r/CampingandHiking • u/CartoonistNo3755 • 22h ago

Tick on me

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Hello everyone. I found a tick on me I presume it latched onto me over 24 hours ago when I was hiking.

I felt it on my side and yanked it off before knowing what it is and pulled this guy off. It was still alive and moving when I pulled it off.

I don’t have rubbing alcohol and am freaaaaking out because the area he latched onto is a bit swollen. About the size of a small mosquito bite.

Any advice would be appreciated

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u/CartoonistNo3755 21h ago

That’s what i’m freaking out about is the alpha gal syndrome. And i’m reading that it takes weeks or months to even know if you have it😭

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u/GeronimoOrNo 21h ago

Where was this?

I live in a rural area - 6 of my neighbors have alpha gal, it's getting more and more common. Some have been able to add some pork in their diets though.

I live in Kentucky, it's a hotbed for alpha gal. I use a lot of spray when I go in the woods (Sawyer is the typical go-to), and constant checks... I like red meat too much. Hate those lonestars.

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u/Life_Library_9038 21h ago

They are the biggest assholes. We tried Emu and Ostrich and I, surprisingly, liked it better than beef. It’s way too expensive to have on the regular though. :(

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u/GeronimoOrNo 19h ago

One of the neighbors started raising emu, largely for this reason lol.