Flea/Tick control for dogs part III; Tick trap
In the previous entry titled “Flea/Tick Control for dog“, I have written about natural ways to combat with flea/ticks, from lemon/water solution spray recipe, garlic and its daily maximum dosage for dogs, food grade diatomaceous earth (D.E.) application, preventative collar/tag along with how to remove ticks from your dogs and what to do after the removal of ticks.
In the previous entry titled “Flea/Tick control for dogs Part II“, I wrote about another way to combat with especially fleas and introduced you the “homemade flea trap”, and the application of salt.
Here, I would like to write about another way to combat with especially tick.
Palette on walkie wearing Insect shield t-shirts..
Recently, I came across the DIY tick trap information and, I personally have not tried these method, but since it was interesting idea, I thought I would share it with you.
Tick trap
Dry ice method..
When weather becomes warmer and warmer, people start talking more about flea and ticks.
Ticks can transmit various tick born disease such as Lyme disease that can cause serious health damage in people and pets.
Some people uses monthly spot on with their pets, some people choose to combat with flea and ticks natural,less toxic way.
The new natural tick combat way I came across recently was interesting because it starts with getting a dry ice.
According to green method website, here is how to make your own tick trap at home using dry ice.
1. Find the dry ice (Co2)
** If you visit dryice information site here, you can fins the place where you can purchase dry ice
** Be careful of dry ice handling.
Dry ice is super cold temperature, and you should never touch the dry ice with bare hands. Protect your hands with leather gloves,oven mitt etc..
2. Find ingredients as followings* (Makes 2 traps)
** 1 sheet (4’x8 ‘) ¼” plywood, halved
** 2 large Styrofoam coolers (thickest walls possible)
** Slender, serrated knife to cut holes in the foam
** 32oz can of Insect Trap Coating or Tanglefoot Pest Barrier
** Bristle paint brush
** 8 screws long enough to pass through the foam
** Screwdriver for the aforementioned screws
** A large portable cooler
** Large heavy-duty gloves
3. Using the serrated knife, cut four holes, about 1/2″ to 3/4″ diameter, one centered, on each side, near the bottom of each cooler
** about an inch up from the bottom
4. Cut the plywood in half
5. Using the screws, attach one cooler to the center of each plywood piece
6. The open end will be up and the screws should be applied near the corners on the inside of the cooler for better security
7. Place the 2 sheets of 4’x4′ squares flat on the ground, cooler side up, in the tick infested area
** Don’t put the traps in your yard, but rather on its periphery
8. Use heavy gloves/oven mitt to transfer the dry ice block to the trap’s cooler
9. Cover the cooler
10. Using the brush, paint a band of the sticky goop about 2″ wide and about one inch in from the edge of the plywood, encircling the entire perimeter of the board so the only way for a tick to get from the foliage to the cooler is to fly (ticks cannot fly) or traverse the plywood through the sticky trap.
11. Replace the dry ice once expended.
** The green method website recommends to make smaller holes or stuff a cotton ball loosely in each hole to last longer.
** Also they recommend to re-coat the trap’s sticky band as it fills with ticks, other bugs, and debris.
The website explain that the tick is drawn to the CO2 and,to get to it, they must cross the sticky bands.
To read the full article on tick trap at green method website,please click here.
Tick tubes..
Another method I came across was called “tick tube” where cardboard tube is filled with cotton ball that was soaked in permethrin,which you see it as active ingredient in the pet’s monthly spot on.
Then you would spread the tubes around,and mice, which is the common host for deer ticks that can cause Lyme disease will take the cotton ball to make the nest with it.
Then, idea is that, tick will be killed in the nest.
You can read more on tick tube at WTOP website here.
One thing I thought when I came across this information was that, if you have cats in the house, it is not a good idea to use permethrin around the place they might contact with.
That is why, dog’s monthly spot on products such as Advantage that uses permethrin as active ingredient comes with warning on the label that says not to use it on cats.
If you have a cat and use monthly spot on for cats for flea/tick, look up the label of ingredients list. You should not find “permethrin” for cats products.
For example, advantage for cats has Imidacloprid; 1-[6-Chloro-3-pyrindinyl) methyl]-N-nitro-2-imidazolidinimine 9.1% , Pyriproxyfen IGR (Insect Growth Regulator) 0.46%, Other ingredients 90.44%
Front line for cats has Fipronil (9.8%), S-Methoprene (11.8%)
Another issue I thought was that, this would probably not going to work if your area had near zero mice around, and you would probably need strict supervision when your dogs are out to avoid they would eat the cotton balls or chew them.
Personally, I see the idea how people came up with the idea but, with the family with pets, I do not think I would be comfortable trying them.
I
have been keep writing about this, but no matter what method you would
use to combat flea/ticks etc., it is very important to provide the good
diet to your dogs for overall good health.
Then, use the flea
comb daily for flea.Fine tooth of flea comb can catch the tiny fleas and, you can
just dip them in the soapy water to kill them.
Also, make time for
bonding with your dogs and, use some of the time for rubbing/petting.
While you are rubbing/petting your dogs, sometimes, you could find the
tick/flea that just laded on your dogs and, if you caught it early, less
painful for your dogs down the road and, it is good for early detection
of the flea/tick.
Vacuuming the house often,and mowing regularly also helps.
When you take your dog for walk, avoid the shady tall grass/weed area so the tick would not fall on you or your dog.
How do you combat with tick?
