Fleas?!

[MelyH]

Hi all,

A couple of weeks ago my husband and I moved into our apartment. I noticed the morning after our first night I woke up with bites on me. At first we thought there was mosquitoes in the apartment. Well later we found out the apartment had fleas from the previous residents' kittens. I was mortified the day I found out from my husband, I got off work early and rushed to go get my Maximus and Reptar out of there so I could fog the place and wash all their bedding (they don't use paper or wood bedding, they have a live-in play pen. We have cardboard on the carpet and a human bed comforter on top of that gets washed every week.)

We haven't been able to completely get rid of the fleas, Reptar and Max don't scratch themselves that often and we have checked their fur and haven't found a single flea on them. A couple of nights ago I even bathed them and I was unable to find any fleas in their bath water. I find it hard to believe they aren't full of them. Has anybody else had trouble with fleas on their piggies? Tonite my husband and I are going to fog the place again and place flea powder on all the carpets, we are also going to spend the night with Reptar and Max elsewhere. What can I bath them in again to make sure I kill any fleas if they do have fleas?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Wiebke]

Skin parasites are species specific, which means that cat fleas can only survive on cats in the long term. if you move into an infested flat, you and your piggies will be initially affected as the fleas are looking for a new host (like you), but not for long. Guinea pigs have their own parasites, but there is thankfully not a species specific flea.

Please be careful when using insect killing products, as some products that are targeted at cats and dogs can be toxic for guinea pigs. Good that you are all moving out!

You can give them another bath if you wish if necessary, but they should hopefully be no longer bothered.

Here is a list of specific guinea pig parasites: http://www.guinealynx.info/parasites.html

 

[MelyH]

Skin parasites are species specific, which means that cat fleas can only survive on cats in the long term. if you move into an infested flat, you and your piggies will be initially affected as the fleas are looking for a new host (like you), but not for long. Guinea pigs have their own parasites, but there is thankfully not a species specific flea.

Please be careful when using insect killing products, as some products that are targeted at cats and dogs can be toxic for guinea pigs. Good that you are all moving out!

You can give them another bath if you wish if necessary, but they should hopefully be no longer bothered.

Here is a list of specific guinea pig parasites: http://www.guinealynx.info/parasites.html

This is so helpful, thank you!