Can dog fleas actually survive and live on humans?
While dog fleas technically can’t and don’t live on humans, they can still certainly bite us. The most common fleas found in the United States are the cat fleas, which can live on both dogs and cats, despite their name suggesting otherwise. Don’t get us wrong, dog fleas still exist in the Unites States, but less common than their cat counterpart.
As we mentioned before dog fleas don’t live on humans, but they can live on other types of mammals and birds, such as rodents and some livestock. But cat and dog fleas are only two of the whopping 2500 different types of fleas all around the world.
Some types of fleas are attracted to specific types of animals just because of their fur type or feathers, mainly because then they can dig into that fluff to hide and feed off the animal.
Then, of course, they lay their eggs that will eventually hatch after the larva and pupa stages and this cycle can cause an ongoing flea infestation on the animal which then will need to be treated to avoid future troubles.
Because we as humans lack the substantial hair that animals have, fleas do not reside on our bodies as it is very difficult for them to reproduce with the lack of a protective layer of fur and feathers.
As one lab study observed, a flea would have to feed on a human body for about 12 hours for it to be able to lay viable eggs. Because of our lack of fur or feathers which offer fleas refuge, it would be very rare for fleas to be able to feed on a human long enough without getting found and discarded immediately.
Can humans still get fleas infesting their hair?
Like we said before, fleas don’t live on human beings, and as they generally bite at the feet, ankles and legs by jumping off of an infested pet or any other animal, they would barely reach the top of the head. So, the answer is no.
How long can a flea survive on the human body?
As our bodies do not provide them with the protection of fur or feathers due to the lack thereof, fleas are unlikely to survive for longer periods of time on our body for them to lay eggs and repopulate. It is very likely that you would scratch or even wash off the flea well before they can actually do some real harm.
Are humans able to carry fleas from one home to another one?
While it is pretty rare that a flea would transfer from one body to another, whether it be animal or human, getting fleas from flea infested areas, such as ones where animals reside and sleep, is a totally different story. It’s completely possible that by bringing an infested pet bed into a new home could spread fleas to another source.
Can fleas bite humans?
The simple answer is yes, fleas do bite people when they get the chance. They usually bite on the feet, ankles and legs, and bite three times in a row in fact. This is more commonly known as “breakfast, lunch and dinner.”
While the initial bites of the flea do not cause any kind of lesion in the skin, prolonged exposure to fleas via flea infested animals or areas, can cause a person to develop a hypersensitive reaction to the bite.
If your skin isn’t really sensitive, the bites can last a few days before fading away, whereas on more sensitive skin they can cause a reaction and make the area become infected, so proceed with caution.
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