Ticks?!

[LittleScholars]

Blah, is anyone else dealing with awful ticks?

If so, what precautions do you take to protect daycare kiddos? I found a tick on my baby's popable play yard yesterday, and one kiddo had one in her hair.

This is what we do:
-I remind parents to do tick checks at home (they pick up from outside whenever possible). I check the kids after AM playtime, but not nearly as well now that I don't diaper most of them.
-We keep our grass SO short (it is basically a mud pit)
-We keep play toys on mulched areas (as much as possible)

I'm currently getting quotes from companies that spray. They spray such a variety of things around here, but I'm leaning toward cedar oil. I'm planning to spray the perimeter with permithren myself, and I'm putting down liquid fence to help keep the bunnies out (this is how they get in!). We don't have a large yard, but animals adore it.

Any and all tips are helpful!

[Cat Herder]

Off Deep Woods with DEET stops them all. Mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, biting flies and gnats.

I know I sound like a commercial, but I have tried them all. This is the only thing I have found that works consistently. I bank my reputation on it every summer.

Possums eat ticks, but I don't think you'd get on board with that idea.

[LittleScholars]

Off Deep Woods with DEET stops them all. Mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, biting flies and gnats.

I know I sound like a commercial, but I have tried them all. This is the only thing I have found that works consistently. I bank my reputation on it every summer.

Ugh, I'm trying really hard to avoid that route. I'm nursing, and I don't think I can possibly be convinced to expose myself to so much of it! That's really great to know though.

[LittleScholars]

Possums eat ticks, but I don't think you'd get on board with that idea.

Where does one find a pet possum??

[Cat Herder]

Ugh, I'm trying really hard to avoid that route. I'm nursing, and I don't think I can possibly be convinced to expose myself to so much of it! That's really great to know though.

I get it. I worry about neuro issues from longterm chronic exposures (sevin, roundup, etc.). I put it on them as we go out, then bathe them and launder play clothing as we come in. It was my compromise.

In my region, going without is a much worse solution.

[Blackcat31]

You can get Guineas. They lovethis ticks and all sorts of other bugs...

https://morningchores.com/about-guinea-fowl/

[Ariana]

Ugh, I'm trying really hard to avoid that route. I'm nursing, and I don't think I can possibly be convinced to expose myself to so much of it! That's really great to know though.

If you spray it outside and then wipe it off with a wet cloth once inside it should be ok.

[Cat Herder]

Where does one find a pet possum??

Our local animal shelter fosters them out yearly. Moms get hit by cars and the little ones are orphaned. We fostered for three years before the state decided they were hazardous. :: They are actually pretty cool.

[LittleScholars]

Oh my goodness, I love the guinea and possum ideas! How cool!!

I also worry that the ticks are worse than the chemicals. I hope I'm wrong. I miss the days ticks never crossed my mind.

I'm not as worried about putting one application on myself, as the constant exposure when reapplying it to kiddos twice a day. I'm also less worried about ticks on myself, because I check myself like crazy.

[finsup]

Off Deep Woods with DEET stops them all. Mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, biting flies and gnats.

I know I sound like a commercial, but I have tried them all. This is the only thing I have found that works consistently. I bank my reputation on it every summer.

Possums eat ticks, but I don't think you'd get on board with that idea.

This is what I use too. We have a ton of them here Not my favorite thing to put on anyone but it does work. Other then that, I do checks when we get inside and tell parents to do a more thorough one before baths/bed etc. Seriously hate those things!

[Max]

Do you give parents a heads up during the interview on ticks? My yard sometimes has a lot of them :-/

[CalCare]

Well I thought you folks would get a thrill out of this: my husband and I just caught and released two possums from our garage! What! Yes. There were two possums in our garage! Well we have no ticks so I had no use for the possums sent them on their way. ::

[dreamer]

Having pet possums or guineas to combat ticks sounds like such a fun idea. What else gets rid of those buggers? Ticks really love my poor little dog. I would love to get rid of them.

[Ariana]

We have bylaws against having these animals

[LittleScholars]

Do you give parents a heads up during the interview on ticks? My yard sometimes has a lot of them :-/

I don't, but only because we all live in the same area and it is just a fact of life (boo!). I do immediately tell parents if I'm seeing them though.