[LookMumNoHands]

Ok, 5yo DS has been wanting a 'bald' head, to look like his favourite (very spunky) uncle. So DH got the clippers out and gave him a number 3 all over.

DS was standing in the bath, and I noticed what I thought was lice crawling around. I hate lice, (we had them numerous times earlier this year) so I am very anal about doing a conditioner and comb over every Friday night. So I am very upset that some have sneaked through.

Anyway, when I went to poke one in the bath with my finger, it jumped. Only about 15cm, but it was a definite jump. According to the www, lice can't jump.... So what the bleep are they?????

Fleas? (We have a rescue cat, only a recent addition to the family)

[~*Twilight~Zone*...]

Not sure where you read it but lice do most certainly jump, I've seen it.

I would do a treatment to his hair straight away.

This post has been edited by ~*Twilight~Zone*~: 20/12/2012, 05:42 PM

[jmaz86]

Dont know what they are, but I may be wrong but if it was fleas then wouldn't your DS be getting bitten?

[countrymel]

Whatever they are the lice treatment should kill them off!

[Oriental lily]

Every lice info I have read say lice certainly DON'T jump.

Op could it have even a grass fly?
Fleas have very black or dark bodies. Lice are translucent grey colour.

Look for spots of brown dirt in his hair and cats fur
Flea dirt are easier to spot than actual fleas.

[~*Twilight~Zone*...]

Wow just googled and I was wrong they can't jump - apparently - although one article says

With their short legs and large claws, lice are well adapted to clinging to the hair of their host. However, these adaptations leave them quite incapable of jumping, or even walking efficiently on flat surfaces. Lice can climb up strands of hair very quickly, allowing them to run and jump on to another host

so which is it, can they or can't they?

This post has been edited by ~*Twilight~Zone*~: 20/12/2012, 05:48 PM

[LookMumNoHands]

Not sure where you read it but lice do most certainly jump, I've seen it.

I would do a treatment to his hair straight away.

I googled 'Can head lice jump' and every site that showed on the first page said no...

[LookMumNoHands]

Every lice info I have read say lice certainly DON'T jump.

Op could it have even a grass fly?
Fleas have very black or dark bodies. Lice are translucent grey colour.

Look for spots of brown dirt in his hair and cats fur
Flea dirt are easier to spot than actual fleas.

I'll go check the cat now, see what I can find.

[Oriental lily]

Twilight zone I have read that they do a 'Tarzan' maneuver
So swing grap hair wth one leg and other hair with other leg and crawl, leap and transfer from one head to the other.

That's why lice are more commen in little children because they don't expect the personal space that older children and adults want.

[LookMumNoHands]

Dumb question.... Where would flea dirt be on a cat? And is flea treatment ok to use when I'm pregnant?