[greenygianty]

Going to bed last night after yesterdays caching trip by bicycle around Tentsmuir I noticed that I had a few ticks on my legs! Removed with aid of tweezers. (the ticks, not my legs)

Something worth while watching out for!

[boats2]

They sure are worth watching out for. To remove them I am reliably informed that you twist anti-clockwise and pull slightly upwards at the same time. It has worked for me in the past.

I picked up several of these blighters in the past at orienteering events. Generally they are not a problem though some of them do carry Tick-borne encephalitis, also known as Lyme disease. On one occasion I didn't notice it for a few days. I duly removed the tick and a week or so later a rash appeared about 5cm diameter around the site of the bite. I went to the doctor who didn't really know what to do but a mention of Lyme disease prompted him to look it up. A strong course of anti-biotics followed which knocked me for six.

From what I remember (and I am not medically minded) they can't actually test for the presence of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. All that they can do is prescribe anti-biotics and then after a few weeks test for the presence of the antibodies that fight the Lyme disease bacteria. If this test proves positive then this is proof that the Lyme disease bacteria was present and is now hopefully banished. If the test is negative either you didn't have the bacteria or the anti-biotics didn't work.

Not all ticks carry the bacteria and it is generally only if they are fully gorged on blood that they pass on the bacteria so prompt removal of the tick is a good thing.

[stufio]

We have also picked up some of these nasty little beasties in the passed - Skye last summer was particularly bad
They come in a variety of different forms depending on where they are in their life cycle - from little lavae which are difficult to spot early on, to the great big monsters about 5mm across - one of which I not only felt, bit could see burrowing into my knee.
Quick action is the best, so after last years experiences I always have a good search in all those warm little places after I have been walking through sheep, deer and also cattle country.
You are meant to try and remove them without squeezing their contents back into the wound, as sad to say, this increases the risk of infection if they are carrying the bacteria.
But I am sure there are some real medical experts on this forum who can give us some more reliable advice about how to remove them safely and what we might put on the wound.
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and the twitcher comes too

[klossner]

My mother has suffered from Lyme disease for twenty years. She was bitten by a tick in Hawaii and developed the distinctive bullseye rash, but this was before Lyme was well publicized. By the time her doctors made the diagnosis, the disease had entered her nervous system and could not be treated.

I was bitten by a tick two years ago and went to the doctor for a full course of antibiotics. They didn't affect me at all.

[greenygianty]

Well when I removed the ticks they were rather small, looks like they hadn't been eating!

The dangers of geocaching! Nettle stings, ticks!

[Firth of Forth]

[Haggis Hunter]

I feel that ticks are an uneducated problem. One of my dogs picked up a tick in East Lothian. My current vet supposedly one of the best in Edinburgh told me to put vaseline on it and there was no need to worry. I done this and nothing happened. I called a 'small' vet in Clermiston who got extremely annoyed that I put vaseline on it and told me to bring my dog straight in. He removed the tick, inspected it, gave my dog a dose of antibiotics and also gave me a full lesson on how to remove them. I bought a tick remover from him, something which my current vet doesn't sell.
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Let me know if I say anything that offends you
I might want to offend you again later

[HighlandNick]

If the ticks are small, the commercial tick removers - which come in a couple of sizes, are just too big to get them off.

[Jacobite]

You know, I've been out and about in the highlands in cycling shorts and a t-shirts for year after year, and the wee boogers never seem to want a bite at me! (not a complaint, just an observation)
Aly got one between her fingers when we were caching in Perthshire 18 months ago (she really hates them, poor Lass), she used a chemical lotion to remove it, which worked.
Aly, what was the name of the chemical remover?
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I am just going outside, and may be some time!

www.jacobitecaching.co.uk

[rastan]

I knew this could be a problem in mainland Europe, but I never realised we had them in this country! I will have to be careful when lurking in the woods looking for tupperware

[greenygianty]

Found another one last night on the part which makes your eyes water!

[markandlynn]

We use an OTOM remover comes in two sizes in the packet. Have got ticks in the lakes, scotland and cornwall.

Between the fingers are the worst.

After a days walking we all check for ticks the best thing to do is when you return to the path brush yourself down by hand as they will be on your trousers etc .

Horrible things

[Maw, Paw + the Piglets]

Last year on Arran, we picked up a few of the wee critters. I used the tick removers from the vets to remove them ( the smaller size got the tiny ones) but one of the wee devils left half its mouthparts in a leg. I contacted the doctor who told us to come in and get it removed (done with the end of a needle). We then had to keep an eye out for symptoms.

If you know where you picked them up ( area rather than exact spot) then they quite like it if you keep the wee blighters in a ziplock baggie for them to test to see if they are indeed carrying Lyme Disease, or at least in Arran they do. In our case it was one of 2 places on different sides of the island so it didn't matter but it was quite entertaining watching them in the wee bag. Nasty wee critters.

BTW a chum in the States swears that duck tape ( or any other brand of silver duct tape stuff) wrapped round the trouser legs like gaiters at ankle height STICKY SIDE OUT will trap any number of bugs and beasties.

[yob kulcha]

We found a small tick remover on the floor of Knockdamph bothy last year. I had the opportunity to use it last week when Mrs yob picked up a teeny wee tick in Achfary forest. It worked really well.

[Firth of Forth]