Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Here's the deal. I have many cats, Boas, and Bearded Dragons in my house. My cats have Fleas. I have used Frontline, the all natural stuff, and baths several times to get rid of the Fleas. Nothing has worked. I have one Cat that is covered with scabs and miserable. People keep telling me that I have to bomb the house and treat the cats to get rid of the Fleas. I have the Beardies upstairs, and the Boas downstairs. The Boas are breeding right now. I could move the dragons downstairs, but because of the way my house is set up, the bombs poison will definately seep down there. Moving the Boas is not really an option. It is winter here.
I wonder if I could maybe put them all together and cover the cages with plastic? Would they be able to breathe?
I really don't want to bomb my house with poison> The thought makes me sick. I will if I have to, but man...
If anyone has had a similar problem and overcome it, I would love to hear about it..

Thanks for any help!
-----
Jason Dowell

sounddjinn@yahoo.com

Things always get cloudy, just before transformation.

I had the same problem with my cat. Quit letting them go outside if they do, at least for a little while. The frontline needs a while to really kick in, like 3 weeks, and you have to keep using it. DON'T give them baths though if you are using frontline, it just washes it off and you have to start over. The fleas will die on their own if they don't have a host to survive off. This eliminates bombing the house and having to move all of the animals out. I know it takes a while, but it works. trust me on this.
-----
1.0 Dumeril's Boa(acrantophis dumerili)
1.0 Argentine Boa(Boa constrictor occidentalis)

>>Here's the deal. I have many cats, Boas, and Bearded Dragons in my house. My cats have Fleas. I have used Frontline, the all natural stuff, and baths several times to get rid of the Fleas. Nothing has worked. I have one Cat that is covered with scabs and miserable. People keep telling me that I have to bomb the house and treat the cats to get rid of the Fleas. I have the Beardies upstairs, and the Boas downstairs. The Boas are breeding right now. I could move the dragons downstairs, but because of the way my house is set up, the bombs poison will definately seep down there. Moving the Boas is not really an option. It is winter here.
>>I wonder if I could maybe put them all together and cover the cages with plastic? Would they be able to breathe?
>>I really don't want to bomb my house with poison> The thought makes me sick. I will if I have to, but man...
>>If anyone has had a similar problem and overcome it, I would love to hear about it..
>>
>>Thanks for any help!
>>-----
>>Jason Dowell
>>
>>sounddjinn@yahoo.com
>>
>>Things always get cloudy, just before transformation.

Garden section an they sell a product called seven dust,OLY use the 5% do NOT the 10%.It will kill your flea problem an it is also safe to sprinkle on the cats an your carpets an let it sit for a bit before vacuuming. An it wont harm your boa's at all.Hope this helps with your problem an good luck with your breedings.Frontline stinks.In my opinion.Thanks Eric[Hypoboa]
-----
E&C's Exotic House of Reptiles

Frontline should work even for outside animals I haven't seen a flea in over 3 years how long have you been useing it and the other poster was right if you bath it will wash off so put it on just after bathing.
-----
Vince Pramuk

Exterminating the environment is usually neccesary. Personally I would be very cautious about any-over-the-counter type products to use for the house. Covering the snakes with plastic
sheeting is way too risky. I think I would take a little different approach to your other reply thus far. First off, I would continue to use Frontline Plus Topspot on all the cats longterm. Chemicals used in the home by method of foggers certainly come with a degree of toxicity, as do all chemicals.....including the Frontline used on the cats. Fleas cause flea bite dermititis, allergy to fleas, hemobart, and sometimes deadly anemias. Tapeworms are the lesser of the concerns for cats. Capstar is approved for nursing and pregnant animals and is a very effective quick-kill option. It is relatively inexpensive and short duration so it kills all the fleas on a cat/dog within 6 hrs or so. It must be used in combination with environmental extermination when an infestation is present. Contact local exterminators and tell them your concerns with having the reptiles....there are companies in my area that are super conscious of debilatated humans and their pets who can work with troublesome situations. Let them do the house....maybe all but the rooms where the more sensitive animals are kept. Apply your Frontline without going a day over a month. By the way...if your wait 48 hours before bathing it remains effective. Make certain you buy it from a crediable source....it is also manufactured as a bootleg product. The product takes as long as 48 hrs to kill a flea that gets on it's host. If you are still seeing live fleas on your cats it is most likely because they are hopping back on from somewhere. Fleas can live 18 months or so in a pupae state in your house. When humidity and a nice meal come along their numbers explode. Most of their life is spent NOT on the host. Make sure to vaccuum the carpeted areas frequently and always throw out the bag....or empty the canister outside so the little darlings will not be able to reinfest. Keep doing this until you see not one flea....then do it another year. I don't know many cats you are calling many....but if I can determine your ability to follow directions and you want me to...I have a trick for splitting up the large dog frontline to cat doses. (Much, much less expensive) Contact me and I can share that with you. BTW, please take take scabbed up kittie to the Vet so he can a shot of relief for that skin problem.

Good luck!

Advantage. Advantage is made solely for fleas. It works in a different manner. Advantage disables the flea's ability to use it's mouth. It is released on the cat's hair. If a flea cannot feed, it cannot live or reproduce. Other treatments are absorbed by the liver and enter the cat's blood system. The flea must feed before it will die. Some may still lay eggs. Advantage ends the chain as soon as the flea jumps on the cat. You will need to apply every four weeks. Your biggest problem now is that the fleas have laid eggs throughout your house. Flea eggs are extremely hard to kill and most attempts will only kill larvae or adult fleas. The eggs will remain dormant and hatch after your treatment. Good luck and keep those nasty chemicals away from your boas.

Phil Goss

If it were me, I'd buy a can of Provent-a-mite and lightly spray the areas where the cats hang out the most... around the litter box, beds, etc. I'd also spray around the doorways of each room. The residue lasts up to 2 weeks and should help break the flea's cycle which can help make the stuff you are already using on the cats be more efficient.
-----
_____

PHWyvern

You guys are awesome!
-----
Jason Dowell

sounddjinn@yahoo.com

Things always get cloudy, just before transformation.

If you go to your vet (or probably any pet store, though I would check the vet first) they will have a tub of powder that you can buy, you put it on all of your carpet for a certain amount of time and then vacuum it up. It will kill all of the fleas that arre there. I think it sounds like they are now living inside and thats why you cant get rid of them. If it were me I would leave the powder down for a whole day so that any fleas on couches etc. will likely move around and bite the dust so to speak.

Good Luck

This dust is called DRION DUST I have it. it's kinda hard to come buy. do a search for it or call your local exterminator. they will know. It is kinda like flour. it is a silica based dust that attacks the exo skeleton of any bugs that have one. it is 100% safe for us cats, birds, lizards, ext. no exo. I have it along my footboards of my house for spiders, my rats occasionally get flease (ticks here) and I just give them a good rubdown and its over in 48hrs. put some where the cats sleep. I am telling you 100% this is the final answer. Just got to find it,I found it at my local IFA, pay the money and have at it. e-mail me if you need more info. Skyetone@msn.com