I am forwarding this message to the mailing list as I have seen a couple
requests for information on fleas recently hope it helps.
 
        Date: Tuesday, September 08, 1998 12:48 AM
        Subject: fleas & Loki
        Dear Ferret Dad:
 
I'm sure you have received a million responses already regarding your fleas,
but here is my two cents.  By the way this is my first day belonging to FML.
I am Mom to Tobias, Tasha, Daxter and Alfred.
 
I am pretty experienced with fleas as I have 5 cats and 4 ferrets and I
have always had carpets.  I used the flea medicine you refer to on my cats,
but have always been concerned about using it as my ferrets will often
wrestle with my cats and it is pretty toxic, so me being the worrier I am
located the safest non-toxic product I could.  I apolagize for having a
chemical use paranoia.
 
...Anyway we use a boric acid based powder, that can be purchased at most
pet stores I believe, that is spread in the carpet with a broom and
vacuumed after a few days.  It dehydrates the adults that come into
contact, as well as the eggs.  So during the two to three week flea cycle,
there may still be fleas and you may still need to bathe with a gentle flea
shampoo, which I have never had problems with.  But after a month your flea
problems will disappear for over a year at least.  We treated in the Spring
and recently took in a stray kitten who infested out youngest kit Alfred.
We had to wash all of their bedding and the fuzzies as well but after that
it was dealt with because the boric acid still works.
 
Most companies now a days who exterminate fleas use this stuff, but it is a
lot cheaper to do it yourself.  I know it is time consuming but it is worth
it for the cost of around $30.00.  Let me know if you need a product name,
I can't remember it at present, but your local pet store should know.
 
Hope this helps,
 
Kathleen, Toby, Tasha, Dax and Alfie
[Posted in FML issue 2437]