Tick Removal - How to Get Rid of Ticks

By richard | Jul 24, 2010

Sorts of Ticks
Ticks are little blood sucking bugs that belong to the arachnid family. They have eight legs and come in two types ; one with a tough surface layer and one with a soft outer shell. Soft shelled ticks live in splits and will only come out to feed, while hard shelled ticks spend lengthy periods attached to their host. Ticks eat blood, which is a fine source of proteins and lipids. They eat mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians and as such are usually found on domestic pets and even on humans.

Ticks often live in tall grass where they’re going to sit at the end of a blade of grass waiting for a suitable host to comb by it. Although many of us think that ticks basically jump onto you, this isn’t correct. You have to essentially brush up against the tick for it to attach itself. Ticks use a structure in their mouth called a hypostome which looks like a spear to strongly attach themselves to their host and begin feeding. They often will remain fixed till they become full of blood and then drop off.

Tick Bite Prevention
step 1 in dumping ticks is avoiding getting bitten right off the bat. You’re going to need to take some cares if you will be in the woods, or passing thru tall grass. The 1st is to wear long pants and long sleeved shirts. You must tuck your puff legs into your socks and your shirt into your pants. Ticks will usually attach low onto your body and crawl upwards so if you can eliminate patches of exposed skin then they’re less sure to bite you. When you’re in a place that you may be bitten by a tick, wear a tick repellent. These lotions and bug sprays can be acquired in any drug store and there are also repellents which you can treat your clothing and gear with.

An insecticide called permethrin kills ticks and can be discovered either online or at most sporting products and gardening centers. Take cotton, treat it with the permethrin, and put it in biodegradable card tubes. The tubes are placed outside, where mice collect it for their nests. The permethrin kills any ticks that eat the mice. This system will not harm the mice, but will kill the ticks. Many people also choose to keep guinea fowl on their property. Guinea fowl, a type of bird, can eat really large amounts of ticks and can frequently keep your property clear of them.

The best way to protect your pets from tick bites is to keep them indoors. If this is not desired or practical, then you should consider using tick medication. If you take this route, be very careful about what you choose. There have been multiple animal deaths, as well as serious illness, as a result of over the counter tick medication. Consult your veterinarian about possible medications for your pet. You should brush your dog or cat regularly with a special brush made to remove fleas and tick. It’s also good practice to manually inspect their fur, not only for their own safety, but because they can spread to your family. Washing their bedding, grooming them on a regular basis, and keeping your grass mowed short will help reduce a tick problem. When planning an excursion into areas where you suspect ticks could be hiding, you should designate a “tick buddy” to check your body. Pick someone that you trust, as you will need them to examine your body thoroughly. Ticks can hide anywhere so you need to do a very solid tick check. You should also remember to check your hair, especially if it is long or thick. Remember that ticks like to hide in crevices, so don’t neglect places like the back of your knees, underarms and groin.

How to Remove Ticks
When a tick attaches itself to it’s host it essentially buries its head under the outer surface of your skin, so it is vital that you don’t just try and yank it out. This will leave is mouth parts and head under your skin which can end up in infection. When you have found a tick, you’ll want to take a couple of tweezers and put them round the tick, as near to the outer surface of your skin as practicable. Grab onto the tick and pull straight back. You could have to shake the tweezers a bit to get the tick to come out. Pull slowly but forcefully. Once it is out, you may either burn it, or wrap it up in tissue and flush it down the john. Don’t simply throw it in the rubbish, as it’ll likely climb out and bite you again. You also don’t want to smash it with your hand or feet as that will release any poisons present within the ticks body. Once the tick is removed, thoroughly wash the location of the bite with water and soap. You need to also clean it with some alcohol or betadine and consider putting it into a sealed container and storing it in your fridge for a month in the event you develop any symptoms. Having the tick that bit you might help doctors diagnose your disorder.

If you would like to read more, please go here tick repellent

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