Tips To Help Everyone In Nashville Avoid Fleas
Whether your dog brings them into your house in its fur or a rodent squeezes through a crack in the walls of your home carrying unwelcome hitchhikers on its back, no matter how they make it into your home, once fleas get inside, they are one of the most challenging pests to get rid of.
Common fleas are tiny insects 1/12 to 1/6 of an inch in size with flat, dark brown bodies and powerful hind legs. Fleas have that peculiar shape to their bodies that can maneuver between animal hairs, and their large hind legs allow them to jump surprisingly long distances.
Fleas in Nashville feed on animal blood and only attempt to feed on humans if dogs, cats, or other animals are unavailable. Fleas have high body temperatures that will not allow them to stay on humans for more than a few minutes, making them look for a more suitable blood donor quickly.
Let's look at ways to recognize signs of fleas in the house, how to prevent fleas from getting inside, and, if prevention fails, how to find professional pest control in Nashville to take care of a flea infestation.
Do You Know The First Signs Of A Flea Infestation?
Spotting fleas themselves is not easy as they're barely big enough to see with the naked eye and move very fast, but watching for the following signs will help you identify flea infestation in your house:
- Pets scratching and chewing on their skin
- Fur loss
- Flea dirt in cat and dog fur
- Bites on humans and animals
- Flea feces on bedding and carpets
A single female flea can lay up to 50 eggs a day, more than 2000 in its lifetime. Eggs that fleas lay in the animal fur drop off their host as the animal moves, spreading the infestation quickly to surrounding areas. If you suspect a flea infestation in your Nashville home, you must act quickly and get an experienced professional on the job as soon as possible.
Common Problems Caused By Fleas In Nashville
Besides biting you and your pets and the effect that knowing your house has fleas has on the mental and physical state of people living in flea-infested homes, fleas carry a number of contagious diseases, such as:
- Murine typhus
- Tungiasis
- Tularemia
- Bartonellosis
- Tapeworm
Fleas can also often be the cause of anemia.
Three Things Everyone In Nashville Can Do To Avoid Fleas
Getting rid of fleas once they establish a colony in your home is not a task for the lighthearted so let's take a look at a few simple tips to keep the little parasites out in the first place:
- Keep your pets on a leash when taking them out in areas frequented by other dogs or wild animals, and bathe them regularly to keep fleas at bay.
- Vacuum your house and wash animal bedding regularly
- Keep the grass around your house trimmed short, and take care of any wildlife infestation bringing in fleas on your property.
If you've spotted fleas on your pets, keep in mind that by the time you notice them, flea eggs are already in their bedding and probably spread all over the house and property.
It May Be Time To Call The Flea Control Experts At Urbanex
At Urbanex, we've taken care of flea infestations for Nashville residents for over 25 years. It's important to get rid of every last flea and its eggs to avoid dealing with a repeat infestation in the future, and we've got the skills and experience to get that done.
If you've started noticing signs of a flea infestation in Nashville, get in touch with us today for a free inspection and learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Nashville.
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