How Long do Fleas Live For?

How Long do Fleas Live For?

Fleas are very small external parasites which feed on the blood of mammals. Although there are different species of fleas, they are all wingless yet tremendously agile insects which reproduce easily and quickly. To give you an idea, a female can lay up to 20 eggs a day.

Knowing the length of time a flea lives for will help you understand how easily and in what massive scale they are spread onto both dogs and cats. However, any animal is susceptible to suffering a flea infestation.

Keep reading this AnimalWised article to find out how long do fleas live for and how you can get rid of them quickly.

Fleas: Long-lasting tenants

While it's true that fleas, in general, are only irritating hangers-on for your dog or cat, the truth is that they can become a truly serious problem if your pet is allergic to them. Moreover, fleas can be carriers of disease and infect your pet. Some of the possible diseases that fleas can carry are the Bubonic plague and typhus, so their threat should be taken seriously.

Fleas usually live for around 50 days although certain factors such as the temperature or atmospheric humidity can increase or decrease their lifespan. Even then, the fleascan survive for 2 to 14 days without eating despite the unfavorable conditions. Moreover, their very fast reproductive rates means that a flea infestation can last for a long time.

How to get rid of fleas

If your dog or cat suffers a flea infestation, you should take immediate measures to stop the parasites from reproducing. No matter what kind of animal you want to help with these parasites, there are some very useful tools available on the market for you to try. These include:

  • Pipettes
  • Collars
  • Shampoos

You'll find a wide range of specific products for different domestic animals. Ask the trader or vet for the most appropriate in light of your particular case.

Besides these products, you can also use homemade remedies or natural solutions that can settle flea infestations, such as chamomile or lemon. Applying both to your pet's coat can act as an effective repellent. We recommend taking a look at our article on how to remove fleas from dogs to learn more about techniques.

Finally, it must also be added that it's important to sterilize all surfaces (especially those made of textiles) to stop them from coming back. Remember that fleas can live without eating for 2-14 days. At OneHowTo there is an article on how to get rid of fleas in your house and how to wash clothes with fleas.

If you want to read similar articles to How Long do Fleas Live For?, we recommend you visit our Facts about the animal kingdom category.