Fantastic video cambium...!

I was bit on my hip while at a beach party near Powell River years ago. Had just a bit of Glenfiddich when I felt the burning sting. I thought I must have stumbled into the BBQ but I didn't remember doing that! Anyway, next morning I looked at my "burn", saw the tick still embedded in my hip--she was dead dead dead from alcohol poisoning. [xx(]

I wasn't in too great shape either....

Anyway, I just grabbed and pulled her out.

Often you won't feel the attached tick, but sometimes you feel them earlier when they are crawling around and looking for a good spot (feeling anything now?). You may feel the tick when brushing with your hand along your skin or other people may point it out (but ticks usually hide under clothing). We had lots of ‘fun' when we went ‘hot-springing' a couple of years ago and discovered that everybody had picked up a few passengers.

No oil, no burning, no smothering, no squishing – just grab tick gently very close to skin (around ‘neck') and pull slowly a bit, then hold and tick will let go.

Aqua terra's got right idea : no ticks in the snow-glow !

Are these any good?

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_i...=1244001744347

Also, has anyone noticed any decrease in woodtick attachment if they use DEET while in the outdoors? I'm not certain if it is coincidence or not, but I seem to be less of a tick magnet when I use Off or some other insect repellent.

DEET supposedly repels ticks, yes.

Went on a hike last w/e. Got home and after showering noticed a tick on my right hip. [:0] Figured since it's mouth parts were already in me it would be prudent to go to the clinic/hospital and witness an official procedure.

At the Rockyview Hospital some of the staff in the emergency triage area took an interest in the tick that was in a convenient spot for them to see. Apparently they don't see too many of them. A woman who was with another injured person told me that in Ontario they prescribe an antibiotic and test the tick automatically. Perhaps they see more Deer ticks?

They sent me to a fast track area. Thankfully it didn't take hours to see the doctor, maybe 1/2 hr. He rubbed antiseptic over and around the tick. He then took some tweezers and grabbed the tick and pulled it away from my hip. My skin stretched a several millimeters, it was hanging on! He had a heating wire at the end of a small cylinder (like a pen) that turned red hot and touched the right side of the tick, it let go instantly. The doctor seemed to get a little anxious when trying to drop the tick into the container. It just didn't want to let go of the tweezers. We checked to see if the mouth parts were still in me .. nope. Good!

My initial impression was that the doctor was going to pluck it and away I go, but when I mentioned what the woman from Ontario had decided to consult the Medical Examiner's office While he was on the phone I checked out the tick and it appeared that its two front right legs were gibbled from the heating wire. It was still very active in the container. Probably pissed about being burned away from its drink, my blood. The doctor came back and said that they wanted the tick for examination and to know where I may have picked it up. He advised me to look for a bulls-eye type skin formation which may appear anywhere on my body as well as look out for fever symptoms. There is no visible sign that the tick had attached itself and all is well .. for now.

As i understand it, we have largely wood ticks out here, which are larger, and known to carry Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (rarely), not Lymne Disease (which the bulls-eye is a sign of). Out east is where the deer ticks tend to be, and the ones most likely to infect you are actually the poppyseed-sized nymphs, making detection extra difficult. I know lyme's been making inroads hereabouts though, so they might be on extra watch.

Thanks for the feedback Eco. Hopefully your little hitchiker wasn't carrying anything nasty.

Permethrin apparently works the best but you can only buy it in the US. Kills ticks instantly as they climb onto your clothing.

Thinking of tic season still gives me an involuntary shiver
Darn sheep dropping all those small bloodsucking vile parasites all over the place

Soon as I get back to the car, down goes the pants and off goes the shirt for a quick check, before they travel to that warm comfy spot.

I bought a tic tool from mec years ago, found it works quite well,having to use it a few times.
our last instructor advised us to put shaving cream on the tic .the reason explained "the cream cuts off the oxygen causing the tic to back out to breathe. "

Now thanks to this thread and a quick Google search Im definitely more informed!

A good thread to bring up again next spring!



http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/tick_removal.html

I hope this wasn't a first aid instructor. They should not be promoting wives tales.

Here is something I found right here in these forums some time ago. 2 methods in this video, probably the best ways to remove ticks I have ever seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9dsmFVPDqs

Was browsing the new Langley MEC yesterday (woot!) and saw this...anyone used this method? I wasn't able to bring up the prior MEC link on an earlier page..so not sure this is the same product..

I've had two encounters this year (only one dug in), and it didn't come out easy w/tweezers (I failed)..found it hard not to squeeze its guts while pulling.

http://www.mec.ca/product/5029-474/r...emoval-system/

Seems like consensus her is plain old tweezers and forget the fancy?

In the case of my husband, noticeable upon physical inspection only. About nine years ago, we came back from a long weekend in Hood River, Oregon. Upon getting in to bed and scratching his 'boys' good night, discovered a tick on one of his testicles. A sensitive place to use tweezers and pull but he eventually got rid of the bugger. Makes for a good campfire story now