Do Ticks Bite Humans?

Yes! Ticks bite humans as well as dogs, rodents, wildlife, and even amphibians. Ticks also carry harmful diseases that can be transmitted to humans like the notorious Lyme disease as well as spotted fever, rickettsioses, babesiosis, and anaplasmosis/ehrlichiosis.

Often, ticks find their host outside and are then brought inside. Ticks are more often than not brought inside the home by pets who run through brushy areas outside. However, ticks can enter your home in other ways as well. Sometimes, ticks are carried by rodents. Other times, ticks latch onto humans or human clothes when we walk through tall grasses, especially in humid areas.

Furthermore, many times, tick bites cause little to no discomfort. While humans might become aware of them by feeling or seeing a rounded dark figure stuck to the skin, animals often don’t even notice they are there. If you have pets, check them for ticks after walking through tall grasses.

You can remove a tick with tweezers. Simply grab the tweezer head as close to the skin as possible and pull outwards. Ticks are arachnids so they can be very difficult to kill. Their hard exoskeletons make them difficult to squish. We recommend heating a tick with a lighter until it hurts or flushing it down the toilet.

If someone in your family or your pet is bitten by a tick, watch closely in the following days and hours for signs of sickness like shortness of breath or flu-like symptoms. If they form a ‘bullseye’ rash call for help immediately as this is a sign of Lyme disease. In these cases, the sooner treatment is received, the less severe the symptoms.

Asset Pest Management offers tick control across the Kerrville area to keep our local families and furry friends safe. Call today to schedule a consultation or for more information.