Question for bug lovers

[DeflatorMouse]

Does anyone know how to remove a tick without harming it? :worried:

[Tesseract]

I found this link, which appears to be relatively harmless to the tick.

http://www.lyme.org/ticks/removal.html

Now, I did at one point read a news blurb about removing cockroaches from human ears -- heaven only knows how people get roaches in their ears-- and they found that roaches hate mineral oil and will skedaddle in a hurry if a little mineral oil is poured into the ear. I wonder if ticks might hate it as much as roaches??

[Noelson]

ewww, cockroaches in ears??? ewww

[Tesseract]

ewww, cockroaches in ears??? ewww

I know, I can't imagine the state I'd be in if I woke up with a roach in my ear. Sorry, DM, I told you I don't kill them anymore, but I still can't handle one touching me. When I rescue them from the cats, I do it with a bit of toilet paper.

This news bit got their information from ER workers, who apparently have had to deal with the problem before. There were all kinds of suggested methods about roach removal, but then they had the definitive opportunity to test it... a fellow came in with a roach in EACH ear!! (The mind boggles...) They tried mechanical extraction of one with tweezers or something, and on the other one they tried the mineral oil. Guess which one was easier, faster, and less traumatic? (For both the victim AND the roach, I imagine).

[DeflatorMouse]

GAAAAAAaaaaAAaAaaaHHHH! Roaches in the ears!!!
*runs around in hyper circles flapping hands & slapping self repeatedly*

You've officially freaked me the f** out! :cry:

[bjorn again veg]

u could try tea tree oil. might not kill it but would hopefully be distasteful enough to loosen its grip. i think the danger comes from leaving the head behind under the skin upon removal of the tick
(personally I'd be more concerned about getting it fully out without danger of infection than saving the tick, I know soaking the whole area in dettol kills the tick safely)
IIRC american dog ticks have small mouthparts & only superficially attach to the skin so maybe just a pair of tweezers & a gentle hand.

[Noelson]

GAAAAAAaaaaAAaAaaaHHHH! Roaches in the ears!!!
*runs around in hyper circles flapping hands & slapping self repeatedly*

You've officially freaked me the f** out! :cry:

LMAO, that's funny!! That freaked me out too. Course the mental picture of what you provided gave the comic relief

[bjorn again veg]

here we go - sounds like it should live (from http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~acarolog/tickgone.htm )

The following guidelines should be followed during tick removal.


Avoid handling ticks with uncovered fingers; use tweezers or commercial tools designed for removal. If index finger and thumb must be used, protect them with rubber gloves, plastic or even a paper towel.

Place the tips of tweezers or edges of other removal devices around the area where the mouthparts enter the skin.

With steady slow motion, pull the tick away from the skin or slide the removal device along the skin (read the directions for each commercial tool). Do not jerk, crush, squeeze or puncture the tick.

After removal, place the tick directly into a sealable container. Disinfect the area around the bite site using standard procedures.

Keep the tick alive for a month in case symptoms of a tick-borne disease develop. Place it in a labeled (date, patient), sealed bag or vial with a lightly moistened paper towel then store at refrigerator temperature.

[DeflatorMouse]

LMAO, that's funny!! That freaked me out too. Course the mental picture of what you provided gave the comic relief

:D I think I've reclaimed my senses now. Mostly.

Thanks for all the info & links gang. Here's an update...

1. Couldn't find mineral/tea tree oil, so I tried a lemon peel instead :dunce:
Result: dog growled and ran away.

2. Soaked a tissue in vinegar (again, trying to find a good substitute for mineral oil). Dog hid under coffee table.

3. Coaxed dog out with piece of bread soaked in olive oil. Yum. Ate some of it myself. Forgot my original mission and had lunch.

4. Remembered mission. Read bjornagain's link and found a good pair of tweezers. Dog is nowhere to be found.

:wall:

[bjorn again veg]

:D I think I've reclaimed my senses now. Mostly.

Thanks for all the info & links gang. Here's an update...

1. Couldn't find mineral/tea tree oil, so I tried a lemon peel instead :dunce:
Result: dog growled and ran away.

2. Soaked a tissue in vinegar (again, trying to find a good substitute for mineral oil). Dog hid under coffee table.

3. Coaxed dog out with piece of bread soaked in olive oil. Yum. Ate some of it myself. Forgot my original mission and had lunch.

4. Remembered mission. Read bjornagain's link and found a good pair of tweezers. Dog is nowhere to be found.

:wall:


ha ha ha - hope you found him by now & all is well...

[DeflatorMouse]

UPDATE: I got the tick off finally! :guitar:

Ohhh man my dog was pissed. I had to strap him down real tight, and he was growling like a Harley. But I know he's just a big teddy bear, so I grrrred right back at him & gave him a kiss & he licked me in the face ...aaand you really didn't need to hear that, so I'll move along... :worried: Anyway, I now have a pet tick which I'll be keeping for a week, like the website suggests (just in case there are signs of lyme disease). But uh...

------------only serious bug lovers permitted below this line----------------

How do you care for a tick? I mean, do they need water or leaves or anything? Right now she's in a ziplock bag on my desk. That doesn't sound too fun.

[Tesseract]

Well, I'm pretty sure that a tick that's actively sucking blood is preapring to lay eggs, and I don't think she's interested in any food other than blood, soooooo, unless you're prepared to let her suck your blood, I don't think there's a lot you can do, foodwise.

And if she's in a sealed ziploc bag, she'll probably suffocate. I'd suggest maybe a mason jar with some (veeery small) air holes punched in the lid.

[meatlesslizzy]

Okay, weird that I know this. When I lived in the country for a while, my cat would come in each night with literally 30 ticks on her. I'd have to sit her down and brush them out of her fur, and would put them in plastic bags until I was done. I'm a major bug lover too (well, not really lover, just dont' like to kill them). I'm known for getting into the shower, discovering a spider, and trying to save him, while running outside naked to let him loose (did I say I also have major arachnophobia?) Anyways, back to the topic: I forgot to take the ticks out one night, and the bag got shoved in a corner somewhere. When I found it about a week later, most of them were still alive (and they hadn't had a chance to suck blood before I put them in there). I would suggest that you just open up the bag a couple of times a day to give her some fresh air. That should do the trick!

[cheekywhiskers]

Don't bother trying to keep hard bodied ticks alive for long, except to check if they're carrying Lymes. They usually suck blood once as an adult, lay eggs, then die. Some of the soft bodied ticks will lay several batches of eggs, but these really aren't found on pets. It's their slow metabolism and unfinished business that keeps 'em alive in bags for a week.

[DeflatorMouse]

Well, this is friggin depressing. I think I managed to kill her somehow. wtf??

I kept a corner of the bag open for air; I even put a few drops of water in there for moisture. But now... either she's sleeping on her back with her legs shriveled up, or she's sorta... dead. :(

This really bums me out. I'm no great lover of ticks, but I hate to be the one responsible for causing suffering or premature death to anything. *sigh* Cheeky, I'm hoping you're right, and she just died of old age or something. Man this sucks.