It's tick season! This is how we avoid and deal with ticks on trail.

Music by @tellyourstorymusicbyikson

[drfox]

EXCELLENT advice! I’m a microbiologist that used to study Lyme disease. When we would collect ticks in the wild we’d tuck our pants into our socks and use masking tape to secure them. We’d also tape over any grommet holes on our boots. Also, lots of times the bullseye rash won’t appear at all or might be a different shape. If you get bitten by a tick use tweezers or your fingernails to get the mouth out and try not to squish the tick body too hard when you’re removing it or you’ll push the stomach contents and any microbes into the wound. Also not a bad idea to put the tick in a plastic bag and have it tested later.

[tdaetaunm]

DO NOT FORGET to check you scalp, especially those with longer hair! Ticks can and will nestle in there. My family and I had visited our own in Oklahoma many years ago, and a month or so later my Mom was sitting in the salon chair when her stylist pulled a HUGE tick that had clearly hitched a ride back to Cali with us. She was extremely lucky she did not get sick or some other kind of disease.

[Tuna-else]

bugs are the only thing preventing me from leaving my house. no allergies or anything, I just hate them with every bone in my body.

[chase]

“Tall grass you know what that means!” The wild Pokémon battle music started playing in my head…

[Strollerlove]

Please use a thread loop or long pincered tweezers when removing tics! Removing tics with your fingers or ordinary tweezers will likely put pressure on the tics abdomen causing the tic to throw up the blood back into your body. That is how the disease is spread.

Also if you leave the tic it will feed until it’s so full that it throws up and then it will let go. So always make sure to remove tics as soon as possible!

As said in the video monitor the area for up to 4 weeks after the bite and seek medical attention should a rash appear!

[SamanthaC.]

I’m glad you guys takes ticks so seriously! I got a tick when I was 8 years old and had all the symptoms of Lyme I got tested once after my mom had to beg the doctors for it and it came out negative (it was a false negative) mom wanted then to test again but doctors refused to test me, I continued to get symptoms for years, I’m now 16 years old and we finally found a doctor who would test me a few months ago, it came back positive and I have now spent the last 8 years with Lyme and am now suffering because doctors refused to test.

[roseanna]

Note that about 20-30% DON’T develop a bulleye. My husband’s actually just looked like a giant, dark bruise on his leg. If you happen to miss an imbedded tick - watch for symptoms (muscle aches, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes) and visit your doctor ASAP to get tested.

You might need to push for the test (even in places where it’s endemic) because some doctors are not proactive about it. We lived in Bucks County, PA (very well known for ticks and Lyme) and my husband had to practically beg for the test. Problem was that it was still too early for it to show up but he pushed to get another test (thankfully with a different, younger and more proactive doctor)… get a call the NEXT morning at 8am and doc says “you are 100% positive” 😱

One round of antibiotics and he was fine. ONE YEAR later.. we’d been in an area with ticks and he checked himself but must have missed it. A few days go by, NO rash but his lymph node swole the same way as the first time and he immediately knew. Another round of antibiotics again.

Moral of the story? Take note of your body and speak up when something’s clearly wrong!

[lb]

Perfect! Medical entomologist here, thank you for sharing solid and accurate information. Especially permethrin. Permethrin is how I stayed tick free when studying Powassan virus. Also, get some forceps into your kit! Get in touch if you want a tick protection kit.

[Lymelady]

As someone who is disabled from Lyme disease and 3 other tick borne illnesses, I appreciate this video🙂

[FreshPresh]

These are the exact type of videos that make me realize that as much as I’d like to think I could do it, I can’t actually spend that much time in the wilderness. Hats off to you both, living the good life for sure! Thanks for sharing.

[LauraMorby]

They’re so chill about it. One of my greatest fears!

[Claire-f]

As someone who had Lyme disease that caused grand mal seizures, if you find a tick on yourself take an easy course of antibiotics for a month and you’ll be okay. It’s worth it instead of it turning into something debilitating.

[khedax]

Taking tick off by bare hands!😮😮😮
That's some skill!!

[isaacst-yves]

Never I repeat NEVER!!!! PULL OUT A TICK what you do is slowly squeeze the tip without crushing/ squishing then it'll get lose then and only then you pull it out and don't throw it out put it in a well seeled jar or pill bottle then bring it to the hospital

[lilacdaisy]

as someone who has chronic lyme, this is all INCREDIBLY important. the bullseye rashes are SO important to look for. also make sure that when you pull the tick out, you get the entire thing and not just the body as the head can stay buried. also ticks are super hard to kill but dont flush them down the toilet!! if you can, save them in a plastic bag so you can send it in for testing if you start to develop symptoms of lyme disease

[kasagure.]

i'm too squeamish to pull them out so if you have the luxury, very pungent scents (essential oils, fragrant perfumes, even deodorant in a pinch) dabbed on their back ends will cause them to let go. they breathe out of their back ends so it essentially suffocates them. you can also use a freshly blown out match, the charcoal does the same thing :)

[papajeff]

Grew up in the country. Have never known a time when we didn’t do tic checks, on ourselves and our dogs, normal as breathing. You guys are just the best. I’m inspired to hike, thanks to you. Thank you for the wonderful videos.

[easypeasy]

You should carry peppermint oil. If you pour it on the tick while it is in your skin it will leave by it self. I always do it whit my dog because she always gets them. Hope
this helps.❤

[fabuloustobi]

it’s honestly really helpful to own a tick card or a ticks tweezer! when i work in the garden i get ticks everytime! I couldn’t imagine not having these small and useful tools with me when going on a hike

[nicholaslowe]

Don’t just pull it out like that!!! Dish soap works pretty well to get them to detach. Since it does take awhile to establish infection you have time to not screw around with it. Also not a bad idea do go to an urgent care for prophylaxis because it’s a single dose of an antibiotic - why risk it?