Flea Party

So.... we have been introduced the wide world of fleas.

We first noticed them on PJ Joey because she was itching so bad that she was scraping her back against tree trunks and fence posts. We figured there must be some in the yard, so Caleb nuked the front and back yard with some type of grainy stuff, then we hit PJ Joey with a one-two- punch of topical ointment and pills. The fleas fell off her dead- amazing.

But then.

It's Thursday of last week and I'm standing on the carpet in the master bedroom getting some socks out of my drawers when I happen to look down at my feet. Oh there were probably about 5 fleas on each foot. I freaked, of course. I vacuumed each room- carpet and hardwood- and emptied out the little filter each time. Ne'er were there any fleas in the filter- even in the room we keep PJ Joey in. Weird. I save the master bedroom for last, went to empty the filter, and BAM! Flea City! They were jumping all over my arm. I freaked again, of course. So my side of the room is Ground Zero of Flea City. There were more fleas on MY SIDE of the room than in the DOG'S ROOM. Ew. (NOTE: I found out later that the previous owners kept their dog's bed there, which is now my side of the room. I think this is an important detail to note so that nobody thinks I'm a walking fleabag).

Sunday of last week, we leave bright and early for Starkville (we stayed in Mobile Saturday to attend the Brandi Carlisle concert- pics to come!) and set off 4 flea bombs in the house.

Tuesday morning, I leave Starkville very early to get to work in time. I get back to the flea bombed house. The fleas laughed at the bomb.

"Silly humans!" They taunted. "It's going to take more than that to get us out of your carpet!"

I call the Landlord, Mr. Keith, who is in his 90's and still runs his own Map Store. Yes, he sells maps. He said he would call an Exterminator.

Yesterday morning (Wednesday), a rape van pulls into my driveway with this advertisement on the side:

"007: Licensed to Kill" and the logo is the James Bond sillouhette but instead of Bond holding a gun, he's holding the extermination tank and hose. Hilarious. David, or "007" as I like to call him was extremely nice, courteous, and professional, and taught me a lot of good tips about fleas, all while exclaiming, "Yep! You've got a good crop here!" Ew.

Here is what I learned from 007:

1. NEVER underestimate the power of vacuuming. (Note: vacuuming hatches the eggs, though, so expect to see some friends after doing so...)

2. Keep a mothball in your vacuum bag or filter to kill the boogers after you suck them up.

3. The top three ways to eradicate fleas are as follows:
(1) Call 007, duh.
(2) Take up the carpet
(3) Vacuum. Never underestimate the power of vacuuming.

4. Fleas can hibernate up to one year. Ew.

5. Buy a small supply of concentrated eucalyptis (found at most health stores) and put two drops in a spray bottle (with water). Spritz this on your pet's paws when it comes in from playing outside. Most strains of fleas hate this.

I hope you found this post educational and useful. Let us all do our part in ridding the world of this terrible pest.