Tick Safety for Summer Camping

by | Jul 20, 2018 | RV Buyer's Guide

Being outside all summer is great, but enjoying all those summer activities can easily be ruined with one tick bite. Ticks can carry dangerous and nasty diseases, so it’s crucial to know how to prevent a bite and to be prepared in case you do get bitten.

Campers camping in the woods are typically more prone to Lyme disease than any other camper. The ticks in the woods carry the disease, and if a bite is left untreated, it can be threatening. You can’t really avoid them when you’re in the woods, but there are always precautions to take. We hope this list of safety tips helps you out during your summer camping endeavors!

  1. Always wear light colored clothing when you’re in the woods. Ticks are brown if not almost black, so that contrast will help you spot them more easily on your skin. 
  2. It’s definitely hot out, but try to keep as much of your skin covered as you can. This means long sleeve shirts tucked into pants. You can also wear tall socks and tuck your pants in them. This covers your body so the tick has less skin to come in contact with. Wear a hat too, so you can avoid any ticks getting into your hair. Again, we know it’s super hot and sticky outside, but a little (or a lot) of sweat beats a tick bite any day! 
  3. Every few hours or so, fully check yourself for any sight of ticks and carefully remove them as quickly as possible if you see one. Remove every trace of the tick as well so that nothing is left on your skin, ready to mix with your blood. 
  4. Ticks are pretty small little insects, so don’t rush your examination and make it thorough. 
  5. Bring tweezers with you in case you do find a tick. They literally attach themselves to your skin, so tweezers make it easier to grab them than trying to just use your fingers. 
  6. If you’re a frequent camper, it might be a good idea for you to invest in tick repellent clothing. It’s all easy to use and maintain, and it’s one less thing you’ll need to worry about when packing and preparing for your trips. 
  7. Educate yourself on the different kinds of ticks. There are a few variations of ticks, so do some research before you head out and learn the different kinds and know what they look like. 
  8. This is an obvious way to prevent bites, but give yourself a good spray of insect repellent! You’ll probably want to wear shorts and a tank top when you’re hiking, biking, etc., so remember to spray every exposed part of your body with a tick repellent. This will prevent the tick from sticking onto your skin. 
  9. When choosing the perfect spot to set up your campsite, know where ticks tend to live: on deer, shrubs, tall grass and dried leaves. Make sure your area is completely free of these. 
  10. Use chairs and blankets for sitting. Try to never plop straight down on grass. When it’s time to pack up, examine the blankets and all other items for ticks. The last thing you want to do is bring one or more home! 
  11. Check your pets just as thoroughly as you would yourself and your kids. 

So even after you’ve taken all the necessary precautions, you still get bitten. That’s okay! Here’s what to do if that happens. 

  1. Remove the WHOLE tick using your tweezers. Make sure you get every piece. Ticks are tiny and they break off when you try to separate them if they’ve dug parts of their mouth in your skin. 
  2. When removing it, try not to squeeze it, as its body fluids may come out. 
  3. Wash the bitten area with antiseptic soap and apply an antiseptic cream to prevent the tick venom from spreading. 
  4. Simply keep an eye on your temperature. If you start to feel a fever, see a doctor. 

And that does it, guys! Hopefully these tips help anyone to is planning a summer camping trip. Try to take as many precautions as you can, but never let them get in the way of having fun out in the sun! 

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