Just this week, in the middle of Winter, my dog picked up a hitch-hiking deer-tick. My son made this discovery while petting my dog and it apparently had been attached for some time and had become swollen. In a previous article “DIY Tick Remover” I described a tool that I had fashioned from a soda straw. This tool works best with a fresh attachment but an established tick is more tenacious and difficult to remove. I did some research awhile back and discovered an article written by a veterinarian who uses no tool whatsoever when removing a tick and now I had the opportunity to try it out for myself.
I put the tip of my index forefinger on the tick and began a rigorous circular motion for about 15 seconds, then reversed the direction for another 15 seconds. When I stopped to check the results, the tick was gone! It had backed out of it’s attachment area and dropped off. I was delighted to see that this method actually worked. I quickly searched the mat below to find the tick, and there it was! I picked it up to examine it to see if all of it’s parts were intact, and it began to crawl up my finger showing that It’s head had not been detached or left behind. It dawned on me that others would like to learn this method too so I grabbed my camera to capture the moment to illustrate this article.
What could be easier than using no tools or chemicals? If you, your friend or a pet is plagued with a tick, give this method a try. I hope that it will work as well for you as it did for me.
That’s very interesting Ken, will have to give that a try when I run across the “larger tick” variety. In TN. we have loads of the tiny, tiny versions that the locals call “seed ticks”… they are so tiny that you have to look twice to see them (the size of a pin head or smaller). The biggest problem is that those little buggers can carry Lyme’s Disease. I am really interested in finding safe methods of preventing ticks on humans. One method that was suggested by a lady I know that I will try this spring is using Arid Extra Dry Anti-Perspirant… I was told to rub it on my socks and belt line… that ticks absolutely hate it. After getting Lyme’s I am willing to try almost anything. Thanks again for your insights and advice. Take care! – Pat
Wet tobacco or nail polish remover works great too
Well, I haven’t tried any of these methods, I usually use a very fine pair or tweezers to remove ticks. However, I would caution people that sometimes irritating the tick will cause it to squirt more of its saliva into the host. My mother used bleach to try to remove a tick once, it emptied itself into her body before dropping off, and she ultimately died from the bite. Personally I would rather contend with an embedded tick head than the possibility of more Lymes, ehrlichia, tularemia, or Rocky Moutain Spotted Fever being injected into me by an irritated tick.
I will have to remember that trick. I wish I had known this in Jan. Rachel got a tiny dear tick and it swelled up got infected and looked just like the bulls eye rash for Lyme’s. We put her on a round of antibiotics to nip it in the bud!
Hi Ken,
I too have not had a chance to try that. I had friends the Atkins
did use that method,and worked well. I like the fact that
The tick is removed asap,not waiting for liquids or material used
on the tick and waiting for the tick to respond.
Use whatever method you want. What ever blows your hair back,I say, but I say be thou removed,
and never return,saith the Lord. Amen
Love you Ken
A friend always
Keep up the Good work
Blessings
Randy
I just found a huge tick on my cat, lucky for Eddie my cat I found your website … I just tried this method to remove the tick and it worked perfectly!! Thanks so much for taking the time to post it!
Just like Le Hunt said, this method is not the safest. The safest way to remove a tick is just to take a hold of it’s head with tweezers and pull steadily and gently until it releases it’s hold. Other methods will usually result in the tick releasing it’s saliva and bacteria/viruses with it.
Great info on ticks!. Thanks to all.
I have two mechanical tick removal tools of completely different design but they both take a grip on the tick very close to the skin and they both say to turn the tick counter clockwise while applying upward pressure to remove the beast. Counter clockwise?? are ticks threaded??
I will follow directions but I will wonder.
My husband just removed a tick from our cats neck by lighting matches, one at a time and blowing them out quickly and applying the hot match to the ticks body several times, then he used tweezers to remove it by the head. He used this method on his family dog 35 yrs ago as well.