I've got this tick...

Not a particularly pleasant topic, but a helpful one

Okay, not the prettiest tips this Tips, Tricks and Treats Tuesday, but I believe anyone that likes to spend time getting back to nature in the warm weather should know the basics about those nasty, icky,disgusting ticks.  Now, I have never had a tick on me yet but the Hubs and I had a "scare" this past weekend (poor Hub thought he had one on him but it was a false alarm) so I thought I should prepare in the event of a real 

"emergency".  The chart above is a good one as it takes you step by step through the "tick trauma" process.  Actually, you really shouldn't panic if you get a tick.  They're not going anywhere fast and they have to be attached to you for 24 hours before they can transmit Lyme Disease.  However, you do want to get them out ASAP.  Again, don't freak out and pick them out just using your fingers.  Follow the chart and you should be good.  Also, I've read time and time again NOT to use any of those "easy" ways, such as a burned match, nail polish or petroleum jelly to "smother" it as this may make the tick release his yucky juices into you...yuck!  Just make sure if you use tweezers you use the pointy type, not those slanty ones.  The video to the right above was super helpful to me and it's done by some pest management specialist in Maine so I trust the info.  Now in the snippet he recommends using a "tick spoon" as a better way to get off those nastys and after some research (I actually put some good time into this) I tend to agree and, in fact, just ordered some from Amazon.  There are also "tick keys" that work well, or so I'm told, and they seem just a bit more handy as you can carry them on your key chain so if you do a lot of hiking you would always have it available if you carry your keys and being prepared is key (I through that pun in there on purpose).  You can still carry the tick spoon but it's just a tad more bulky.

"Oh no!  I'm a slacker and I forgot to prepare for ticks!  I have no pointy tweezers, tick spoon or key and I have a horrid tick latched onto my leg...wadda I do nowwww?" you may whine.  Well, I uncovered this diy tick remover "tool" and all you need is a straw and a cutting device.  I haven't tried this out (as well as the other tools because, as I stated earlier, I haven't had a tick on me) but it seems like it'd work in a pinch.  I believe as a last, last resort you could use a tissue (you don't want to touch or crush these yuckies) and grab it as close as you can to it's buggy head and pull it out...again don't freak out as these buggers have super powers (actually a special "cement" they secrete and reverse harpoon-like barbs) that make them a bit tricky to remove.  Just keep in mind that your skin will probably stretch "up" when you pull so just be aware, relax and pull.

Of course it's best not to get a tick in the first place and there are ways to avoid getting them including bug sprays and taking precautions when out in the woods, like tucking your pants legs into your socks so they can't crawl up your open pant leg...these things can be tenacious!  That being said, I have never had a tick in all my many, many, many, many, (you get the idea) years vacationing in varied states, hiking out and about and camping, so please don't let all this tick-talk keep you from getting out there and enjoying the world. With a bit of prep using these "tick tips" you should be good to go :)