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  • 04/27/2009 at 8:26 pm #1728142
    TheBalks

      So I picked about 15 ticks off myself after this weekend, and had gotten the following email awhile back, I used this method on a couple of them and it actually worked. I used the pump hand soap stuff. Anyone else have a good way to remove ticks?

      Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away.

      04/27/2009 at 9:18 pm #1906576
      furfool

        I’ll have to remember that one. Seems like every time I get one that is already into the skin, it’s in a place where I can’t reach it.

        04/27/2009 at 9:23 pm #1906577
        Lostby7

          I would caution against covering the tick with any chemicals…they may regurgitate into your bloodstream if irritated by the chemical. They should be pulled out.

          04/27/2009 at 10:10 pm #1906578
          JimandLinda
          Participant

            jjcool719 and I went caching near Wild Rose this morning. He mentioned that he has never seen a tick. WOW! That changed today!
            We must have brushed off 50-75 ticks from our outerware in the 2 1/2 hours we did the “Walk on the Wildside” series! While logging the finds at home around 3:00, one went crawling across the computer table surface! By then, I had removed all clothing and washed them.
            My question…
            Will the ticks die in the wash? Is one water temperature better than another? Should your clothing be removed outside your home upon return? ❓

            04/27/2009 at 10:59 pm #1906579
            djwini

              my vet told me to grab them, and turn them slowly counter clockwise. that’s how they get them out of the dog and it worked well.

              04/28/2009 at 1:17 am #1906580
              Timberline Echoes

                We always carry a roll of clear tape to catch any moving ticks. It also gives you a front row seat to watch them die a long hopefully painful death.

                We also have a little device called “Ticked Off” it looks like a measuring spoon with a small slot cut out of it. It easily removes ticks with just a quick flick.

                Tis the tick season that is for sure.
                TE

                04/28/2009 at 2:44 pm #1906581
                TyeDyeSkyGuy

                  We use, i should say have The Tick Key. We’ve yet to have to use it, but from the videos when researching which one to use, this one seemed very effective and idiot-proof.

                  04/28/2009 at 4:34 pm #1906582
                  elfdoctors

                    When I first moved up to Grantsburg, I had heard all sorts of techniques to remove ticks. Most of them work find for wood ticks but poorly for deer ticks. I have never had any success with the chemical or soap techniques. I do have personal experience with the Ticked Off product mentioned by TE. It works reasonably well if the tick is not extremely imbedded (some of which have to get cut out!).

                    The Tape technique mentioned by TE also works well. I have collected ticks like this (my personal best is 61 on one day). After the ticks are stuck on one side, I have sometimes attached them on paper to better analyze them. I call it my “Ticker Tape”. Since the ticks have very slow metabolisms and tend to wake up only after being exposed to Carbon Dioxide, they stay alive attached to the tape for a long time. For weeks after, you can see them come to life and start wriggling their legs simply by breathing on them. I have even noticed that it you take an engorged tick, they may even lay eggs underneath the tape!

                    Remember the best prevention is to avoid being bitten in the first place. The best repellents have permethrin in them and should be applied directly only to clothes (not your skin).

                    04/28/2009 at 4:49 pm #1906583
                    furfool

                      Have you ever done something (or started to) that when you are about to execute your action, you realize how dumb that is, and you can no longer stop it? We all know that you can’t squish a tick dead. Usually when I find one crawling, I will light a match and burn it to death. On this particular time, I didn’t have a match, so I took it outside, set it on the patio, and grabbed a hammer. As I took my swing, I called myself a stupid idiot. I was at the point of no return. The tick, in case you haven’t figured it out, was engorged to nearly half the size of my thumb. 😳

                      04/28/2009 at 6:40 pm #1906584
                      Vans Clan

                        This is an excellent and timely thread.

                        About 5 years ago my son, Lil’ Van Man (Ethyn), had a deer tick in his hair. Upon finding it we removed it without incident. However, not too long afterwards he became very ill. We took him to the doctor where they did a blood test. Sure enough, he had Lyme Disease. With a regiment of prescribed medicine he got better. Unfortunately there is no cure or vaccine. You live with it for life. It mostly causes him to get a little more sick than he would without the disease. He has some joint pain, but nothing severe.

                        Point being – If you remove a tick and start developing a rash soon afterwards, go see a doctor immediately. Sometimes, as in the case with my son, we never did see a rash because it would have developed under his hair. Just be careful.

                        Good measures to keep ticks off of you in the first place are:
                        1) Wear long pants and socks. Pull the socks over your pants.
                        2) Apply bug repellent that contains DEET. In my experience I found DEET to be the most effective against ticks (good against mosquitoes too)
                        3) Check yourself immediately after going in the woods or tall grass. Catch them before they attach.

                        As Lostby7 said, try to avoid putting chemicals or heat (match) on a tick that is attached. According to a doctor it can increase your risk of Lyme by 100 times.

                        Also, go to WebMD or another reputable medical web site about Lyme Disease. Find out the facts and how to limit your risk. CLICK HERE for more information.

                        04/28/2009 at 8:07 pm #1906585
                        TyeDyeSkyGuy

                          Yes, matches and forests don’t mix well anyway.

                          04/28/2009 at 8:43 pm #1906586
                          CacheARRRS

                            My nephew picked up a tick on his ear at the last Camp out in Governor Dodge. I told him if he didn’t have that dang hippie shag haircut that is popular with the “youngins” right now, we would have seen it earlier….he still has long shaggy hair, but he will be checking his ears and scalp MUCH more carefully this year!

                            The kid is fearless, but he sure does scream when he sees an animal burrowing into his flesh…

                            One more vote for the best way to get rid off ticks, is to keep them off in the first place….wear the right clothes, and check your friends, and always remember…

                            WINTER CACHING FTW!!

                            04/29/2009 at 2:03 am #1906587
                            Grandma & Grandpa

                              Living in rural Waupaca County, being a cacher & hunter & camper & kayaker and veteran youth adventure camp leader, I’ve learned a lot about ticks. Some from online research, but also from seminars and through the Gunderson Lutheran Hospital Foundation, a leading Lyme and tick research center. I’m not a doctor, but I believe I’ve sorted the snake oil remedies from the best practices. Here’s some key points.

                              Good prevention, using techniques already shared, is best. Thorough and timely head-to-toe body checks are necessary, and can sometimes be sorta fun…

                              Wood ticks – larger, have whitish spot or little stripes on the back. No Lyme concerns. If embedded, grab and pull straight out with steady pressure. Don’t be concerned with leftover embedded mouthparts, they work their way out soon. Apple a dab of antiseptic and move on.

                              Deer ticks – smaller, reddish, with a dark dot on the back. If embedded, DO NOT just grab and pull, use one of the specialty devices or a fine tipped precision tweezers. Grab the tick as close to the skin as possible, and pull off with a slow steady pressure. Avoid squeezing the tick’s body as doing so may expel the bad stuff into the victim. Use antiseptic for a few days, and watch for a rash, which may be circular in a bullseye pattern. Not always, though, and not always at the bite site. Deer tick nymphs are tiny, the size and appearance of a freckle. They also embed, and also can carry Lyme germs, but can be very hard to find on oneself or others.

                              Concensus seems to be these techniques are the best, although many others swear by their favorite folk remedies. If interested, spend some time with Google and much more interesting tick trivia may be found.

                              I guess these are a nuisance of the outdoors. We can either stay cooped up inside and not do anything, or we can learn to deal with ticks in a smart manner, and stay healthy, and go out and have some fun.

                              cYa, Jim

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