Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution => Topic started by: elegantlywasted on 17/04/2008 21:11:53

Title: What should I do about fleas?
Post by: elegantlywasted on 17/04/2008 21:11:53: So I'm outside tanning with my roommates, and we notice on our books are all of these tiny black jumping dots. We assume fleas, although it is a little early in the year, we want to assume the worst. What do we do???
Title: Re: What should I do about fleas?
Post by: neilep on 17/04/2008 21:48:54: Quote from: elegantlywasted on 17/04/2008 21:11:53
So I'm outside tanning with my roommates, and we notice on our books are all of these tiny black jumping dots. We assume fleas, although it is a little early in the year, we want to assume the worst. What do we do???

Have a wash !!......and consider your personal hygiene !! [;D]

I'm de-flead (in sheep dip) regularly........ [;D]
Title: Re: What should I do about fleas?
Post by: elegantlywasted on 17/04/2008 22:42:58: Thats what we did, but one girl is freaking out.... I figure if I get some sort of outside answer she will relax.
Title: Re: What should I do about fleas?
Post by: neilep on 18/04/2008 00:19:28: I think it might be a moot point that the offending " things " were found mainly on your books !....have they been seen anywhere else ?..ie not paper related ?
Title: Re: What should I do about fleas?
Post by: elegantlywasted on 18/04/2008 03:34:19: Not sure, we could only see them on the pages because of them being white. Who knows might have been nothing.
Title: Re: What should I do about fleas?
Post by: SquarishTriangle on 23/04/2008 15:25:00: They quite possibly are. It does sound like fleas, but it's hard to know for sure without seeing them. If you're worried, there are a few flea spray products available out there for treating the house and outdoor areas.

Do you actually have pets in the household? Even though flea problems are at their highest in summer, they can persist for long periods in the environment. And for the major fleas that occur in dogs and cats, about 95% of the flea population actually lives in the environment rather than on the animal. So it might be worth considering treating the house for fleas, not only to get them out of your books, but to help break the flea life cycle and prevent flea problems occuring in your pets (assuming you have them)...and in you :P.
Title: Re: What should I do about fleas?
Post by: BenV on 28/04/2008 11:23:32: When you say tiny, how small do you mean? I was suprised when I first saw how big a flea actually is (I used to work in a kennels, so quickly got used to seeing them).

If you mean tiny as in less than 1mm, then it's probably not fleas, which are 1.5-3mm long.

As to what else they may be, I'm afraid I have no idea.
Title: What should I do about fleas?
Post by: Madidus_Scientia on 29/04/2008 08:57:09: fleas generally can't survive on a hygenic person very long, don't stress. are you actually finding them on yourselves?