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David Bird Forum Specialist Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 515  View other posts by David Bird |
Posted: 12 May 2005 Had a rescued Sand Lizard the other day with a single Tick and one I saw today and photographed that only became apparent when I downloaded the picture had a lot more unwanted guests. 
David British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker. |
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Vicar Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 No. of posts: 1181 View other posts by Vicar |
Posted: 12 May 2005 David, Are ticks particularly prevalent in Dorset ?, I've yet to notice any on Surrey Sandies as yet. Steve Langham - Chairman 
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG). |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416 View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 13 May 2005 Hi Steve, I've found sandies with ticks at Frensham Cheers Al O-> O+> |
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rhysrkid Senior Member Joined: 14 Nov 2003 No. of posts: 98  View other posts by rhysrkid |
Posted: 13 May 2005 Do tick infestations occur on all reptiles or has this only been observed on (Dorset) sand lizards? Rhys |
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-LAF Senior Member Joined: 03 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 317 View other posts by -LAF |
Posted: 13 May 2005 I spent a few weeks the other year in a particularly tick infested part of north Devon. One common lizard I caught there had a very similar infestation to the sandy show above (I saw a lot on commons with some ticks). I removed them and preserved a couple for ID, they keyed out as common sheep ticks. The density of ticks on the site was overwhelming. At one stage I picked up 7 on my hand just putting my hand into grass to move a few blades that were in the way of an orchid I was photographing. Until this the only time I'd come across ticks on a reptile was a single very large tick that I removed from the rostral of a 3m Retic on an island in the Tukangbesi Archipelago, off Sulawesi. From what I've read though, ticks are frequent on reptiles in more tropical climbs. Lee. Lee Fairclough |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416 View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 13 May 2005 [QUOTE=rhysrkid] Do tick infestationsáoccur on all reptiles or has this only been observed on (Dorset) sand lizards?[/QUOTE] No , Frensham is in Surrey. I've also seen Ticks on Sand Lizards at Witley O-> O+> |
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Tony Phelps Forum Specialist Joined: 09 Mar 2003 No. of posts: 575 View other posts by Tony Phelps |
Posted: 13 May 2005 I have seen very few ticks on UK snakes; took 3 off an old male adder a couple of years ago. I remember that Keith Corbett years ago stated that virtually all the ticks from sand lizards are sheep ticks. I take lots of ticks off tortoises and puff adders in SA; sent one from a large male puffie to Wolfgang; it was very large and difficult to remove. T |
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Chris G-O Member Joined: 14 May 2003 No. of posts: 36 View other posts by Chris G-O |
Posted: 15 May 2005 On the subject of ticks, i understood that most of the ticks down here (Dorset) on the heaths are deer ticks. They seem more prevalent on Purbeck that in the Bournemouth area (at least on me anyway!)...perhaps because there are so many sika deer there? As a cautionary note, one of our students caught Lymes (Lyme/limes/lime's) disease 2 yrs ago in Dorset, when out surveying for us over the summer. He developed a rash down his thighs & the hospital didn't have a clue what it was. He wondered if it was lyme's, and when they tested it was positive. Apparently all the doctors & nurses came to have a look as it's so rare! It can be serious if left too long, but he was fine. morale of the story is tell the doctor what you reckon it is rather than wait for them to work it out! cheers, Chris Chris Gleed-Owen, Research & Monitoring Officer, The HCT & BHS Research Committee Chair |
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Vicar Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 No. of posts: 1181 View other posts by Vicar |
Posted: 15 May 2005 Call me geeky, or just a dyed in the wool scientist, but I did a health and safety risk assessment for a potential survey and monitoring project here at Frensham. Lyme's was one of the risks identified, with my suggested mittigation being predominantly aweness, and having a shower and body inspection after tramping the heaths for hours on end.....showering helps my social life too :P Oh and covering up I thought would help too, no shorts, even in the hot weather, with decent walking shoes. Steve Langham - Chairman
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG). |
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David Bird Forum Specialist Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 515 View other posts by David Bird |
Posted: 15 May 2005 I think I had put a posting about ticks on another thread with specific identification. In the UK. the tick recorded on Sand Lizards and Common Lizards as well as birds is the nymphal and larval stages of the Sheep or Castor-bean tick Ixodes ricinuswhich in the adult stage is found on many mammals including sheep, cattle, dogs and deer. Areas with a lot of deer will have a lot of ticks.The wife of one of our surveyors who does not go on the heath caught Lymes disease the other year and is supposed to have caught it from a tick he brought home on his clothes although to me it seems greater odds of this happening than winning the lottery. I know I and all the other field workers at HCT were tested for Lyme Disease antibodies and we were all negative about 7 years ago despite working on some areas where we were always covered with ticks.I think a similar test of New Forest keepers showed 75% positive results but may be wrong there. David British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker. |
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Vicar Senior Member Joined: 02 Sep 2004 No. of posts: 1181 View other posts by Vicar |
Posted: 15 May 2005 Whilst not wanting to over-egg the remote possibility of contracting Lyme's, the link attached is, I believe, a useful summary. Many of us are at a slightly increased risk, due to tramping about on heathland, so the following is attached for information only. http://www.wadhurst.demon.co.uk/lyme/lyme3.htm I would guess that if handling reptiles, the insectiside option probably isn't advisable. Steve Langham - Chairman
Surrey Amphibian & Reptile Group (SARG). |
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