Do Fleas Live on People?
The warmer months are always more enjoyable, because they give people the chance to go out and enjoy the beautiful weather. Warmer months are also prime season for pest infestations, particularly from fleas. Anyone who has pets is especially prone to flea issues, but many people wonder if it's possible for fleas to live on people the way they live on animals.
Can Fleas Live on People
Unlike other mammals, human beings aren't completely covered in thick fur. Therefore, it's easier to see any pests walking around on our skin. However, an animal's thick fur only provides cover for the tiny insects. Fleas are actually capable of living on animals like Chihuahuas that have hardly any fur at all. Likewise, these parasites can live on people with very little body hair. It will be much easier to see the fleas, but they're just as capable of living on humans as any other animal. However, it depends on the type of flea in question, because there are different kinds.
What Types of Fleas Bite People
Dog lovers might rejoice when they find out that the dog flea rarely feasts on the blood of people. These pests are especially fond of canine blood which they prefer to the blood of people. However, a dog flea will feast upon human blood if there are no dogs around. This variety will also bite cats, but it won't actually live on a human or a cat. Dog fleas will track down a real canine and leave the human host at the first whiff of a dog. A pregnant female needs to feed regularly, and she may subsidize her diet with the occasional human bite, but they rarely stay on humans for more than a few minutes.
Cat Fleas-The Universal Pests
Cat fleas are known by this name, because they prefer the blood of a feline. However, these flees are far more likely to bite a human than is a dog flea. Cat fleas are substantially smaller than dog fleas, but they're worse for humans. In a pinch, a cat flea will exclusively feast upon the blood of a person. These creatures are extremely tiny, and they can live on a person for days without being noticed. The telltale signs of cat fleas are distinctive, tiny red marks that usually occur around the lower legs. The bites are usually in clusters, creating a rash-like patch on the host. These bites are extremely itchy and they should be treated with an anti-histamine product like Benadryl.
There are a variety of different fleas and nearly all of them will drink human blood. However the cat flea is the most likely to stick around for prolonged periods. It's important to remember that cat fleas are indiscriminate, and they're just as likely to bite a dog as they are a cat. The best way to avoid getting fleas is to treat pets with an anti-flea prescription. At the bear minimum, each pet should have a flea collar. The collars should be replaced every six months and the chances of the pets contracting fleas will be greatly reduced. Subsequently, the pets are far less likely to pass the fleas on to people. In short, yes fleas can live on people, but it's usually a cat flea.