Ticks.

[Bruuuuce78]

I will be building my outdoor habitat soon for some eastern box turtles. The habitat will be in a wooded area simulating a natural environment. This wooded area is loaded with ticks. Will this be a problem? The area will be pretty big. Probably between 1600 and 4500 square feet. Any info will be appreciated.

 

[exoticsdr]

Wow, that's a huge enclosure. Unless ticks are a problem at the moment in that area specifically, I don't see how they are going to be a problem just because you are housing a group of box turtles there. Where are you located? Would love to see some pictures when you are done building. Doc

 

[Bruuuuce78]

Will do, I'm located in New York. It won't be finished for a couple months at most. I will be working on it a little at a time. Going to rent a bobcat loaded to clear some dead trees but the pain in the butt part is going to be fencing the top. I will need a 7 foot surrounding fence along with a fenced top. I want to double the area as a garden too. Have many predators in the area. i wish it can be as simple as some of the pictures on here of a 2 foot wall. I have coyotes, fox, raccoons, possums, stray dogs, 3 different types of hawks, and Im sure there are others Im forgetting about. I have free ranging chickens so I battle them enough lol.....But the ticks are horrible. I've read that ticks will attach to tortoises and turtles.....and if thats the case I may have a big problem down the road.

 

[EricIvins]

Ticks as in what? Brown Dog Ticks, Deer Ticks, or Ticks that feed on Ectotherms? There is a difference between them all.........

 

[Bruuuuce78]

Deer ticks, American dog ticks, and a small black type which i don't know the name of.....they are small like deer ticks, maybe just a baby dog tick....Not sure if any others...

 

[Bruuuuce78]

Sorry for the bump but I'de like some more input. Can't seem to find anything on the search for this forum or on google....

 

[tortadise]

Ticks are a very difficult thing to rid of. Usually requires harsh chemical treatment which in this case is not an option. If they are not present you need to remove the environment that they would strive in. High grass thick moist bark and hiding spots. The ony recommendation I can think up is to clear the area and a perimeter where the enclosure will be. Scour it down to dirt and use diatomaceous earth around te permiter. My thoughts.

 

[EricIvins]

Deer ticks, American dog ticks, and a small black type which i don't know the name of.....they are small like deer ticks, maybe just a baby dog tick....Not sure if any others...

All the Ticks you've listed feed on warm blooded animals, not Ectotherms.........

I have the same problem, however all the animals other than the Dog and Humans have no issues with Ticks what so ever.......

 

[Bruuuuce78]

Thanks torta for the response....and thanks EricIvins for the input, much appreciated. I can relax now.

 

[Moozillion]

I read in Mother Earth News once that guinea fowl particularly love to eat ticks and allegedly cleared someone's infested homestead garden.

 

[Tom]

I share Mr. Ivins thoughts on this one. All the ticks that I know of are either very host specific, as in they will only parasitize one family or genus, or they are at least specific to endo or ectotherms. I also agree with Moozilion. Guinea fowl, chickens and peafowl will all run around and eat up any ticks and other bugs too.

 

[Bruuuuce78]

I share Mr. Ivins thoughts on this one. All the ticks that I know of are either very host specific, as in they will only parasitize one family or genus, or they are at least specific to endo or ectotherms. I also agree with Moozilion. Guinea fowl, chickens and peafowl will all run around and eat up any ticks and other bugs too.

Yes. I've been doing that for 5 years now. I have 10 free ranging Guineas and 7 free ranging chickens that roam my 5 acres.....They do a good job with the lawn and some wooded areas but they can't do everything.