How To Remove Ticks

[I Love Tortoises]

Hello guys. I was surfing the web when I came across an article about removing a tick from a tortoise. It said to remove with olive oil. I usually take my tortoises outside and sometimes they get ticks. If I remove ticks with tweezers will they be harmed?

 

[Maro2Bear]

Hello guys. I was surfing the web when I came across an article about removing a tick from a tortoise. It said to remove with olive oil. I usually take my tortoises outside and sometimes they get ticks. If I remove ticks with tweezers will they be harmed?

I’m sure you know this, the trick with ticks is to fully remove it without breaking the head (or more) off & leaving it buried inside.

By using oil/vaseline etc it smothers the tick & they reportedly come out on their own as they run out of oxygen.

 

[I Love Tortoises]

I’m sure you know this, the trick with ticks is to fully remove it without breaking the head (or more) off & leaving it buried inside.

By using oil/vaseline etc it smothers the tick & they reportedly come out on their own as they run out of oxygen.

I know that but I learnt it after I removed my tortoises ticks. The last time my tortoise got ticks was about 2 months ago. He is doing really well but I was wondering what should I do because I removed his ticks with tweezers.

 

[Tom]

I know that but I learnt it after I removed my tortoises ticks. The last time my tortoise got ticks was about 2 months ago. He is doing really well but I was wondering what should I do because I removed his ticks with tweezers.

Can you show pics of the ticks? Outside of Florida, and even rarely there, I've never heard of a tortoise in the USA getting ticks. And your tortoise got a tick in Kansas mid February? How? Wasn't it frozen outside?

 

[I Love Tortoises]

Can you show pics of the ticks? Outside of Florida, and even rarely there, I've never heard of a tortoise in the USA getting ticks. And your tortoise got a tick in Kansas mid February? How? Wasn't it frozen outside?

I do not live in Kansas. I don't want to share my state or city so I just put Kansas.

 

[Tom]

I do not live in Kansas. I don't want to share my state or city so I just put Kansas.

Okay. Copy that. A lot of tortoise advice is location based. I would advise someone very differently if they lived in Southern CA compared to Kansas, for example. We certainly don't need your address or even city, but it would be helpful to know a general region of the country where you are, like South West or North Eastern US for example. You can keep it very vague. This gives us insight into what might be going on in relation to any of your tortoise questions. For example, if someone is in the UK, you can bet money that the pet store sold them the wrong substrate, and their enclosure is too small. At least until they find us and we help them out. (No offense UK members, but this IS a pattern, and that Pets At Home substrate is a terrible idea!)

 

[I Love Tortoises]

Okay. Copy that. A lot of tortoise advice is location based. I would advise someone very differently if they lived in Southern CA compared to Kansas, for example. We certainly don't need your address or even city, but it would be helpful to know a general region of the country where you are, like South West or North Eastern US for example. You can keep it very vague. This gives us insight into what might be going on in relation to any of your tortoise questions. For example, if someone is in the UK, you can bet money that the pet store sold them the wrong substrate, and their enclosure is too small. At least until they find us and we help them out. (No offense UK members, but this IS a pattern, and that Pets At Home substrate is a terrible idea!)

Thank you for your kindness.

 

[JoFisch]

I am a veterinarian and have removed lots of ticks from dogs. I can’t imagine removing them from a tortoise would be different. Just grasp the tick right at the skin and slowly pull it off. They don’t have heads that get left in. I use my fingers but you may feel more comfortable with tweezers. Steady traction. I doubt applying oil smothers them. Maybe for soft bodied ticks? If it does, you’d likely need to constantly reapply. They do eventually detach on their own when they are done feeding but I Would rather get them off immediately. You need to kill the tick when you pull it off, don’t just drop it or it will go looking to continue its meal, maybe on you!

 

[Tom]

I am a veterinarian and have removed lots of ticks from dogs. I can’t imagine removing them from a tortoise would be different. Just grasp the tick right at the skin and slowly pull it off. They don’t have heads that get left in. I use my fingers but you may feel more comfortable with tweezers. Steady traction. I doubt applying oil smothers them. Maybe for soft bodied ticks? If it does, you’d likely need to constantly reapply. They do eventually detach on their own when they are done feeding but I Would rather get them off immediately. You need to kill the tick when you pull it off, don’t just drop it or it will go looking to continue its meal, maybe on you!

Thank you for posting this. This is how I do it too, and I thought I was just weird. I can feel what I'm doing MUCH better with my fingers than with tweezers, and I'm able to get them to let go with the steady gentle tension you talked about.

I stick them on the end of a pin or knife and burn them after removal. Snap crackle pop.

 

[SinLA]

Back in the day I was taught to use the head of a match or flame and that makes them retract, don't know if that is still good/bad advice (assuming you don't burn the pet or yourself!)

 

[Yvonne G]

I am a veterinarian and have removed lots of ticks from dogs. I can’t imagine removing them from a tortoise would be different. Just grasp the tick right at the skin and slowly pull it off. They don’t have heads that get left in. I use my fingers but you may feel more comfortable with tweezers. Steady traction. I doubt applying oil smothers them. Maybe for soft bodied ticks? If it does, you’d likely need to constantly reapply. They do eventually detach on their own when they are done feeding but I Would rather get them off immediately. You need to kill the tick when you pull it off, don’t just drop it or it will go looking to continue its meal, maybe on you!

I'm a big fan of Dr. Pol (TV) and he just tweezes them off too.