Flea droppings typically appear as small, dark, and granular particles that vary in size from about a speck of dust to a small grain of sand. They are usually dark brown to black in color, which is a result of the digested blood they contain.
If a reddish-brown halo forms around the specks of dirt, you'll know these are flea droppings – which means your dog or cat definitely does have fleas and it's time to use a flea treatment, if you haven't already.
So even if you only find flea dirt on your pet but no fleas themselves, it could mean you've just caught the infestation early. You should still treat your pet immediately for fleas since flea dirt is an obvious sign of flea activity as the digested blood from the parasites feed on your pet.
How can you tell the difference between flea poop and flea eggs?
People often mistake “flea dirt,” or flea feces, for flea eggs—though both are signs of a flea infestation. Unlike flea eggs, flea dirt is dark and crumbly. You can identify flea dirt by putting a few of the specks on a white piece of paper and adding a couple drops of water.
Signs of fleas in your bedding include tiny black specks that are sometimes called "flea dirt." These are flea excrement; if you sprinkle them with a little water, they'll turn a dark-reddish brown. Another sign that fleas have invaded your bed are flea bites on your body.
Identification and Signs: Recognize the signs of flea infestation in your bed, such as unexplained itching, red bite marks, and the presence of flea dirt or eggs on your bedding or mattress.
Though they often burrow under comforters and sheets, fleas don't typically dwell in beds long term because they can only live without blood for about one or two weeks.
Rentokil Pest Control published this scary statistic and experts currently believe that it could be down to 2023's peculiar weather. With the UK experiencing its hottest June since 1884, followed by one of the wettest July's we've seen in a long time… this has cooked up the perfect storm for fleas to go crazy!
Fleas hate the smell and taste of ACV, which makes it a great choice for natural flea prevention. Mix equal amounts of water with apple cider vinegar and add it to a spray bottle.
Fleas in the house are typically found in sleeping areas such as bedding, carpet, and mattresses. Fleas on humans are often found in areas that are closer to the ground, as fleas tend to grab onto clothing while a person is outside.
If you find flea dirt in your home or on your pet, the best things you can do to get rid of the flea dirt is to give your dog a thorough bath and get rid of the fleas. Any pet-safe shampoo will suffice for the bath since flea dirt does not need to be killed, just removed.
"Flea dirt should be washed off the pet with a thorough bath and for severely affected pets, two or three rounds of shampooing may be necessary," Hall says. "A flea comb (a small fine-toothed comb) can also be used to tease the dirt and live fleas out of the hair."
First, if flea dirt is present on your dog or cat, it's a strong indication that your pet is hosting one or more live fleas that have laid eggs. One of the primary functions of flea dirt is to feed flea larvae, so they can develop into adult fleas that will reproduce and continue the life cycle.
Adult cat flea. The sensation feels like bugs, worms, or mites that are biting, crawling over, or burrowing into, under, or out of your skin. They must be there, because you can feel them, and you are even pretty sure that you can see them.
You can use a homemade spray to kill fleas on a mattress. To make the spray, combine equal parts water and distilled white vinegar. Spray the mixture on the fleas and all over the mattress. Follow this up with a generous sprinkle of salt all over the mattress, and let it sit overnight.
You might be asking yourself will fleas eventually go away? While some could last 2 – 3 weeks, they could also live for up to 12 months on the host it finds, so it is unlikely they will go away on their own. Fleas can also reproduce very quickly by laying eggs in carpet, bedding, or garden prolonging the infestation.
Fleas can't survive the heat. Vacuum the entire surface of the mattress several times. Then turn the mattress over and do the same again. You may find it helpful to spray the mattress with a recommended flea home spray, and when dry, slip on a mattress cover and seal it up.
Fleas like to burrow into soft, small spaces and hide, such as plush carpeting and bedding. However, if they don't have a food source, they won't live there for long. Fleas are far more likely to live on your pet's body or bedding than on your sheets and blankets.
Fleas have flattened bodies so they can move through the fur of their hosts easily. They also have very strong exoskeletons, making them very hard to crush. They also leap out of danger quickly and are very small, so if they do get away they are hard to find again.
Their bodies can handle a lot of pressure to help them stay alive against mashing, scratching, or squeezing them in your fingers. Squeezing them in your fingers is nearly impossible.
Although live adult fleas can get into a person's bed by way of their pet, it's more common to find white flea eggs in your bedding. This is because within 24 hours of starting to feed, adult fleas mate and females start laying about 40 to 50 eggs per day, which can easily fall off a pet.
