It's Tick season...

[badkitty]

Have just found the only drawback to my glorious woodland school run- Ticks.

As I've only been doing this run since September, I haven't had to think about the foul creatures.

Until yesterday. Little one had an adult tick buried in her head when I arrived at 3.30. Nice. Would have been better if the school had called me some 4 hours earlier when they first noticed it, but hey...done's done.
Am now off to the doctors to get the mouthparts removed.It had been in so long, it was impossible to get out intact, as I usually do.


So if you're going to be out riding around in woods, especially where there are deer, check yourselves carefully for ticks. They're easier to get out the sooner you spot them.
Lyme Disease is serious, and often goes undetected by gps.

Time to add the tweezers to the bike kit, I think.

Oh, and never ever put alcohol on a tick, or try to burn it off, or any of the other wonderful methods you hear about as soon as someone says "Tick" - it makes it far more likely that they will inject bacteria into you as they are attacked, which is precisely what you are trying to avoid. Just tweezers, and pull straight out.

End of public information broadcast...

 

[snapper_37]

So if you're going to be out riding around in bluebell woods,

I am s a y i n g nothing!!!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Nasty buggers ticks....

....bluebell woods have thier plus points though

 

[Aperitif]

Lyme Disease is serious, and often goes undetected by gps.

I though those Garmins picked up everything - but they obviously don't box all the ticks then...

 

[Crackle]

Get a tick remover. Used to get lots of them on kids and dog in Scotland. Tweezers have little chance of getting the whole tick out, only a tool will do it as it clamps under the head (of the tick that is )and the whole thing comes out with a twist. I'll find a link to the one I use, later.

 

[Aperitif]

They are disgusting things!

 

[snapper_37]

only a tool will do it as it clamps under the head

Do not encourage!!!

 

[fossyant]

Gross

 

[yello]

We've removed several off the dogs already this year. Not that it's difficult to do. The tick remover (as above) is truly a doddle to use and they're sold in chemists here.

The trickiest bit is to get the dogs to sit still! At least you shouldn't have that problem if it's you that's got the tick!

 

[Crackle]

Do not encourage!!!

She doesn't need encouragment, she's quite incorrigible anyway

 

[snapper_37]

Nasty buggers ticks....

....bluebell woods have thier plus points though

If you go down in the woods today....

Oh sorry, too late

 

[dudi]

suddenly very glad I only ride on roads...

eugh, hideous things.

I won't really need to work about them until I get a dog... which the wife wants when we buy a bigger house...

 

[dudi]

What happens to ticks if you leave them in?
are then not like Leaches and will disconnect themselves and drop off once they've had their fill of your blood?

 

[Crackle]

This:-

 

[Wolf04]

I though those Garmins picked up everything - but they obviously don't box all the ticks then...