Fleas

I've hijacked a couple of posts because of this topic but now I really would like some answers! Among the biggest complaints that I've seen so far, fleas are the biggest reason that people won't drive anything that won't separate them from the critters. And, speaking of critters, I have been told, years ago, that Critter Control stopped their purchase of vans because of fleas.

We have never had a problem with anyone in our employ being flea bitten. ( Well, maybe except for that one hound ) I used to skin out coons that had fleas jumping off of them that were so big that I was considering holding crazy quail shoots. I honestly don't know anyone in Wisconsin that has had any kind of problem with fleas or their bites. Is there a distinct difference in fleas from different parts of the country that they would be a consideration in how close you come to your catches?

To be honest Paul I've never worked out of a van, primarily because I prefer being separated from the stink of critters and odor of the road killed deer I haul away. Not to mention I've been in enough houses that had fleas POURING out of the fire place, to be aprehensive about keeping close quarters with coon that have them. How many coon hides do you see at the furbuyer with at least a few flea marks. Those fleas are indescriminate biters. Maybe my concern is founded in caution rather than experience.

From my background in veterinary work and in pest control, I know that there are many species of fleas, each with its own preferred host. Cat fleas are the ones most often on pets (wouldn't you know it?). Interestingly enough, horses seem to be safe from fleas; in fact, horse owners let their dogs sleep on their old horse blankets. I do!

Im more worried about ticks than fleas. In fact fleas arent too bad around here except once in a while the local cats pick some fleas up. Everything else, and the cats, are tick colonies.

Most interesting flea ive seen so far is the ones on beaver.

Fleas bite some people and some they don't. Most bugs don't bite me but fleas do. Years ago I let a sray dog stay in my crawl space (I know better now) and got fleas under the house. They don't bite my wife so I sent her under with some flea bombs and she came out with hundreds of them all over her legs. I took a garden hose and sprayed them off laughing all the way. She never got bit once. Acouple got on me and left itching oozing bites. It seems that whomever fleas do bite has an allergic reaction to the excretion they use to get your blood flowing. Usually when I get a flea under my clothing I will feel a little itch or sting that I scratch. It goes away then I feel it again in the same area same routine after the third or fourth time I realize it is probably a flea. Pull my pants down and there he is standing on his head holding on with only his mouth. Pinch him between my fingers lower him into a glass of water and let him jump off where he sinks to the bottom and jumps around untill he is dead. Then all of the bites turn into itching oozing sores. I'm a big fan of boric acid in the cracks and crevices of my vehicle. It disolves their joints causing their head and legs to fall off.
When I used to buy Playboy and read the articles I read that for his size his was the biggest. Longer than his body.
Thats all I know about fleas. Next question

Yeahhhh...I used to buy Playboy for the articles, too!

I'm in the no stink crowd and will not work out of a van. I'll park a box full of bees on the seat beside me but God help if I have to smell possum or diller crap all day long. Fleas are only an occasional issue for me. Usually it's the long term opossum and feral cat in the crawl space jobs. Those crawl spaces can get downright nasty after the critters have been in there awhile.
The best defense I've found is "tactical" jumpsuits with velcro at the wrists and ankles and closing up as tight as I can then immediately stripping once clear and tossing the whole mess in the back of the truck.

More flea trivia: does anyone know that the worlds largest flea lives on the aplodontia, northwest fern eating rodent?

Mountain Beaver Fleas

I've never noticed anything on beaver.

Never seen a flea on a beaver.Seen lots of beaver infested with platypsyllus castoris beetles though.

From my experience, the old guy that gave me some pointers when I stated trapping told me, "Those fleas are not going to bother you the first year, but you will get bit and scratching the second year". I do not know the reason, unless it was catching so much fur, but these were red fox, and he was dead on about the fleas. The second year I had bites and red marks all over.
How I handled it was to get a garbage bag or bit plastic container, put the animals in it, and sprayed it with Raid, Yard Guard. Rubber gloves help too, and I never used it, but probably Deet on the sleeves of a skinning jacket to repel them.

I have never had any problems with other species, and the only people I ever knew who had flea problems was my Aunt who had a miniature poodle, that either died or they took care of the fleas, and those things came out of the carpet and gnawed on the people afterwards.

I would think having some common sense and using capped large containers in a van with insecticide in them that would not kill you, would handle the fleas. Is a point though on too much fly spray in my brother used to pick up milk from dairies, that had those fly misters always spritzing in the milk room, and he got dizzy as a bat from over exposure.

Is the point, in I have a pick up, use a weight in a plastic container and spray the fleas dead. Is harder pealing, but day old critters usually do not have fleas and if they do they are slow from the cold. Problem seems to be too many people with luxury items like heat and a building to skin in. (last part is satire)

I did some research today. Interesting.
I have never noticed them here, but they exist in parts of our state I guess.