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How to Remove Ticks

 

Ticks are blood-feeding external parasites that are often found in tall grass and shrubs where they will wait to attach to a passing host. It is uncommon to see them on Captive Bred snakes in the United Kingdom but are often seen on Wild Caught and Captive Farmed snakes. If you do find a tick on your snake then this is a quick and simple way to remove them.

 

The first thing you should do is nip to a pet shop/vets and invest in a tick hook (only a few quid).



I first soak the snake in warm water:

  1. Get a tub with secure lid; make sure it is large enough to fit the snake in.
  2. Fill with luke warm water.
  3. Add a very small amount of washing up liquid, to break the water tension.
  4. Place the snake in the tub and secure the lid. Make sure the snake cannot get out of the water but has enough room to breathe.
  5. Leave 20-30 minutes, keep checking on the snake, do not leave unattended.
  6. Remove the snake from the water and wipe down.

This will not remove the tick but I do find it lets go a lot easier after I have done this.

Then begin removing the ticks using the tick hook:

  1. Engage the hook by approaching the tick from the side (the body of the tick is flat) until it is held securely.
  2. Lift the hook very lightly and TURN IT (screwing or unscrewing). The tick detaches itself after 2-3 rotations.
  3. After removing the tick, disinfect the bite site with tamodine or similar.

The most important aspects of tick removal are:

  • The mouth parts of the tick should be cleanly removed along with the rest of its body.
  • The body of the tick must not be compressed.
  • The tick should not be stressed or injured, because this can cause it to regurgitate its blood meal along with any infective organisms.
  • The tick should be removed without causing the host any discomfort.
  • I would not use petroleum jelly, any liquid solutions, or freeze / burn the tick, as this will stimulate it to regurgitate its stomach contents, increasing the chance of infection.

 

I have tried and tested many methods and this is the one I find works for us.

 

© Rebecca Lindsay VN