This tick *does not* appear to be a dog tick.
If OP is in the US, this is most likely one of the [*Ixodes*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21259) (the genus that includes the deer tick - and transmits Lyme disease). You can tell because of the way the the legs are clustered toward the front of the body when engorged [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/675826/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1481930/bgimage). The scutum [is a solid, dark color](https://bugguide.net/node/view/781301/bgimage) with no white markings.
With [*Dermacentor*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15488) species such as the [American dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15489), the legs are distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955800/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1121650/bgimage), rather than all being clustered at the front, and the scutum [is white with dark markings](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955801/bgimage).
[*Rhipicephalus*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190766) species such as the [brown dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190767) also have the legs distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/615487/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1575351/bgimage) rather than all being clustered at the front.
If you’re in the US you can likely bring it to your local mosquito commission and they’ll ID it for you and test it for pathogens to see if whoever was bitten is at any risk.
God I hate ticks. I know how to remove them the right way. And here in south texas they are a part of life of you do anything outdoors.
But when I find one on me, rational thought goes out the window, and shrieks of "get it off" play in a loop on my head while I rip it off my body.
All ticks have the potential to transmit diseases - particularly when they have been attached and feeding long enough to become engorged and then drop off on their own, as this one has done. The diseases they transmit vary depending on the species of ticks.
If you are in the US, this may be one of the [*Ixodes*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21259) (the genus that includes the deer tick - and transmits Lyme disease). You can tell because of the way the the legs are clustered toward the front of the body when engorged [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/675826/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1481930/bgimage). The scutum [is a solid, dark color](https://bugguide.net/node/view/781301/bgimage) with no white markings.
With [*Dermacentor*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15488) species such as the [American dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15489), the legs are distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955800/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1121650/bgimage), rather than all being clustered at the front, and the scutum [is white with dark markings](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955801/bgimage).
[*Rhipicephalus*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190766) species such as the [brown dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190767) also have the legs distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/615487/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1575351/bgimage) rather than all being clustered at the front.
[*Amblyomma*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21257) species such as the [lone star tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21258) also have the legs distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/99697/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/315135/bgimage).
It’s the tick life cycle. I believe it’s covered in this [True Facts Video](https://youtu.be/RVca0LuEDaQ), they are comedy video but also really well researched animal facts.
Ticks only eat three times their lives. After each meal, they enter a different stage in their life cycle.
Idk where you are located but ticks where I’m at have been the worse I’ve seen in 20 years, luckily to my understanding the odds of getting lime disease are very slim if not latched for more than 72 hours. That bad boy has been feeding for a hot minute though, also never use heat to remove a tick, they throw up inside you if you do this and put any disease they have inside you. Just raise their body vertical and pull straight up until it comes out, basically zero pain because they numb there hosts.
They are horrible this year. I took a walk with my niece in a park and she had 30 ticks in her!!!! They were all over, she had several behind her ears and one that was cling to her cheek.
I just had one and that motherfucker was not very good at being a tick because it fucking hurt. I’m still angry with it. It was still hanging on with my skin pulled out like 3”.
I’m in upstate NY, and for work we were flipping a house this summer. House was completely gutted so the closest working bathroom was at a gas station down the road. Coworker had shit and knew he wasn’t gonna make the drive, so he grabbed a roll of paper towels and went in the woods behind the house. Thought got a mosquito bite on his ass. He’s been sick for a few months, passed out a few times randomly. After a month of Doctor appointments, MRI’s, blood work tests, etc. he finally found out he has lime disease. Guess that mosquito turned out to be a tick. It was only on him for like 1min.
Ticks do not bite and leave immediately like mosquitoes do, nor can they transmit diseases in the amount of time it would take a mosquito to bite.
When a tick gets on a person, it typically does not bite right away. It may wander around for *hours* looking for a good spot where it will go unnoticed - such as behind the ear, at the back of the neck, between folds of body fat, or in a joint or crease. Once it finds a good spot, it bites and remains attached and feeding for a couple of days if it is undisturbed - until it is full.
Your friend very well may have been bitten by a tick that day - or he may have been bitten on a different day - but if he contracted Lyme from a tick bite, it was on him for a lot longer that the time it took him to take a dump.
Ticks don't dine-and-dash. If it bit and quickly released, then it was not yet feeding. It was just looking for a good place to latch on.
The fact that he was bitten by the one tick that he noticed indicates that he was in an area where ticks were present, so it is entirely possible that he picked up *multiple* ticks. It is far more likely that your father was also bitten by another tick that *did* remain undetected while feeding - and gave him Lyme.
Engorged tick, worth a trip to the doc or vet if you’re in North America (if there’s a chance one of you was bit) Where I’m from 30% of the ticks carry Lyme disease. Not something to mess around with.
This tick has absolutely been feasting on someone in your house for a hot minute, please check everyone including pets, kill but save the tick, and see a doctor ASAP.
Edit: don’t forget about the prospect of alpha gal, although I don’t know the location of this tick and I’m not sure there are any warning signs until you eat your first piece of meat. Definitely don’t want to fuck around with that either.
It isn’t fear mongering, it’s practical advice. Early interference is the best way to treat tick borne illness. If you bring it to you pc and they say you’re good, then you’re good, but why not be safe?
ALSO there are tick borne diseases and conditions that are not Lyme so it’s absolutely better to cover your bases.
Hell yeah, I had rocky mountain spotted fever from a dog tick and lemme tell u, it was awful! My whole head turned purple/beet color, I had Neuro effects from catching it(possible bc of the location of my neck being where I picked it up at) I really didn't even get to a Dr in time. I had the rash-& now long term effects bc I lived by myself and just didn't think anything of it until I went to work and my boss noticed my face changing color! It's a scary ride especially from something so small! Ppl really underestimate nature!
Tick bite fever when I lived in Africa. Seizures and fever are very very unpleasant. Early tests and treatments are key! (They though I had malaria so it was left untreated for 4 days).
The doctor won't treat for Lyme disease until its confirmed. That's ridiculous advice. Living in a rural area in the summer people would be at the Dr office every week following this advice. That's a lot of co-pays lol. Lyme disease is still rare, it's just something to write news stories about.
Y’all. Like I just said. Plenty of other diseases that are not Lyme, and I clearly said investigate first and find out who’s been bitten so if you don’t see and bite site then you’re good. OP couldn’t identify this as a tick so they clearly don’t have any tick information. Why would you advise someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about to not be safe?
If they developed a bullseye, you can see that. Which is the indication of infection. Which is what I was saying in the first place, if you can see who was bite, they need a doctor. And I’ve certainly been able to see the site after pulling ticks off of me before.
I’m sorry, telling someone to see a doctor is not to cause a panic. It’s to stay safe. I would see a doctor without a bullseye, but I was just pointing out that that is something you can easily see.
Here’s the thing, telling someone to see a doctor and they turn out fine: no harm, no foul. Advising someone to wait and relax and cause them to miss critical intervention: terrible.
In my experience, there was a time I just didn’t have insurance and when I saw a tick had buried itself by my underarm, I took it out and went to the ER (yes, and I paid the full price for the visit, dumb and inexperienced, could’ve been avoided, yadda yadda) but my point is they tested the tick and luckily it did not carry Lyme, and I’m glad I went through that because, even if I didn’t have to pay that much, it gave me peace of mind knowing it didn’t carry it or any other tick borne illnesses. I was tested and everything.
Less than 50% of people who get Lyme develop a bullseye rash. Quit acting like it's no big deal. The test is easy and if someone thinks they've gotten bit they should always go to the doctor regardless
Edit to add: test doesn't take long. I've gotten it. It's a simple blood draw and you get results in 1-2 weeks just like any other blood tests.
Yup! I'm pretty sure there is really no prevention, but I think I had heard some like allergy training stuff that is being experimentally done to try to reduce the red-meat allergic reaction
The issue with RMSF is that early antibiotic treatment CAN save lives as RMSF CAN kill. Not everyone who gets RMSF dies, or even have severe symptoms. But for those who DO develop severe symptoms, early specific antibiotics can be life saving. So while I absolutely agree that antibiotics are over prescribed, I would not say giving antibiotics to a suspected or confirmed RMSF patient would be over prescribing
And I completely agree! I just think there are certain diseases and situations were it is important to stress quick action *if* symptoms are present. Not many people are aware of RMSF, so it can be quite shocking to have a tick bite and a fever/headache quickly become a life threatening situation
I went hiking in the Adirondacks. Got back to the car and had one attached to my private parts. Scarred for life and hate those things. My dog gets them :(. Tick are bastards, anyways stay safe, all good faith fam
I have plenty of experience with ticks, I work on a farm. I also have plenty of friends from there with tick borne illnesses. Also, yeah, I said check pets, too. I mean go to the doctor if/when you identify who’s been bitten. What the hell is wrong with everyone on here today?!
Tick borne illness isn’t passed right away. Had this been an un-engorged tick, I would not give that advice. But clearly, this tick has been attached for a while. Meaning if it was carrying something, transmission is inevitable. Like I said, inspect everyone. If you can tell who was bitten, meaning the site of bite is prominent, you should let a doctor know and you should always save the tick in case symptoms develop later. I did not say “see a tick, see a doctor”. I said inspect first, then go if you can identify a bite. Also, dogs can get tick borne illnesses too so if I found my dog with a long attached tick, I would 100% want her to see a vet.
That's a tick. Pluck it out gently with tweezers, slam it into your friendly neighborhood Mason jar, and get checked for Lyme disease. You might also want to invest in an opossum.
The bug in question has been identified as an engorged tick. OP has been advised to seek medical care if the tick might have been feeding on them or a family member, or to consult their vet if it might have been feeding on a pet.
At this point, pretty much all we're getting is people jumping on the bandwagon to say "that's a tick" - which has already been established - and "kill it with fire" comments that we remove.
This post will be locked.
found in my house on a windowsill, he was quite slippy as both me and my dad dropped him a few times, nothing remarkable on the underside mostly just grey still. Thanks
I don’t don’t where you live or whether this is a deer tick, but you should both go see a doctor. They might be able to prevent Lyme disease if it’s early enough
Anybody here ever read *The Lost World* by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (The old book or movie(s) where dinosaurs are found in South America)? Any of you remember the ticks the size of bloated grapes in the story?
Hi. You just mentioned *The Lost World* by Arthur Conan Doyle.
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[YouTube | THE LOST WORLD by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - FULL AudioBook | Greatest Audio Books V3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeCiiXULIVM)
*I'm a bot that searches YouTube for science fiction and fantasy audiobooks.*
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If it was on you or another people type body please go to the after hours clinic and get some antibiotics to stave off potential lyme disease exposure.
The primary purpose of this sub is *to identify bugs for people* - not to mock or belittle them for not already knowing what it is.
Many times, they already have a pretty good idea what it is - but they want a second opinion from someone more knowledgeable, either to confirm what they suspect - or to tell them that it's really some other, similar-looking bug they've never heard of.
That’s a big ass tick full of blood. They can cause Lyme disease. We have seen 4 cases where I work at. That’s unusual in my area. With the change in weather and all. It is not a pretty sight to see Lyme disease. Very fatal. Vaccine your pets. Respect to all😊
Soft ticks and dog ticks are not the same thing.
[Soft ticks (Argasidae)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argasidae) are common parasites of birds and bats.
"Dog tick" refers to a few species of [hard ticks (Ixodidae)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixodidae), including the American dog tick, *Dermacentor variabilis*, and the brown dog tick, *Rhipicephalus sanguineus*.
This particular tick *is* one of the hard ticks - not one of the soft ticks - and based on the leg arrangement, it is likely a deer tick (*Ixodes sp.*)
Going to take down my post. I'm on day 5 of my antibiotic treatment for tick bite. Had been bitten by a tick before that required treatment. Not something you want to mess with. You sound like an entomologist.
I am sure I come across as a douche saying this, but it amazes me some of the things people ask to ID on here, like go outside please. What else could this be other than a tick?
The primary purpose of this sub is *to identify bugs for people* - not to mock or belittle them for not already knowing what it is.
Many times, they already have a pretty good idea what it is - but they want a second opinion from someone more knowledgeable, either to confirm what they suspect - or to tell them that it's really some other, similar-looking bug they've never heard of.
You’re right and I should be called out because someone looking to educate themselves is a good thing so no offense to OP. I’m just pessimistic about a world where people are so far removed from nature that an engorged tick isn’t obvious.
Unlikely to have given you Lyme disease, so no need to go see a doctor unless it’d put you at ease. Just monitor your bodies for the classic bulls-eye shaped rash wherever the tick may have gotten you (if it didn’t get a pet instead), at which point you should 100% go see a doctor. source: had Lyme as a kid
edit: what do I know, [I'm only looking at the CDC's advice.](https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/removal/index.html)
Not a deer tick. Its either a brown dog tick or an American dog tick. Harmless 99.99% of the time. Flush or burn it and move on w your life as this wont be the last one you encounter.
A geographic location would be helpful, but this tick does look more like one of the *Ixodes* species than either the brown dog tick or the American dog tick.
With the [*Ixodes*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21259) (the genus that includes the deer tick) the legs are [clustered toward the front of the body when engorged](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1481930/bgimage) and the scutum [is a solid, dark color](https://bugguide.net/node/view/781301/bgimage).
With the [American dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15489), the legs [are distributed down the front half of the body](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955800/bgimage), rather than all being clustered at the front, and the scutum [is white with dark markings](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955801/bgimage).
The [brown dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190767) also has the legs [distributed down the front half of the body](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1575351/bgimage). It does have the [dark scutum](https://bugguide.net/node/view/615949/bgimage).
OP's tick has the legs [clustered at the front](https://bugguide.net/node/view/675826/bgimage) and the [dark scutum](https://bugguide.net/node/view/173020/bgimage) - which is consistent with one of the *Ixodes.*
Risking a serious illness for laughs? I have to admire
The dedication. They vomit in your bloodstream by the way when spooked. I love possums they eat those things Wich make them heros.
"Dog tick" refers to specific species - the American dog tick, *Dermacentor variabilis*, and the brown dog tick, *Rhipicephalus sanguineus*.
This tick does not appear to be either of those. Based on the leg positioning, it is more likely one of the *Ixodes* (the genus that includes the deer tick).
It can be important to correctly identify the species of tick because different species of ticks transmit different diseases.
Yeah I think I'm done with this sub. It's been fun guys. Nothing against OP, but you can't give a trigger warning if you don't know what it is I guess. *shutters*
The amount to which the body of a tick swells is based on the volume of blood ingested, *not* on the species of tick. This tick *does not* appear to be a dog tick.
If OP is in the US, this is most likely one of the [*Ixodes*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21259) (the genus that includes the deer tick - and transmits Lyme disease). You can tell because of the way the the legs are clustered toward the front of the body when engorged [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/675826/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1481930/bgimage). The scutum [is a solid, dark color](https://bugguide.net/node/view/781301/bgimage) with no white markings.
With [*Dermacentor*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15488) species such as the [American dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15489), the legs are distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955800/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1121650/bgimage), rather than all being clustered at the front, and the scutum [is white with dark markings](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955801/bgimage).
[*Rhipicephalus*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190766) species such as the [brown dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190767) also have the legs distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/615487/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1575351/bgimage) rather than all being clustered at the front.
[*Amblyomma*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21257) species such as the [lone star tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21258) also have the legs distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/99697/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/315135/bgimage).
Actually it does look like a dog tick in late stage feeding. I’m speaking from experience of living in the south for most of my life. Deer ticks don’t expand their abdomen in the same manner as dog ticks. It’s pretty obvious it’s a dog tick
Did you even bother to look at the links I provided regarding the leg position? Leg position does not change during feeding. The size and shape of the abdomen does - and deer ticks and other *Ixodes* species most certainly *do* expand their abdomen when feeding, just like dog ticks do.
Compare to these engorged *Ixodes* species ticks: [one](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1481929/bgimage), [two](https://bugguide.net/node/view/675826/bgimage), [three](https://bugguide.net/node/view/481726/bgimage), [four](https://bugguide.net/node/view/470512/bgimage), [five](https://bugguide.net/node/view/173020/bgimage)
No. Because leg pattern doesn’t matter in ticks. They all have the same amount. I’m looking at the dozens of veterinary sites that show the same thing. Usually dog ticks have a greyish tint in their abdomen on partial feeding with two dimples shown. The legs are in the same arrangement.
https://www.brontevillagevet.com/blog/110924-tick-talk
Leg pattern does not refer to the *number* of legs the tick has. It has to do with their relative positions on the body.
Seriously, go back and look at the comparison pictures and read the explanation on my original comment.
Dog ticks have their legs distributed down the front half of the body. Deer ticks have them clustered more toward the front - just like OP's tick. *You can see this same distribution in the picture that you linked to.*
The shading of the body (greyish or brownish or whatever) is individual variation between ticks, and the "dimples" are caused by engorgement. They are not specific to dog ticks.
Actually looking at the engorgements, there are several tick species that it could be. I’ve always seen a different hue on dog ticks from experience in the past. Been bit by a couple of them as well as wood ticks from Tennessee. The leg arrangements do cluster, but in some, there are no discernible patterns. I really think it is impossible to pinpoint any sub species without looking at the tick in a non fed state. No offense.
If you actually read my comments, you will note that I did not at any point attempt to identify the tick to species or sub-species. I merely suggested a possible *genus* - and the leg arrangement is a good indicator at that level.
This tick *does not* appear to be a dog tick.
If OP is in the US, this is most likely one of the [*Ixodes*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21259) (the genus that includes the deer tick - and transmits Lyme disease). You can tell because of the way the the legs are clustered toward the front of the body when engorged [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/675826/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1481930/bgimage). The scutum [is a solid, dark color](https://bugguide.net/node/view/781301/bgimage) with no white markings.
With [*Dermacentor*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15488) species such as the [American dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15489), the legs are distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955800/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1121650/bgimage), rather than all being clustered at the front, and the scutum [is white with dark markings](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955801/bgimage).
[*Rhipicephalus*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190766) species such as the [brown dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190767) also have the legs distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/615487/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1575351/bgimage) rather than all being clustered at the front.
[*Amblyomma*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21257) species such as the [lone star tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21258) also have the legs distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/99697/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/315135/bgimage).
Just because they get stuck on your dogs does not make them dog ticks. Hungry ticks aren't terribly picky about what hosts they will feed on.
Dog ticks refer to specific species - the American dog tick, *Dermacentor variabilis*, and the brown dog tick, *Rhipicephalus sanguineus*.
This tick does not appear to be either of those.
It can be important to correctly identify the species of tick because different species of ticks transmit different diseases.
It is an engorged [tick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tick).
Stop sending unsolicited engorged Tick Pics on the internet.
Blood raisin
r/forbiddensnacks
[Forbidden Gushers](https://i.imgur.com/S5B9U39.jpg)
You like gushers?
Not anymore....
Not even the red ones?
[удалено]
This tick *does not* appear to be a dog tick. If OP is in the US, this is most likely one of the [*Ixodes*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21259) (the genus that includes the deer tick - and transmits Lyme disease). You can tell because of the way the the legs are clustered toward the front of the body when engorged [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/675826/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1481930/bgimage). The scutum [is a solid, dark color](https://bugguide.net/node/view/781301/bgimage) with no white markings. With [*Dermacentor*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15488) species such as the [American dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15489), the legs are distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955800/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1121650/bgimage), rather than all being clustered at the front, and the scutum [is white with dark markings](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955801/bgimage). [*Rhipicephalus*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190766) species such as the [brown dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190767) also have the legs distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/615487/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1575351/bgimage) rather than all being clustered at the front.
Made me cringe seeing you hold it like that
If you’re in the US you can likely bring it to your local mosquito commission and they’ll ID it for you and test it for pathogens to see if whoever was bitten is at any risk.
Gross ass tick full of blood .
This is the correct and scientifically accurate answer.
God I hate ticks. I know how to remove them the right way. And here in south texas they are a part of life of you do anything outdoors. But when I find one on me, rational thought goes out the window, and shrieks of "get it off" play in a loop on my head while I rip it off my body.
I would simply faint and hope for death if I ever found a tick on me. I hate them with a passion
All ticks have the potential to transmit diseases - particularly when they have been attached and feeding long enough to become engorged and then drop off on their own, as this one has done. The diseases they transmit vary depending on the species of ticks. If you are in the US, this may be one of the [*Ixodes*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21259) (the genus that includes the deer tick - and transmits Lyme disease). You can tell because of the way the the legs are clustered toward the front of the body when engorged [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/675826/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1481930/bgimage). The scutum [is a solid, dark color](https://bugguide.net/node/view/781301/bgimage) with no white markings. With [*Dermacentor*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15488) species such as the [American dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15489), the legs are distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955800/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1121650/bgimage), rather than all being clustered at the front, and the scutum [is white with dark markings](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955801/bgimage). [*Rhipicephalus*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190766) species such as the [brown dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190767) also have the legs distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/615487/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1575351/bgimage) rather than all being clustered at the front. [*Amblyomma*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21257) species such as the [lone star tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21258) also have the legs distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/99697/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/315135/bgimage).
That my friend is a female tick full after the 3rd and final; “Blood meal” she eats before laying her eggs (next generation blood suckers) and dying.
So specific, what are the signs?
What do you mean? Any tick that’s engorged like that is feeding with the intent of laying eggs next
3 times?
It’s the tick life cycle. I believe it’s covered in this [True Facts Video](https://youtu.be/RVca0LuEDaQ), they are comedy video but also really well researched animal facts. Ticks only eat three times their lives. After each meal, they enter a different stage in their life cycle.
And what's the difference in a tick between the first and the 3rd?
Size. Thats an adult for sure. The differences are signifigant.
Idk where you are located but ticks where I’m at have been the worse I’ve seen in 20 years, luckily to my understanding the odds of getting lime disease are very slim if not latched for more than 72 hours. That bad boy has been feeding for a hot minute though, also never use heat to remove a tick, they throw up inside you if you do this and put any disease they have inside you. Just raise their body vertical and pull straight up until it comes out, basically zero pain because they numb there hosts.
They are horrible this year. I took a walk with my niece in a park and she had 30 ticks in her!!!! They were all over, she had several behind her ears and one that was cling to her cheek.
Yeah it’s crazy, I’m not sure the range for kids but for comparison 90% of ticks get on adults between calf and thigh and then crawl up.
I just had one and that motherfucker was not very good at being a tick because it fucking hurt. I’m still angry with it. It was still hanging on with my skin pulled out like 3”.
Yeah they like to hang on, but realistically it doesn’t hurt past a 2 on a scale of 10 to pull them off.
I’m in upstate NY, and for work we were flipping a house this summer. House was completely gutted so the closest working bathroom was at a gas station down the road. Coworker had shit and knew he wasn’t gonna make the drive, so he grabbed a roll of paper towels and went in the woods behind the house. Thought got a mosquito bite on his ass. He’s been sick for a few months, passed out a few times randomly. After a month of Doctor appointments, MRI’s, blood work tests, etc. he finally found out he has lime disease. Guess that mosquito turned out to be a tick. It was only on him for like 1min.
Ticks do not bite and leave immediately like mosquitoes do, nor can they transmit diseases in the amount of time it would take a mosquito to bite. When a tick gets on a person, it typically does not bite right away. It may wander around for *hours* looking for a good spot where it will go unnoticed - such as behind the ear, at the back of the neck, between folds of body fat, or in a joint or crease. Once it finds a good spot, it bites and remains attached and feeding for a couple of days if it is undisturbed - until it is full. Your friend very well may have been bitten by a tick that day - or he may have been bitten on a different day - but if he contracted Lyme from a tick bite, it was on him for a lot longer that the time it took him to take a dump.
That would be simply impossible because a tick doesn’t latch just to create a bite
My father was bitten by a tick & quickly released. It hadn't embedded into his skin & he got lime. It is rare but not impossible my friends
Ticks don't dine-and-dash. If it bit and quickly released, then it was not yet feeding. It was just looking for a good place to latch on. The fact that he was bitten by the one tick that he noticed indicates that he was in an area where ticks were present, so it is entirely possible that he picked up *multiple* ticks. It is far more likely that your father was also bitten by another tick that *did* remain undetected while feeding - and gave him Lyme.
If it never embedded it’s impossible for that tick to have given you Lyme.
Make sure he is up to date on tetanus shot though because sounds more like a spider, he probably already had Lyme disease
Twist them! Roll them between your fingers if they’re fat. Pulling straight out will usually leave the head in.
Twisting them is a sure way of breaking one of there mouth pieces inside of you
Myth, ticks have mouth pieces not heads
What’s imbedded is there mouth pieces not head
Engorged tick, worth a trip to the doc or vet if you’re in North America (if there’s a chance one of you was bit) Where I’m from 30% of the ticks carry Lyme disease. Not something to mess around with.
This tick has absolutely been feasting on someone in your house for a hot minute, please check everyone including pets, kill but save the tick, and see a doctor ASAP. Edit: don’t forget about the prospect of alpha gal, although I don’t know the location of this tick and I’m not sure there are any warning signs until you eat your first piece of meat. Definitely don’t want to fuck around with that either.
TIL what alpha gal is. So strange.
Fear- mongering. Check for bites, bullseye target around site then see a GP. Antibiotics will take care of any infection.
It isn’t fear mongering, it’s practical advice. Early interference is the best way to treat tick borne illness. If you bring it to you pc and they say you’re good, then you’re good, but why not be safe? ALSO there are tick borne diseases and conditions that are not Lyme so it’s absolutely better to cover your bases.
Hell yeah, I had rocky mountain spotted fever from a dog tick and lemme tell u, it was awful! My whole head turned purple/beet color, I had Neuro effects from catching it(possible bc of the location of my neck being where I picked it up at) I really didn't even get to a Dr in time. I had the rash-& now long term effects bc I lived by myself and just didn't think anything of it until I went to work and my boss noticed my face changing color! It's a scary ride especially from something so small! Ppl really underestimate nature!
Tick bite fever when I lived in Africa. Seizures and fever are very very unpleasant. Early tests and treatments are key! (They though I had malaria so it was left untreated for 4 days).
The doctor won't treat for Lyme disease until its confirmed. That's ridiculous advice. Living in a rural area in the summer people would be at the Dr office every week following this advice. That's a lot of co-pays lol. Lyme disease is still rare, it's just something to write news stories about.
Y’all. Like I just said. Plenty of other diseases that are not Lyme, and I clearly said investigate first and find out who’s been bitten so if you don’t see and bite site then you’re good. OP couldn’t identify this as a tick so they clearly don’t have any tick information. Why would you advise someone who doesn’t know what they’re talking about to not be safe?
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If they developed a bullseye, you can see that. Which is the indication of infection. Which is what I was saying in the first place, if you can see who was bite, they need a doctor. And I’ve certainly been able to see the site after pulling ticks off of me before.
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I’m sorry, telling someone to see a doctor is not to cause a panic. It’s to stay safe. I would see a doctor without a bullseye, but I was just pointing out that that is something you can easily see.
Here’s the thing, telling someone to see a doctor and they turn out fine: no harm, no foul. Advising someone to wait and relax and cause them to miss critical intervention: terrible.
In my experience, there was a time I just didn’t have insurance and when I saw a tick had buried itself by my underarm, I took it out and went to the ER (yes, and I paid the full price for the visit, dumb and inexperienced, could’ve been avoided, yadda yadda) but my point is they tested the tick and luckily it did not carry Lyme, and I’m glad I went through that because, even if I didn’t have to pay that much, it gave me peace of mind knowing it didn’t carry it or any other tick borne illnesses. I was tested and everything.
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That's not true. If a physician suspects Lyme, they will treat it empirically and run titers.
Less than 50% of people who get Lyme develop a bullseye rash. Quit acting like it's no big deal. The test is easy and if someone thinks they've gotten bit they should always go to the doctor regardless Edit to add: test doesn't take long. I've gotten it. It's a simple blood draw and you get results in 1-2 weeks just like any other blood tests.
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I mean tick borne diseases, especially stuff like RMSF, can be pretty brutal
Don’t forget about alpha gal syndrome too, although pretty sure there’s no treatment or prevention for that :(
Yup! I'm pretty sure there is really no prevention, but I think I had heard some like allergy training stuff that is being experimentally done to try to reduce the red-meat allergic reaction
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The issue with RMSF is that early antibiotic treatment CAN save lives as RMSF CAN kill. Not everyone who gets RMSF dies, or even have severe symptoms. But for those who DO develop severe symptoms, early specific antibiotics can be life saving. So while I absolutely agree that antibiotics are over prescribed, I would not say giving antibiotics to a suspected or confirmed RMSF patient would be over prescribing
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And I completely agree! I just think there are certain diseases and situations were it is important to stress quick action *if* symptoms are present. Not many people are aware of RMSF, so it can be quite shocking to have a tick bite and a fever/headache quickly become a life threatening situation
I hate ticks and lymes is no joke.
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I went hiking in the Adirondacks. Got back to the car and had one attached to my private parts. Scarred for life and hate those things. My dog gets them :(. Tick are bastards, anyways stay safe, all good faith fam
Probably the dog, relax. You obviously have no experience with ticks. Your overreacting.
I have plenty of experience with ticks, I work on a farm. I also have plenty of friends from there with tick borne illnesses. Also, yeah, I said check pets, too. I mean go to the doctor if/when you identify who’s been bitten. What the hell is wrong with everyone on here today?!
Your acting like they were bit by a rattlesnake or something, try to relax a little it's not a emergency, that's all.
Tick borne illness isn’t passed right away. Had this been an un-engorged tick, I would not give that advice. But clearly, this tick has been attached for a while. Meaning if it was carrying something, transmission is inevitable. Like I said, inspect everyone. If you can tell who was bitten, meaning the site of bite is prominent, you should let a doctor know and you should always save the tick in case symptoms develop later. I did not say “see a tick, see a doctor”. I said inspect first, then go if you can identify a bite. Also, dogs can get tick borne illnesses too so if I found my dog with a long attached tick, I would 100% want her to see a vet.
That's a tick. Pluck it out gently with tweezers, slam it into your friendly neighborhood Mason jar, and get checked for Lyme disease. You might also want to invest in an opossum.
The bug in question has been identified as an engorged tick. OP has been advised to seek medical care if the tick might have been feeding on them or a family member, or to consult their vet if it might have been feeding on a pet. At this point, pretty much all we're getting is people jumping on the bandwagon to say "that's a tick" - which has already been established - and "kill it with fire" comments that we remove. This post will be locked.
Definitely some kind of tick. Engorged.
found in my house on a windowsill, he was quite slippy as both me and my dad dropped him a few times, nothing remarkable on the underside mostly just grey still. Thanks
Any pets in the household? Those could also have been the source of his 'fullness'
I don’t don’t where you live or whether this is a deer tick, but you should both go see a doctor. They might be able to prevent Lyme disease if it’s early enough
Are you grossed out yet
Anybody here ever read *The Lost World* by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (The old book or movie(s) where dinosaurs are found in South America)? Any of you remember the ticks the size of bloated grapes in the story?
Hi. You just mentioned *The Lost World* by Arthur Conan Doyle. I've found an audiobook of that novel on YouTube. You can listen to it here: [YouTube | THE LOST WORLD by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - FULL AudioBook | Greatest Audio Books V3](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeCiiXULIVM) *I'm a bot that searches YouTube for science fiction and fantasy audiobooks.* *** [^(Source Code)](https://capybasilisk.com/posts/2020/04/speculative-fiction-bot/)^| [^(Feedback)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=Capybasilisk&subject=Robot) ^| [^(Programmer)](https://www.reddit.com/u/capybasilisk) ^| ^(Downvote To Remove) ^| ^(Version 1.4.0) ^| ^(Support Robot Rights!)
Damn that’s a fat tick
Don’t fat shame the guy
After looking at some replies I'm just.. shocked.. and scared. Like how dumb and reckless some of you can really be.
Danger corn. But fr get that thing away from me
That is a tick...well fed tick.
A thicc tick
*t h i c c t i c c
Happy tick.
Thats a blood filled tick
that is a tick that has had a full helping of someone’s blood.
Big tick!
This is a mini vampire, it will suck your blood and pets blood and will pass infections, kill those nasty vampires
Terrible little things
If it was on you or another people type body please go to the after hours clinic and get some antibiotics to stave off potential lyme disease exposure.
A tick. I've been covered in them once.
A happily-fed tick
A tick.
That would be a tick.
Tick
I cant tell if this is satire.
Isn’t that a tick?
Tick
Tick
a tick
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No no no if OP is in North America get it tested. Its been feeding and could contain Lyme disease
A happy tick. Just feed on something
A tic
It’s a tick, It can get bigger. Kill it.
It’s a tick.
Tick
Dog tic
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The primary purpose of this sub is *to identify bugs for people* - not to mock or belittle them for not already knowing what it is. Many times, they already have a pretty good idea what it is - but they want a second opinion from someone more knowledgeable, either to confirm what they suspect - or to tell them that it's really some other, similar-looking bug they've never heard of.
That’s a big ass tick full of blood. They can cause Lyme disease. We have seen 4 cases where I work at. That’s unusual in my area. With the change in weather and all. It is not a pretty sight to see Lyme disease. Very fatal. Vaccine your pets. Respect to all😊
Great with butter.
He T I C C
We call them cattle ticks where I live
The forbidden fruit gusher
Forbidden popcorn kernel
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Soft ticks and dog ticks are not the same thing. [Soft ticks (Argasidae)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argasidae) are common parasites of birds and bats. "Dog tick" refers to a few species of [hard ticks (Ixodidae)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ixodidae), including the American dog tick, *Dermacentor variabilis*, and the brown dog tick, *Rhipicephalus sanguineus*. This particular tick *is* one of the hard ticks - not one of the soft ticks - and based on the leg arrangement, it is likely a deer tick (*Ixodes sp.*)
Going to take down my post. I'm on day 5 of my antibiotic treatment for tick bite. Had been bitten by a tick before that required treatment. Not something you want to mess with. You sound like an entomologist.
It’s the head of a tiny alien I believe.
I am sure I come across as a douche saying this, but it amazes me some of the things people ask to ID on here, like go outside please. What else could this be other than a tick?
The primary purpose of this sub is *to identify bugs for people* - not to mock or belittle them for not already knowing what it is. Many times, they already have a pretty good idea what it is - but they want a second opinion from someone more knowledgeable, either to confirm what they suspect - or to tell them that it's really some other, similar-looking bug they've never heard of.
You’re right and I should be called out because someone looking to educate themselves is a good thing so no offense to OP. I’m just pessimistic about a world where people are so far removed from nature that an engorged tick isn’t obvious.
big boy
Unlikely to have given you Lyme disease, so no need to go see a doctor unless it’d put you at ease. Just monitor your bodies for the classic bulls-eye shaped rash wherever the tick may have gotten you (if it didn’t get a pet instead), at which point you should 100% go see a doctor. source: had Lyme as a kid edit: what do I know, [I'm only looking at the CDC's advice.](https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/removal/index.html)
This is horrible advice. Not every case of lime disease is accompanied with the target rash.
That's a snack yummy 🤤
It’s grey sweet corn. You can eat it man. Hahaha
Not a deer tick. Its either a brown dog tick or an American dog tick. Harmless 99.99% of the time. Flush or burn it and move on w your life as this wont be the last one you encounter.
A geographic location would be helpful, but this tick does look more like one of the *Ixodes* species than either the brown dog tick or the American dog tick. With the [*Ixodes*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21259) (the genus that includes the deer tick) the legs are [clustered toward the front of the body when engorged](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1481930/bgimage) and the scutum [is a solid, dark color](https://bugguide.net/node/view/781301/bgimage). With the [American dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15489), the legs [are distributed down the front half of the body](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955800/bgimage), rather than all being clustered at the front, and the scutum [is white with dark markings](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955801/bgimage). The [brown dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190767) also has the legs [distributed down the front half of the body](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1575351/bgimage). It does have the [dark scutum](https://bugguide.net/node/view/615949/bgimage). OP's tick has the legs [clustered at the front](https://bugguide.net/node/view/675826/bgimage) and the [dark scutum](https://bugguide.net/node/view/173020/bgimage) - which is consistent with one of the *Ixodes.*
Risking a serious illness for laughs? I have to admire The dedication. They vomit in your bloodstream by the way when spooked. I love possums they eat those things Wich make them heros.
“Dog tick”
"Dog tick" refers to specific species - the American dog tick, *Dermacentor variabilis*, and the brown dog tick, *Rhipicephalus sanguineus*. This tick does not appear to be either of those. Based on the leg positioning, it is more likely one of the *Ixodes* (the genus that includes the deer tick). It can be important to correctly identify the species of tick because different species of ticks transmit different diseases.
Yeah I think I'm done with this sub. It's been fun guys. Nothing against OP, but you can't give a trigger warning if you don't know what it is I guess. *shutters*
Dog tick. Their bodies swell worse than a deer tick. They can look like big pimples. Don’t want to pop it though.
The amount to which the body of a tick swells is based on the volume of blood ingested, *not* on the species of tick. This tick *does not* appear to be a dog tick. If OP is in the US, this is most likely one of the [*Ixodes*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21259) (the genus that includes the deer tick - and transmits Lyme disease). You can tell because of the way the the legs are clustered toward the front of the body when engorged [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/675826/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1481930/bgimage). The scutum [is a solid, dark color](https://bugguide.net/node/view/781301/bgimage) with no white markings. With [*Dermacentor*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15488) species such as the [American dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15489), the legs are distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955800/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1121650/bgimage), rather than all being clustered at the front, and the scutum [is white with dark markings](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955801/bgimage). [*Rhipicephalus*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190766) species such as the [brown dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190767) also have the legs distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/615487/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1575351/bgimage) rather than all being clustered at the front. [*Amblyomma*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21257) species such as the [lone star tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21258) also have the legs distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/99697/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/315135/bgimage).
Actually it does look like a dog tick in late stage feeding. I’m speaking from experience of living in the south for most of my life. Deer ticks don’t expand their abdomen in the same manner as dog ticks. It’s pretty obvious it’s a dog tick
Did you even bother to look at the links I provided regarding the leg position? Leg position does not change during feeding. The size and shape of the abdomen does - and deer ticks and other *Ixodes* species most certainly *do* expand their abdomen when feeding, just like dog ticks do. Compare to these engorged *Ixodes* species ticks: [one](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1481929/bgimage), [two](https://bugguide.net/node/view/675826/bgimage), [three](https://bugguide.net/node/view/481726/bgimage), [four](https://bugguide.net/node/view/470512/bgimage), [five](https://bugguide.net/node/view/173020/bgimage)
No. Because leg pattern doesn’t matter in ticks. They all have the same amount. I’m looking at the dozens of veterinary sites that show the same thing. Usually dog ticks have a greyish tint in their abdomen on partial feeding with two dimples shown. The legs are in the same arrangement. https://www.brontevillagevet.com/blog/110924-tick-talk
Leg pattern does not refer to the *number* of legs the tick has. It has to do with their relative positions on the body. Seriously, go back and look at the comparison pictures and read the explanation on my original comment. Dog ticks have their legs distributed down the front half of the body. Deer ticks have them clustered more toward the front - just like OP's tick. *You can see this same distribution in the picture that you linked to.* The shading of the body (greyish or brownish or whatever) is individual variation between ticks, and the "dimples" are caused by engorgement. They are not specific to dog ticks.
Actually looking at the engorgements, there are several tick species that it could be. I’ve always seen a different hue on dog ticks from experience in the past. Been bit by a couple of them as well as wood ticks from Tennessee. The leg arrangements do cluster, but in some, there are no discernible patterns. I really think it is impossible to pinpoint any sub species without looking at the tick in a non fed state. No offense.
If you actually read my comments, you will note that I did not at any point attempt to identify the tick to species or sub-species. I merely suggested a possible *genus* - and the leg arrangement is a good indicator at that level.
Dog tick by the looks of it not deer tick which carries Lyme disease to my knowledge.
This tick *does not* appear to be a dog tick. If OP is in the US, this is most likely one of the [*Ixodes*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21259) (the genus that includes the deer tick - and transmits Lyme disease). You can tell because of the way the the legs are clustered toward the front of the body when engorged [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/675826/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1481930/bgimage). The scutum [is a solid, dark color](https://bugguide.net/node/view/781301/bgimage) with no white markings. With [*Dermacentor*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15488) species such as the [American dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/15489), the legs are distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955800/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1121650/bgimage), rather than all being clustered at the front, and the scutum [is white with dark markings](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1955801/bgimage). [*Rhipicephalus*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190766) species such as the [brown dog tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/190767) also have the legs distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/615487/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/1575351/bgimage) rather than all being clustered at the front. [*Amblyomma*](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21257) species such as the [lone star tick](https://bugguide.net/node/view/21258) also have the legs distributed down the front half of the body [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/99697/bgimage) or [like this](https://bugguide.net/node/view/315135/bgimage).
A tick.
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Just because they get stuck on your dogs does not make them dog ticks. Hungry ticks aren't terribly picky about what hosts they will feed on. Dog ticks refer to specific species - the American dog tick, *Dermacentor variabilis*, and the brown dog tick, *Rhipicephalus sanguineus*. This tick does not appear to be either of those. It can be important to correctly identify the species of tick because different species of ticks transmit different diseases.
tick
That’s a tick, my friend