# Dealing with Fleas



## Berks (May 15, 2007)

So, both my cats and my dog have fleas. Frontline is obviously not working. We have been extra cautious about handling the rats and so far I have not seen any fleas on them. We are going back and forth about either bombing the house or having an exterminator come in. My question is more so about the bombing though. Do I take the whole cage out of the house and just do a super scrub down before bringing it back in? or leave it in the house and than clean it afterwards. The cats and dog will be at the vet getting bathed or dipped while we bomb and the rats will be with me. Although I havent seen any fleas on the rats, do I treat them just in case? We have never had any fleas before so this is entirely all new to me. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. sorry if this is in the wrong section


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

I've not had much experience with whole house de-fleaing, but when I bought in my two wilduns, they came with fleas. We got rid of them using a puppy/kitten flea shampoo and treating the room they were in. 

It sounds like you are doing everything you can, regarding cat and dogs - with the cage, perhaps to be cautious (I'm not sure what nasties are in the bombs, but I can't imagine any residue being any good for rats) take it out and give it a good scrub and bathe the rats as a just incase measure?

Just an idea, I'm sure others will be a million times more useful lol


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## calories (Dec 7, 2007)

The rats won't get the fleas, I'm pretty sure they're are species-specific parasite (although I could be wrong.) Bring the entire cage out of the house, risking your rats home with those chemicals just isn't owrth it.


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

My rats definately had fleas - living on them. =/


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Ration1802 said:


> My rats definately had fleas - living on them. =/


http://ratguide.com/health/integumentary_skin/ectoparasites.php

Can you get a hold of Revolution for your rats?

I would scrub down the cage and keep the rats/cage with you when they are bombing. Make sure to ask when it would be safe to bring in small rodents (unlike dogs and cats).


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## Berks (May 15, 2007)

Can you get revolution at the vets? If so I could get some when I take the dog and cats there. I know if we use the bombs there are different amounts of time, like 2 hour or 4 hour bombs. Anyone ever use the bombs? ill have to call the maker of the bombs and see what the time limit is for small mammals. I know their is a difference between cat fleas and dog fleas (never knew about it until the other night) but youll can only tell a difference under microscope. whether rats get the same kind or not im not sure but I do know rats can def. get them.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

cat fleas are the ones that will live on dogs and humans etc, so I cannot see why they would discriminate against your rats :lol:

I found this article fascinating!
http://www.mahahounds.org/flea.htm

At the vets you can get Revolution (puppy/kitten) or Advantage if you have to, but do not use the Frontline on the rats. If they ingest any at all its toxic. It can be used but you have to stop the rat from grooming/ingesting any until its dry...too nervewracking for me. 8O


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## Berks (May 15, 2007)

so did my husband and I! Unreal!


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## Sami (Dec 11, 2007)

I read that fleas who live on cats and dogs, and bite humans, don't have an interest in rats for whatever reason. I'm trying to find the website I read that on, but I can't seem to...


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I had remembered that as well, but it seems ratguide says they can get them. I wouldn't take a chance and just treat all the animals.


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

So, ironically, I found lice on Lily this morning while standing in the waiting room at the vets.

So, I got some Xenex Ultra Spot On (for small animals) and it came with a leaflet:-

And I quote: "Rabbits and other small pet mammals such as guinea pigs are far more commonly infested with the Ctenocephailides canis and C. Felis, the dog and cat fleas. These can infest our homes and bite humans too, so it is a good idea to get rid of them by treating all pets and the environment with suitable products"

I'm sure cat and dog fleas are the most common to most of our mammal pets - although we can't catch them, I'm sure our little furries make just as lovely flea-motels.


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## rattusnorvegicus (Dec 31, 2007)

usualy, animals get fleas outdoors which can spread easily. maybe if you prevent your cat and dog from going outside too often, they'll have less fleas and a lower possiblity of the rats catching it.


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

rattusnorvegicus said:


> usualy, animals get fleas outdoors which can spread easily. maybe if you prevent your cat and dog from going outside too often, they'll have less fleas and a lower possiblity of the rats catching it.


Good idea, but it's a bit hard/unfair to keep cats and dogs cooped up in a house - especially if it's to avoid fleas. If cats and dogs are regularly de-flead (using Frontline and what not, I know that it lasts for a certain amount of time) then the chances of them picking them up are reduced.

Anyway, fleas aren't a HUGE health issue if dealt with promptly, just a pain in the patoot to get sorted out.


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## Berks (May 15, 2007)

Well my dog could care less about being outside and refuses to stay out there w/o me so he literally is out just a few minutes and both of my cats in indoor cats. I have never let them outside. I had been using frontline for about 3 years but obviously it stopped working. Although I had heard from several sources the fleas are building up immunity towards it. Were putting a plan together now to rid ourselves of the fleas. Hopefully itll work.


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## burrow8 (Dec 29, 2007)

try to freeze your bedding that way it well kill any fleas living it it.


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## Berks (May 15, 2007)

ya know, I never thought of freezing the yesterdays news. I always used to freeze the other stuff I used. Anyone else freeze yesterdays news before using it?


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## Berks (May 15, 2007)

Ok, so next weekend is DoomDay for the fleas. I have to go to the vets to pick up flea control for the cats and dog, is there something there to use for the rats? I know you cant use the same things for all of them. I also read online you can bathe your rats with kitten or puppy flea bath. Is this true? Anything else I can use out there that anyones had luck with? I havent seen any fleas on any of the girls but realistically if every other animal in this house has them I cant see why they wouldnt. Every time they scritch themselves I wonder now.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

I would ask the vet for kitten Revolution for the rats. It will protect them for 30 days.


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## Berks (May 15, 2007)

Ahh, thats what it was. And do I follow the same directions for applying to rats as it says for kittens (dosage)? Do I not need to give the rats a bath if im going to use the revolution? Im 30 years old and feel totally clueless and helpless against these darn fleas. Thats pathetic.

(EDIT) i also remember reading about using Ivermectin. I also give this to my horse. Is this something that would work as well incase I cant get a hold of the revolution?


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Give the rats a drop of Revolution each, I think, not the whole thing like you would with Revolution. Invermectin also works, I think you give them a pellet the size of an uncooked grain of rice, however I think you have to give it a couple more times to make sure it's effective. I would bathe the rats after treatment and wash the cage, new bedding, etc, and clean the house... If you have carpet there's a trick with a flea collar in the vacuum bag that helps get rid of them... Fleas are nasty and tricky to get rid of, best of luck.


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

The revolution dosages are: Dose for the tubes that contain 60 mg/lb is 0.1 ml/lb (10 units/lb). The dose for the tubes that contain 120 mg/ml is 0.05 ml/lb (5 units/lb.) on the back of the neck. You then have to hold the rat still until it is dry so none of it gets digested.

http://ratfanclub.org/skin.html

The ivermectin though very effective with lice is not so much with mites. Seeing as you have fleas I would jsut go for the Revolution. For future referrence though ivermectin is the grain of rice like forensic says once a week for 3 weeks. some people do four just to be sure.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

I knew _someone_ would have the exact figures. :lol:


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## wispy_wiskers_rattery (Jan 4, 2008)

lilspaz68 said:


> Can you get a hold of Revolution for your rats?


Revolution will kill the rats if you don't have the proper dose. I was in the vet here about a week ago with my dog and some one had brought in the hamster that later died because the person used a flea medication on it. I wouldn't dare try it if I was you.


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## Berks (May 15, 2007)

Ok, anyone have any concerns about me using the Ivermectin? I called at least 10 vets today and no ones has kitten revolution. Has anyone used this treatment before and what if your rats wont eat it?


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## wispy_wiskers_rattery (Jan 4, 2008)

I wouldn't use any kind of flea treatment on your rats period. But it's your rats not mine. If you don't see fleas on your rats there fine. As the saying goes if it's not broke don't fix it.


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

wispy_wiskers_rattery said:


> I wouldn't use any kind of flea treatment on your rats period. But it's your rats not mine. If you don't see fleas on your rats there fine. As the saying goes if it's not broke don't fix it.


You could also argue on the side of 'You just don't know'. The last thing Berks needs is to treat the whole house, cat and dog - and find out that the untreated rats reinfest the household (whether fleas can be seen or not, it doesn't mean that a couple plotting fleas couldn't jump onto the rats the day before the bombing etc)

Plenty of flea/mite/lice treatments have been used safely in rats time and time again.

Better to be safe than sorry, IMO.

Berks, if you can't get Revolution; is Xenex available in the US? My vet just reccommended that for a lice problem we have going on with a couple of my ratties - I've read the packet and it's suitable for fleas as well. It's the small animal version of Revolution/Stronghold


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## wispy_wiskers_rattery (Jan 4, 2008)

But I have seen what it does to a hamster if she over doses the poor thing but hey to each his own.


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## Nenn (Nov 13, 2007)

Rats arent Hamsters.
Also, Id say treat the ratties for fleas aswell, we had fleas on our doggie couple years back, and it did get to my old rats aswell. If we hadnt treated the rats too ,we would of had to do the whole flea treatment and cleaning again.

Goodluck either way  Fleas are pain in the butt


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