact, they cannot thrive or reproduce on human hosts. Fleas prefer their specific animal hosts for feeding and survival. Therefore, while you might experience bites, rabbit fleas do not live on humans long-term.
Can Short Haired Dogs Get Fleas?
Fleas can indeed infest short-haired dogs. Fleas can live on dogs of any hair length or hair color. They can also infest many other types of animals, including cats, ferrets, rabbits, and rodents. Fleas are external parasites that bite and feed on the blood of animals. They are also capable of biting and feeding off of the blood of people. These parasites are problematic because they can cause a variety of illnesses for both animals and people. Many animals are allergic to fleas and the resulting skin disease can be painful for them. In addition, fleas can cause localized areas of hair loss, inflammation and scabs known as "hot spots". Tapeworms can be carried by fleas and passed to animals that become infested with fleas. Fleas also play a pivotal role in the transmission of diseases such as plague and cat scratch disease.
How long does it take for a flea fogger to kill all the fleas in the house?
Usually the foggers are suppose to be left alone for 2 hours with all windows closed, fans off, and heat/air conditioner off. After 2 hours, air all the rooms out for 30 minutes and they should all be dead, depending on what kind of fogger you buy.
Do fleas exist because of dogs or do dogs exist because of fleas?
Neither ! Fleas will feed on any warm-blooded animal (including humans !) - Dogs will survive quite happily without fleas.. and vice-versa !
Not fleas as such, but there are a couple of parasites such as Braula coeca, sometimes called the bee louse, but that's not so common now.
Of much more importance is Varroa destructor. The varroa mite is endemic now in most countries, with the notable exception of Australia, and unless beekeepers work to keep it under control, the mites will weaken a bee colony and eventually kill it.
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How do you get rid of fleas in the yard?
Get a good pesticide concentrate and fill a hose end sprayer. Set the dial to 1 ounce per gallon and spray your yard outside. Keep sprinklers off for a day or 2. If you have pets put flea collars on them or give them a flea bath at about the same time.
A greener way would be to spray your yard with nicotine tea. You can make this yourself (I'll leave the recipe below). The only thing to consider is that this will kill all insects in your yard, and it would be a good idea to keep the cat and dog out of the yard for a couple days.
Nicotine Tea:
1 lb. loose tobacco (type does not matter, the cheapest will do).
Water.
- Boil two quarts of water
- To the water, add one cup of loose tobacco
- Allow to steep and cool.
- Place a coffee filter in a funnel or wire basket and filter the water through it into a large enough container to hold it. I prefer a gas can, and have mixed up as much as a gallon or two at a time.
- Place the nicotine tea in a sprayer, and beginning along the edge of your home, spray in a spiral pattern outward.
Some people will use the tea prepared this way as a concentrate, and mix it one for one with water. Others use chewing tobacco, and you may want to consider this if you are spraying around tomatoes (Tomatoes are susceptible to the Tobacco Mosaic Virus, which is essentially dead in North America, but may be carried in Turkish tobaccos).
Nicotine tea will kill most insects within minutes of contact. It is organic, so will be absorbed into the environment more redily than other chemical pesticides. And, is largely harmless to humans (except if drank--don't do this and keep it away from children).
What do flea bites look like on humans?
I PERSONALLY have expierienced it! It is a small bump, that is red, and VERY itchy! To get rid of it, you put perfume that has alcohol on your legs, and wear long socks werever the fleas are. THIS is horrible, im 13, and i HAVE to deal with it :(
Absolutely! They are horrifying if you live on a farm or are surrounded by farms. All our animals have them, they are thick as thieves in the grass and a simple walk will see your pants covered in the little bastards. The almost non-existent winter we had didn't freeze deep enough to kill all the eggs/hybernating survivors from last year and they are all multiplying in the hundreds of thousands. There will be no combating them this year and we can only hope for a really hard winter to cull their numbers. Of we have another super mild winter I don't even want go imagine what it will be like.
