Ticks are small blood sucking parasites that belong to the arachnid family. They have eight legs and come in two types; one with a hard outer shell and one with a soft outer shell. Soft shelled ticks live in crevices and will only come out to feed, while hard shelled ticks spend long periods of time attached to their host. Ticks feed on blood, which is a great source of proteins and lipids. They feed on mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians and as such are often found on domestic pets and even on humans.
Tick Removal
When a tick attaches itself to it’s host it actually buries its head under the surface of your skin, so it is very important that you do not just try to yank it out. This could leave is mouth parts and head under your skin which can lead to infection.
Once you have found a tick, you will want to take a pair of tweezers and put them around the tick, as close to the surface of your skin as possible. Grab onto the tick and pull straight back. You might have to wiggle the tweezers a bit to get the tick to come out. Pull slowly but firmly. Once it is out, you can either burn it, or wrap it up in tissue and flush it down the toilet. Don’t simply throw it in the trash, as it will likely climb out and bite you again. You also do not want to crush it with your hand or feet as that can release any toxins present inside the ticks body. Once the tick is removed, carefully wash the site of the bite with soap and water. You should also clean it with some alcohol or betadine and consider placing it into a sealed container and storing it in your refrigerator for a month in case you develop any symptoms. Having the tick that bit you could help doctors diagnose your disorder.
Although there are many home remedies for removing ticks such a putting petroleum jelly, nail polish, alcohol or a hot match on the tick’s body, there are NOT recommended. While they are usually successful in removing the tick, it will be under a great amount of stress and is more likely release toxins into your body before it’s removed. Using one of these methods can increase your chances of getting a tick borne illness.