Indoor/outdoor with fleas!

[thelema93]

Hi everyone, hope everyone is hanging in there! Unfortunately my squirrel friend Lil Mama has fleas (no surprise..) 1 just crawled up my husbands arm after he was petting her... He is not pleased to say the least. He wants me to stop feeding her... She is very accustomed to me and I feel like I've taken her on as my responsibility..she just showed up one day and wanted in and to sit with me and comes and goes as she pleases, she is VERY gentle & loves to be pet, so touching her is no issue as far as being able to possibly treat her, although I've never attempted to grab her or pick her up. She comes for food/water every day for months now. I have 1 cat indoors as well. Lil mama was indoor/outdoor..so I'm not sure why my husband is so surprised by this. I'm hoping he'll calm down after I find a solution. I guess all the talk of plague being spread via rodent fleas had him a little on edge..lol. We are pack rats and have a lot of books & clothing...do I need to wash EVERYTHING? I have diatomaceous earth here already & sprinkled it around the window crevices & the floorboards by the window. Any and all suggestions on where to start are very much appreciated! I don't want to just lock her out, I feel that would be very cruel at this point even though she is a wild.

[Spanky]

You can treat Lil Mama with Revolution (Selamectin)... do not get the "Revolution Plus" or anything with added ingredients... you want the selection. Just one small drop between her shoulders will do the trick.. do not use the entire ampule on her. Just a small drop.

[thelema93]

Thank you for the tip Spanky! Much appreciated. I will look into the best place to get some. I was wondering how/if these treatments could work. I'm in NYC, hoping I can find some without a vet, also $ is an issue for us. In this case I could treat our kitty & Lil Mama which would be perfect. My husband is still saying she can't come back inside again.. Does anyone else here live with an outdoor-indoor squirrel situation? How do you manage fleas and/or other diseases, especially long term? Thank you! ❤

[Mel1959]

I personally have never heard of anyone catching anything from fleas. The Revolution requires a Rx from a vet. But the good news is that if you have a cat it may not be too hard to get if your cat has a vet. Usually you can just call the vets office and tell them you want to come in and get some. Unfortunately, it isn’t cheap. Nothing that works well and isn’t dangerous usually is!

If you don’t have a vet the only other option is to order it from Joes Pet Meds online. The company is in Australia, but they don’t require a Rx. You can also use diatomaceous earth on her fur, as long as it’s food grade. You just need a little rubbed into her fur.

A last resort is Ivermectin. It is very potent and you only want the 1.87% version. A very, very small amount....like what would fit on the end of a toothpick....can be put on a nut and given to her. Ivermectin can usually be found at feed stores or tractor supply stores. Be very careful with dosing. This is why it’s a last resort.

[Charley Chuckles]

I've always bought Revolution online at: JOE'S PET MEDS.
I haven't bought any in awhile but you dont need an RX👍

[thelema93]

Thank you so much for the advice/info everyone! I'm going to get some Revolution ASAP since it's long acting. It's breaking my heart having to keep the window shut on her, especially when it's going to get colder. I put her snacks out for her today but she was definitely upset by the window being shut and was trying to pry it open in any way possible, I felt terrible. It's great to know it's safe for squirrels too. She is very petite for her age, (maybe 1.5years) definitely smaller than the other neighborhood squirrels. I'll figure out dosing once I get it. ❤

[Mel1959]

The dosing is one drop. You can either place it on her back, as long as it’s on the skin and not the fur. Or you can put one drop in the crevice of a pecan and let her eat it. The product can be used both ways.

[thelema93]

Thanks for the info! I'm wondering if internal route would be better for her as she gets wet in the rain a lot, not sure if that would reduce it's potency... I didn't realize it could be taken orally. Not sure what route is safest for her, I wouldn't want her to have an adverse reaction.

[thelema93]

Well after trying a few sites and then seeing that Joe's Pet Meds had long shipping delays due to COVID I ended up ordering the Revolution for kittens from Canada Pet Care.com. I was able to place the order without a prescription and it was only $29 including shipping.. My husband relented after some discussion..he realizes how much I love this little critter, even if she's technically a wild. I told him it's about $9 a month to treat her for fleas..very much worth it in my opinion! I want to let her come indoors without worrying about fleas and she absolutely is unhappy being locked out. Thanks again for the help everyone!!

[Mel1959]

You shouldn’t have a problem with fleas year round. The fact that it gets so cold there it will definitely kill them. You might only have to treat in the spring and summer and maybe early fall. Like I said, it only takes one drop and the vial has several drops in it, so one vial may last 6 months or more.

[Charley Chuckles]

She's so sweet🤗