Coping With Leeches

B

brian w edginton

Joined
Nov 8, 1998
Messages
770
In my part of Australia, we are blessed with a wide variety of wildlife. One of my least favorite is the leech. Not top of the list ,mind....but on the list. I prefer snakes....snakes don't seek you out and will take off if given the option.
Assuming leeches are the same the world over, how do you hardcore bushbashers cope ?
Do you have a secret for keeping them at bay or do you, simply, destroy them as you find them.
I have seen them, actually, work their way through the weave of denim. And, if your footwear has drain holes, you are gonna get bloody sox..
Our local variety, BTW, doesn't require really wet conditions....damp ground under a canopy will do.
Next week we will talk about paralysis ticks
smile.gif



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BrianWE
ICQ #21525343


 
I have not tried this but I have heard that if you wear a pair of pantyhose underneath your pants the leeches can bite throught the pantyhose, I heard this from a man that spent a great deal of time in VietName so I think that he is probably right. but her give it a try the only thig it can hurt is you pride. best of luck. Geoff.
 
Could be right!
I look forward to confirmation from someone who has tried it.

As a matter of interest,Surf Lifesavers (Lifeguards) in our tropical north have been known to wear pantyhose as a defense against sea stingers like the box jellyfish (the sting of which has been known to kill)

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BrianWE
ICQ #21525343


 
If the pantyhose don't work, and a leech attaches itself, bear this in mind:

Leeches attach themselves with their jaws and release an anticoagulant called hirudin (leeches belong to the class Hirudinea) which allows the blood to flow without significant pain; they let go and drop off when they are engorged. They can be encouraged to let go with a little bit of alcohol, or vinegar, or the judicious application of a match flame. Residual bleeding from the wound can be stopped with simple pressure. Apart from their sheer grossness, leeches pose two problems.

-- People can become sensitized to the hirudin, which can then cause hives, swelling, necrosis, or even anaphylactic shock.

-- The bites can become infected, especially if the leech is pulled off and its jaw parts are left behind. You should make sure all jaw parts are removed, and clean the wound several times a day with an antiseptic, such as povidone iodine.

Greg? Ron? Jeff? Walt? Any thoughts?

[This message has been edited by Walks Slowly (edited 07 December 1999).]
 
Walks Slowly,

Excellent answer. I have nothing to add.

I also know someone who wears panty hose...In fact I gave him a call when I saw it on one of his tapes.....I won't mention his name.

Hey Ron, ever done the panty hose things to avoid leeches? :>)

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Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?

 
Thanks, fellas. Some good advice, there.
I was hoping that there was something easy like a chemical repellent. Oh, well....
smile.gif


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BrianWE
ICQ #21525343


 
Greg is still suffereing the effects of his narcotic binge. I think he is trying to actualize a dream of his with regards to those panty hose ;>

Now to the facts... Yeah, tight supphose type panty hose work OK. The trek to the base of Everest is along trails that support many types of leeches. They worked fine there for me as they have in other areas where there were leeches. They are also warm in cold weather and slow down guys like Greg when they jump on your back. I found that if I rub my legs with lemon juice they were less likely to jump on but the lemon juice is only temporary.

There's much more I could say but I need to go vomit now :>

Ron



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Learn Life Extension at:

http://www.survival.com ]
 
Now Ron,

You promised you wouldn't tell how I got my herniated disc!!!!

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Greg Davenport
http://www.ssurvival.com
Are You Ready For The Challenge?
Are You Ready To Learn The Art Of Wilderness Survival?

 
Here in Montana we have ticks instead of leaches. My buddy says wearing flea collars (like for dogs) on the bottom of your pants legs well keep ticks off. Me, I just use rubber bands, which slows them down anyway.
 
Brian:

There's something I've always wanted to ask a person from Australia... Why is Australia full of deadly(not just dangerous) animals, plants, amphibians, and ocean/river life?!?
Too date I've heard about box jellyfish, Taipans, crocs, great white sharks, this paralysis tick that you mentioned, various trees/palnts that will kill you, that large bird that can kick you to death, a kangaroo that can also kill you....etc, etc. I wouldn't mind visiting the outback, but I think I'd carry a very good rifle and a well supplied doctor! How often do people get killed by the above mentioned stuff?



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K. Williams
kel620@aol.com
Modern Arnis Student
 
Wow!
Tough question.....no idea why we have all those "horrors".
They do exist, of course, but the incidence of death caused by by the mentioned animals is pretty rare.
And it is a big country (about the size of the contiguous US states combined) so the hazards are spread out a bit. For instance, the maneating crocs are all in tropical areas and, mainly in and around estuaries. The inland (freshwater) specie is almost harmless...nasty bite if you annoy them enough.
Killer kangaroos ? I suppose, If you tried hard enough, you could get one to kill you when he was cornered. Attacks are extremely rare. I once saw footage of a rabbit attacking and killing a snake....same sort of odds, I imagine.
Emus are a large, powerfull bird with strong legs and big claws.....see the comments on kangaroos. Same odds.
Snakes ? We have, I am lead to believe, the 10 most deadly in the world. But they are, generally timid and will avoid humans wherever possible. I don't have stats but I would be surprised if there would be 30 bites per year and a couple of deaths...India has thousands.
I have never met any one who has died from the bite of a spider, tick or any of the other nasty crawlies. It happens, occasionally.
Box jellyfish are another tropical inhabitant and avoiding saltwater during the season avoids the risk. A fit adult usually survives but, I am sure, the incident is never forgotten.

On the other hand, we don't have any large carnivores like the big cats. Well, there is the feral pig...I have heard stories of campers being rolled over while sleeping on the ground. But you would have to stay awefully still for a long while to be in danger of being consumed
smile.gif

They have been known to attack humans when they are protecting young but I have not heard of fatalities.

Couple of shark attacks per year....but, if you consider the number of Australians who participate in sea sports, the numbers are insignificant. Unless one of them is you
smile.gif


No Brown bears or grizzlies, either.

Oh, yeah....the dingo. The dingo has a healthy fear of humans and is not a problem.
Except in areas where dumb humans make efforts to "befriend" them by feeding. They don't become tame but lose their fear of people. Most tourist areas have reviewed their tourist education policies since the famous "dingo and the baby" case and forbid feeding.


Frankly, the real danger in the Outback is the environment. Careless tourists go missing in arid country more often than should be necessary. If they are not found quickly, heatstroke and lack of water are killers.

And as for carrying a firearm for protection: not necessary, And illegal except on private property where you have permission to shoot. And you better have a valid firearms licence.



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BrianWE
ICQ #21525343


 
Brian:

Thanks for the reply. I guess Australia isn't as dangerous as I thought! :) About the kangaroo, I've heard that they can cause major damage with their legs and powerful tail.

K. Williams
 
KW

As far as I know, the roo doesn't use its tail like a crocodile. What it does is grasp an opponent with its arms, rock back on the tail and rake forward with the hind legs and large nails. I often see them practicing this among themselves. It is, primarily, a mating competition thing.
It can do a lot of damage. I have heard of dogs' being disembowled. Speaking of dogs, I have heard of cases where the roos lured dogs into the water and drowned them by holding them under with their arms.
But all this is defensive...except with mating fights among rival males.

I just remembered a bit I saw from a British TV show.....they introduced a large roo to a bloke in a bear suit (or similar)....he was some well-known character from kids' TV.
The roo seemed to take a dislike the the other large, hairy creature and attacked. It took a couple of handlers to seperate them. The man was saved from being gutted by the heavy padding of the suit. Was rather funny, actually
smile.gif


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BrianWE
ICQ #21525343


 
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