Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Live in San Diego, CA, and if you do any kind of herping in the fields out here, you're sure to come back with all sorts of blood suckers.

The other day, I was out for about 30 minutes (quick stop before heading home), and I picked at least 6 mites off my jeans before getting back into the car.

Does anybody out there use anything to keep those little bastards away?

Thanks,
//Todd

In all my decades of field exploring the only mites I've ever seen have been those big red ones which dont bother anyone and the ones sucking blood from lizards. Do these mights also attach dogs?

As for the ticks, those bastards are everywhere and I suspect that is what you picked off yourself the other day. Simply check yourself periodically, tuck your pants into your sox. Also, use some sort of insect repellent with Deet. That works well, they sale insect repellent at Wallmart.

In too have never seen a mite attach itself to me in field but ticks , YES ! I wouldn't EVEN worry about the deer tick infesting any reptile ( if this was the alluding to ) but as to other animals of domestic, yes. If in heavy plant flora, pants tucked and even the use of duc tape around the ankles will work as to not letting the pesty critters crawl up legs or other places. Of course where I'm from and where I hunt it is going to happen no matter what you use or any preventative as to a non-tick involvement episode. Thank the number one carrier of ticks, the deer population ! If you are worried about mites, the only mite that might do harm to you and I heard NO, is the mange mite of the coyote family. But the attachment of this mite on to you by just walking through an area is very slim as to an close body contact with the infected animal is the way this is spread by rule.
-----
I may be old , cantankerous, crabby, and cynical, but......

Yes- they were ticks, and they are bastards...

Thanks for the info guys- gonna get me some insect repellant!

//Todd

Those tick bas_ _ _ _s are horrible. Nothing worse then finding one gorging itself in a corner of your body like behind an ear, pit or somewhere not mentionable. I've started using this nasty stuff called OFF. It stinks, but the deet keeps you bug free. It is also nice to go forraging and not have all those pesty little flys buzzing around your face.
Since I've used off no problems.

Good Luck:
Jason Mc

Yeah man- they're nasty-ass little creatures!

I seem to be a magnet for mosqitos and anything else that flies, too... If OFF takes care of all that stuff, so be it.

I'll have to dedicate a pair of jeans and a shirt to soaking in that stuff, and not wash them... 8-D

//Todd

I stop hunting south of citrus co. in fla because of ticks. even thou the snake I search for is more abundant there. I'm a no tick kinda guy...JB

...I've only encountered them in Citrus and NORTH!
Just this past weekend for instance. I have about fifty cans/bottles/wipes of different kinds just for that but I totally blanked out when it came to putting it on. And I KNEW they would be around...after all, we were seeing lots and lots of deer and pigs. Brain freeze I guess.
Only takes a few ticks to ruin your herpin' buzz.
:Mark
-----
Surrender Dorothy!

www.crimsonking.funtigo.com

Agree with you all...hate ticks. Ive found OFF to be effective, but not all OFF products contain DEET. DEET seems to be the effective ingredent. Probably causes cancer and will soon be off the market, but it repels ticks like nothing else.