What precautions do you take to avoid ticks?

[imnotrucknut]

Many Doctors won't prescribe antibiotics unless you are showing some symptoms and rightly so IMO
Only a small percentage of ticks carry the infection, but more importantly we should use antibiotics as seldom as possible due to the body building up an immunity , as stalkers collecting ticks are an everyday occurrence for many of
us. On my ground I will pick up ticks frequently if I was to go to the Doctor every time I would never be away from him
but more importantly antibiotics would cease to be effective when I did need them.
Living in an area where tick bites are common my Doctor is well clued up ,he certainly does not want to see everyone
thats been bitten by a tick.
His advice and its good advice examine yourself frequently, get a proper tick removal tool ,you are most at risk if a tick has been attached for more than 24 hours less than that there is a small risk but only a small one.
Its normal to have a red spot and an itch where the tick was attached ,this is not to be confused with bullseye rash
of Lyme.
If you have access to where ticks are present and you develop the bullseye rash or flue like symptoms ,headaches or just a general feeling of being unwell get to your Doctor as soon as possible.
Doctor shouldl put you on the antibiotics immediately if you present any of the symptoms and have had any possible contact with ticks.

Read somewhere 1 in 3 ticks in Scotland carry lyme.so you boys need to be extra careful not so say we are lacks here down south.ive been bitten twice at once on my arm from very tiny ticks but no rash.other than that not too much infestation.i think awareness is paramount and regularly check oneself after each outing.

 

[User00035]

I'm working doing scrub clearance at the moment in a place that is infested with every kind biting insect. I was getting a lot of tics on my arms, especially after carrying armfuls of ragwort.
I've been spraying myself liberally with deet (Jungle Formula) and touch wood I haven't been bitten since. Favour general insect repellent over tic specific stuff because the place is absolutely thick with horse flies and it seems to keep them off.

I do wear canvas gaiters (indestructible army surplus, an absolute bargain for about £20 from a market stall) and they've become regular wear for all shooting duties as well. Possibly the most underrated bit of kit I've come across.

Trouble for me is I live on my own so it's tricky if I get a tic that I can't see or reach. Someone told me the other day that you can get ammonia pens and if you dab some on or next to an inaccessible tic it can't stand it and will drop off. Might get one of those.

 

[reloader54]

I'm working doing scrub clearance at the moment in a place that is infested with every kind biting insect. I was getting a lot of tics on my arms, especially after carrying armfuls of ragwort.
I've been spraying myself liberally with deet (Jungle Formula) and touch wood I haven't been bitten since. Favour general insect repellent over tic specific stuff because the place is absolutely thick with horse flies and it seems to keep them off.

I do wear canvas gaiters (indestructible army surplus, an absolute bargain for about £20 from a market stall) and they've become regular wear for all shooting duties as well. Possibly the most underrated bit of kit I've come across.

Trouble for me is I live on my own so it's tricky if I get a tic that I can't see or reach. Someone told me the other day that you can get ammonia pens and if you dab some on or next to an inaccessible tic it can't stand it and will drop off. Might get one of those.

I thought the pens were a "afterbite" type application, After Bite Ammonia Treatment

I was also led to believe if you pi** off the tick by dabbing with all manner of things, lighted cigarette, Vaseline,ammonia,petrol, etc, theres a chance it will "vomit" it's stomach contents into the bite, thus increasing the chances of disease and/or infection, mate of mine got a tick while felling a tree and like you not being able to reach it went to the doctors with it still attached, where he was given the above info. and the nurse removed it intact, he went back for tests any got the "all clear"

 

[Cottis]

Get some Sawyers on ebay.

Spray the day before and leave to dry. Touch wood, never had one since I started using it a couple of years ago.

I use that stuff in a yellow bottle. I have just washed my trousers, so it has reminded me that they need a good dousing and drying again. Not sure whether it is effective or not but I don't seem to pick them up. I am out and about a lot and also spend a good deal of time lay on the ground doing pest control. I don't shoot tons of deer but when I do, they always have some ticks on, although never anything approaching a huge amount. I tuck my socks in these days, spray legs, arm cuffs etc and wear gloves when dealing with a shot animal.

 

[Alantoo]

Many Doctors won't prescribe antibiotics unless you are showing some symptoms and rightly so IMO
Only a small percentage of ticks carry the infection, but more importantly we should use antibiotics as seldom as possible due to the body building up an immunity , as stalkers collecting ticks are an everyday occurrence for many of
us. On my ground I will pick up ticks frequently if I was to go to the Doctor every time I would never be away from him
but more importantly antibiotics would cease to be effective when I did need them.
Living in an area where tick bites are common my Doctor is well clued up ,he certainly does not want to see everyone
thats been bitten by a tick.
His advice and its good advice examine yourself frequently, get a proper tick removal tool ,you are most at risk if a tick has been attached for more than 24 hours less than that there is a small risk but only a small one.
Its normal to have a red spot and an itch where the tick was attached ,this is not to be confused with bullseye rash
of Lyme.
If you have access to where ticks are present and you develop the bullseye rash or flue like symptoms ,headaches or just a general feeling of being unwell get to your Doctor as soon as possible.
Doctor shouldl put you on the antibiotics immediately if you present any of the symptoms and have had any possible contact with ticks.

Mindfull that some GPs are not up to speed on Lime I sent ‘er indoors to the Doctor with this note and with the tick that I had taken off in a jar. I had kept the tick in case the flu and aches turned up without the rash because I had read somewhere that it is easier for them to test the tick than to look for the bacteria or antibodies in the blood.



He was up on it all though, he read that note and didn’t take umbrage, looked at his screen and said “yes it looks typical, take a course of amoxicillin”. She told him I was a stalker and he said deer people seem to be hot on ticks and Lime!

Sadly he didn’t want to have my carefully preserved tick tested! Maybe next time.

Alan

 

[Alantoo]

Trouble for me is I live on my own so it's tricky if I get a tic that I can't see or reach. Someone told me the other day that you can get ammonia pens and if you dab some on or next to an inaccessible tic it can't stand it and will drop off. Might get one of those.

As Riddick says you do not want to risk ticking the tick off and cause it to spasm and send it’s stomach contents with the Lime bacteria the other way back into you. It is why the O’Tom twisters are so much better than tweezers and the slotted card things that pull rather than rotate.

If you can get an ammonia pen to it you should be able to get an O’Tom twizzler. But if you carry a set of O’Toms with you and find a tick you physically can’t reach, they are so idiot proof to use you could ask any passing stranger to do it!

Alan

 

[Primate]

.

 

[reloader54]

As Riddick says you do not want to risk ticking the tick off and cause it to spasm and send it’s stomach contents with the Lime bacteria the other way back into you. It is why the O’Tom twisters are so much better than tweezers and the slotted card things that pull rather than rotate.

If you can get an ammonia pen to it you should be able to get an O’Tom twizzler. But if you carry a set of O’Toms with you and find a tick you physically can’t reach, they are so idiot proof to use you could ask any passing stranger to do it!

Alan

and hope its not one of those "cock" ticks we been hearing about lately. might upset the local church warden out for a walk.

 

[willowbank]

Obviously biased as we sell Rovince, however until I started wearing it I was a tick-magnet and had antibiotic treatment - now been tick free for about 5yrs, I see my mother-in-law suffering with a Lymes related illness (there are many strains and symptoms differ widely) so protection at any cost is a small price to pay...

Good to see that people are now becoming a lot more tick aware

Rob, no good just saying you stock the stuff..... price and availability please.

Willowbank.

 

[Mantve]

I hope you are aware you should be diluting to 0.4% w/v, not putting it on neat! Cheaper sources available in the U.K. too.

im not using it. some one asked for stronger and i found it on ebay thats thy i posted it here

 

[Cootmeurer]

My first line of defense is compression undergarments (think UnderArmour cold gear). These also come in "heat gear" for warm weather. This gives me neck to toe protection, leaving only hands and head to protect. Ticks can't get through this, but if fighting mosquitoes and midges, I'll pre treat with permethrin.

 

[Freeforester]

Rob, no good just saying you stock the stuff..... price and availability please.

Willowbank.

And does it come in any other colour than Schwarzwald black.......

 

[Monarch Country Products]

Rob, no good just saying you stock the stuff..... price and availability please.

Willowbank.

Hi Willowbank

We currently have a trouser forum supported deal in classifieds, I will also bump on old Shirt deal.

Our website link can be found below - the new Soft Shell jacket is not on our site yet as our web build/change guy is ill and can't add the details, however this was also in SD classifieds and can be found with the search feature.

Rovince Anti Tick Clothing

The colour is not really black - it is a dark olive green, there is also the DuoFit trouser which we don't stock (but can order up), these are lighter in colour but also lighter in material thickness so more suited to some stalking/outdoor conditions than others.

Hope this helps - just pm for any transaction details, we take paypal, bank transfer, cheque etc or order through our website - however our website charges standard rates whereas we support forum members with some discount.

Br

Rob

 

[awmc]

While I don’t think I’ve got ticks while stalking, I know I’ve got them later while skinning deer or even handling the bin I put the skins in for incineration. So I bring the carcasses back either in a trailer or a bin with a lid and exercise care in handling carcasses and checking for ticks afterwards.
In the early days when my half barrel carcass tray fitted neatly in the back of a Ford Focus I was disconcerted to find a community of ticks living on the back seat - unfortunately the mother in law never sat in the back

 

[CPShines]

Gaiters, Rovince socks 'n trousers and nosilife shirt for me in summer.

 

[levigsp]

I have a question for those of you who say permethrin is risky. Why is it the main ingredient in many head lice creams and lotions for children and the ingredient used in Scabies creams. If it were unsafe it wouldn't be freely available, surely?

 

[reloader54]

I have a question for those of you who say permethrin is risky. Why is it the main ingredient in many head lice creams and lotions for children and the ingredient used in Scabies creams. If it were unsafe it wouldn't be freely available, surely?

as with most things medicinal there are caveats , some people are likely to be more or less affected. this is just one brand, others may be more or less in strengths and or known side affects. https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.1715.pdf

even something as seemingly harmless as an asprin can be a danger to some when used as directed, when directions are ignored even fatal.

weren't we once told thalidomide was harmless, and mad cow disease couldn't affect humans.

 

[levigsp]

I think given the fact doctors think its safe for children to use and the facts that I know lots of people who have had lymes, 3 died! 2 are not right years later and I am more susceptible to ticks, age/medication, Ill stick with using Permethrin.

 

[reloader54]

I think given the fact doctors think its safe for children to use and the facts that I know lots of people who have had lymes, 3 died! 2 are not right years later and I am more susceptible to ticks, age/medication, Ill stick with using Permethrin.

a wise decision sir. given those alternatives I see no other.

 

[aris]

Does anyone know what the standard antibiotic that is prescribed if you have symptoms?