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Fleas ...

Genlisae

Genlisae

New member
A few months ago we found out my cancer has returned, it was kind of a shock, but treatment is going amazingly and I am okay. Unfortunately, there were a few weeks of tests and appointments and general stress all of which left me rather scatter brained and I forgot to refresh the cats' flea treatment on schedule.

Tequila has a metal screen top on her viv. The cats LOVE to sleep on the screen and when they did they naturally shed flea eggs into the viv and now every time I reach my hand in I end up with a billion (only a slight exaggeration) newly morphed fleas hopping onto my arm.

Questions:
1. Can fleas even live on snakes? Tequila doesn't seem to be in any way bothered by them. I have never witnessed any on her (and I have been making a point to look closely)and they always seem to be ravenous when a warm-blooded creature (read my arm) enters the viv, so are snakes even a viable food source? Just to be clear I am asking more out of curiosity than any willingness to leave them there.

2. I have cleaned the viv as best I can, replaced all the substrate (coconut fibre), cleaned the hides, plants, etc, but they are still there. What am I missing? It has been a week and the cats are now happily flea free again, the snake viv is not.

3, Is there a safe way to kill the little blood-suckers without harming the snake? Since the cleaning didn't work or I somehow missed a really good flea hiding spot I am thinking extra measures are required this time.
 
First off, I'm sorry to hear you're not well; get well soon!

In answer to your questions -

1. No, I have never heard of fleas that live on mammals being able to live on snakes, or vice versa - don't worry, they won't hurt your snakes (unless I am grossly mistaken)

2. Nothing much you can do except replace the substrate and clean everything again, and repeat until no fleas remain. Flea eggs are of course teeny so they could be hiding in any crack or crevice. Rinsing down with a high-pressured hose might help? Or go around it with a hoover.

3. You could try with mite spray that is meant to be used on snakes, depending on how old Tequila is (it's very bad for young snakes), although this can have a negative effect on even older snakes and personally I wouldn't recommend it. The good thing though is that they can't breed if they don't have access to a (mammal) host, and if you've already treated your cats so the fleas can't breed there, you should theoretically be safe - after one life cycle they should all be dead. To make doubly sure perhaps you could be extra vigilant about fleas on your cats and even not let them sleep on top of the viv to prevent it happening again?

Best of luck!
 
Hi Genlisae. How ya been?

Don't know anything about fleas except that Petey the Dog (Lil Rascals' pit bull with the circle around the eye, circa 1938) and Stimey both have 'em (the jury was still out on Weazer, though).

But I'm awful sorry to hear about your unwelcomed relapse. Relapses of ANY kind really SUCK!

You & your little sneaky ones (including your little furballs) remain in my thoughts & prayers!
 
Sorry to hear that your cancer has returned. Glad that your treatments are going well.

Since you have treated your cats any eggs that hatch and make it to a host will die. The ones that don't make it to a host will die in a week or so from lack of food.

There are 3 ways to kill the eggs that are hidden. Water, Heat and chemical.

1) You can drown them by completely submerging everything in water. The tank (if that's what your using) can be partially submerged then flipped to submerge the top. Fill completely with water when submerging the bottom. 24+ hours recommended.

2) You can "cook" everything at 140 degrees for a couple of hours. Hard to do with the tank and possibly dangerous with any combustible items.

3) Not sure if it is available there but you can treat everything with a No Pest Strip. It will penetrate everything. Remove the snake and put the tank with everything still in it outside. Put the no Pest Strip in and cover it for 24 hours. Remove and let it air out for another 24 hours. Or if you can get a flea collar that is the kind that emits a toxic gas ( usually older types ) and put that in the tank to treat.

:)
 
I am SO sorry to hear of your medical problems. My husband is going through his second bout of chemo right now, so my heart is with you! Stay strong, this too shall pass!

As for the fleas, a lot depends on how you treated the cats. If you use the pills (like we do) then the cats still have eggs on them that haven't hatched yet and they could still be dropping into your snake tank.

Best Wishes!
~Beau
 
Just a another word of support here as you fend off the cancer. Cancer and fleas suck major. Get better soon! I'm sure your snakes will be fine.
 
Even I have never heard of fleas that live on mammals being able to live on snakes. Sad to hear this, your cancer is returned back, but happy that your treatment is running successfully. Well, the similar situation I have seen a long back at my friend's home, his pet-Dog is frustrated with fleas surrounding him all over the time, even when he enters the bedroom. After discussing this problem with one of the pest control technicians say flea exterminator NYC they suggested to have a pest controlling program for once in the home, which will stop all the insects and another pest to enter inside.
 
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