EZ Tick Removal

[JEJ]

My father-in-law, who was from Arkansas, used to say everytime this subject came up in a group of folks: "You know, ticks don't seem to bother me a whole lot. After a few days on me they just seem to swell up real big and then drop off". If anyone listening seemed to buy it, he would look at me and just roll his eyes a little.

I'm from TX and do not recommend wearing ticks around for a few days even if they are from Arkansas! Good info here, and sounds like tweezers and a straight, steady pull is the best method to get rid of them. I hate ticks almost as much as I hate their little devil cousin, the chigger.

[DaxE]

Well I guess it is back to the old tried and true.

[JEFF B]

i aint had ticks on me but CHIGGERS wow!!! i hate the little buggers.

[Robert Honaker]

JEFF B.. you aint lived till you've had a mess of seed ticks on ya. Just as bad as chiggers and can scar ya for a whole summer. Least they do me anyways.

I hate to say it, but I probably get 30-40 tick bites a year. If I get into a mess of seed ticks you can up that number considerably. I've been very lucky so far, my area is horrible with them.

[JustinNC]

Never had one back out by smothering it with any kind of liquid, and I used to average about 8-10 ATTACHED to me a year, not to mention what I pulled crawling. Came with the line of work I guess.

[Bowwild]

The vaseline method has been out there a long time. The soap would work the same.  It is very important ticks be taken seriously.  I get 1-3 on me every time (more after a rain) I go to my 3-D trail. However, I routinely check my legs and have always removed them before they attach.   A good friend ended up in a coma for 44 days and many blood transfusions in the summer of 2008.

Also, if you have a tick attached you should make a note of the date and location. Make sure someone who might speak for you to a doctor knows this. Sometimes when we get sick (especially since incubation period on some tick-borne diseases is greater than 14 days) we forget details such as what bit us.

Pulling an attached tick off is ill-advised (pun intended).  Some say you can squeeze pathogens from the tick that hadn't otherwise entered your system by doing this.

[Bowwild]

I didn't read the post about "wives tale" above before responding. The "snoops" logic makes sense. Thanks for posting.  You have to keep those tweezers off the beasts torso though to prevent the movement of material from the tick to you.   I've had many ticks on me but very rarely (not since I was a kid) has one attached -- I find them too quickly.  It probably helpst that my two receding hairline coves have joined in the middle of my head. Personally, I find ticks best when I'm wearing shorts -- I can feel or see the tick on my legs before they complete their trip to less accessible areas.

[Zradix]

Originally posted by Bowwild:
I can feel or see the tick on my legs before they complete their trip to less accessible areas.

       

[BRITTMAN]

Great tip Buckster Ill give that a try . Anythings better than what I do which is just rip them off my skin .

[bama]

I was told that if they are in a hairy area you can set the hair on fire and kill the tics with an ice pick as they flee

[BobW]

I have two store bought products that (IMHO) appear a "smarter" option that tweezers.  One is just a tab of metal with a vee cut in it, the other is called a "Tick Key" (www.tickkey.com).  Both are designed to not squeeze the critters when extracting them.

I am not sure how they work on the really small (deer - red ticks), thankfully, but are excellent on the others.

I actually purchased the "Tick Key" at a pet store, the other one came from the first aid section of either a drug store or a mail order catalog like Campmore, can't remember where.

Good luck to all of you, these buggers just give me the willies, and we have them pretty good here.  Had 12 crawlers and 3 attached in one morning of turkey hunting up here.

Back a few years ago, on a spring trip in the Boundary Waters, we were finding like 20 a day.  Each night was deemed "Minnesota Foreplay" as you would check your spouse for ticks.....

[Jeremy]

Originally posted by BobW:
Each night was deemed "Minnesota Foreplay" as you would check your spouse for ticks.....

And now I have the "Ticks" song going through my head!  "I'd sure like to check you for ticks."  LOL!

The Tick key works well, especially for the larger buggers.  The other one I think you're talking about is the Pro-Tick Remedy, which I think works better.  "Ticked Off" works OK too.  My buddy has a pair of tweezers that work by the same principle... got to see where he got those, b/c I don't see them for sale.

[arky714]

I HAD ROCKEY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER....nearly killed me ,doctors did not treat me till 8 months too late,I had 2 negitive tests before a positive test,lost 2 years of my life,those little bugs can kill you..Still mad about treatment should have sued doctors...  :mad:  go walk my 6 miles get ready for elk hunt..if you have any questions about rockey mountain spotted fever send me a message..