# Frogs & Toads > Tomato Frogs, Painted Frogs & Microhylids >  Fleas and Painted/Chubby Frog

## Eli

My cats had fleas, which was a pain, however there seems to be fleas breeding in the chubby frog's enclosure.  I plan a total clean, but I'm concerned; can they feed off of him?  He seems to be doing happy and healthy other wise.  I don't think they are mites frogs get, as they jump and are flea shaped.  Has anyone experienced this?  
Husbandry wise he's in a 20 gallon with three inches of eco earth substrate.  I mist him usually three times a day to keep it moist, but not saturated.  Ambient temps are 80F.

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## Cory

I would personally take the frogs out till it is cleaned and you are sure there is no fleas left. You wouldn't want to take a chance of it biteing your frog because I imagine one of those fleas will be carrying something that will make your frog very sick. Fleas are notorious carriers of diseases and stuff the little buggers.

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Cliygh and Mia 2, LeClownBlanc

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## Le clown blanc

> I would personally take the frogs out till it is cleaned and you are sure there is no fleas left. You wouldn't want to take a chance of it biteing your frog because I imagine one of those fleas will be carrying something that will make your frog very sick. Fleas are notorious carriers of diseases and stuff the little buggers.


We plan on dumping the substrate tonight and using wipe out for reptiles on the viv.  Should we put him in a container for a night while the wipe out dries? 

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## Le clown blanc

We have extra sweater boxes from snakes we keep 

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## Cory

You could clean it and put them back in tonight. Wipeout only takes 5 minutes to work, I have used this product before and you spray and let stand for 5 minutes. Then wipe it out with paper towel, and even though it doesn't say to rinse I still would give it a nice rinse with hot water just to be safe. Then I would let it sit for like half hour then I filled her back up with substrate and would put my frogs in. You dont need to wait all night, I imagine other people that use this may not even wait the half hour you just need to wait long enough so you cant smell it. And the rinseing it out with hot water really helps with the smell part. If you haven't used this if its wipeout 1 you really want to listen to the instructions and NOT spray it on plants or anything besides the terrarium, and im pretty sure that is what you would be using because from what I hear the other wipeouts have been discontinued. If you have used it before disregard that last part.

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## celticstarb

Fleas do not normally bite cold blooded animals.  But, your frog enclosure is a perfect breeding grounds for them. The main danger is if you treated your cat and a flea that has come into contact with your cat gets into the frog enclosure and is then eaten. It's not likely to kill your frog, but may make him ill.

Unfortunately, if you haven't already, you will have to treat you whole house as well as the cat. If not, you will have the whole regime to do all over.  I suggest asking a friend or relative to keep your frog for a few days while you treat your house, as frogs are very susceptible to poisons. Most topical flea meds and home treatments use growth inhibitors to keep the fleas from reaching the adult stage, but you have an area that can't be treated, allowing the fleas a place to breed. They also have an untreated food source - you and your family.

I had this happen to me once, and it took about a month to get rid of all the fleas.

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## Le clown blanc

> Fleas do not normally bite cold blooded animals.  But, your frog enclosure is a perfect breeding grounds for them. The main danger is if you treated your cat and a flea that has come into contact with your cat gets into the frog enclosure and is then eaten. It's not likely to kill your frog, but may make him ill.
> 
> Unfortunately, if you haven't already, you will have to treat you whole house as well as the cat. If not, you will have the whole regime to do all over.  I suggest asking a friend or relative to keep your frog for a few days while you treat your house, as frogs are very susceptible to poisons. Most topical flea meds and home treatments use growth inhibitors to keep the fleas from reaching the adult stage, but you have an area that can't be treated, allowing the fleas a place to breed. They also have an untreated food source - you and your family.
> 
> I had this happen to me once, and it took about a month to get rid of all the fleas.


The fleas except for the tank have disappeared. We treated everything carefully except my roommates closet, but fleas to my understanding don't breed on clothes.  We also luckily have hardwood floors.  

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