UKC

After a nice weekend hillwalking and climbing at Dunkeld I was disgusted to find a tick on me this morning. It's only February. Maybe spring has come early? Has anyone else had any ticks yet? Is it common so early?

In reply to Heike:

I've just come back from KwaZulu Natal where they were a blessed nuisance. When we were out in the hills we had to keep stopping and checking our legs, socks and clothes. Every day I found up to half a dozen on me. You have to pick them off before they get a hold.

But it is mid summer over there....

Seriously though before setting out in the morning, I tried rubbing Tabbard on my legs and sprayed my socks and shorts with an insect repellent. This really worked and once I started doing that they stopped.

In reply to Heike:
None yet, but I seem to be able to pick them up all year round. I don't think it takes them long to come out when it's mild.

In reply to Trangia:
What's Tabbard?

In reply to Iain Forrest:


Hmm, you must be right. I managed to rip of the head...ehhh, so I had to operate!

In reply to Heike:
Ugh. I hate them with a passion only matched by their love of me. I've dug a few pits in myself extracting detatched heads too.

In reply to Heike:

It's an insect repellent cream - very popular in South Africa. I think it contains DEET

In reply to Trangia: I had an image of you walking through the veldt wearing a tabard for a while.

In reply to Heike:
I've not seen any yet but my top tip for getting them out is to use an O'TOM tick twister, you can get them from most vets and they cost less than £5, they are fantastic, you 'hook' the tick and then twist and the whole thing comes out, takes seconds and saves the 'digging' for the head! Hasn't failed us yet. We use them on ourselves and the dogs (who as working dogs get them pretty much daily when in the heather even if treated).

In reply to Chris F:

LoL!

In reply to sjl13:
We use them on ourselves and the dogs (who as working dogs get them pretty much daily when in the heather even if treated).


I've often wondered why we can't drontal / frontline humans. A drop on the back of the neck and no more headlice on little Tiffni-mae for a kick off.

In reply to Iain Forrest:

Hooorrrible. But the thought of leaving it in is worse. I hate them, too. Almost as much as midges (maybe not quite that much...)

In reply to sjl13:

Chewwie had one on his head after a walk up to Capel Garmon from Betws y Coed 2 weeks ago.

I second the use of the "tick twister" - an invaluable piece of kit.

My partner was misdiagnosed with MS for years, when in fact it was undiagnosed Lymes Disease from ticks - so I take the little b*stards very very seriously.

In reply to David Hooper:
Oh dear. Is your partner better now?

In reply to David Hooper: We've seen none on ours yet, heard a few reporting them so started checking. I'd have thought all these frosts would knock the tick numbers down though. Also have the twister.

In reply to Heike:
She has some permanent nerve damage that can leave her fatigued, poorly balanced and various other problems - but it is much better than being MS which is degenerative.

P.S. the website for tick twisters is www.otom.com

In reply to David Hooper:

Thanks for that & best of luck for the both of you.

In reply to Heike:

Yep, found them on my dog last weekend. Not too far from Dunkeld either

In reply to David Hooper:

I'd fourth those tick twisters, we use them on our dog and ourselves and they have never failed yet . . .

In reply to Heike:

I asked a stalker once about the seasonality of ticks.

Answer was that you won't be troubled by them when there's 2 feet of lying snow.