Treatment for Fleas

[Secret Squirrel]

As babies are coming in I have gotten a few calls about baby squirrels with fleas.
I recommend Adams Flea Power II for treating fleas. ONLY after the baby has been stablized FIRST.
WARM THE BABY
HYDRATE THE BABY
FEED THE BABY (STIMULATE FOR PROPER WASTE REMOVAL..PEE & POOP)
ADDRESS INJURIES & LET BABY REST IN A QUIET PLACE
ADDRESS FLEAS
I have found it better to treat the baby systematicly upon arrival. Fleas are not a main concern for me. I will quarneteen new arrivals and treat them as listed above, until I feel it's safe to join them as a small group.

When treating fleas I choose to apply the Adams flea powder II to a paper towel, fold the paper towel to make a square packet and place the packet under the thin t-shirt square or thin blanket the babies are laying on. I put the squirrels in a small container like a plastic shoe box with holes in the lid. You can still use a heating source when treating for fleas.
The fleas will die and fall off the baby in a short period of time.

If any one else wants to add thier tips and techniuques to this thread are welcome:Welcome .
FLEA SEASON AND BABY SEASON ARE HERE!!!!

[Critter_Queen]

My vet said that any kitten flea powder is fine to use as Secret Squirrel suggests. And you can also rub a little of it into their fur if they're really infested.

I also agree that the fleas take a back seat to any other treatment needed, however, in certain cases, it may be necessary to treat fleas almost immediately upon warming the squirrel. Those cases would be times when a squirrel (or in my case last fall, squirrels - a group of three siblings) comes in so badly infested with parasites that they will not be able to recover without treating immediately. Skin parasites can kill small animals pretty easily if there are enough of them.

But, for your average flea problem (most I get have some) a little kitten flea powder goes a long way.

Oh, and another thought...My dogs got the fleas when they left the baby squirrels last year. So make sure your pets are treated for fleas as well. :thumbsup

[island rehabber]

Good thread! :thumbsup I've always had great luck with Zodiac flea spray for cats & kittens, which is usually available in supermarkets as well as pet supply stores. It's a grey & orange bottle....I spray it on a damp cloth and wipe the babies down with it....within 10 minutes everything jumps off the baby and dies, so have a disposable rag or newspaper underneath to catch them.

[Critter_Queen]

Good thread! :thumbsup I've always had great luck with Zodiac flea spray for cats & kittens, which is usually available in supermarkets as well as pet supply stores. It's a grey & orange bottle....I spray it on a damp cloth and wipe the babies down with it....within 10 minutes everything jumps off the baby and dies, so have a disposable rag or newspaper underneath to catch them.

Oooooo...a spray would be so much less messy! I've always worried about the babies breathing the powder in... I'm going to see if I can find that, IR, THANKS! :thumbsup

[Critter_Queen]

:D PS- What are Flees? :thinking :D

[island rehabber]

:D PS- What are Flees? :thinking :D

It's what happens when you haven't been in school for many, many years ... your spelling ability flees.

Squerrrrrr-leeee, where are you? I think you're the only one who can fix a Forum title.......:rotfl

[squirrelfriend]

I have used Dawn dish detergent (the blue one) and it works great and is safe. For fleas I have never had to use it more than once. Lice takes a bit more because the eggs stick to the hairs and you have to wait for them to hatch if you are using this method to get rid of them. Otherwise Ivermectin is GREAT!!!!

[Secret Squirrel]

[quote=Critter_Queen]My vet said that any kitten flea powder is fine to use as Secret Squirrel suggests. And you can also rub a little of it into their fur if they're really infested.

I too have rubbed a small amount of Adams powder in my palms and then applied it to the squirrels belly and groin area. The babies did just fine.

Once the squirrels were so cold that the fleas jumped off the squirrels and onto the heat source...all I had to do was throw away the blanket!!!!:shakehead

[squirrelfriend]

You know your squirrels are too cold when..............................:D

[Critter_Queen]

Once the squirrels were so cold that the fleas jumped off the squirrels and onto the heat source...all I had to do was throw away the blanket!!!!:shakehead

Awe, poor bitty 'quirrels...so cold even the fleas are leaving! At least they were easy to get rid of! LOL!

[Secret Squirrel]

Awe, poor bitty 'quirrels...so cold even the fleas are leaving! At least they were easy to get rid of! LOL!

Yeah....poor kids!!! It's one of those deals where the folks just found the squirrel....yada...yada.....and you meet them at the gas station....and the poor baby is in a box with no blanket...just laying in the card board box!! The folks wanta chat and you want dive into action!!!!
You all know the story!!!!! :shakehead :thinking :shakehead Too well perhaps!!!!


I run into the convience store and throw a bag LR into the microwave so the babies will have something for the ride home. I keep a kit in my car as I am sure most of you do. blanket, stuffed toy, LR, water bottle, gloves and lots of stuff for emergencies!!!:Love_Icon
By the way the kids did just fine.....:wahoo

[Critter_Queen]

It's one of those deals where the folks just found the squirrel....yada...yada.....and you meet them at the gas station....and the poor baby is in a box with no blanket...just laying in the card board box!! The folks wanta chat and you want dive into action!!!!

I hear ya! I've been taking the baby(s) into my hand to "inspect" them right away and then just keep them in my hands in those situations. :thumbsup At least that way I know they're being warmed up. Yes, I should be wearing gloves, but the risk is worth it in my opinion. :) And you might be surprised how many little squirrels can fit in your hand when you're really trying hard! LOL! :D

[Gabe]

Good thread:thumbsup

I do pretty much the same as you guys, I use flea spray and spray the bottom of an aquarium, let it dry, cover with newspapers then bedding, then place the babies onto for a few hours, course they have heat also. It's amazing how well these flea (flee) remedies work without ever having to get it on the squirrels.
A word of warning, I got an infant with fleas from a vet, he had noted on the admission sheet that it was severely dehydrated, emaciated and had fleas. What did he do? Not heat it, not subque it, but treated it with Advantage. It was dead the next morning, it was quite viable, and saveable, but I think the Advantage and lack of all other care killed it.

[TexanSquirrel]

:thumbsup Good thread!

[island rehabber]

What did he do? Not heat it, not subque it, but treated it with Advantage. It was dead the next morning, it was quite viable, and saveable, but I think the Advantage and lack of all other care killed it.

Yet another reason to remember that vets often do not know what to do with wildlife.
I know this is not directly relevant to squirrels, but my cat Sinbad, who in all respects is a rough, tough, survivor alley cat of the sturdiest kind, is deathly allergic to Frontline AND Advantage. He breaks out in sores where the drops are put on him, and then goes into a general decline of hair loss and emaciation! The first time it happened I had him tested for worms and he had none. The second time I realized it was the Frontline. The third time it happened AGAIN because I tried Advantage instead. I'm sorry, but anything that can affect a cat as strong as he is is not going anywhere near my squirrel babies. :nono

[thundersquirrel]

i've gotten fleas in my bed because of squirrels before. it's not pleasant, but luckily they can't survive on us that well.

[VampireFerrets]

Grapefruit seed extract is a good flea deterrant and also kills germs. It's all natural, totally safe. We have also had good luck with our own citrus spray, made by grating, then boiling down orange rinds, lemon rinds and grapefruit rinds. Let the mixture sit for a few hours, then strain. Keep the juices in a spray bottle.

[TexanSquirrel]

Does the flea deterrent work on flys too, VF?

[VampireFerrets]

Wow, what a thought! We have never tried it on flies, but you betcha we will! I will let you know if it works.

[hazel]

I use Advantage on every baby who has fleas (flees?) I've never had a problem! A tiny amount does the trick. I wouldn't be without it and I've raised a cast of thousands. I'm a vet tech at an emergency hospital and I am not lying when I say that we very very rarely see a problem with once a month topicals. Wish I could say the same was true for sprays, powders, collars et al especially OTC products.

[muffinsquirrel]

Flees?? What happens when you expose a flea to a squirrel-safe insecticide? It flees!!! :rotfl

muffinsquirrel

[Sarah]

Would misting wild squirrels with the liquid flea spray do any good, or do they need to be drenched?

Unfortunately I had a wild one in my hands this week and was amazed how may fleas he had.

Thanks!

[island rehabber]

SArah I think it could help, so long as you're using a spray that's safe for cats AND KITTENS. I would not use the drops or anything made for dogs. It may not get rid of all the fleas, but it sure might help. Just watch the eyes, of course, since these are wild kids who might turn and face the spray, thinking they're being attacked.

[Sarah]

Thanks Island!

[Rhapsody]

I have used Dawn dish detergent (the blue one) and it works great and is safe.


This was exactly what I was going to suggest...... I use it on my dogs all the time and they have never had problems with to many fleas.
You can use Joy (yellow) if you cannot find Dawn, but I personally think Dawn works better.

[TanquerayG]

What about Capstar, a pill you can give them? I found it on a Squirrel Rehab website.

http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/product/1557/Capstar.htm

I have a wild squirrel, Snockers, I let in the house and feed. I can't touch him with powder or spray. I'd like to get rid of the fleas so I don't get any disease or fleas. And I would like him to be more comfortable...scratches every 30 seconds.

[Critter_Queen]

What about Capstar, a pill you can give them? I found it on a Squirrel Rehab website.

http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/product/1557/Capstar.htm

I have a wild squirrel, Snockers, I let in the house and feed. I can't touch him with powder or spray. I'd like to get rid of the fleas so I don't get any disease or fleas. And I would like him to be more comfortable...scratches every 30 seconds.

If you can't touch him with powder or spray, how would you administer the Capstar? It's oral.

[pamela lee]

First of all, getting a disease is probably the last thing you have to worry about. It's VERY unlikely. :D I always thought Capstar was more for maggots, than fleas. :dono
Capstar is what I use for fleas on kittens and puppies. It doesn't keep them from getting reinfested though. If you put them right back out where the fleas are then they'll end up right back with the fleas. It doesn't have any residual effect.
:Welcome TanquerayG, It's very kind of you to want to take the very best care of your wild fuzzers. It's so cool that Snockers trusts you so much.

[TanquerayG]

Snickers eats most of what I give him so I figure I can crush up the tablet (I suspect 1/4 tab is right for his size) and mix with peanut butter. He will get the fleas again but maybe I could do it once in a while...more effectively so in the winter. His sleep mate is hanging around the house (the nest they moved into is above our house) so I could get them both de-flead at the same time.

I heard about Capstar from the rehab website for fleas for sure. My guess is that it is good enough but the powders are better if you can get a safe grip on the critter.

I am suspecting Snickers is a girl. The many photos of Mr Bean is helping. Snickers is about 9 months old. If a girl, I look forward to having kids visiting in the Spring. By the way, I do try to feed Snickers enough to help but not create a dependence...got to keep them ready to live on their own.

[Critter_Queen]

If it's the only way to get rid of her current infestation, it's worth a shot. Critters that get too many fleas can become anemic and can die from it...so if you can kill a couple rounds of them (say two weeks apart), she will probably be ok through the winter since you live in Boston.

Just be VERY careful how you dose it. It's a fairly safe drug, but you can give too much. Let us know when you get it (is available at your local vet if you need it) and we'll help you with the dosing. Try to get the small dog tabs...those will be easier to work with. :thumbsup

[pamela lee]

I get mine at the farm center, it's cheaper then at the vets.

[Suzie]

If there only a few fleas, I make them away with my fingers and "knack"!.

Have the squirrels many fleas, I use Stronghold (Selamectin). It is for little kitten and it is very good for squirrels. No toxic reactions.

[kentuckynut]

I have cats and a dog that I treat monthly for fleas.
I use advantage on my cats.
I raised 3 squirrels from about 3 weeks of age and released them in July. They were roughly 5 months old.
The male left the cage / free to the outside / area I have for them on my back porch the second day he was exposed to freedom. He never came back to the cage area. The 2 girls came and went. This week, one of the girls must have gotten into something a neighbor put out because she died. I think she was poisoned. Her sister stays close to their sanctuary now. Both girls still came to me for treats.
My survivor obviously has fleas.
What is the safest treatment ?
I could put a tiny , tiny dab of advantage (for a dog ? or a cat ? ) on a q-tip and put a bit at her shoulder area.
I just need to know what is 100% safest to use.
Thank you in advance for your help :thankyou

[FlyerLuver]

I would think it would be the same as with ferrets that you would use anything for cats for fleas on squirrels. My vet that I work for always advises against using anything for dogs on rodents and or mammals.

[Michigan Lady]

My daughter's best friend put a drop of advantage on our baby squirrel the day he was discovered because he had several fleas on him.
I was worried it would kill him, but it didn't... he's been fine ever since, and no more fleas!!

Michelle

[Tori]

Plain Advantage (Not Advantix or Advantage Multi) is safe for squirrels, bunnies, ferrets whatever. Usually one or two drops will do it. The cat and dog formulation of Advantage is the same product (Imadacloprid) and strength just different quantities in the tubes. WE use a small cat Advantage here and place one drop on each squirrel.

[Mandee]

What about treating a teen squirrel?

[hansie272]

Hello, I m Hrushikesh from India.I have a domestic male squirrel.I have him for 8 months..He is comfortable with us...
But I recently noticed that there are fleas on him & growing day by day..Since I am in India..i will not find the Advantage and Other Dish washing soaps here...nor the flea powder...

So far, i am bathing him with warm water mixed with Potassium Pomegranate & Azadirachta indica (Neem Tree commonly found in Sub-Continent,its bark,leaves are effective against skin problem like aches,rashes) which is used natural bacteria killer when applied in any form..but not 100% sure for my Squirrel...Its safe but not that effective..
But Fleas are not dying neither falling out...n growing which worries me..I pluck the ones which are visible by naked eye...
Can some one suggest me some home remedies which can cure the problem within few days....because i dont want any chemicals on my squirrel..
Please help me out on this
:dono

[mugzeezma]

Adult fleas constitute only 10% of a flea infestation.
There are herbal remedies with things with peppermint oil you can look up on the net.
Peppermint oil by its self is extremely irritating so beware...

any Pyrethrin & Piprenzine based flea powder would work

[Scooterzmom]

I have had success in thoroughly rubbing a cloth soaked in white vinegar on the skin, every day for at least a week...and then a week longer past the day when I dončt see any anymore. By placing the squirrel on a white cloth, you will see them jump off as you do this. The trick is to keep doing it at least a week AFTER you see any sign of adult ones... to make sure you have also killed the eggs.

[mugzeezma]

I have had success in thoroughly rubbing a cloth soaked in white vinegar on the skin, every day for at least a week...and then a week longer past the day when I dončt see any anymore. By placing the squirrel on a white cloth, you will see them jump off as you do this. The trick is to keep doing it at least a week AFTER you see any sign of adult ones... to make sure you have also killed the eggs.
The life cycle is 3-4 weeks however.~;/

[Scooterzmom]

The life cycle is 3-4 weeks however.~;/
Ture true & true :) I should've stressed AT LEAST a week (personally I always did 2 but had not thought of it as mandatory - so :thankyou I stand corrected ;) ) PLUS I always did at least a week afterwards... adds up but yes, the span does sound right.

I also used bakers yeast granules FOR MY CAT in the past, and that worked BEAUTIFULLY! I mean sprinkling some on her food - old farmer's remedy, I was told it gives their blood a taste that the fleas find yucky but does no harm the cat. My cat was totally INFESTED with them when we returned from vacation at the Myrtle Beach and within less than a month she was totally free of them. After that, each ttime we went on vacation I did the yeast thing, just as a preventive measure and i t always worked for her.

However, I have no idea if that would be safe, :dono would work, or how we could make it work for squirrels. :thinking

[mugzeezma]

Ture true & true :) I should've stressed AT LEAST a week (personally I always did 2 but had not thought of it as mandatory - so :thankyou I stand corrected ;) ) PLUS I always did at least a week afterwards... adds up but yes, the span does sound right.

I also used bakers yeast granules FOR MY CAT in the past, and that worked BEAUTIFULLY! I mean sprinkling some on her food - old farmer's remedy, I was told it gives their blood a taste that the fleas find yucky but does no harm the cat. My cat was totally INFESTED with them when we returned from vacation at the Myrtle Beach and within less than a month she was totally free of them. After that, each ttime we went on vacation I did the yeast thing, just as a preventive measure and i t always worked for her.

However, I have no idea if that would be safe, :dono would work, or how we could make it work for squirrels. :thinking
Yeast is added to animal feed all the time :thumbsup
as far as the fleas...if the animal was just infested and there are no eggs present then you could get rid of the fleas right away.

[hansie272]

Thank You very much Mugzeezma & Scooterzmom : thankyou

I Would Try Scooterzmom's White Vinegar on Him...
But How long i should rub my squirrel by it...i mean if it cures the flea problem,how long should I continue after the cure...
Whats the actual procedure because fleas are hard to find when my squirrel is dry!!Whenever I bathe him all his fleas & it's little ones come down on his chest & stomach..that's when i pick them up!!
Should I apply white vinegar on his wet skin or dry skin...I hope that your home remedy works on my squirrel!!

Thank You very much!!! :)

[moutngrrl]

Hi everyone! I saw a lot of replies to the original thread for flea treatment here, so YAY! I stopped in at my local pet shop (not like a PetSmart or something where they don't always know what they're talking about, but a mom-and-pop, operated by the owner), and there is a girl working there who has raised and released quite a few squirrels. She told me she usually uses Natural Chemistry spray for cats and dogs, and when out of it uses the same brand Reptile Spray for mites... I looked at the active ingredients, and they are the same for both, even in quantity. Has anyone else ever tried this spray? I don't want to put something on my Jabba and have him get sick or die. Active ingredients are as follows: dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate: 2.1%, undecylenic acid: 0.5%, and other ingredients: 97.4%. I had originally gone out looking for kitten Advantage, but I didn't want to spend $65 on a box of 6, and they had no flea powder. Any thoughts on the Natural Chemistry spray? Thanks so much!

[Shaena]

The problem with chemical treatments for fleas is they cause neurological damage if you use too much and can kill- and the strength you are getting in a cat formula is for a much, much bigger animal, so of course it can poison or brain damage squirrels. It must be diluted by weight and only placed with a dropper between the shoulderblades where they cannot lick as it is poison. For my huge adult boy that is almost 2 pounds I was told to put 0.04mL of Advantage for kittens in 0.96mL water and give only 0.03mL of THAT mix between shoulder blades once every month for three months. When I hear people using a whole undiluted drop of flea meds on a wee baby I wonder about brain damage

[stepnstone]

Most do understand the dosage for a squirrel is very different then that of a cat/dog, thats just common sense.
Flea sprays are never recommended for obvious reasons.
Squirrel fleas are different then that of domestic dog/cat and are eaisily eliminated by a damp cloth bath of unscented
Dawn dish detergent. Let sit 5-10 and rinse, no chemicals necessary.

Advantage/ Nylar is not a product I would personally use or recommend for use on a squirrel, neither would any veterinarian
with knowledge of squirrels that I've known or heard of.
Revolution/ Selamectin has been proven safe for squirrels and is used and recommended by wildlife veterinarians.
Dosage is minuscule, no dilution is necessary.

[Christyc]

[FONT=Book Antiqua][/FONT
I have a flying squirrel I saved from being eaten alive by a cat. He only weighs 2.2oz. Can I use a drop of Cheristin for cats on him? I noticed some fleas and I can't give him a bath yet without him biting the piss out of me. I will soon be able to I think as he's getting tamer by the day. But for now I'm trying to find a liquid I can use. Thanks!

[TubeDriver]

What is the strength of the Cheristin?



[FONT=Book Antiqua][/FONT
I have a flying squirrel I saved from being eaten alive by a cat. He only weighs 2.2oz. Can I use a drop of Cheristin for cats on him? I noticed some fleas and I can't give him a bath yet without him biting the piss out of me. I will soon be able to I think as he's getting tamer by the day. But for now I'm trying to find a liquid I can use. Thanks!