View Full Version : Ticks!
drifters quest
05-09-2010, 15:18
It's tick time. Kelly the dog and I are up in Daleville, VA right now and about a week ago I found the first tick on her, since then i have been pulling off at least a dozen a day and pulled the first one off myself as well. She has K9 Advantix so even if I miss one it does kill them or make them sick and I find them on the floor of my tent, yuck!
My question is there anything I can use to help repel them in the first place? i was looking at the bandanas they sell that are treated to repel insects (they say ticks as well), but im wondering if anyone has tried them and how well they work. She knows when I come out with the tweezers whats gonna happen and she isn't happy, any advice would be great! Thanks
its hard to say i just ended up with coon hound and im doin the same thng...ull probly be doning this for a while..
Mountain Wildman
05-09-2010, 15:40
For removing ticks you may want to consider Ticktwister:
http://www.ticktwister.com/
It removes them intact without squeezing and potentially infecting you or your pet with Lyme if any of the ticks you pick up have it.
I have read reviews and watched videos on Insect Shield clothing like the Bandanas you refer to which are made with permetherin treated material, If the claims and video proof are legitimate then the clothing works.
I bought the Insect Shield Pants, Shirt and socks by Exofficio and the Insect Shield Gaiters by Outdoor Research, I will be testing them on a trip over the Memorial Day weekend.
I just talked to my dog's vet about this yesterday. She said something like Frontline Plus or Advantix is the best thing you can do. She said she would not recommend any sort of spray repellent or the like.
Snowleopard
05-09-2010, 21:10
"Insect Shield Gaiters by Outdoor Research"
I was planning on making something like this, light gaiters sprayed with permethrin. Of course at the rate I'm going on MYOG stuff, I'll be dead of Lyme before I finish. $35 at REI seems steep.
Permethin on clothes works to a degree; I just sprayed pants, shirt and hat.
Mountain Wildman
05-09-2010, 21:37
"Insect Shield Gaiters by Outdoor Research"
I was planning on making something like this, light gaiters sprayed with permethrin. Of course at the rate I'm going on MYOG stuff, I'll be dead of Lyme before I finish. $35 at REI seems steep.
Permethin on clothes works to a degree; I just sprayed pants, shirt and hat.
Snowleopard,
The Insect shield clothing is made with thread etc... already treated with permetherin so it is engrained into the product, they state that it will retain it's repellant properties for approximately 70 washings which is presumeably a garments normal life expectancy, there is no need to treat the clothing with insect repellant, In fact they recommend not adding more permetherin to the product.
I bought the O.R. Bug Out Gaiters from Moosejaw and used Coupon Code SPAD15 to receive a 15% discount, My final cost was $29.75.
If they work as stated then it is worth every penny knowing I am protected against potential Lyme Disease from Lyme carrying ticks.
It's tick time. Kelly the dog and I are up in Daleville, VA right now and about a week ago I found the first tick on her, since then i have been pulling off at least a dozen a day and pulled the first one off myself as well. She has K9 Advantix so even if I miss one it does kill them or make them sick and I find them on the floor of my tent, yuck!
My question is there anything I can use to help repel them in the first place? i was looking at the bandanas they sell that are treated to repel insects (they say ticks as well), but im wondering if anyone has tried them and how well they work. She knows when I come out with the tweezers whats gonna happen and she isn't happy, any advice would be great! Thanks
Welcome to the Roanoke area! Be sure to go to Blue Collar Joes for the best donuts you have ever eaten. IT is past Kroger. Enjoy your upcoming sights on the Blue Ridge Parkway!
I used a cheap pair of Mountain Hardwear short gaiters this past weekend (after getting absolutely attacked by ticks the previous weekend...I flicked no less than 10 of them off my socks during the 3-mile hike). It helped a lot. I did find two small ones on my pants before I got back in my truck, but their numbers were still much reduced.
yea seriously they got some good donuts.....
I used a cheap pair of Mountain Hardwear short gaiters this past weekend (after getting absolutely attacked by ticks the previous weekend...I flicked no less than 10 of them off my socks during the 3-mile hike). It helped a lot. I did find two small ones on my pants before I got back in my truck, but their numbers were still much reduced.
Rick, where did you hike. I moved to Roanoke a couple of years ago after living in Louisville for 20 years. Bernheim Forest? Mammoth Cave?
Rick, where did you hike. I moved to Roanoke a couple of years ago after living in Louisville for 20 years. Bernheim Forest? Mammoth Cave?
Jefferson Memorial Forest... the McConnell loop at Paul Yost recreation area.
Some pretty nice trails around there.
Link: http://www.louisvilleky.gov/MetroParks/parks/jeffersonmemorialforest/hikethetrails.htm
drifters: Advantix has worked for us.....I also treat my dog's pack with permethrin.....
Snowleopard
05-11-2010, 12:13
Snowleopard,
The Insect shield clothing is made with thread etc... already treated with permetherin so it is engrained into the product, they state that it will retain it's repellant properties for approximately 70 washings which is presumeably a garments normal life expectancy, there is no need to treat the clothing with insect repellant, In fact they recommend not adding more permetherin to the product.
Yes, the main advantage of Insect Shield/Bugoff, etc., is that it lasts longer. I have a Buzzoff caped hat that works well. Permethrin spray lasts "six washings or six weeks before clothing has to be treated again". I like this pump spray stuff from REI http://www.rei.com/product/768970 because I breath less of it than the spray can stuff. They recommend storing it in plastic bags to make the the treatment last longer. For thru-hiking, I'd go with the Insect Shield/Buzzoff clothes to avoid having to respray every six weeks.
I'm tempted to get these pants from rail riders for summer use, if summer ever gets here (frost last night here):
http://www.railriders.com/men-eco-mesh-pant-with-insect-shield-p-837.html?cPath=104_110&osCsid=j3eoaomrmktpht5em1kqnidgc2
Mountain Wildman
05-11-2010, 14:40
Yes, the main advantage of Insect Shield/Bugoff, etc., is that it lasts longer. I have a Buzzoff caped hat that works well. Permethrin spray lasts "six washings or six weeks before clothing has to be treated again". I like this pump spray stuff from REI http://www.rei.com/product/768970 because I breath less of it than the spray can stuff. They recommend storing it in plastic bags to make the the treatment last longer. For thru-hiking, I'd go with the Insect Shield/Buzzoff clothes to avoid having to respray every six weeks.
I'm tempted to get these pants from rail riders for summer use, if summer ever gets here (frost last night here):
http://www.railriders.com/men-eco-mesh-pant-with-insect-shield-p-837.html?cPath=104_110&osCsid=j3eoaomrmktpht5em1kqnidgc2
I saved the Rail Runners site in my favorites a couple weeks ago, Sounds like they make a good product, My Exofficio Insect Shield Convertible pants are very nice but very light and thin, They will be perfect for my Thru-Hike next year which is why I bought them. I like the idea of the clothing already containing treatment since I have never liked spraying anything on my skin or clothing for that matter, I usually just wear long pants and a long sleeve shirt and hat when I am hiking through bug infested areas. I'm one of the people who wears long pants all year long, In my job I have to wear long pants and have been in 100 degree temps with Levi's on. I looked at the Cape hat you have, I thought about it but I like more coverage, I am awaiting delivery this week on a Tilley Insect Shield hat, It has a wide brim all the way around and offers better protection than a baseball style cap.
I hope they work as stated because I really don't like ticks!!!
Happy Trails to you!!
Dirty Nails
05-12-2010, 11:51
I consulted a vet at the University of Florida, School of Vetinary Medicine about the best aproach to repell ticks. She told me that there was no real effective product to REPELL ticks, and the best one could probably hope for is to kill on contact.
She recommended Frontline for me in a spray. Yes, it is available in a spray and is what shelters use when they recieve a dog that is infested. It's a bit pricey though.
I use frontline Plus in the typical tube that is dispensed in a spot on the dog's shoulders once each month.
I will also give her a few sprays on the back of her legs where she can't easily lick it, usually one good spray on each leg. I will give her a few sprays around her neck, behind her ears and under her chin.
I will wear latex exam gloves, spray a bit in my hand, and then rub it on the neck and behind the ears to avoid spraying her eyes and mouth. I may apply a bit to her chest and flanks as well. I try to avoid any place that she can lick and ingest it.
This is just a little supliment to the regular application (drops). I do not spray it on heavily, and not all over the dog. I apply it to these areas because the feet and head are the most likely places for ticks to attach. I try to apply it 1-2 days before going on a hike because it will spread over the dog's skin in a day or 2 giving better protection.
Ticks do not jump like fleas. They climb up on tall grass and shrubs and grab hold of us as we pass by and brush against them. Thats another reason to stay on the well worn path. When they get on your dog they will usually walk around for several hours before settling in and attaching for a meal. Frontline will kill them (hopefully) before they ever bite.
I did a hike with a club where we wound up on an over-grown trail, lots of tall grass, and my dog was literally infested. She had hundreds of ticks on her. I was picking them off her for several days. Dozens on her feet alone! I found...ZERO LIVE ticks on her after 2-3 hours. ALL DEAD!!! I did give her a bath with a flea/tick shampoo, but hey were already falling off her in the car on the way home before that. I've never used anything else sinse then. Yes, I have found a tick or 2 on her, attached and swolen on a rare ocsasion. But I'm quite satisfied with this method.
BTW we were also quite infested. I used DEET on myself and found a few ticks, but the hike leader, being some sort of naturalist or purist, used no treatment and was infested almost as badly as mt dog!
Insect treatments for animals and humans are different and the two should not be mixed/interchanged.
I have also tried the organic tea tree oil and eucalyptus stuff, with little or no effect.
Snowleopard
05-12-2010, 12:22
I saved the Rail Runners site in my favorites a couple weeks ago, Sounds like they make a good product, My Exofficio Insect Shield Convertible pants are very nice but very light and thin, They will be perfect for my Thru-Hike next year which is why I bought them. I like the idea of the clothing already containing treatment since I have never liked spraying anything on my skin or clothing for that matter, I usually just wear long pants and a long sleeve shirt and hat when I am hiking through bug infested areas. I'm one of the people who wears long pants all year long, In my job I have to wear long pants and have been in 100 degree temps with Levi's on. I looked at the Cape hat you have, I thought about it but I like more coverage, I am awaiting delivery this week on a Tilley Insect Shield hat, It has a wide brim all the way around and offers better protection than a baseball style cap.
I hope they work as stated because I really don't like ticks!!!
Happy Trails to you!!
Normally I like wearing a hat similar to the Tilley (not insect shield). The caped hat seems to reduce, not eliminate, the need for DEET or a head net. If the bugs gets bad, you could pin a treated bandana on the Tilley like a cape -- that would work better than my caped cap. Of course, since I've had the buzzoff caped cap the bugs haven't been real bad. In particular, black flies don't like to fly into enclosed spaces and the hat intimidates them. The hat will help with mosquitos and black flies, probably not needed for ticks.
In summer I use pretty thin long nylon pants and long sleeved shirt, permethrin spray treated. Without permethin, mosquitos can bite through them, with permethrin they don't.
Let's hope that the recent frosts have killed all these nasties.