Hedgehog Ticks

[Gem83]

The hedgehog that left my garden a few months today made an appearance tonight but has 4 or 5 ticks on his head.
Is it best to leave them to drop of naturally or should they be removed?

[bobbarber]

Originally Posted by Gem83

The hedgehog that left my garden a few months today made an appearance tonight but has 4 or 5 ticks on his head.
Is it best to leave them to drop of naturally or should they be removed?

Hello Gem83, The British Hedgehog Preservation Society state that it is best not to remove them with forceps as the head and mouthparts can be left behind and turn septic. They recommend dousing the ticks with olive/almond/cooking oil. I hope this is of some help...Bob

[Burko]

How does dousing the ticks with oils help to remove them?

[Hedera]

It suffocates them and they have to drop off.

[Burko]

I think that might happen 'eventually' but they don't need much oxygen to survive and I reckon it's more likely that they drop off once they've finished feeding.

[Cowgirl]

You can buy tick removers (which don't leave the head & mouthparts behind) from the vets

[pattie may]

I've had a couple of hedgehogs visiting my garden. I picked up the smaller of the two yesterday (to weigh him) and noticed a lot of white bits around his face and bottom. Picked him up tonight and on closer inspection he has a number of ticks on his back and some very tiny ones around his eyes and loads on his bottom. I have managed to cover as many as I could with olive oil. Does this really work?

[bobbarber]

Originally Posted by pattie may

I've had a couple of hedgehogs visiting my garden. I picked up the smaller of the two yesterday (to weigh him) and noticed a lot of white bits around his face and bottom. Picked him up tonight and on closer inspection he has a number of ticks on his back and some very tiny ones around his eyes and loads on his bottom. I have managed to cover as many as I could with olive oil. Does this really work?

According to The British Hedgehog Preservation Society it does. I hope you are successful...Bob

[STYRBJORN]

While I am in serious mode . . . If I heard a hedgehog tick I'd sling it as far as possible, throw meself flat and wait for the bang. Actually, unless the critter is massively infested there is little need for concern. Most mammalian species have invertebrate parasites. Evolution has ensured that the parasites are non-lethal. Why kill the goose that lays the golden eggs? If you get rid of the current guests you just leave empty rooms for the next arrivals.(Metaphor mixing rules). And what about the sacred right to life of the ticks? Invertebrates have been around a lot longer than Chordates and look set fair to outlast us.

Ric

[mbaldw]

Originally Posted by pattie may

I've had a couple of hedgehogs visiting my garden. I picked up the smaller of the two yesterday (to weigh him) and noticed a lot of white bits around his face and bottom. Picked him up tonight and on closer inspection he has a number of ticks on his back and some very tiny ones around his eyes and loads on his bottom. I have managed to cover as many as I could with olive oil. Does this really work?

Hi pattie may,

as others have said, cooking oil can remove ticks, although there is some recent evidence that coating them in oil can cause them to vomit their last meal, which can lead to infection for the hedgehog. The best methods are either to use a tick remover (which can be brought online and in many pet shops) or, with tweezers, gently grip the tick’s body, as near to the mouthparts as possible, and turn it anti-clockwise until it releases its grip. More info in Hedgehoggy's article:

Caring for Hedgehogs

Cheers,
Marc.