Medical advice after a Prairie Dog Shoot.
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Broz
Well-Known Member
If you were in grass or weeds they are probably chiggers. They live and hang on the under side or shaded side of leaves or grass. The chiggers are very small and use their saliva to soften the skin to bite. That causes an alergic reaction and a small welt or series of welts that itch like crazy. I use " Chigger-Ex Plus" a cream I get at Walgreens. Nothing cures them but time , but this does help. Don't believe the myth that they are in or under your skin, (although it will feel like it) They could however still be in your sox and transfer to other cloths or bedding. To kill them wash everything in 120 degree plus water.
They suck and expect to enjoy them for 3 weeks or more while healing. If ya scratch enough the scars will last even longer.
Sorry to hear of your misfortune. A repelant with deet will keep em off next time and spray real good at the top of your boots or where you have clothing with elastic.
Good luck!
They suck and expect to enjoy them for 3 weeks or more while healing. If ya scratch enough the scars will last even longer.
Sorry to hear of your misfortune. A repelant with deet will keep em off next time and spray real good at the top of your boots or where you have clothing with elastic.
Good luck!
johnnyk
Well-Known Member
7man,
Sorry to hear about your dilemma! Being from N.C., I've had them several times over. They are quiet the nuisance. This is what I do; I wash with hot water and soap then after I dry off I use the RAID. That's right RAID. The one in the purple can for pets. I figured if it wouldn't hurt Fidoe it wouldn't hurt me. It did get rid of the pest and gave me some relief. "Haw, knock 'im out John".
I sprayed it on the itchy parts (legs/ankles) and then in my hand and rubbed in places I probably shouldn't have (private
) and went to work. Bout 10:30 "things" got mighty hot. Thought I was going to have to drag my arse across the carpet like Fidoe does! Gets hotter than Bengay!
I talked with my buddy who gave me the remedy and after he got through crying with laughter said "you were supposed to wash it off after 20-30 minutes, then go to work!" I called it the Apache treatment....burn 'em out. Good luck. JohnnyK.
Sorry to hear about your dilemma! Being from N.C., I've had them several times over. They are quiet the nuisance. This is what I do; I wash with hot water and soap then after I dry off I use the RAID. That's right RAID. The one in the purple can for pets. I figured if it wouldn't hurt Fidoe it wouldn't hurt me. It did get rid of the pest and gave me some relief. "Haw, knock 'im out John".
I sprayed it on the itchy parts (legs/ankles) and then in my hand and rubbed in places I probably shouldn't have (private
) and went to work. Bout 10:30 "things" got mighty hot. Thought I was going to have to drag my arse across the carpet like Fidoe does! Gets hotter than Bengay!I talked with my buddy who gave me the remedy and after he got through crying with laughter said "you were supposed to wash it off after 20-30 minutes, then go to work!" I called it the Apache treatment....burn 'em out. Good luck. JohnnyK.
LostInSpace278
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2008
- Messages
- 94
I used to get chiggers all the time as a kid. The best remedy I have found, and I have tried many, is right before going to bed, take a hot shower, and spray the affected area with hair spray. This suffocates those lil boogers fairly quickly. The itching may last a couple days but all in all it is the quickest remedy I have found.
Jay Kyle
Well-Known Member
In Egypt there's a real problem with desert fleas biting ankles. The archiologists put flea collars around their ankles to keep them away.
Armed in Utah
Well-Known Member
I call 'em 'No see 'ems'
Knats or what ever bite the hell out of your legs above sock line.....either next time spray bug spray well...or wear long pants......
Knats or what ever bite the hell out of your legs above sock line.....either next time spray bug spray well...or wear long pants......
*Prairie Princess*
Well-Known Member
I feel you pain! We were hunting PD's Sunday and I now have about 20 of the nasty little bites...Talk about intense itching!! here is probably more info than you care to know about them......Happy healing!
*Prairie Princess*
­If you have ever been out in the woods or an open field in spring, summer or fall, you may have gotten chiggers around your waistband or on your ankles. They leave red, itchy bumps on your skin.
Chiggers are the larvae of mites belonging to the suborder prostigmata, commonly called harvest mites or scrub mites. Like ticks and spiders, mites go through three biological stages in their life cycle: They begin as eggs, hatch as larvae, develop into nymphs and finally become adults. Nymph and adult harvest mites feed mostly on plant life and don't bother people or other mammals, but in the larval stage, many of the species in the prostigmata suborder are parasitic. After a parasitic chigger hatches, it finds a good position on tall grass or other vegetation so it can spring onto a passing animal. When it finds an animal, it attaches to the animal to gather the protein it needs to grow into the nymph stage. ­ ­
Chiggers do not burrow under your skin, as many people believe, nor do they feed on animal blood. They actually feed on the fluids in skin cells. To get the fluids, they attach themselves to a skin pore or hair follicle and inject a digestive enzyme that ruptures the cells. The enzyme also hardens the surrounding skin tissue, forming a sort of straw for sucking the skin cell fluids. The whole process irritates the skin, causing an itchy red bump that continues to cause discomfort for several days. Chiggers are only about 1/50th of an inch (0.5 mm) in diameter and so are too small to be seen with the naked eye. This invisibility is the reason so many people believe chiggers burrow under the skin.
You might encounter chiggers in any number of environments, but they are especially concentrated in damp areas with a lot of vegetation. They are attracted to concealed, moist conditions on hosts, too, so they tend to attach to skin under tight clothing, such as socks and underwear, or in concealed areas of the body, such as the groin and the armpits. One way to decrease the chance of chigger bites is to wear loose clothing when you're in the woods or other infested areas. You should also take a shower as soon as you get home from an outdoor expedition, to remove any chiggers before they attach to your skin.
­In North America, chiggers don't spread any diseases to humans, but chigger bites can get infected. You should keep the irritated area clean and refrain as much as possible from scratching. In other parts of the world, chiggers may pose a more serious threat. In some areas of Asia­, for example, certain chigger species carry the disease scrub typhus. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, check an insect and spider field guide to find out what sort of chiggers are in your area.
One commonly known remedy for chigger bites is to apply nail polish to reduce itchiness. This does not kill the chigger or treat the bite in any way. It simply seals the area off from the air, which keeps the sore from itching so badly. If you want to apply something to relieve itching, it's much better to use a salve or cream that contains antihistamines (Caladryl or hydrocortisone salves are the most common). Like nail polish, these treatments will seal the bite from the surrounding air, but they will also help to prevent infection. If the welts continue to irritate you for more than a couple of weeks, they might be infected and you should see a doctor.
*Prairie Princess*
­If you have ever been out in the woods or an open field in spring, summer or fall, you may have gotten chiggers around your waistband or on your ankles. They leave red, itchy bumps on your skin.
Chiggers are the larvae of mites belonging to the suborder prostigmata, commonly called harvest mites or scrub mites. Like ticks and spiders, mites go through three biological stages in their life cycle: They begin as eggs, hatch as larvae, develop into nymphs and finally become adults. Nymph and adult harvest mites feed mostly on plant life and don't bother people or other mammals, but in the larval stage, many of the species in the prostigmata suborder are parasitic. After a parasitic chigger hatches, it finds a good position on tall grass or other vegetation so it can spring onto a passing animal. When it finds an animal, it attaches to the animal to gather the protein it needs to grow into the nymph stage. ­ ­
Chiggers do not burrow under your skin, as many people believe, nor do they feed on animal blood. They actually feed on the fluids in skin cells. To get the fluids, they attach themselves to a skin pore or hair follicle and inject a digestive enzyme that ruptures the cells. The enzyme also hardens the surrounding skin tissue, forming a sort of straw for sucking the skin cell fluids. The whole process irritates the skin, causing an itchy red bump that continues to cause discomfort for several days. Chiggers are only about 1/50th of an inch (0.5 mm) in diameter and so are too small to be seen with the naked eye. This invisibility is the reason so many people believe chiggers burrow under the skin.
You might encounter chiggers in any number of environments, but they are especially concentrated in damp areas with a lot of vegetation. They are attracted to concealed, moist conditions on hosts, too, so they tend to attach to skin under tight clothing, such as socks and underwear, or in concealed areas of the body, such as the groin and the armpits. One way to decrease the chance of chigger bites is to wear loose clothing when you're in the woods or other infested areas. You should also take a shower as soon as you get home from an outdoor expedition, to remove any chiggers before they attach to your skin.
­In North America, chiggers don't spread any diseases to humans, but chigger bites can get infected. You should keep the irritated area clean and refrain as much as possible from scratching. In other parts of the world, chiggers may pose a more serious threat. In some areas of Asia­, for example, certain chigger species carry the disease scrub typhus. If you spend a lot of time outdoors, check an insect and spider field guide to find out what sort of chiggers are in your area.
One commonly known remedy for chigger bites is to apply nail polish to reduce itchiness. This does not kill the chigger or treat the bite in any way. It simply seals the area off from the air, which keeps the sore from itching so badly. If you want to apply something to relieve itching, it's much better to use a salve or cream that contains antihistamines (Caladryl or hydrocortisone salves are the most common). Like nail polish, these treatments will seal the bite from the surrounding air, but they will also help to prevent infection. If the welts continue to irritate you for more than a couple of weeks, they might be infected and you should see a doctor.
Finger nail polish has always worked for me, they usually heal up rather quickly if you get the bits areas covered ASAP and dont ich them!!
Off or anything with deet in it will help prevent the little monsters, have shot dogs with a few guys that even whare flea and tick collors on thier ankle to help prevent chiggers and ticks from being a problem.
Off or anything with deet in it will help prevent the little monsters, have shot dogs with a few guys that even whare flea and tick collors on thier ankle to help prevent chiggers and ticks from being a problem.
Thanks for your input guys,
Just so you guys know I did spray with bug spray, but I could've used more. Actually, I think I'll try and find some good stuff, and spray it on more than once for the day.
I've been using benydryl for the itching. Not brave enough to use the burn'em out method.
Thank you all very much
Just so you guys know I did spray with bug spray, but I could've used more. Actually, I think I'll try and find some good stuff, and spray it on more than once for the day.
I've been using benydryl for the itching. Not brave enough to use the burn'em out method.
Thank you all very much
royinidaho
Well-Known Member
Oh, there was a little chigger
And he wasn't much bigger
Than the head of a tiny pin.
But the bump he raises
Just itches like the blazes,
And that's where the scratch comes in.
Sing to the tune of Polly Wally Doodle
And he wasn't much bigger
Than the head of a tiny pin.
But the bump he raises
Just itches like the blazes,
And that's where the scratch comes in.
Sing to the tune of Polly Wally Doodle
*Prairie Princess*
Well-Known Member
So, I have something called oxygen elements (drops you put in water and drink to help put more oxygen in your system) anyway I was trying to think of what would kill those little buggers and tried these drops on about half the spots, well I about went through the ceiling it stung so bad... gritting my teeth I just went to bed and in the morning... no itch on the ones I put it on!! but the others still itch anytime clothing rub on them..so I guess it worked. (this is a day later and the half I put drops on I don't even know they exist. the other half still itch like mad. I decided I would rather have the couple minutes of intense pain and be done with them than weeks of intense itching.......now I know most of you are probably thinking where do I get the OE, It has to be bought through one of those MLM type venues, but you may be able to find it on ebay or some other similar place..maybe Amazon? I was wondering though if 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide would do the same thing as looking at the label I think it is pretty similar. I don't have any of the 35% on hand, I have to order it on line as they don't carry it locally. It would be interesting to try though..... so I found something that really works! COOL!
*Prairie Princess*
*Prairie Princess*
I got chiggers while at a match in Ohio a couple of years ago and just suffered through it. Nothing seemed to help.
While on a cruise this spring I got what I think were sand fleas and found where amonia helped but it was late at nite and I didn't have any, so I used Windex with amonia d and the itching stopped ;-))) and I went to bed.
While on a cruise this spring I got what I think were sand fleas and found where amonia helped but it was late at nite and I didn't have any, so I used Windex with amonia d and the itching stopped ;-))) and I went to bed.
i worked with a guy who lived to hunt, and he said to stop critters of all types bugs i mean, (an angry ferret in your pants wont be discouraged by this) but at that point itching is the least of your problems lol. he said to take unscented lotion(all lotion smells a little bit i mean no fragrance like flowers or whatever)
im assuming any brand will do, liberally apply it to all the areas susceptable to bites,rub it on and when it dissapears into the skin add just a little more(you know you did it right when the lotion stops dissapearing and there is a little bit left on your skin, so on a 8 hour hunt there will be enough to get through the day he even said it helps with mosquitos i havnt tried this myself but its something you might wanna trygun)
) but at that point itching is the least of your problems lol. he said to take unscented lotion(all lotion smells a little bit i mean no fragrance like flowers or whatever) im assuming any brand will do, liberally apply it to all the areas susceptable to bites,rub it on and when it dissapears into the skin add just a little more(you know you did it right when the lotion stops dissapearing and there is a little bit left on your skin, so on a 8 hour hunt there will be enough to get through the day he even said it helps with mosquitos i havnt tried this myself but its something you might wanna trygun)
