Flea Circus

[george101]

Hi,

So I may be paranoid, but I just took a nap in my chinook and was a bit itchy. Has anyone ever had fleas in their chinook/toyota rig? If so, how'd you get rid of them?

This could possibly be my worst nightmare. It might be the only thing capable of bringing down my chinook other than rust.

Thanks,

George

[85mirage]

cant say ive had em but try an aerosol flea bomb. Stink like oooo but'll do the job.

So I may be paranoid, but I just took a nap in my chinook and was a bit itchy. Has anyone ever had fleas in their chinook/toyota rig? If so, how'd you get rid of them?

This could possibly be my worst nightmare. It might be the only thing capable of bringing down my chinook other than rust.

Thanks,

George

[george101]

Ok, maybe I should go the flea bomb route. So you're saying it might be a bit stinky afterwards though?

[McShank]

When I lived in south Florida I learned from the locals that they would sprinkle "Twenty Mule Team Borax" onto their carpets. They say the borax has sharp edges that cracks the outer shell of the fleas and they die from dehydration before they lay more eggs. I don't know if the science is valid but it seemed to work.

Seamus McShank

[spungo]

Flea bomb, eh? Unfortunately, too often our solution to problems is to douse everything in poison. Then, all surfaces in your camper will be coated with poison. Sounds delightful. I'm sure oncologists love those kinds of ideas, for those titanium putters don't exactly pay for themselves, now, do they?

I could do without the borax, too. An alternative is diatomaceous earth, available at Lowes, etc. Completely non-toxic, and it also damages the exoskeleton. Very effective. Rub it onto your pet, and it wipes out the critters with none of the ill-effects of that HORRIBLE monthly stuff that's applied between the animal's shoulder blades. I've already saved 4 very sick dogs from ignorant owners who kept mindlessly poisoning their friends with the latest, greatest vet-approved atrocity.

The most effective method for me has been a clip-on light with a tray of water under it. Turn off all other lights. The fleas jump at the light, then fall in the water and drown. Those round beer trays they serve oysters in work very well. Add a drop of dish soap to the water to break surface tension so the fleas sink immediately. This has never failed to eliminate the problem in a few days.

If you have fleas, the bites should be visible. Check around the top of your socks. It's very effective to walk thru a suspect area to your clip on light, then check your ankles for fleas, pick 'em off, and chunk 'em in the tray of water. Fleas are attracted to walking animals, so if they're present, a slow, heavy gait will bring them to you.

It's easy to get rid of fleas without poisoning everything in sight or cracking your wallet open. Good luck.

[futar]

Here on the Oregon coast, fleas are a scourge. People use bark dust for landscaping and fleas love it. Despite the fact that my cats are indoor only, I would have to wash them and the carpet monthly. I'm sure that I have DNA damage from all the chemicals that I used.

What got rid of them for good was when I installed a dehumidifier. Fleas can't breed or survive in low humidity, at least the ones here in Oregon. I haven't found a single flea in the house since I keep the dehumidifier on. I left it on in the motor home for a week.