Got Bed Bugs? Bedbugger Forums » Reader questions (do not fit into other categories)
Still not sure- any opinions?
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pleasenotme
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Jan 23 2008 10:09:35
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Here I am still not sure if I should have the PCO treatment but not wanting to delay if I truly have BBs. When the bites first became obvious we flea-bombed our upstairs. A couple of weeks later I re-treated all my animals for fleas (about 2 weeks ago). I had been seeing flea-dirtlike droppings in the bed, sort of where the cats sleep, but also other areas. I have gotten bites 1-2 per day(night) since treating the animals, except the last 2 days. I have had a flea trap going for about 5 days and not trapped any fleas. Still haven't found any BBs or their skins or the kind of droppings in the pictures. We have no blood spots on the sheets other than when I've scratched a bite open.
So Does this sound like BBs? Or could it have been cat fleas that are slowly dying off?
How long is normal between BB bites for most people?Is it normal to go a few nights between bites? I react quite a bit to whatever has been biting me.
Thanks for any opinions! -
lieutenantdan
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Joined: Apr '07
Posts: 1,162
Posted 2 years ago
Wed Jan 23 2008 10:22:17
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pleasenotme.
Buy a steamer and steam. This will kill fleas as well as bed bugs. If you have a PCO treat then do not steam for a couple of weeks because steam can break down the chemicals. Bites or skin reactions for me is hard to understand unless your are getting major skin reactions, I did not but my wife did but now I am getting delayed reactions to old bite brought on by stress and chemicals.
The best tactics along with chemical treatments I believe are clean and vacuum like you have never before and steam.
My best. -
parakeets
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Jan 23 2008 10:29:51
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It is normal to go a few nights without being bitten by bedbugs. Are you being bitten when you are in bed sleeping? That can be one indicator of bedbugs. Since there was already flea bomb set off, I'd be reluctant to self-treat further at this point since it might drive the bedbugs into deeper harborages where it is more difficult to observe or treat them.
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pleasenotme
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Jan 23 2008 10:42:15
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I don't know when I'm being bit because my reactions show up at different times of the day, Several of the bites seemed to appear in the morning after waking up, but others appeared in the middle of the day or early evening. I have had intermittent feelings of things crawling on me too and then found a bite. I just wish there was a definitive difference between flea droppings and BB poop so I could tell what I've got :-(
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parakeets
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Jan 23 2008 16:18:51
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I wanted to add that when I first got bedbugs, I followed the advice on recommended website where they said to use a little flea trap with a light and sticky paper and it could detect bedbugs. Apparently they thought bedbugs might be drawn to the warmth of the light, and the sticky paper would trap them. Except that I put flea traps just about everywhere I saw or had bedbugs--even slept with a flea trap in my bed, even attached a balloon with my breath to the flea trap so some exhaled CO2 would be detected--but the darn traps never caught a single bedbug. My cousin said the traps are great for catching fleas, though. So if you have put flea traps out and are not catching any fleas, maybe that is another sign that it is bedbugs?
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IveBeenBugged
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Jan 23 2008 16:51:48
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Correct me on this if I'm wrong folks but I had thought that the stains on the sheets were not blood but fecal matter released by the bed bugs. Unless you rolled over and crushed one while sleeping.
The fecal matter (poop) from my own experience was not just found on the sheets. I had also noticed similar spots by the wall closest to the bed on the tile floor. If you try to rub them on the sheets or on the floor they smear (unless already dry). They are also very hard to get out even after repeated washings.
I've never had fleas but thought the excrement (poop) of fleas was different than that of bed bugs.
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IveBeenBugged
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Jan 23 2008 16:56:06
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Sorry I hate when I do this I should have included this with the last post. Everyone has a different reaction and reaction time. My partner breaks out immediately I on the other have don't seem to react until about 3 or 4 hours after the bite.
It makes it much harder for me to know where exactly I was bitten. I only know this from when I actually seen a bed bug feeding on my ankle but I had no mark until 3 hours later. I also did not notice if crawl on my foot up my ankle while I was wide awake so don't be surprised if they can walk over anything sticky the seem very light footed.
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pleasenotme
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Jan 23 2008 20:17:36
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Yeah, the thing is, I haven't seen any fleas or bedbugs. So I still don't know which it is biting me. The poop is my only clue and it is very dry and very small. I don't know whether to rule out fleas or not since the flea trap hasn't caught any and the timing of all the events is messed up (bombing, flea treatment on animals, etc.)
Thanks anyway, for the replies. -
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Jan 23 2008 20:36:51
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PNM, Bedbug feces and flea feces are both blood.They don't look terribly similar though.Flea feces look like pepper and sometimes a very small comma(').Bedbug feces are bigger and I think not as pepper like in appearance.If you have fleas to the point where you and not just the cat are getting bitten,it's easy to tell.Take the cat or cats and push the fur backwards towards their head to expose the skin.If there are fleas you will see the pepper like dropping on their skin,and maybe a live flea as well.I don't remember if you fronlined the cat(s) after suspecting fleas,but it doesn't matter, the flea dirt will still be there.If still unsure take the cat(s) to the vet and just ask them to check for you.If you have a good vet,they won't charge for this.If they find no evidence of fleas you have BB's.If you feel compelled to check for them,the only way I found is to stay up all night and wait.Never underestimate a hungry BB.Good luck
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Jan 23 2008 20:46:04
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PNM, Oh,I forgot to say that fleas don't infest a bed to the best of my knowledge,that would be unlikely.Usually fleas live in carpets and pet bedding,cracks in bare floors and such.Usaully flea bites are found/received on the feet and ankles.Hope that helps.In other words if your bites are on your torso,head,arms or hands,I'd think they were suspect of BB's.
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pleasenotme
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Posted 2 years ago
Wed Jan 23 2008 21:11:40
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Yeah, the droppings resemble flea droppings and my cats sleep on the bed often. They sleep there in the day and usually at night with me too. I did check the cats' fur but didn't see anything. I've been bitten all over. See how i keep going in circles on this? Years ago I had a bad flea problem with dog fleas. I remember being bitten at night on different parts of my body then. But it was a bad infestation.
Thanks for the replies. -
Bugless
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Posted 2 years ago
Thu Jan 24 2008 1:20:37
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Parakeets said, 'I followed the advice on recommended website where they said to use a little flea trap with a light and sticky paper and it could detect bedbugs'.
Bedbugs usually stay away from light. So the best way might be to wrap aluminum foil around a plug-in, filament-type, night light. It will emit heat but no light.
Also, maybe such sticky traps as the ones for mice may not be sticky enough for bedbugs. You could try placing a jar lid with honey in it beneath the night light.
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Sticky traps (per mice) CAN trap bed bugs. IF the bed bugs walk over them. People have caught them this way, but many don't because -- well, how do you know where your bed bugs walk? It doesn't hurt to put some down around likely areas.
I have heard the plug in flea traps are good. The only reasons fleas seem possible still is that your cat sleeps in the bed (so bites are quite possible).
pleasenotme, is getting a bed bug dog in an option? It is best to try and get verification before you treat.
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pleasenotme
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Posts: 135
Posted 2 years ago
Thu Jan 24 2008 9:33:06
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As far as I know there are no BB dog around here (Indiana). Thanks though.
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Please, you can verify whether there are any trained dogs in the area (or dogs that can travel to your location) by contacting the two major canine academies, Florida Canine Academy and J & K Canine Academy. You can google to contact them and ask whether they have any of their dogs near you.
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pleasenotme
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Joined: Jan '08
Posts: 135
Posted 2 years ago
Thu Jan 24 2008 14:16:39
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OK, thanks!
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Yes--I have heard of American dogs traveling (and for those in Canada, the bed bug dogs there apparently travel too) to see more than one client in a region.
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