Have you ever heard the story of the Trojan horse? It was a massive hollow wooden horse built by Greek soldiers to invade and conquer the city of Troy. Whether this story is true or not, it does make a decent parallel to fleas. These tiny blood-feeding pests use trojan dogs, cats, and rodents daily to find their way indoors. To keep these insects out of your Folsom home, here is a simple trick you can try.
What Are Fleas?
Fleas are external parasites that prefer living on furry creatures. Adult fleas consume up to 15 times their body weight in blood every day. Seeing that a single flea only weighs .45 to 1/08 mg, this isn’t a large amount of blood, but it can be if hundreds of fleas are feeding on a single animal. Fleas are also dangerous in that they carry and spread many disease-causing organisms.
How To Spot Fleas
Fleas are not easily visible to the naked eye and are often described by homeowners as brownish-black to black specks. If fleas infest one of your pets, your furry friend might start exhibiting some telling sign of infestation such as over scratching, biting, or discomfort. When inspecting your pet for fleas, separate their fur and look for small crawling or hopping specks. One common sign to use to identify fleas is flea dirt. Remove this dirt-like fecal matter from a pet’s fur with a fine flea or lice comb.
The Best Way To Prevent Fleas
Fleas primarily enter into homes on the backs of furry animals, the most common of which being dogs, cats, and rodents. Fortunately, you have some control over whether or not your pets bring home fleas; it is wild animals that are much more difficult to stop. To keep these dangerous and annoying pests out of your Folsom home, here are some great prevention tips you can try:
- Talk to your local veterinarian and ask for suggestions about flea and tick control for your pets.
- Wash your outdoor pets regularly, and when you do so, check them for fleas.
- Seal up your home’s exterior foundation using a caulk gun and some steel wool to keep rodents out.
- Make sure your doors all have door sweeps to prevent small rodents like mice from crawling under.
- Repair damage to shingles, siding, and your home’s chimney that rodents might use to get inside.
- Eliminate food sources around your property by picking up dropped fruit and cleaning up thoroughly after outdoor gatherings.
- Keep your home clean and clutter-free to discourage rodents from settling down.
- Address water build-up and leaks around your home.
- Install a fence around your yard and garden to keep wildlife away.
- Clean up debris around your property.
- Mow your lawn regularly and keep your landscaping well-maintained.
The Only Way To Eliminate Fleas
Once fleas get into a home, they hop off animals to infest carpets, beds, furniture, and other fabric-based items throughout a home. If you suspect fleas have infested your Folsom home, get the experts at Neighborly Pest Management involved. We have the advanced strategies and industry-leading pest control products needed to quickly and effectively handle your flea problems.
We also offer year-round exclusion services to keep out pests like rodents and wildlife who commonly bring fleas onto properties. Contact our team today to learn more about our comprehensive pest control plans or schedule a service visit for your Folsom property. We are the pest control option you deserve.