The appearance of rat fleas, why are they dangerous bites, how to get rid of them in an apartment?

Appearance of rat fleas

There is the southern rat flea and the European flea, there are only 2 species. The first parasitizes mainly on gray rodents, which mainly live in cellars and sewers. They pose the greatest danger, as they spread various infections. Initially they lived in the subtropics and tropical regions, from there they spread throughout the world.

If we talk about appearance, they are no different from other types of fleas. Body length up to 4 mm. The cover is chitinous, shiny, chestnut color. Both species have 3 pairs of legs: the front and middle ones are short, the hind ones are slightly longer. They can jump to a height of up to 1.5 meters. On the head: round eyes and antennae. The mouth consists of an upper and lower jaw, the lips are equipped with palps. The length of the egg does not exceed 0.6 mm. Oval in shape, white or yellowish. The larvae look like worms.

Lifestyle

Bloodsuckers cannot remain on the victim’s body all the time. After eating, the flea jumps off and returns to its permanent habitat. They often settle in rat nests and lay eggs here. People know that pets have blood-sucking parasites, but do rats have fleas? They are present in all living organisms, even in humans, but are called a little differently. Females can produce up to 400 of their own kind. They lay 7 eggs per day. The development of the larva takes up to 16 days, then is wrapped in a cocoon.

An adult flea emerges from the pupa. Can go without food for a long time. But then, when it chooses a suitable victim, it will suck blood for a long time.

Developing bloodsuckers are near us

The larvae of dangerous pests develop in nests left in the habitat or resting place of rats, mice, gophers, gerbils, and marmots. As food, the developing organism uses rotten remains of grass, wool, and the feces of an adult flea with undigested blood. The eggs of parasites are white and barely visible to humans. If you want to get a complete picture of what fleas look like, view enlarged microscope images.

Unwanted guests will certainly settle next to you if there are huge accumulations of dirt or garbage nearby. Behind baseboards and poorly cleaned carpets, the larvae have excellent conditions for full development. Adult fleas begin to look for new victims for food, settle on pets and begin to bite people.

Flea bites on humans are extremely painful and clearly visible to the naked eye. Pests do not secrete pain-relieving enzymes, so you will clearly feel the presence of the parasite on your own body. The affected area begins to itch and swell intensely, and in people with poor immunity, a widespread allergic reaction and fever quickly appear. Children react extremely severely to multiple rat flea bites.

More often, pests settle in houses where mice, hamsters and other rodents live. Bloodsuckers will always find additional food for themselves on cats, dogs and humans. As soon as you notice clear signs of the presence of flea bites on your body, it is important to immediately take immediate disinfestation measures.

If you have to find yourself in places with a suspected nest of parasites, it is better to use additional means of protection in the form of a repellent. Do not stay near rodent burrows for a long time and when going out into nature, wear ankle-length pants.

Why are rat fleas harmful?

They feed not only on rat blood; people and animals are also not protected from their painful bites. The affected area often becomes inflamed, festers, and swells. An allergic reaction is possible. Repeated bites can cause inflammation of the lymph nodes, headaches, mouth ulcers and nervous breakdown.

This is not the worst thing, because they are carriers of plague, encephalitis, brucellosis, salmonellosis, and anthrax. Rat and mouse fleas carry helminth eggs.

How fleas get into the house

They can get into a home in various ways, namely:

can be brought from the street, from the basement on outerwear, on shoes;
through holes, cracks in the floor from the entrance or from neighbors;
with animals after a walk outside.

Especially during the cold period, they look for a damp, warm place for further existence. Often these are: basements and attics where old things and so on are stored. Rat fleas choose a dark and dusty place in an apartment with an accumulation of dirt and debris. Namely: baseboards and the area under them, carpeting, unwashed rugs, folds of upholstered furniture.

The presence of blood-sucking parasites can be determined by the behavior of pets: they constantly itch, eat poorly, sleep restlessly. When examining the fur, you can see small black dots - eggs, adult individuals themselves and their waste products in the form of dried blood.

If there are no cats or dogs in the house, decorative rats may also have fleas. If they are absent, their presence can be determined by characteristic painful bites and marks. The affected area is swollen and very itchy.

Possible consequences of flea bites

The main consequences of flea attacks are associated with the enzyme that is part of their saliva. When the insect pierces the skin, it releases toxic substances that are an allergen for humans. An additional irritant for humans is feces that come into contact with the skin during prolonged saturation. The local reaction is manifested by itching, hyperemia, and swelling of the skin in the affected areas.

After a flea bite, in rare cases, hypersensitive people develop allergies of varying severity. In some it manifests itself only at the site of the bite, in others it is a general reaction of the body. Sometimes a severe form develops in the form of Quincke's edema. The onset can be recognized by symptoms:

labored breathing;
rapid swelling of the ears, lips, tongue;
pale skin;
cardiopalmus;
When such signs appear, emergency medical measures are required.

If a person is overly sensitive to parasite bites, anaphylactic shock can occur. The menacing reaction of the immune system is life-threatening and often ends instantly in death.

At the first sign of unusual symptoms after a bite, you should call an emergency team.

How to deal with rat fleas

First you need to treat your pets. Bathe with special shampoos, apply drops to the withers, and put on collars to repel blood suckers. After this, start cleaning the room.

These actions consist of the following aspects:

Wash all bedding, sofa covers , armchairs and everything else that can be put in the washing machine. After drying, be sure to iron and steam.
Vacuum furniture, carpets, rugs. Shake the contents of the bag into a thick plastic bag or throw it away without much regret.
Place food and everything else that is edible in the refrigerator or cupboard. Place children, pets, indoor plants, and an aquarium with relatives and friends for a while.
Wear protective equipment: rubber gloves, respirator, closed clothing. Close windows and doors.
Use the purchased insecticidal preparation to treat baseboards, corners, carpets, rugs and everything else. Do not forget that fleas on rats jump 1-1.5 meters. Process the walls to this height.

After 2 hours, ventilate the room and carry out wet cleaning again. Treat all rooms: kitchen, bathroom, etc. When working with insecticidal preparations, do not smoke and store the remains of the diluted concentrate. Be sure to wash your face and hands with laundry or antibacterial soap.

Preparations for rat fleas

There are rat fleas in the apartment, you don’t know how to get rid of them, which means you haven’t tried to fight blood-sucking insects with these insecticides:

Aerosols. They are very convenient to use for treating hard-to-reach areas. For example, you can choose one of these: “Dichlorvos Neo”, “Carom”, “Clean House”, “Raptor”, “Raid” and others.
Kon, "Get", "Executioner", "Cucaracha", "Fanfaron". Adults and larvae are affected gradually, mass death is observed after a week. Complete destruction - 30 days. Before use, read the instructions on the package and follow safety precautions.

How to get rid of rat fleas in an apartment?

The best solution is to call professional exterminators. Only specialists can guarantee you complete relief from these dangerous insects in just 1 day. But if you don’t have such an opportunity, you’ll have to start fighting on your own and don’t hesitate. Follow the plan:

If you have pets (rodents and others), you need to treat them with special insecticidal drops against fleas, or use shampoo or spray. Effective products: shampoos Celandine, Mr. Kiss, Barsik drops.

What are the most effective methods for removing fleas from pets?

Clear hard-to-reach areas for treatment: move furniture, cover food, remove animals from the premises.
Try to find flea nests.

You can start processing the premises.

Choosing a remedy for rat fleas

Among the many modern insecticides, give preference to proven drugs that have proven themselves in the fight against rat fleas:

GET for fleas

The drug GET (GET) is the most powerful microencapsulated insecticide of the latest generation. It is capable of not only completely destroying adult fleas, but also coping with the offspring.

Price – from 800-850 rubles

What do bites look like, treatment

The problem of rat fleas is relevant for residents in private sectors; they are extremely rare in the city. But after a bite, serious complications can develop.

The affected person begins to turn red, and multiple red dots may form. This indicates the development of an allergic reaction. The bite area itches very much, so it cannot be ignored. After a certain period of time, a blister appears, but it disappears very quickly, and a wound forms in its place.

Parasites affect the lower part of the legs: legs, feet. But other parts of the body may also be affected: neck, armpits, arms. This means that they have moved onto the bed, furniture, and clothes. You will have to do some general cleaning, a vacuum cleaner helps a lot, just don’t forget to disinfect it after use.

Treatment

After a flea bite is discovered, immediate action must be taken, especially if a child has been bitten. To avoid possible complications, you must adhere to the recommendations below:

Treat the affected area with any antiseptic composition. You should also use a soap or vinegar solution. They are prepared with water in equal proportions. If the skin is severely damaged, treat the wound several times a day.
To relieve itching, apply an ice cube or any other cold compress. Also, these measures will help relieve inflammation, reduce swelling, and the skin will take on a normal appearance.
Apply antiseptic ointment or cream, which is available in your home medicine cabinet. For example, it could be sulfur ointment, calamine lotion, Boro-plus. But a regular soda solution will also work. Furacilin and hydrocortisone are suitable as steroid ointments. They will relieve pain and itching. But before using them, get qualified advice.
If an allergic reaction occurs in the form of a rash, take an antiallergic drug. In this case, it is better to coordinate treatment with an allergist.
Lotions made from the juice of marigolds, plantain, burdock, dandelion, and parsley will help relieve itching, swelling, and moderate the inflammatory process.

Urgent medical attention is needed if a pustular mass, urticaria, fever, or headache appears.

First aid for flea bites

The main thing to do if you are bitten by fleas is to eliminate traces of the parasite on the skin - saliva, feces. To do this, you need to perform certain steps step by step. What to do if fleas have bitten a child or an adult:

First of all, the baby needs to be calmed down and the affected areas should be washed with warm water and antibacterial or laundry soap.
Treat the wounds with brilliant green, hydrogen peroxide, calendula tincture or simply alcohol. Disinfectant solutions prevent inflammation of the wound later.
Apply an ice pack or cold water bottle. This method relieves itching and pain well.
Lubricate the affected area with Calamine lotion or antipruritic Hydrocortisone ointment.

At the same time, give the patient an antihistamine. The recommended measures will help prevent allergies and inflammation. If the size and quantity of the rash increases, contact your doctor.

Preventing fleas

To avoid bringing fleas into your apartment, you should follow preventive measures and always dust off your shoes and clothes after a walk in the park or forest. If fleas are found on a rat, what should you do ? Go to the nearest pet store or veterinary pharmacy and purchase specialized products. A decorative rat can also become infected from domestic animals or if blood-sucking parasites penetrate into all corners of the rooms.

So, preventive measures:

If from time to time you have to visit the attic, basement and other places where fleas may be, wear closed clothing, treat exposed areas of the body with aerosol repellents. For example, you can select: “OFF”, “Comfort+”, “Ultratone”;
Regularly inspect the fur of domestic cats and dogs for the presence of arthropod parasites, bathe with special shampoos 2-3 times a week, and apply drops to the withers. These measures are especially important during the warm period;
wash floors with the addition of apple cider vinegar, laundry soap, bleach, bleach, and strong-smelling essential oils. Preference should be given to cedar and coniferous trees;
Everyone who lives in the private sector is recommended to plant chamomile, marigolds, geraniums and other plants around the house. City dwellers can plant them in flowerpots;
Place several branches of wormwood and other fragrant plants near the front door, in the toilet, in the bathroom, on the balcony.

Since many are still arguing: do rats have fleas , the answer is yes, which is why you need to start with prevention, and not allow these arthropods to jump over the threshold of the house. Treat all existing cracks and gaps with concentrated solutions. They are also sold in powder form, so follow the instructions when diluting.

Watch the video of rat fleas:

We destroy the source of pests

Rat fleas will not bother you if you find the source of the infestation and properly carry out disinfestation measures. Just a couple of insects can restore the population, so it is important to destroy the parasite everywhere and look for any potential sources of infection. Using insecticides and treating pests on your pets will help you forget about the horror of a rat flea infestation forever.

First of all, you should clean up the room, get rid of debris and thoroughly clean all surfaces. Pay attention to your pets and treat them for fleas. Cats and dogs become ideal habitats for rat fleas, and the few remaining insects restore their numbers in the shortest possible time. The room is treated with modern insecticides, which eliminate the danger in one session and maintain a long-lasting effect. An effective and safe remedy is selected on an individual basis.

Try to detect the slightest signs of the presence of fleas in the room and periodically check your pet rodents. Neglecting simple rules can negatively affect your safety and health.