Ticks!

houli77

Likes Dirt
Is it just me and where I build, or is there a plague of these things going on right now.

Been building same area for a few years and had the occasional one, but lately it's been pretty much every time I'm in the bush I've had one or two. And they are tiny tiny little things, like first stage seed ticks which makes them hard to spot. Previously I've only had bigger ones. Still leave a nasty, itchy welt though.

Getting pretty savvy now and using some repellant and giving myself a good check over and a shower as soon as I get home. I super worried about bringing one home on my clothes and it biting my one year old son :-/

M
 

zoidberg

Hooraaay, I'm helping!
Is it just me and where I build, or is there a plague of these things going on right now.

Been building same area for a few years and had the occasional one, but lately it's been pretty much every time I'm in the bush I've had one or two. And they are tiny tiny little things, like first stage seed ticks which makes them hard to spot. Previously I've only had bigger ones. Still leave a nasty, itchy welt though.

Getting pretty savvy now and using some repellant and giving myself a good check over and a shower as soon as I get home. I super worried about bringing one home on my clothes and it biting my one year old son :-/

M
That's the juvenile stage mate, I feel sorry for you, if they're in plague proportion right now, it's going to be a bad summer. The worst I've had of the little fuckers was 17 on me after one dig in the bush. At least when they get to the adult stage you can feel and see them more easily.

If you're using a repellant, make sure it's got DEET in it.
 

Gripo

Eats Squid
They can be a right pain literally....and there is some controversy as to the lyme disease that they may carry, although it's been denied by Australian health authorities.

If going into the bush to cut a new trail I'll even wear a white hazzard suit that some tradies wear over my long sleeve tshirt/jeans (available at H&S shops).

Sure it's not for summer but with all the nymph stage ticks out there due to a warmer winter, as you know it's to miss one or several...and be hella itchy for a week or two...

Something else I highly recommend is wearing that is if you don't already....
trunk/hipster undies as the lower elastic line seems to inhibit them from getting up into your groin area like y-fronts....now that'd be pain!

As mentioned get some Deet repellant from a camping store etc. but beware it is toxic and can melt plastic! like when I sprayed it on my arms and over my yard watch....it became tacky and smudged the plastic glass, so have a shower asap when you've finished your work.
 

jrewing

Eats Squid
Filthy bandicoots have infested my yard and brought the shit things with them. I don't get em but the kids do. It's the native blood that keeps em away....
 

houli77

Likes Dirt
Doesn't sound like anyone else is sharing my experience of tick plague...

I have discovered the tick twister recently and bought a double set of small and big off eBay but have only used it on my dog so far. Makes sense, tweezers just make a mess and leave the head in. When I do get my hands on a live one I can't help but torture them. Naked flame, microwave, boiling water, peroxide and bleach have been some of my tools and I fed one to a gekko and my chickens eat them too. I hate ticks more than anything..

I'm wondering how many people riding might get these tiny ticks on them, scratch them off and just think they have a nasty or infected mozzie bite. Unless u are aware of them they'd be easy to miss. I know I've scratched a few off without realising till later what it was.

I think the lyme thing is legit here, there's quite a strong lyme awareness push on the net for Australia. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for the bullseye and if I do get a fever after bite ill prob hit my doc up for the appropriate anti biotics just in case. Sounds pretty nasty if u don't catch it early.

I'm not using deet just picardin spray and spraying on liberally, seems to help, didnt get any today, that I've found yet anyway..... Heaps of home remedies on net too for vinegar and all sorts if stuff supposed to repel them. Hopefully it's just a passing phase, and if they do get bad/bigger in summer at least u can see them easily and generally feel them crawling. The little ones are just so friggin small!


And I have had ticks in the groin region before. Not on any important bits yet but well within the pubic hair zone... :-/ might try the undies thing..
 

bigdamo

Likes Dirt
Is it just me and where I build, or is there a plague of these things going on right now.

Been building same area for a few years and had the occasional one, but lately it's been pretty much every time I'm in the bush I've had one or two. And they are tiny tiny little things, like first stage seed ticks which makes them hard to spot. Previously I've only had bigger ones. Still leave a nasty, itchy welt though.

Getting pretty savvy now and using some repellant and giving myself a good check over and a shower as soon as I get home. I super worried about bringing one home on my clothes and it biting my one year old son :-/

M
I have had the one's your describing. I thought they where juvenile/ first stage but I got them all through winter and summer always small hard to see but sure were scratchy and left a red welt for long while. Bushcare came and started to work in the area a year or so latter but stopped when I asked them why they stopped Bushcare Bob said the tick bites were causing some bad reactions to some of the workers.When I described my ticks which are the same as you describe Bushcare Bob said they are a certain type of tick.Nasty ones at that. Don't let them get on your dog.
 

Asterope

Likes Dirt
I don't think there has been a winter/summer for the past 5 years that has not been tick-free in Brisbane (ashgrove/the gap - out that way) because its been so warm and wet.
The worst was living out at St Johns Wood, where I think I spent a good $400+ over a year at the vets getting those tiny ticks removed from my dogs eyelids!!
I have thankfully not gotten any out on the trails, but my partner has - those tiny little ones are really annoying to get out because they bury themselves so deep into your skin. I am paranoid, always check after a ride or a hike.

also - Bushmans is your friend :)
 

geoff_tewierik

Likes Dirt
I picked one up after a ride a couple of weeks back, only found it post ride when i jumped in the shower.

Having worked for a specialist Vet Science company in the past I knew what it was and how to deal with it. Just popped down to my local vet and got a Tick Twister and removed it nice and easy.
 

houli77

Likes Dirt
I have had the one's your describing. I thought they where juvenile/ first stage but I got them all through winter and summer always small hard to see but sure were scratchy and left a red welt for long while. Bushcare came and started to work in the area a year or so latter but stopped when I asked them why they stopped Bushcare Bob said the tick bites were causing some bad reactions to some of the workers.When I described my ticks which are the same as you describe Bushcare Bob said they are a certain type of tick.Nasty ones at that. Don't let them get on your dog.
That's interesting you say people got sick, I have had a few mild cold symptoms after bites.. I wonder if ill get immunity after a while to whatever they carry. I wonder what it is they carry????

Wish I could just burn the whole area, but thats not really an option.. Hate hate hate them.

My dog has had heaps, he's pretty short haired and I find them on him easily, don't seem to bother him in the slightest, if he has a few ill dip him in permoxin which is a permethrin pet product a vet put me onto. Once when I was camping down near port Macquarie, he got absolutely infested with tiny ticks after crashing into a grassy ditch chasing a wallaby... He had 1-200 on him, so with no way to remove them manually best bet was to dip him in permoxin and monitor him. The ticks didnt bother him one bit apart from the itching, the permethrin killed them all, half came out when I applied it, the others I brushed out with a stiff brush a day later. Not too keen on the chemicals but sometimes it's the only way.
 

Gripo

Eats Squid
Wish I could just burn the whole area, but thats not really an option.. Hate hate
Other than the "weather" the lack of burn offs contributes to the palgue in some locations as greenies push that burning off isn't natuaral...BS, the aboriginals did it, lightning strikes start fires...it's a normal process of nature to control lots of vermin/weeds etc!

On my acreage the many bandicoots/wallabies contribute heavily to the bushland being tick infested....I will be burning asap before the fire season, it's the only way I can make the property safe for my family from the scurge....
 

houli77

Likes Dirt
Are you allowed to just burn your property where you are?

Or do you notify local fire crew?

Unfort it's not an option where my trails are. I'd love to cook those little f'ers though.. I'm dead sure indigenous folk would've been flame on as soon as they were annoyed by any biteys in their hunting grounds..

Oh well, rant over, guess ill just deal with em for now.. My choice to be out there.. No way they're stopping me! :)
 

dcrofty

Eats Squid
Tick bites are bad and repeated exposure to ticks can cause debilitating long term health effects.

I know people who have developed red meat allergies from repeated tick exposure, nearly a life sentence for some blokes.

Good info here

Go and speak to your local fire authority or council before burning off to see what the local rules are. Some areas operate a permit system and you could cop a fine or an unexpected visit from lots of big red trucks if you just light up.
 

retroenduro

Likes Dirt
They can be a right pain literally....and there is some controversy as to the lyme disease that they may carry, although it's been denied by Australian health authorities.
Lyme's disease is rare in Australia but it does exist...the important thing is to recognize the symptoms and get antibiotics quick. Keep an eye on your bites and if they develop a large distinctive red ring (google for images) around them and start to itch or get sore go to the doctor and TELL them you want antibiotics for Lyme's disease. You have to be firm with them as they will try and fob you off saying its rare etc but if you don't get the right treatment you will get very sick.

Couple of years ago i had this. Got bitten and about a week later the bite flared up. After having a chat with family in the UK where Lyme's is very common (Especially near Richmond Park in London - their local hospital - Kingston Upon Thames is a world authority on Lyme's) they told me what to do. Funnily enough my Mother had Lyme's a few years back and it made her very sick indeed before her GP worked out what was wrong. After that she was referred to the hospital and all was good.
 

houli77

Likes Dirt
Yep I'm up on the lyme symptoms..

No bullseyes or fevers yet.

Would like to know what might cause cold like symptoms though. Not 100% sure as it is winter and lots of flu/colds going around but think I have had a few mild immune reactions to bites..

Felt slightly different to a normal cold or flu and seemed to coincide with bites, lasted usually 4-6 days. Think they have been reducing in severity too, like perhaps I am getting immunity to whatever they carry.

Either way I've not had a bite the last 4 times I've been digging due to repellant and a good check over afterwards. Only found one on me and one on dog.

Prevention is better than........
 

bigdamo

Likes Dirt
That's interesting you say people got sick, I have had a few mild cold symptoms after bites.. I wonder if ill get immunity after a while to whatever they carry. I wonder what it is they carry????

Wish I could just burn the whole area, but thats not really an option.. Hate hate hate them.

My dog has had heaps, he's pretty short haired and I find them on him easily, don't seem to bother him in the slightest, if he has a few ill dip him in permoxin which is a permethrin pet product a vet put me onto. Once when I was camping down near port Macquarie, he got absolutely infested with tiny ticks after crashing into a grassy ditch chasing a wallaby... He had 1-200 on him, so with no way to remove them manually best bet was to dip him in permoxin and monitor him. The ticks didnt bother him one bit apart from the itching, the permethrin killed them all, half came out when I applied it, the others I brushed out with a stiff brush a day later. Not too keen on the chemicals but sometimes it's the only way.
The cat became immune to the ticks other neighbors animals died pretty quick.
 

bigdamo

Likes Dirt
Yep I'm up on the lyme symptoms..

No bullseyes or fevers yet.

Would like to know what might cause cold like symptoms though. Not 100% sure as it is winter and lots of flu/colds going around but think I have had a few mild immune reactions to bites..

Felt slightly different to a normal cold or flu and seemed to coincide with bites, lasted usually 4-6 days. Think they have been reducing in severity too, like perhaps I am getting immunity to whatever they carry.

Either way I've not had a bite the last 4 times I've been digging due to repellant and a good check over afterwards. Only found one on me and one on dog.

Prevention is better than........
I think Bushcare Bob said some of the volunteers got flu like symptoms. I just felt unusually tired.
 

Asterope

Likes Dirt
That's interesting you say people got sick, I have had a few mild cold symptoms after bites.. I wonder if ill get immunity after a while to whatever they carry. I wonder what it is they carry????
If its the ticks I think you are talking about (paralysis ticks) - the cold symptoms could be a result of your body having a reaction to the neurotoxin that the little f**kers inject, or it could be your immune system fighting off a mild Rickettsial infection (Queensland tick typhus) which is more likely than Lyme disease, seeing as how Rickettsia is endemic here. Just found a good sized one on my dog :\
 
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