Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Scott, I was just wondering if snake ticks are snake specific. The concern here is Lyme disease. Not even sure if that's an issue in Africa, just curious. Thanks.

Quig

....generally speaking, ticks are phyla-specific...mammal ticks don't parasitize reptiles, avian ticks don't parasitize mammals, etc...deer ticks that transmit the bacterium that causes Lyme's disease will not attack reptiles...

...within different classes of reptiles, some chelonian ticks may be able to parasitize snakes, but this very likely varies widely with different genera of ticks...

...certianly in mammals, ticks are well-established vectors for a number of bacterial, rickettsial, and viral diseases...there is little doubt the same is true in reptiles...

...when removing ticks, try to grasp the head of the tick with the tip of the forceps, and then apply a little 70% or 90% isopropyl alcohol to the site, then apply neosporin or povidone-iodine ointment...

Scott

And thanks for the comeback. Don't know what I was thinkin', mammal ticks and reptile ticks most likely would not cross over. Musta been a brain fart.

Quig

...they're often supremely adapted to their proper host (because of biochemical reasons) but things go haywire when associated with the wrong one...sjm

This is not always true. For example in the case of some Ixodes ticks, they do paratisize both mammals and reptiles. Ixodes pacificus will infest both the western fence lizard and mammals and is a competent vector for Lyme disease. The host reptile doesn't show any clinical effects, but there could be a potential risk for one to contract Lyme disease if they had reptiles in their collection that had attached I. pacificus and possibly other Ixodes ssp. if those ticks then attached to the person.
This has also been observed in some other arthropods where they will feed on both warm and cold blooded hosts during various stages of development.

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