Ticks

[kygreg]

The ticks seem to be prolilfic here this year. Does anyone know something that works or at least helps keep them off or repel them.

[lumierefrere]

Guinea hens.

That's what everyone told me in CT. I don't have ticks here. Too cold.

[dustdevil]

Deep Woods Off pump spray works good for repelling ticks.

[beeman]

Originally Posted by kygreg

The ticks seem to be prolilfic here this year. Does anyone know something that works or at least helps keep them off or repel them.

I believe 'Food Grade Mineral Oil' will work.
It's the stuff the drug stores sell, grandmother used it for constipation. It smothers the ticks, they can't breath and suffocate.
Worth a try as it's harmless.

[stormymater]

We've got those little tiny Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever & lyme disease carrying deer ticks here. We liberally spray our clothes... with REPEL ( permanon) & use picaridin liberally on our skin - seems like a good combo. We have both gotten tick-borne illnesses lover the years down here (DH exactly 1 month after getting HUNDREDS of deer ticks on his legs after a late spring tromp through the woods w/the dogs & me after having a little tiny bugger on my head last summer) so we are into preventing bites. Really into it.
Good control of brush & discouraging deer from being on your property help a lot too. We have "the zones" on our little property that are tick-enriched - the areas the deer come through or frequent. It also helps to monitor when you see a lot of ticks - they hatch & go through their stages in timed flushes - avoid the brush & tall weeds then.
Hope it helps.

[mensplace]

Originally Posted by stormymater

We've got those little tiny Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever & lyme disease carrying deer ticks here. We liberally spray our clothes... with REPEL ( permanon) & use picaridin liberally on our skin - seems like a good combo. We have both gotten tick-borne illnesses lover the years down here (DH exactly 1 month after getting HUNDREDS of deer ticks on his legs after a late spring tromp through the woods w/the dogs & me after having a little tiny bugger on my head last summer) so we are into preventing bites. Really into it.
Good control of brush & discouraging deer from being on your property help a lot too. We have "the zones" on our little property that are tick-enriched - the areas the deer come through or frequent. It also helps to monitor when you see a lot of ticks - they hatch & go through their stages in timed flushes - avoid the brush & tall weeds then.
Hope it helps.

You are certainly right on regarding the very real danger of deer ticks. Folks need to look at an image and be able to identify them. My nephew, after many days of hospitalization, almost died from Lyme disease from one bite. Like rabies, I would think that if one is bitten by a tick that they know to be a deer tick, it would be worth a doctor visit EARLY.

[recruiterg]

I pulled three ticks (not deer ticks) off my 4 month old puppy on Wednesday. I was surprised to see ticks so early in MN. What do people out there use to treat their dogs?

[travis]

If you are opposed to using Deet or some other poisonous repellent (I'm not), you can mix common sulfur (bought at a pharmacy) with baby powder and put a little in each pocket and heavily dust your socks and the cuffs of your pants and that will repel most ticks and chiggers.

One fellow on our crew mixed kerosene with vaseline and that worked even better. But he stunk to high heaven and nowadays, someone also might think you were brewing up an explosive!

[Gobig_or_Gohome_toms]

Originally Posted by recruiterg

I pulled three ticks (not deer ticks) off my 4 month old puppy on Wednesday. I was surprised to see ticks so early in MN. What do people out there use to treat their dogs?

This topic came up at a fishing forum that I read and post at from time to time and all the responses from them said frontline. People had tried other similar products but did not find them to be as effective as Front line.

Craig

[duajones]

I spray my yard and perimeter of the house with permethrin and nylar every year in February and follow up a couple of weeks later. Seems to knock the out for the rest of the year for me

[PaulF]

I think because of the wet, cool year last year and the heavy long lasting snow pack we saw ticks earlier and in abundance this spring so far. Our dog picked up a few a couple of weeks ago. We use Frontline and it has worked very well in the past and so far this year after the first application we have seen no more ticks on the dog. I, however, have picked up a few when I venture into the wooded area around the house. Maybe I need to use Frontline.

[stormymater]

We use Advantrix monthly on the dogs. Frontline caused one of them to lose her hair where the dose was applied - circle with a looong dripline of nakedness for several months.
Advantrix seems to work well for us.

The semi-feral cats get dusted with Sevin - this USED to be the recs from the NC state Ag service.

[Frog]

Deer ticks are a serious issue here in the UK, our deer population is at record levels and they have no predator to deal with them. A good friend of mine has been seriously debilitated by Lymes disease; everyone should acquaint themselves with what to look out for, especially the tell tale signs that you have been bitten by a tick, it could save your life.

Despite the huge increase of Lymes disease public knowledge of the existence of it and of ticks is virtually nil.

[tjg911]

off you or off a pet?

i've used frontline top spot for my dogs. they never seem to have had any adverse reactions from it and it is very effective. however, i have found 1 or 2 engorged ticks alive in the house on the floor! now you may think that's dreadful but i want to find THAT tick IN the house because that tick is very dangerous - frontline did not kill it and that's 1 tick i do not want lose outside! just don't step on it, trust me it is not something you want to clean off a carpet! i put the tick into folds of a newspaper and step on it so i know just how nasty it is!

off you? stay out of the woods, period. i used to go hiking etc, no more, never again. i won't put neuro toxins on my skin or clothes and i don't care to get lyme disease just to walk thru the woods.

i noticed back 8-10 years ago this area was infested with ticks but it seems to have decreased greatly. they're out there but not like in the past. lot of turkeys here so maybe that's why.

tom

[matertoo]

I've spent close to 40 years working in the tick's enviornment as a Forester. Most effective thing I used was Permanone, a product which contains permethrin. The label clearly states not to get the product on your skin. Put it on your clothes.

Tick-borne diseases can really disable or kill a person. Best defense is to use a good insect repellant according to the label and get inspected at the end of the day for any wandering ticks. Promptly remove any attached ticks, being careful to not leave the head attached. Ticks can really mess up a person. I am more concerned about ticks than I am snakes.

It is important to get prompt medical attention if you suspect lyme or any other tick-borne disease. I know of several people whose lives have been ruined by a tick.

Paul