How to get rid of rat fleas in the apartment

Fleas are very dangerous and the most common parasites on the planet. They have an incredible vitality and an amazing reproduction rate. These blood-sucking insects they parasitize warm-blooded animals and successfully settle in human dwellings. Rat fleas in an apartment are not uncommon, and such a neighborhood bears a serious threat to the life and health of people.

Features of the species, habitat

Rat fleas are small wingless insects reaching 2-4 mm in length. Life cycle These parasites are very short, so they have strong adaptability and increased resistance to adverse conditions.

Rat fleas, or as they are also called "mouse fleas," is the common name for all insects that parasitize small rodents, but the most common species is the southern rat flea.

Rat fleas (photo below) are brought into the house to humans by small rodents, such as a mouse or rat. Parasites that have penetrated a house or apartment very quickly find secluded places to lay eggs.

Stages of development of a flea

Important!

The foci of the distribution of rat fleas are dark unventilated corners, voids under the plinths, litter of domestic animals.

In a favorable environment, the egg is rapidly developing and soon the larva hatches from it. A rat flea larva feeds on decaying animal debris, particles of debris, or adult flea excrement. After reaching the adult stage, the parasite finds a warm-blooded host for feeding.

Rats and mice - the most frequent visitors to hidden littered corners of human housing, abandoned basements, attics, so they are the first to become infected with parasites.

Rat fleas eat not only at the expense of small rodents, any warm-blooded animal or person will be successful with it.

On a note!

The insect is not constantly on the body of the host, it uses the carrier only to drink blood, and then leaves it in search of new places to lay eggs.

Fleas in rats are not susceptible to temperature fluctuations, they can be in a slow-moving state for a long time and wait for the victim. In search of food, they penetrate through small cracks from the lower tiers of the structure to the upper ones, gradually occupying a larger and larger area.

Rat fleas do not have wings, but they have excellent jumping ability and are able to travel long distances to attach to the body of the victim. Articulated limbs of fleas are equipped with sharp hooks that help to stay on the animal's fur and even on the smooth body of a person. So the pest is transported over long distances, expanding its habitat.

Flea jump

Danger to humans and animals

There is a misconception that fleas do not bite a person. In most cases, the small parasite is much easier to cling to the animal than to the person. But if the pests were settled in the dwelling of people and brought forth offspring, then any warm-blooded creatures become their victims.

Rat fleas stand out among other parasites of the greatest danger to people. Bite This arthropod is extremely painful. This type of flea does not inject an anesthetic enzyme when it pierces the skin, so living things always feel when they are bitten.

Most often, animals strongly comb the bite site, thereby deepening the wound and even more infect themselves with the infection contained in the parasite's saliva.

The protein, which is contained in the injected enzymes, causes a strong allergy in humans, as can be seen in the photo.

Symptoms of a bite:

• temperature rise;
• severe itching and burning;
• skin rash;
• pain in the back of the head and nervous disorders;
• squeezing in the chest, difficulty breathing;
• diarrhea;
• vomiting.

Rat flea bites are extremely dangerous. Parasites are carriers of dangerous bacteria and viruses. Among the many infections carried by these insects, the most dangerous is the plague bacillus.

Flea bites

This is a deadly infection, and it causes epidemics with a large number of human victims. There are many facts recorded in the history when rat fleas became the cause of mass death of people. In addition to plague, rat fleas cause other fatal diseases:

• tularemia;
• salmonellosis;
• encephalitis;
• brucellosis;
• rat typhus;
• anthrax.

For pets, these parasites are also extremely dangerous. On their body and jointed limbs, they carry helminth eggs and spread them over the skin of victims. When combing bites, animals infect themselves with worms and mouse-cod eggs.

Ornamental rats, mice, hamsters and gerbils suffer greatly from the bites of blood-sucking insects and are constantly combing the affected skin. Over time, the animals become restless, they have loss of appetite and weight loss. And infections and parasites that have penetrated wounds inside animals cause dangerous diseases and often lead to death.

Ways to deal with rat fleas

The most important way to protect against rat fleas (mouse fleas) in the home is to prevent infectious diseases and keep the home in good sanitary condition.

In the case of detection of foci of rat flea distribution in the dwelling, it is necessary to carry out wet cleaning of all surfaces and hard-to-reach places using insecticide. It is necessary to immediately destroy the litter from domestic animals, to clean up their cages. The animals themselves need to be treated with special sprays or shampoos from parasites. You can use drops on withers, such as:

• Celandine;
• Barrier;
• Dana Ultra Neo;
• Inspector;
• Blohnet.

However, for small pets it is necessary to carefully observe the dosage.

Flea remedies

If insect infestation has not taken an alarming scale, then the treatment can be carried out independently at home. The most effective means are:

1. Get (800 rub.) A modern preparation that destroys not only fleas, but also their larvae.
2. Medilis Tsiper (300 rubles.) A comprehensive tool for the destruction of parasites.
3. Delta Zone (600 rubles). Contains deltamethrin, which affects the nervous system of insects and retains its effect for up to 8 weeks.
4. Pyrethrum (400 rub.) Dust of plant origin. Effective against larvae.
5. Digox (300 rub.) The drug, which has a long term exposure. Odorless. Suitable for preventive sanitary measures.
6. Ram (400 rub.) Strong insecticide. Destroys all types of fleas and their offspring.
7. Stronghold (450 rubles). Drops on the withers for pets. Effective from most parasites.

To avoid reinfection, it is necessary to treat the basements with insecticides, attics, and common areas. In apartment buildings, it is desirable to carry out processing and neighbors, as fleas easily move between apartments.

It is equally important to carry out activities for the destruction of rats and mice in basements, offices and garbage chutes. Otherwise, rodents will again become carriers of dangerous pests and the effectiveness of all preventive measures will drop dramatically.

Flea remedies

It is very important to treat fleas in all pets and completely replace their litter.

For the effectiveness of the measures taken, you can use the popular methods:

• spread out in the apartment wormwood bushes and tansy;
• process the surface with pharmaceutical tincture of wormwood.

If the insect has had time to bite a person, then the affected places need to be thoroughly disinfected. For this fit:

• hydrogen peroxide;
• Zelenka;
• iodine;
• alcohol lotion.

This will help prevent infection in the wound and stop the complication.

In case of redness of the bites and a strong burning sensation, the victim is given an antihistamine. If fever, lethargy, or swelling occur, a physician should be called in immediately.

For the successful fight against rat fleas, not only means of destruction, but also preventive measures are important. A lasting, lasting effect is achieved only with an integrated approach to the problem.