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ditty

Posted 5/6/2009 4:58:28 AM

Feather Fanatic

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Last Login: 2/11/2010 6:18:04 AM
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For those of you who know me, you know how I love insects of all shapes and sizes. Sick

You can only imagine my displeasure when my neighbor called me to ask me to come over and help her. Her son was covered in ticks and a couple were deeply embeded and needed to be removed.

Well needless to say I came home with 2 crawling on me. w00t So it got me wondering if birds would get ticks too. I give my dogs frontline so I have never had any issue with ticks before, if I find them on the dog they are already dead.

Just curious.

Post #211746

Beatriz Cazeneuve

Posted 5/6/2009 12:49:49 PM

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Ticks attach themselves to any warm blooded animal so I would assume that they would do it with a bird, too.

Bea & Birds

beatriz@newyorkbirds.net

Post #211762

Pepper's Pa

Posted 5/6/2009 1:09:59 PM

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Ticks are opportunistic feeders. They will climb to the end of a branch and wait for a warm body to brush by and immediately try to attach to it. They've observed ticks remaining in the same spot for months waiting for its next meal to come by.

Unless you are taking Yoshi and Zuri out for walks in the high grass or brush, you should have no concerns. There are ticks that feed on birds, but their chance of getting on your fids is basically zero.

Sorry ditty, I know these won't be your favorite images, but these two links show images of ticks on wild birds:

http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek060115.html

http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek021208.html

Also, there are ticks in Massachusetts that will feed on birds. Here's an article on a study done of ticks in your general area and how they were found to be in higher density below bird feeders than in nearby areas: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3845/is_200807/ai_n30991688/

Smile

Edit: Sorry, the biology teacher in me had to come back to add that ticks are arachnids and not insects. Their extra pair of legs, no antenna and no wings are obvious differences. BigGrin

Smile Smile http://www.senegalparrot.net Smile Smile

Post #211765

ditty

Posted 5/7/2009 10:42:16 AM

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Last Login: 2/11/2010 6:18:04 AM
Posts: 3,643, Visits: 1,151

Arachnids? Really? I always thought they had 6 legs, not that I try to look that close. Thanks, I can always use useless trivia. BigGrin

Those images were disgusting but confirmed what I had thought. They will attach themselves to any warm blooded thing they can find. Eeww. Just great! Hopefully I never have to live that nightmare. lol

Post #211801

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