Fleas are a pest that no one wants to find in their house, but unfortunately, once one flea gets in an infestation can quickly spread.
The most common way that fleas come into your home is via your pets – especially cats and dogs. You might also get them from visiting animals crossing your property and leaving live fleas or flea eggs behind.
Signs that your cat or dog has fleas
Fleas on your pets are often the first time you realise that you have a flea infestation.
Signs to look for include:
- Pets constantly scratching or biting at their skin. The skin may even become red and sore
- Live fleas jumping on your pet’s coat. Fleas are particularly found around the head and neck area and the hindquarters of your dog.
- Flea poo – this looks a bit like ground pepper and using a flea comb can make it easier to find
- Flea larvae – these are off-white and very small and can be very hard to see
Other places fleas might show up in your home
While fleas live predominantly on your pets or other animals, they can also make the jump to your home. Fleas lay eggs on your pet, but the eggs often fall off as your pet moves around. Places you may find flea eggs or larvae are:
- On your pet’s bedding
- In your carpet fibres
- On soft furnishings like a sofa, especially if your cat or dog sleeps on them
- In gaps between wooden floorboards
- In your own bedding
- Outdoor areas used by your pet
- Between the boards of your deck
If you have a large infestation, you might also find you get flea bites – although these can sometimes be confused with bites from other bugs and insects.
Found fleas in your home? Smash’d Em Pest Control can help
If fleas have migrated from animals to your home and are taking over, call Smash’d Em Pest Control to sort them out.