# Tick season - recommendations please!



## wyowinds (Dec 31, 2009)

It's almost tick season here in northeastern UT. What is my best defense against my goat friends picking up a slug of ticks when I take them packing out in the open range?
Thanks, Lance


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

I don't know anything about Utah ticks, but here in Northern California we have some areas thick with ticks, and they carry Lyme's disease. The worst is walking through the open grassy hills. The ticks are waiting on the tips of the grass to grab on to a passing deer, dog, person, or goat.
So what I do: when I take the goats out of the back of the truck, I give their legs, chest, and belly a quick spray with a dog tick repellent spray. They hate it of course, but it really helps keep the ticks from grabbing on.

Curiously, I've noticed the goats are way better than the dogs at pulling ticks off themselves and eachother. I find very few ticks on them later on, when I'm still finding lots on the dogs. One of my goats, Gyro, actually will guide my hand to where one is biting him but he can't reach it.


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## wyowinds (Dec 31, 2009)

Thanks for the good tip and sharing your experiences.
Most places I take my goats around here are high enough elevation that ticks are not a problem. However, some of the best early season hikes are lower elevation, down in the ledge rock and sagebrush country. That is where the ticks are bad.
It sounds like just a good quality dog tick repellent on the legs and belly area may be all that is needed. Thanks again, Lance


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## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

Cuzco wears a tick collar and it works extremely well, but as he's an only goat I don't have to worry about other goats trying to chew on it. I'm guessing that might not be an option for anyone with multiple goats. 

Cuzco doesn't point out ticks to me, but my horse Jet sure does! I was walking off after removing a lot of ticks from him one time and I looked back at him as I was closing the gate and he lifted up his left front leg, gave me a pointed stare, and then reached his nose down into his armpit then looked at me again. I stood and watched as he repeated the routine two more times. I went and checked under his elbow and sure enough, there was a great big tick I had missed between the little wrinkles of soft skin. He's a pretty clever horse.


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## ali pearson (Aug 12, 2009)

One time I was checking Gyro for ticks and he did an interesting thing. I was feeling around in his armpit, and he was nibbling my head while I was moving my fingers around. When my fingers got right to the tick, he gave my scalp a gentle nip like he was saying "yeah, right there, pull it!"

See all the fun you people who don't live in tick country are missing? Preening opportunities are so bonding! :lol:


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## Packfish (Dec 18, 2009)

I usually make a spray- out of permethrin- very light mixture- I know I have read everything there is on the product and some people arn't going to use it.
I have used it over the years on a multitude of applications and never had a problem------- nor a tick and the ticks are bad right now in the foot hills in Cache Valley Utah right now.


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## Hasligrove (Dec 10, 2008)

There is some good tick info on this thread

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=162


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## wyowinds (Dec 31, 2009)

Thanks for all the good advice.
As much as I love my goats and enjoy spending a great deal of time with them, I never thought that preening would be part of the deal  :shock: :?


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## Bob Jones (Aug 21, 2009)

Yeah, you're not really bonded 'til they start pulling the ticks off you.... ;-)


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## TOU (Aug 18, 2013)

Uuugh...nasty critters, I hate them & they give me the creeps. I hate that they can sense you long before you walk buy & that they can go 2+ years between feedings. Yuck!

Thx for the advice!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Old post 2010 ;-)


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## TOU (Aug 18, 2013)

Yep...advice seems just as good today...and they are just as disgusting. ;-)


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