| Author |
Herbal Wisdom:  Herbs for Fleas Please  |
|
|
karen lee
Farmgirl in Training
33 Posts
Karen
Reynoldsville
PA
USA
33 Posts |
 Posted - May 07 2006 : 05:15:12 AM
|
 I have a bad case of fleas in the house.Help!!!!!!!!!
Karen Lee |
|
|
Libbie
Farmgirl Connection Cultivator
3579 Posts
Anne E.
Elsinore
Utah
USA
3579 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2006 : 8:18:23 PM
|
Oh, yuck, Karen. I know people who live in more moist climates than Utah sometimes get them. I'm not sure of herbal help, but I have seen herbal pet care books in the AcresUSA catalog - I believe it's online - and one of them might have some helpful hints for you! Best of luck!!!
XOXO, Libbie
"Nothing is worth more than this day." - Goethe |
 |
|
|
Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - May 12 2006 : 08:36:24 AM
|
pennyroyal helps. I lived on the central coast of Calif most of my life...and so do most of the fleas in the world it seems. I am very very very happy to not have to deal with fleas any more let me tell ya!
I used to buy a strong big flea collar, put it INSIDE my vacum bag and vacum like crazy..constantly..and that helps kill the live fleas and also the eggs. Not very herbal...but to get a handle on it that helps and then I could use more herbal stuff. I had to resort to Advantage or frontline on the dogs. I hated that and did it for as short a time as I could during flea season (which was most of the year there) I feel for you..wish I could help more!
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
|
|
|
FlipFlopFarmer
True Blue Farmgirl
198 Posts
Carla
Molalla
Oregon
198 Posts |
Posted - May 12 2006 : 09:04:51 AM
|
We had a horrible flea infestation a few months ago. I have to keep something on my dog because the fleas and the ticks are pretty bad out here, especially when we have a very mild winter. I usually use Frontline Plus but I went cheap and bought Bio Spot, which didn't work at all. In fact, I also bought the Bio Spot Spray for our home after the infestation and it didn't help either. I finally went to the vet and she indicated that Bio Spot is HIGHLY toxic to both the animal and the people around them and to stop using it right away. They had several cats that had died after application just in that week alone.
I tried natural methods as I would much prefer that. I sprinkled diamateious earth all over the carpets, washed and sprinkled all bedding (both animal & people), vaccumed every day sometimes twice a day. Tried the old trick of putting soapy water in a dish with a light over it at night to attrack the fleas so they drown. We did everything!
When I went into the vet they advised I get a spray called Knockout E.S. and as much as I hated to spray everything, it sure did work. The nice thing about it being a spray and not a bomb, is that you can control where it's going. I paid extra attention to the pet areas. Once I got the fleas under control, now I can revert back to more natural methods, like feeding the dog garlic or spraying him with essential oils like cedarwood. I can't think of the name of it, but there's an all natural doggy flea spray that seems to work well but I can't think of the name of it at the moment. It has citronella, cedarwood, eucalyptus, among other herbs to keep the bugs away.
Good luck. I know how awful it is to be invaded like that. It just drove me crazy!!!
 Carla
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly. |
|
|
|
JudyBlueEyes
True Blue Farmgirl
657 Posts
Judith
Spokane
Washington
USA
657 Posts |
Posted - May 12 2006 : 09:11:28 AM
|
Oh, honey, in the newest edition of MJs magalog, there is a great suggestion to use apple cider vinegar for fleas and ticks. Just rub your critters down with it. It also says you can put it in their drinking water. Start with 1 teaspoon and work up to 1 tablespoon. This is per quart of water. Also pennyroyal mint is used as a flea repellent, and is very easy to grow. I think in Oregon it will spread like wildfire once established, so go for it! The others you have suggested are good too - the cedar, citronella and such. You can also look at what Marge at naturesgift.com has for them. She is a wealth of info on aromatherapy and has a "skeeter beater" blend for humans, I don't recall if it works on critters too. But she would have some info there. Good Luck! Judy
The Rooster crows, but the Hen lays the egg. ~ Texas Proverb |
|
|
|
n/a
deleted
74 Posts
Tammy
Southern Coast
Oregon
74 Posts |
Posted - May 12 2006 : 3:19:02 PM
|
Someone here in town told me they sprinkled Myrtle wood leaves everywhere and say is really helped get rid of the fleas. But I don't know if it works and how long they had to leave it on the carpet. Becasue it's a bad infestation you may have to use that Knockout E.S. to get it under control first.
We have a real problem with them here as well. Fleas and ticks and I have all of the indoor/Outdoor animals on Frontline. I hate using it and I hate buying it, but right now it's better than the mass amounts of fleas in the yard.
Also I am thinking about applying nematodes to the pet area (grass) and I also use neem. I put neem on a Q-Tip and rub inside and outside of their ears. This really helps keep the creepy crawlies out of their ears.
Let me know if you come up with a plan that works because we could sure use one here.
When I feel spring coming I have to plant or I’ll go crazy! |
|
|
|
karen lee
Farmgirl in Training
33 Posts
Karen
Reynoldsville
PA
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - May 12 2006 : 4:12:55 PM
|
| Thanks for the good info. Someone told me to try Citrus i have been putting lemon juice on my dog and cats i think it is helping.Cats don't like the taste and the dog makes faces. Washing every thing and running vack every day. Thanks to All Karen Lee |
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Apr 17 2007 : 5:40:59 PM
|
Hi ladies-
It is almost flea and tick season so I thought this thread might be good reminder.
:)
Alee |
|
|
|
OregonGal
True Blue Farmgirl
511 Posts
Chris
No. IL
USA
511 Posts |
Posted - Apr 17 2007 : 6:54:58 PM
|
I've been putting a few drops of lavender oil on my dog, between the shoulder blades, behind the ears, a drop in the armpits.
So far nothing (she had two ticks before I started doing the lavender oil) since I've been using it, but the season isn't quite
underway yet. |
|
|
|
Vintage Redhead
True Blue Farmgirl
233 Posts
Kaylyn
Saint Charles
IL
USA
233 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2007 : 07:51:33 AM
|
Pennyroyal is an excellent insect repellent. I was successfully able to use it in college to get rid of fleas from a house that we were renting. Just placing the dried leaves in several "sachets" around the house was enough to do it. ~ K
~ Kaylyn ~ (Living in Suburbia with a FARMGIRL Heart!)
My Cause: http://nickspavilion.blogspot.com/
My Life: http://vintageredhead.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl
4439 Posts
Kay
Vancouver
WA
USA
4439 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2007 : 3:06:33 PM
|
Orange oil is excellent for fleas. We get a natural flea shampoo that has orange oil in it. Works great. You can also get a powder to sprinkle on the carpets that has the orange oil it that will kill them.
www.annarosetta.com |
|
|
|
KitchenWitch
True Blue Farmgirl
98 Posts
Kristina
Santa Fe
New Mexico
USA
98 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2007 : 3:17:05 PM
|
Agreed, pennyroyal is great against fleas. I used to use it all the time when fleas were a problem at my place in California.
But, all farmgirls, BE AWARE and BEWARE: PENNYROYAL IS AN ABORTIFACIENT! If anyone in your household (including you and/or your pets) are pregnant, you DON'T want to be using or touching pennyroyal, period.  Just didn't want anyone going out and ordering a bottle without realizing this important point... 
Live joyfully, deliberately, simply, abundantly.
www.viscerafarms.com
http://accidentalmiracles.blogpsot.com |
|
|
|
UrbanChick
True Blue Farmgirl
331 Posts
Ayako
Atlanta
GA
USA
331 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2007 : 7:38:04 PM
|
How about putting diatomaceous earth (food grade) maybe in the carpet and vacuuming or since it's bad for you to breathe it in maybe just in the vacuum bag and then vacuum the heck out of your house. Then they would die in the bag. I don't know just a thought.
"Courage dosen't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying: I will try again tomorrow." |
|
|
|
Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2007 : 09:22:45 AM
|
Kristina-
Thanks for the warning! That is pretty important to know when using herbs!
Alee |
|
|
|
gregs_lil_farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
219 Posts
birdi
hartford
me
USA
219 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2007 : 5:26:00 PM
|
Kristina beat me to it. I just recently found this out myself and was going to share. Be very careful. With all of the life on the farm, I decided against planting this herb, even though it is efficient.
-Simple pleasures make my heart smile-
www.fouracrefarmgirl.blogspot.com |
|
|
| |
Herbal Wisdom: Herbs for Fleas Please |
|
Herbs for Fleas Please
