Many people think fleas only affect animals like cats and dogs, but the truth is they can also infest homes that don’t have pets. What makes it worse for Pensacola residents is that our year-round warm temperatures allow this pest to remain active all year.
Although fleas are too small to see with the naked eye, they can still be dangerous as they transmit diseases such as typhus, plague, tapeworms, rickettsial, and cat-scratch disease. Plus, fleas can lead to secondary infection due to scratching, high stress, and insomnia for both pets and people.
As stated above, fleas are too small to see, but if you have magnification, you may be able to know that they are a reddish-brown color and have legs that end in claws. Without magnification, fleas will appear as tiny dots.
If you want to keep you and your pets safe from fleas in Pensacola, you need to understand where this pest comes from and how to prevent them from inhabiting your yard and home.
Where Do Fleas Come From?
While homes with pets may be more susceptible to fleas, a home without pets can still experience an infestation. Flea infestations usually occur to wildlife or rodents carrying them onto the property or, worse, inside the house. However, they can also happen if a person is in a flea hotspot, usually moist and shady places.
If you have pets in your home, they might pick up fleas in your yard if they get too close to a wild animal or from an infested pet from another household. And although fleas prefer pets, they can use people as hosts.
Preventing Fleas
Whether you have pets or not, there are prevention tips you can use on your Pensacola property to keep fleas away:
- Regularly vacuum around pet bedding and other areas of your home where they hang out most.
- Clean pet bedding and the furniture they sleep on.
- Keep your lawn cut short, and don’t let vegetation overgrow.
- Install fencing around your property and animal-proof gardens.
- Remove any bird feeders from your yard and never leave food out for wildlife.
- Clear your yard of debris such as leaf piles and grass clippings.
- Use garbage and compost bins with tight-fitting lids.
- Inspect and clean any second-hand items before bringing them into your home.
- Consult your veterinarian about flea preventatives for your pet.
- Bathe and groom pets regularly.
- Seal any potential entry points that animals can use to get into your home.
If you are already dealing with an active flea infestation, you should act quickly to remove them, as they will only get worse as time goes on. The best way to get rid of fleas is with expert knowledge and skills, which area pest control professionals can assist with.
Professional Flea Assistance
For more flea prevention help or assistance, contact the professionals at EnSec Of Florida. No pest is too small for us to treat, which is why we take fleas just as seriously as any other pest. With our home pest control process, getting rid of a flea infestation is easy. We work closely with each customer from inspection to follow-up services to ensure we meet specific pest control needs.
Want to know more about how we can help with fleas or other pests you might be worried about? Give us a call at EnSec Of Florida. After a free inspection, we will provide you with an estimate to help you get started promptly with the services you need to have a pest-free home.