How long flea eggs hatch

There are a number of such products available, and choosing the correct one for you and your pet is a decision that is best made through a discussion with your veterinarian. Treat every pet in your household at the same time to make sure you tackle this problem effectively. This includes small mammals such as pet rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, etc.

Talk to your veterinarian about the best products to use for flea control for all animals in your household. By targeting all the hideouts at once, you help break the life cycle and keep your pet and home flea-free. All rights reserved. Vet Finder. You have JavaScript disabled This may result in reduced functionality and affect the graphical presentation of this site.

Eggs: Large number of eggs e. Close Last Next. If environmental conditions are not right for emergence, the cocoon can protect the developing flea for months, and in some cases, years.

Cocoons have a sticky outer coating that allows them to hide deep in the carpeting and not be easily removed by light vacuuming or sweeping. The cocoon also serves to protect the developing adults from chemicals. The adult flea will not emerge until the presence of a potential host is made obvious - by vibrations, rising levels of carbon dioxide, and body heat. This may be triggered by your pet walking by, or people moving in the house, alerting the flea to emerge from its cocoon to feed.

Once a flea has emerged from the cocoon, it will need to begin feeding from a host within a few hours. Shortly after the first meal, adult fleas will breed and begin laying eggs within a few days. Female fleas are not able to lay eggs until they obtain a blood meal. New adult fleas have a flat-bodied appearance and are very small and dark in color. Once they have had a chance to feed off your pet, they will become larger and lighter in color, taking on the more recognizable flea shape.

Adult fleas account for less than 5 percent of the entire flea population in a home. They spend the majority of their time living on the host while they feed, breed, and lay eggs, and can live anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months on the host animal. Use your knowledge of the flea life cycle to eliminate an infestation. Treat the environment properly by vacuuming regularly for several weeks and thoroughly washing bedding and toys in hot soapy water to remove eggs, larvae, and pupae.

Relative humidity less than 50 percent or soil temperature higher than 95 degrees F kills flea larvae. Moist, shaded spots near pet resting areas are the places to find fleas. Indoors, flea larvae are usually found under furniture and in pet bedding. The pupa is the transition stage between the larva and adult.

The pupa forms inside a cocoon spun by the larva. After a week or two the pupa becomes an adult. The adult flea may remain in the cocoon for up to 5 months, but when stimulated by a passing animal the adult can emerge within seconds. Fleas can be a source of both irritation and disease. Dogs and cats scratch constantly when heavily infested, resulting in soiled and roughened coats and, sometimes, in nervous conditions. The most serious effects occur when a pet develops an allergy to flea bites.

As few as one or two bites can cause severe itching and scratching in allergic pets. Cat fleas do not normally live on humans, but do bite people who handle infested animals. Flea bites cause small, red, itchy bumps, usually on the ankles and lower legs.

People with allergies to flea bites suffer from hives, rashes or generalized itching. Allergic reactions usually appear 12 to 24 hours after a bite, and may last a week or more. Fleas that have fed on rodents may transmit diseases, including plague and murine typhus.

For this reason, avoid close contact with wild rodents such as squirrels, rats and prairie dogs. Their fleas can bite you and may transmit disease. Cat fleas, however, do not carry plague. An integrated flea control program includes good sanitation and treatment of the pet and environment. You can eliminate fleas from your home with proper treatment, but it may take time, especially if the infestation is heavy. Change pet bedding regularly and vacuum thoroughly.

Vacuum under furniture, cushions, chairs, beds, and along walls. Discard vacuum cleaner bags at least once a week. Fleas can continue to develop inside vacuum cleaner bags and re-infest the house. Treating Pets.

Soap acts as a gentle insecticide and helps control light infestations on your pet. Though time consuming, combing helps reduce the need for insecticides. Flea combs have fine teeth that remove adult fleas from fur. Most dogs and cats seem to enjoy this treatment; pay special attention to the face and neck, and the area in front of the tail.

Dip the comb frequently in soapy water or an alcohol solution to kill fleas removed from the pet. While in the pupal cocoon, flea pupae cannot be killed by any insecticides. How to get rid of flea pupae No flea treatment can kill flea pupae because of the impenetrable pupal cocoon. How to tell if your cat or dog has fleas? Find out more about the Fleas and Beaphar Flea Products.

Previous Article. Learn how to protect your home from fleas, and how this can help prevent a home flea infestation. Next Article. Learn how to check your pet for fleas in 4 easy steps. And what to do next if they do have fleas. Newsletter - Keep up to date. Sign Up! Follow us Manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, health care products and super premium complete foods to help improve the lives of all your pets. United Kingdom - English. Back to top.