A.Balaban Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I have terrible, horrible, no-good luck. I posted a couple days about DS's leg and the bite/rash marks. It spread to his other leg. I had only a couple bites before and now my feet are covered as well. Benadryl cream and bug spray have not worked. I have checked our mattresses (but we have only been in this apartment a week) twice, vacuumed, changed sheets. We tried moving our mattress off floor - no difference. At this point, what do I do? I think they might be bed bugs. I just saw a bug crawl across my textbook when I was doing my geography homework. I have no idea what kind of bug this was. I tried to find something to trap it with, but I only had a piece of paper at hand, and it disappeared. Keep in mind, we are JUST moving in and unpacking. I want to call my landlord and see if he will pay for treatment, because I am sure we did not bring bugs with us (otherwise we would have noticed them at home, right? unless they hopped on during move....) We did bring some nasty roaches with us but we have baited and sprayed the entire apartment. Or I am wondering if I should just go ahead and call someone to see if they can come out and find out if it actually IS bed bugs. But then, we had a bad experience with our last landlord, who supposedly "treated" for the cockroaches quarterly, even though we had not seen someone come in for over a year. So, I wonder if it is just better not to rely on anyone else and just bite the bullet, and ask my parents for a cash loan so we get it taken care of.... Should I steam clean carpets? Mattress? Toss everything? :willy_nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 It could easily be fleas. They have been terrible this year; we are constantly battling them off our dog. Much easier to erradicate than budbugs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Goodness, your poor boy, and poor you! And just what you don't need when you're in the throes of unpacking and getting organized in your new place. :( Have you taken him to a doctor to see whether the source of the problem can be guessed by looking at the bite/rash? Or if you google for pictures you can find photos of what flea bites, bed bug bites, etc look like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 We have fleas--YUCK! We used cheaper "spot" treatment for the dog, and it did NOTHING to stop them. He's 9 and has never had them before, poor baby. If you don't have a pet, the eggs could have been left behind by a previous tenant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.Balaban Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 It could easily be fleas. They have been terrible this year; we are constantly battling them off our dog. Much easier to erradicate than budbugs. How do I tell the difference? :glare: Neither me or my DH have experience with either... I have tried Googling everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mandamom Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 How do I tell the difference? :glare: Neither me or my DH have experience with either... I have tried Googling everything. Fleas jump when you try and get them. We're fighting the fleas, too. Bed bugs I think you could tell by putting a heat source on the mattress and see if they flock to it. There's an internet rumor that I don't know if it is true that if you put a laptop on the bed and leave it sit for a little while that you will find the bugs in the area of the heat. Just don't start a fire if you decide to try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookfiend Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 (edited) The reason I think fleas is because they are only on the lower leg. Bed bugs would bite all over. Also, something that crawls and then disapears - sounds like fleas. Chris, the drugstore frontline treatment was pretty worthless for us too. - we got a $5.00 pill from the vet called Capstar that kills all the live ones in 1 day. Vet said some people are having to do both frontline and oral meds. We have never treated for fleas before this summer. For the first time we will put her on monthly preventative also until the first hard freeze. Such a pain! Edited September 9, 2012 by bookfiend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 It could easily be fleas. They have been terrible this year; we are constantly battling them off our dog. Much easier to erradicate than budbugs. Yup, sounds like fleas to me. They lie dormant when the apartment is empty, up to months if need be, then hatch out when they sense the vibrations of your footsteps. A good flea spray with growth regulator could be sprayed on all the carpets, edges of baseboards, etc and will take care of it. Not terribly expensive and you can do it yourself. The other option is flea busters (or flea stoppers) powder, but it isn't as fast a kill. It does last a full year, but if you don't have pets that shouldn't be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.Balaban Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Goodness, your poor boy, and poor you! And just what you don't need when you're in the throes of unpacking and getting organized in your new place. :( Have you taken him to a doctor to see whether the source of the problem can be guessed by looking at the bite/rash? Or if you google for pictures you can find photos of what flea bites, bed bug bites, etc look like. We are down to one car and DH doesn't get home until late - hopefully next week we will have both cars back for a couple days before my car goes into shop... The problem with Google Monster is I get conflicting information. One website says fleas bite more common on lower body, another website says ankles, waist, armpits, knees.... completely different answer! I think I am just going to steam clean the carpets.... seems like best answer to treat either problem and maybe reduce it. I can't tell which kind of bite it is. They both itch. LOL. This one is driving me crazy. Hopefully FI will get car fixed so I can call Dr next week and we can go in. I guess another way to tell if it is Fleas or Bed bugs would be to wait a few weeks and see if they go away-- apparently bed bugs don't continually bite so they would go away for a bit before coming back again. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.Balaban Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Fleas jump when you try and get them. We're fighting the fleas, too. Oo! I think I saw it jump! Maybe it was more like a hop.... LOL. YAY! FLEAS!!! (So happy it is not bed bugs...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I don't know that steam cleaning will kill the fleas..in fact I'm pretty sure it won't get rid of the pupae stage. (there are several stages....egg/larvae/pupae/adult). Nothing kills the pupae, short of a nuclear bomb. But a spray with a growth regulator in it will kill all the other stages, and will have a residual action to kill the new adults as soon as they hatch out. You could order one off amazon if you can't get to the store, or just have DH pick one up. This one would be one I'd use (I'm a vet tech....should have said that before): http://www.amazon.com/KnockOut-Area-Treatment-Spray-14oz/dp/B00076KQOM/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1347156257&sr=8-6&keywords=carpet+flea+spray+igr You definitely want one with a growth regulator, otherwise you will be constantly respraying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisamarie Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I moved into a furnished apartment when I was in college that had fleas. They bombed our apartment twice, then they changed all of the furniture and gave us new couches and beds, bombed it again, and we were finally flea free. My legs were one big red blotchy itchy mess until the fleas were dead. It was horrible. They itched sooooo bad. Call the super and insist they bomb the apartment several times until they are gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.Balaban Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 I moved into a furnished apartment when I was in college that had fleas. They bombed our apartment twice, then they changed all of the furniture and gave us new couches and beds, bombed it again, and we were finally flea free. My legs were one big red blotchy itchy mess until the fleas were dead. It was horrible. They itched sooooo bad. Call the super and insist they bomb the apartment several times until they are gone. we are going to call on Monday. :) Thanks everyone - let's hope this gets it dealt with!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Stop unpacking and call the landlord to bomb for fleas. It will be easier to clean up if most of your stuff is in a box still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbkaren Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 (edited) I haven't seen the beginning of this - but if you're in an area where chiggers are a problem, they leave an excruciatingly itchy bite that doesn't appear until a day or so later. The bite doesn't look like much, but has sort of a hard little bump/nugget at the top (it's the tiny tube through which the chigger eats your flesh). For the longest time I thought we had something in the bed that was biting me because I'd wake up in the morning with these horribly itchy spots on my lower legs - turns out it was chigger bites from the day prior. All you have to do is walk through some grass; they like moisture so short grass is their preferred area although I've gotten them from longer grass areas too. You hit a patch of chiggers and you're hosed. Chiggers are practically invisible to the naked eye so you could be covered and have no idea until a day or so later when the itching starts. That said, if it IS fleas/bedbugs, etc. I would certainly think the landlord would take care of it! Edited September 9, 2012 by bbkaren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 Buy some Borax, and sprinkle it onto the carpet. Use a broom to push it down into the fibers, then if possible, let it sit overnight. There is something about the boric acid that kills them. It was the ONLY thing that worked when we moved into a house that had fleas in the yard. Vacuum up and throw bag out. Also, if you vacuum, put a flea collar in the bag or canister. that will work, but slowly. A spray would be a faster kill for right now, and more effective. She can then do a longer term solution, like borax, for later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 we are going to call on Monday. :) Thanks everyone - let's hope this gets it dealt with!! Sprays work better than bombs. The bombs, especially depending on their quality, and lets face it, the landlord will buy the cheapest ones, often don't reach far enough, and coat areas you don't want/need coated...like counters and walls. The spray you can direct to where you need it to go. Or have a professional come in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Fleas tend to hit ankles as well as waists (waists at night, especially). They don't fly, but they jump far. I think I read that bedbugs tend to bite in lines of about three bites. Vacuum vacuum vacuum. Get the spray I recommended before. Take a shallow bowl or pan and fill it with water and a few drops of dish soap; put it under an outlet, and put a nightlight in the outlet. In the morning, you should see lots of little fleas floating in the water. If you find one on you, drop it in soapy water, or pinch it between your fingernails to kill it. Good luck. The spray *will* get rid of them in a few weeks, and it's worth every penny. Don't bother with the cheaper stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted September 10, 2012 Share Posted September 10, 2012 Also, fleas are attracted to the color white. If you walk around the house in a pair of white socks, you should be able to see if they are fleas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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