Some products you wish you never had to buy and the Tick Twister Pro is one of them. We were blissfully unaware of the existence of potentially harmful ticks until our first camping trip to New South Wales. On several occasions we discovered these tiny little creatures on our kids’ skin and initially had no idea what to do.
We’re much smarter now and have learned the tricks of the trade to ensure the entire critter comes out. At the first opportunity we bought fine tweezers which became part of our standard camping equipment.
There are a couple of important rules to adhere to when removing a tick. You need to grasp the tick’s head as close to the skin as possible and use a twisting motion to pull it out. Never squeeze the body of the tick. Contrary to popular belief, you should never apply poison, repellent or chemicals to the attached tick.
During a more recent camping trip we came across a national park ranger who was carrying a nifty little tool on his key ring, which he called a tick pick. He sourced the Tick Twister Pro from South Coast First Aid Training where you can get a set of two for just $5 (free postage). They come in two sizes so you can tackle all kinds of ticks.
The fact you can attach it to a key ring means you’ll never have to look for tweezers again and it’s there whenever you need it. Prompt removal is important as some ticks carry bacteria which can cause Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is relatively unknown in Australia, though it is the fastest growing tick borne illness in the world. The disease is typically accompanied by a variety of co-infections that may be transmitted during a tick bite. As the bacteria can penetrate most parts of the body and there’s a high possibility of co-infections, the symptom list of Lyme disease can be varied, intermittent, numerous and unique for each individual.
Don’t panic though! Not all ticks carry the bacteria, so just because you’ve been bitten doesn’t mean you now have Lyme disease. It is however, recommended to prevent tick bites by using DEET insect repellent in areas where you may be exposed to ticks. It’s a good idea to check yourself after being outside as ticks can crawl anywhere, undetected. Our kids have had ticks on their arms, legs, back, neck and even scalp.
As much as we don’t like having to carry a Tick Twister on our camping trips, they give us peace of mind because it means we can remove ticks quickly and easily.
It’s important to understand what ticks can do and how to remove them so make sure you’re prepared. Visit www.lymedisease.org.au for more information.
The full product test appeared in Caravan World #565. Subscribe today for the latest caravan reviews and news every month!