Can a house have a tick infestation?
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A house can become infested with ticks. This doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong, though. A tick infestation often occurs because of a single tick. They are frequently brought into the home by pets, but if you’ve been hiking, in a field, or anywhere out in nature you only have to brush against one. Because ticks feed on blood, they position themselves on game trails and other areas where animals are likely to walk by. Once one does they’ll catch a ride and position themselves to feed later on. If you’re dealing with a tick infestation, a pest control expert from Anteater Exterminating Inc. can help.
Where do ticks lay eggs?
Ticks typically lay eggs between floor boards in your home. This is the root cause of any tick infestation. A good way to prevent a tick from entering your home is to make sure you and a partner check one another after venturing outdoors. If you take your dog out to play or have an indoor/outdoor cat, they should be checked before re-entry into the home as well.
When are ticks most active?
Unfortunately for the residents of Arizona, ticks are active year-round. They become even more active after a rain, and it’s recommended you are especially vigilant after-wards. That is one of the primary times for ticks to climb to high up places where they have a better chance of catching onto a host.
What diseases do ticks carry?
- Lime disease – This is one of the most well known tick-borne diseases. Some individuals naturally fight lime disease but others have regular flair-ups for the rest of their lives. Symptoms include joint swelling, fever and fatigue, and muscle pain. These same symptoms will occur during a flair up.
- Rocky mountain spotted fever – This is caused by bacteria. It can lead to serious complications and symptoms typically show up within 2 to 14 days of a bite. This can include rashes, vomiting, headache, and more. Look for a small flat red or purple dots around the ankles and wrists.
- Colorado tick fever – Symptoms are similar to that of the flu and include sensitivity to light.
How do I know if I’ve been bitten by a tick?
The largest tell-tale sign of a tick bite is a large red bullseye welt on the area you were bitten. Because ticks anesthetize the area they are biting, you won’t be able to feel it when it happens. The rate of infectious transmission goes up the longer the tick is allowed to feed. Feeding can last as long as a week, and if you catch a tick within the first 12 hours and remove you there is a much better chance of avoiding pathogen transmission.If you are bit, follow our instructions for removing a tick. Wash the area thoroughly. Watch for signs of illness.
How do I remove a tick?
You’ll want to grab the tick very close to the skin. Use tweezers and pull slowly. You want to avoid leaving the mouth of the tick in the skin. This will allow continued transmission of pathogens even if the body has been removed. That’s why you should never use vaseline or other materials to snuff a tick. You do not want to risk the mouth remaining when pulling off a dead tick.
How can I prevent a tick infestation?
The best way to prevent ticks is to master your environment. Each climate deals with different issues. Make sure that you take all the necessary steps to control ticks in your local area. Make sure that grass is cut low and that areas stay dry. Ticks can go a very long time without feeding, but they prefer moist areas. That’s one of the reasons they become so active after a rain. They like to get up high to latch onto victims, and that typically means climbing up long grasses and weeds.
Do I need professional tick control?
If you’ve found multiple ticks in a day, ticks that are indoors and unattached, or have reason to believe you have an infestation—call a pest extermination company as soon as possible. Because they carry so many harmful diseases, you want to take care of an infestation as soon as possible.