I can't take it anymore! Please help.

[Leopardess]

Sigh, well this is disgusting and it's making me mental.

When we moved into our appartment, turns out there were fleas. Lovely. I was under the impression that the landlord was supposed to tell us if pets had been in here before we moved, but apparently not.

We treated the two cats with Frontline (worked when we got them as kittens). Still had fleas. More frontline. More frontline. More frontline. Constant carpet vacuuming. Carpet powder. Flea combing. Raid Flea spray. Still have fleas. We've spent hundreds of dollars all told on this. It's not like a huge amount are crawling everywhere, but I can see flea dander and a few fleas from time to time. I hate fleas. I despise them. They make me feel ill to even see. I can't take it.

We asked our vet and they said the foggers don't work because they don't go under things well. They suggested an exterminator. The problem is, besides it costing 200$, we have so many fish tanks that simply cannot move (as well as a cockatiel and hamster). And I'm concerned that they'd just come right back because the fleas would also be in things like old clothes in the closets (I could wrap them in trash bags for a few weeks, though).

Has anyone else used an exterminator? Did it work? Did you have your pet professionally treated while the house was being treated?

Bear in mind, we have wall to wall carpeting This no doubt is contributing to the problem.

I absolutely cannot take this. One flea is too many.

Signed,
Paranoid about bugs. :thud:

 

[125gJoe]

Sigh, well this is disgusting and it's making me mental...... One flea is too many.

Fleas have a life cycle. Remove the "food", they die - and the eggs hatch a new batch..
I know that's not easy...
Also, what about the neighbors? Fleas can be carried back into the apartment.

I heard Frontline was/is an excellent product. I'm surprised it's not working for you...

 

[Leopardess]

Oh, I'm knowledgeable with the flea life cycle. I've read up a lot. For every single flea you see, there are 100-200 eggs/larvae in the carpets. Fleas can even go weeks/months without eating from a host.

Frontline has been excellent in the past, but its not kicking it this time.

The neighbors shouldn't be an issue. This appartment is only down the hall from our old one, and no one else has gotten any pets.

I'm going to call the vet again and asked them if they have Program. It supposedly prevents them from reproducing, but that is what the exterminator said their stuff does; its a residual spray that affects the larval stage.

At this point, I just want them gone forever.

 

[pjfish]

Since you've been using Frontline, switch to Advantage. Both are great products, but maybe your fleas are getting immune to Frontline for some reason. Also, vacuum everywhere and often. I mean morning and evening. If you have vac bags, throw them away (outside) after every vacuum. This is a lot of work and cost, but will work. I would be hesitant to use an exterminator or flea bombs, especially with your bird and fish. If you go that route, you also have to remove the cats for awhile. Good luck!

 

[Leopardess]

I have been vacuuming twice, even three times a day! The cats would only need to be gone for an hour or two, they said, and we can easily take the bird, hamster, and kitties somewhere else for the day. We can ask about changing meds though...the exterminator said to just cover the tanks....but i'm looking for some personal experience.

Has anyone actually ever used an exterminator?

EDIT: And the vacuum doesn't have bags. Its a canister with Raid Flea Killer sprayed into it and I empty it after each time.

 

[pjfish]

Well, I did have major problems a few years ago when I took in a couple of new cats. I had about 4-5 cats and no fish at the time. You could rub the carpet and lots of fleas would jump up. I took the cats somewhere overnight and put out flea bombs, about twice as many as the instructions said. I treated the cats and vacuumed several times a day. After a few days, my fleas seemed to be gone. However, I kept on vacuuming to get the next hatchlings. I think the key is to make sure the fleas you vacuum up are disposed of and don't crawl back out. Also, I kept treating the cats for a couple of months because if there are any leftover fleas, they will likely end up on the cats. That was my experience.

I know more about cats and dogs than I do fish. If you do use flea bombs or an exterminator, should you turn off any air or filter on your aquarium as well as covering it?

 

[nursie]

We bought a house one time that had them :mad2
Had no clue...we didn't have pets at the time. Wondered why getting bug bites and what the little black jumpy bugs were. Our eldest was 6 mo old, and she was getting bit too by the time we figured it out.
Apparently the former residents had a cat. When we saw the house it was empty..and you know the flea life cycle thing, it took a bit for the things to come out.
We got an exterminator, and they did the whole house and garage, and they never came back. We had cats after that, no problems.
You can spend a lot of $$ on over the counter products. Doesn't your landlord bear some financial responsibility since the fleas were there when you moved in?

 

[FL Knifemaker]

Leopardess,

We have an annual flea outbreak here that lasts for about two-three weeks. We buy a years supply of Frontline and only use about 2 months worth, then never need it again until the following year. Just when the weather starts to get really warm again, they seem to come out of nowhere. Once the grass starts to grow and covers the sandy areas on our property they dissapear.

We have a canister vac also and you MUST vaccuum 2-3 times per day. One trick that works for us is we put new flea collar in the canister about once per week. After you vaccuum, just put the whole thing outside and let the collar kill the fleas and eggs. Some will get out, trying to escape, that's the reason for putting it outside!! I spray a ring of flea killer around the spot where we put the vaccum. Sounds like overkill but they drive us mad too LOL!!! During the outbreak time, we restrict the dogs to our Florida room and keep that carpet very well vaccuumed and flea powder treated. Never had to use bombs or exterminators.

 

[greeneyedlady]

If you do use flea bombs or an exterminator, should you turn off any air or filter on your aquarium as well as covering it?

Oh yes turn off all air filters and pumps and electric equipment on your tank and cover it with plastic, of course the problem lies in if the fleas are living in the carpet around or under the tanks if you have an open stand. Fleas are very hard to get rid of they are in the furniture and carpets and draperies, anyplace you can think of they are there

 

[happychem]

I was just thinking that GEL, if you turned off the filters, maybe even put the media in some tupperware, put bags over the tanks and tape them down well so that you've got a good seal to ensure no aerosols get in it should be fine.

Sounds like you've spent a lot of money already, $200 sounds like it may be worth it, not just because you're already spending in the same ballpark, but for your peace of mind as well.