Ticks

[4x4American]

So far I've pulled 2 ticks off the dog in two days, and flicked one off my pants today while I was eating lunch on a stump.  They're here so check yourselves! 


I have the Lyme's Disease so I try to make it a point to check for ticks every day.  Have any of you found them on your head?

[luvmexfood]

Yep. Was drying off this morning after taking a bath. Noticed something dark in my belly button. Thought dirt or lint. Gave it an aggresive rub and it was a tick. Had been attached and fed a little. To late to worry about trying to get it to back out.

[OntarioAl]

Picked up two of the little suckers handling bagged hose coming off a forest fire 40 miles north of Kenora Ontario. Found them after taking a hot bath at the motel I was staying at.
Did I mention I HATE TICKS !!!
Al

[4x4American]

I hate ticks too!


luvmexfood, so you just let the tick hang out in your belly button?

[luvmexfood]

NO! When I rubbed it real hard it came out. Thought it was stubborn dirt or something. Flushed it.

[goose63]

Went for lunch felt some thing on my belly sure enough DanG tick looking for lunch he didn't get any

[luvmexfood]

Must be the year for belly ticks. HA... ;D

[4x4American]

So are you folks with the belly ticks innies or outys?  I wonder if that plays into the factor

[woodmills1]

are they worse than wood ticks?

[goose63]

So are you folks with the belly ticks innies or outys?  I wonder if that plays into the factor

mine is a flatty

[4x4American]

Never heard of a flatty before!  My belly button goes in so far that a few ticks could camp out in there, drink some beers, have a party, and I wouldn't know!

[sandhills]

I've found 2 crawling on my belly so far this spring, I say I'm an innie, my wife says I'm an outie, so I guess that leaves me as an in betweenie?  ;D

[Magicman]

A news clip that I read said that the abundance of ticks is due to the abundance of snow that insulated the ground and provided optimal survival conditions for ticks.  Doesn't matter here because we do not get enough cold anyway.

[grweldon]

Can you get Lyme disease from just the standard southern "brown tick"?  I've been bitten a few times before and twice this year.  My wife says I need to get treated with antibiotics for 30 days... I think she's over-reacting.  What do y'all know?

[Dave Shepard]

I believe only deer ticks carry Lyme Disease.

[Stevens520]

Lyme disease from deer ticks and rocky mountain spotted fever from the brown ticks.

[21incher]

Can you get Lyme disease from just the standard southern "brown tick"?  I've been bitten a few times before and twice this year.  My wife says I need to get treated with antibiotics for 30 days... I think she's over-reacting.  What do y'all know?

If you do not feel right a visit to your doctor is worthwhile. He will know what diseases the ticks in your area transmit and most likely do a blood test. My wife and I have both had Lyme disease and it is not something you want to mess with.

[Magicman]

You have been mighty quiet for a year and a half, Stevens520.  How about an intro thread and telling us about your wood, tree, sawing, lumber interest.  Adding your location to your profile also helps.  Welcome !!!   

[4x4American]

you can also get human anaplasmosis from a deer tick or black legged tick

[Sixacresand]

Ticks.  One of the un-joys of Summer. :-[

[sprucebunny]

I've been painting a house in my small town all week. Had to lie on the ground to scrape the bottom clapboard.
Found a tick near my armpit when I was lying in bed last night and another this morning on my hip.

YUCK !!! I really hate ticks.

[enigmaT120]

Our cats get them sometimes, as does my wife.  For some reason they don't bite me, though I've found some crawling around looking for a more tasty location. 

[OntarioAl]

I just have to wade back in here.
Earlier in this thread I mentioned being bitten by a tick at a forest fire I neglected to mention that it was this spring not 2 weeks ago. The wound on my butt was red and irritating. Needless to say I sot medical attention and my Doctor put me on antibiotics with a blood test due on the 28th of this month. He informs me that there are up to 7 different types of bacteria that tick can transmit.
I said before and I'll say it again I HATES TICKS 
Al

[clww]

I've pulled eight off me this week, and two last Friday. In 2014, I had a total of two.
I'm thinking it's going to be a hot summer. :

[grweldon]

I pulled 2 ticks off my son last night.  He was clearing some brush all day yesterday.

[Dad2FourWI]

Here is a tool that __really__ saves us!!!

It looks big in the pic, but it is like a very small crow bar... you slip it under the tick from the back, and slide towards the head, then twist (or spin) the handle.



 

It always removes the head - something that you do NOT want to leave in the skin!!

Each new year, we start up a jar and fill it a quarter full with Isopropyl alcohol. Then when we remove a tick from us, the dog, or cats... we just drop it in the jar and done... clean, no cutting, no burning - works a charm.

This batch is already from this year!!!! 



 

-Dad2FourWI

[clww]

Just came home from the woods and found four more on me: one arm, one leg, one belly button (the smallest seed tick variety), and the last one somewhere else....
I HATES TICKS!!! >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

[luvmexfood]

Just came home from the woods and found four more on me: one arm, one leg, one belly button (the smallest seed tick variety), and the last one somewhere else....
I HATES TICKS!!! >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

Another one of those belly ticks. They must be bad this year. ;D

[4x4American]

D2FWI  I like that pry bar unit.  I use the tick key, it it always with me, stays on my keychain.  It does allright, but I can't always get the head with it, which leaves me picking with my knife or similar.  If I'm at home I just use tweezers.

[Just Me]

My wife and I walked back to the Pigeon River from the house and got 4 Morals and twelve ticks.

Someone posted something on here a while ago about a tick killer that the army uses on cloths and I thought I saved it in my favorites, but......

I was going to order some today but its not saved. Does anyone know off the top of their head what that stuff is called. It kills cats and stays on cloths through six washings. I don't have a cat.

Larry

[JohnW]

My wife and I walked back to the Pigeon River from the house and got 4 Morals and twelve ticks.

Someone posted something on here a while ago about a tick killer that the army uses on cloths and I thought I saved it in my favorites, but......

I was going to order some today but its not saved. Does anyone know off the top of their head what that stuff is called. It kills cats and stays on cloths through six washings. I don't have a cat.

Larry

Permethrin

[Just Me]

 It came today, ticks are going to die tonight!

[goose63]

Where do you get Permethrin at?"

[PineNut]

I got some from Walmart

[tractorman44]

I ended up in the hospital last fall for two days with a tick-borne illness.... Ehrlichiosis.  It really busted my rump.  The bad thing was it hit me hard while a thousand miles away on vacation and the little missus hadta drive all the way back with me crumpled up in the passenger seat.  I hate ticks too, but usually get a dozen or so dug in per season.

Ehrlichiosis - Mayo Clinic

[JohnW]

Where do you get Permethrin at?"

Around here, Bass Pro has it.  Duluth trading has it online.

[4x4American]

You can make your own easily!  Out of sawdust, vinegar, diesel fuel, goat urine, corona, grits, rattlesnake venom, tick turds, and fish goo. 

[John Mc]

Around here, Walmart has it, as do many farm supply stores.

Zorrel also makes a line of clothing that is pretreated with it - they do somethign to it, and it stays in the fabric through 70 washings (so they claim).  I ordered a T-shirt on sale from a former forum sponsor earlier this spring to try it out So far it appears to be working well - no mosquito bites, and no ticks.

[JohnW]

Surprising, it seems like this Zorrel stuff would be more widely known.

[Dad2FourWI]

Hmmmmmm, do I really want that against my skin???

Yes, I live through the 60's, 70's, 80's with all the DEET, etc...

I remember practically "bathing" in Deep Woods Off and Cutter when I was cutting pulp for Nekoosa Edwards back in the early 80's... and I have a ton of skin flags all around my neck to prove it....

I have to admit that this stuff sounds good but I am a bit more careful these days....

Just my .02  and I would love to hear what others think....

Thanks,
-Dad2FourWI

[John Mc]

I did a fair amount of research on Permethrin before I bought the shirts. In short, it's safer for most mammals (other than cats) than DEET. It's not readily absorbed through the skin. It rapidly breaks down on contact with your skin, which is why it's usually used on clothing, rather than sprayed right on a person. It significantly more effective against ticks than DEET. I figured I'd rather have something like that on my clothes than spray DEET on myself.

[Dad2FourWI]

John, thanks for the follow-up info!!!  ;D

That is sounding more interesting!

We are way out in the woods and ticks are just part of the daily routine... but I still HATE them!  :D :D

I tie my pant legs around the top of my boots every day... always an "eye raiser" when I run into town! ... but it is amazing at how much that helps to keep the little buggers at bay!!!

I will have to look into this a bit further... We do have three cats that have "adopted" us... so that might sway my decision too!  :( :(

Thanks,
-Dad2FourWI

[JohnW]

I will have to look into this a bit further... We do have three cats that have "adopted" us... so that might sway my decision too!  :( :(

Thanks,
-Dad2FourWI

Our cat hasn't noticed, but then I don't touch the critter either.

[4x4American]

Just read somewhere that a lint roller works well for plucking ticks off your clothes after a walk through the woods.

[John Mc]

Duct tape works well too. Also a good way to dispose of them after you remove them. Just fold the duct tape over, and toss it in the trash.

[jrose1970]

That is a really good trick about the duct tape. I think it is going to be a really bad year for them.
I pulled one off of our little 9 month old baby last night. My brother had lyme desease, and it is rough stuff.

[maple flats]

I haven't had any yet this year, but had several each year the last 4 summers. I check every day I'm out in the woods or even doing the lawn mowing. I had to go thru an antibiotic regimen 3 times in the past and that is h@!! if you get in the sun while on the drug. Hopefully I won't get any this season.

[JohnG28]

I have pulled 2 off my dog in the last week or so just from the yard. Still crawling, not embedded. I usually put them in a paper towel and crush them with knife handle then throw it away. Want t make sure they're dead! I hate ticks too!

[John Mc]

Those Zorrel T-shirts are back on sale for $18 each. If you just can;t bring yourself to buy fro a "former" sponsor, check amazon and search for "Zorrel Insect Shield". The cheapest I see there is $20, but if you have Amazon Prime, you get free shipping. (Amazon was not showing all sized available in all the colors when I last checked.) They also make long sleeved T-shirts and polo shirts, but these tings are expensive when they are not on sale, and so far I've only ever seen the short-sleeve Ts on sale.

I haven't found a forum sponsor who sells them. If anyone knows of one, please pass the word.  (Maybe we need some Forestry Forum T-shirts printed up on this stuff?)

John Mc

[John Vander]

I took one off my boy's arm last night. No idea where it came from. What's the best way to take 'em off without leaving the mouth parts still attached to the skin? Last night I used alcohol and put it on the tick. Don't know how effective that was. Advice please.

[John Mc]

Best thing I've found for removing ticks: Tick Twister
Works on pets and people. I buy mine at my local veterinarian, it costs about $6 if I recall. There are lots of places to get them online.

They recommend not using alcohol, vaseline, gasoline or a match to get them off. Even tweezers can be a problem if not done correctly. If you squash or otherwise severely distress the bug, it can disgorge whatever it has, possibly transmitting disease in the process.

[Dad2FourWI]

Yes, John Mc is spot on!!!

We have used the Tick Twister for a long time (see my previous post for some pics) and we are really in "tick country" here in central WI...

A "normal day" here is at _least_ 7 ticks pulled off with the tick twister... Well, that is a bit tongue-n-cheek as we have 4 children, three cats, and a dog...   :D :D

Now, I do NOT want to turn this into a "cooking thread" but I like to tell everyone that while the ticks have been removed from all the members of the family every day... I have not had even one yet... but I doooo love my GARLIC!!! I eat more raw garlic in olive oil with various spices on most of my meals than I care to admit!!

It keep the ticks away... hmmm, actually, it keep most everyone away!!!!!  :D :D :D :D

Gosh, just writing this... I am getting hungry!

-Dad2FourWI

[4x4American]

Yuum!  Good idea!

[Chuck White]

Ticks must run in cycles, like most wild things.

I had never seen a tick of any kind before maybe a couple of years ago, so must be they're in the up-cycle now.

[John Mc]

Chuck, when we first moved to Vermont in 2001, we rarely had a problem with ticks. Didn't treat our dog with anything, never found one on ourselves. Local doctors rarely tested for Lyme disease (and some were not very familiar with it). It was a push to get them to test for it, and often you had to convince them that you had traveled to a place with a known Lyme problem.

We don't have that situation here any more. Yes, we do see up and down years for ticks, but the overall trend has been dramatically upward in Vermont. I suspect that if you've started seeing more ticks in your area, you are going to continue to see more and more as the years go by.

[4x4American]

Prolly cause it's too cold where yawl are at!  Anyone here from the great white north to tell us about your ticks?

[Den Socling]

We use a tick twister too. Neither tick nor fleas get on me. Too much beer in my blood.  :D But ticks will get on our cat and dog and fleas will get on Patti. Nasty little biters.

[coxy]

how many people has been treated more than twice with doxy       how many times can you  be treated 

[Ox]

Ticks and associated problems have dramatically increased around here.  15 years ago you hardly ever heard of someone getting a tick.  It was rare.  Dogs and cats hardly ever got them.  Now it's commonplace.
My 11 year old daughter had one hooked into her belly 2 weeks ago when it was up in the 90s which is also rare for this early in the year around here.  I myself had to fight off Lyme (I believe it was Lyme) several years ago.
Frickin' parasites. 
Makes me think of some "people" I know of.
I also eat garlic and I promise it helps with keeping bugs away more than someone who doesn't eat it.  If you can't eat it at least try the garlic pills they sell.  I bet it helps with bugs.

[John Mc]

how many people has been treated more than twice with doxy       how many times can you  be treated

I had doxycycline once.  I don't think it's a matter of how many times an individual person can take it, it's a matter of if it's over-prescribed generally and used when not needed Lyme or other diseases may develop some resistance to the drug. (But I'm no doctor, nor did I play one on TV, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Hopefully one of the docs on here will chime in)

[clww]

This year I'm keeping count of how many I find on me, either crawling or attached. So far, I haven't had any this week. My count is up to 23, though. >:(

[pappy19]

Dog flea collars around each boot will keep them off of your legs, also keeps chiggers off. Then hang one or two off your belt loops and you should be set. No more ticks.

[clww]

Read somewhere that some of those flea collars were causing cancer in the dogs. After two bouts, I'm a little gun shy about taking that chance.

[John Vander]

Love garlic, just have to stay away from open flames... ;D

[Bruno of NH]

Got home last night sat in the chair look down tick running up my leg .
Have a new dog don't know if it came in on her or me .
Jim/Bruno