Is It Possible To Have Fleas In Your Pittsburgh Home Without Pets?

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german shephards running around in the backyard

Most people associate fleas with pets, subscribing to the idea that you can only be susceptible to a flea infestation if you are a pet owner. However, this is a common misconception. Though fleas are often brought in by pets, they can also be brought in by other creatures, like wildlife, rodents, and birds.

How Long Can Fleas Live Without a Host?

While fleas feed on the blood of their hosts, be it human or animal, they are capable of surviving long periods of time without food. Fleas can go for over 100 days without feeding, so they’re found in many more places than just animal hair. They can live outdoors, in the grass, in fields or woods. They can attach to your shoes or clothing as you pass by, unknowingly exposing your Pittsburgh home to a possible flea infestation.
 
Perhaps a neighboring home is suffering from a flea infestation. This also increases the chances of your home becoming infested. Say you yourself don’t have pets, but the previous tenant did. There’s a chance the fleas could still be living there. They are pretty resilient little guys that survive a relatively long time in their cocoons without a blood meal. Once they detect a host nearby, they hatch and attach, to begin feeding.

Flea Bites

A flea infestation poses real health risks to you, your family, and your pets. Pets can suffer allergic reactions to fleas, causing scabs and fur loss at the bite sites. They can also suffer from anemia due to too much blood loss.

Flea Bites on Humans

While fleas prefer pets as their hosts, they do bite humans as well. This can cause itchiness and infection. If the host is allergic to fleas, they can suffer a severe allergic reaction that can go from a rash to hives to full-on anaphylaxis rather rapidly.

Flea Infestation in House

Fleas are formidable pests that are extremely difficult to get rid of. They find sneaky ways to enter your house, and when they do, they hide in damp, dark places that are hard to reach. They like to hide in bedding, furniture, cushions, and dog beds. They thrive undetected in carpets, upholstery, curtains, and small cracks in the floor. They’re able to jump long distances, allowing them to transfer from one hiding spot to another quickly. They can easily survive in a home without a pet host due to their ability to last long periods without food. To top it off, they have strong exteriors that protect them from being crushed.

Fleas can easily find a way inside your home with or without pets. They hide in yard debris, dirt, grass, weeds, and bushes, waiting for wildlife to pass by so they can latch onto them. In fact, when fleas are present in a home without pets, there’s even more reason to worry about another possible primary infestation, such as wildlife or rodents.

If not taken care of properly, fleas can multiply very quickly and cause a larger infestation that can feel overwhelming and unmanageable. The best way to eliminate a flea infestation is to enlist the assistance of pest management professionals.

Professional Flea Treatment

The experts at Witt Pest Management provide the full spectrum of pest control services, from detection and elimination to long-term prevention and maintenance. Our specialists thoroughly inspect your property to properly identify the source of infestation. We eliminate breeding sites and clear your entire property of fleas. Call us today and protect yourself, your pets, and your home from the nightmare of a flea infestation.

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