Statements and advice

Preventing tick bites

Tick bites are usually harmless, but – if not safely removed – can sometimes cause an allergic reaction or serious illness, including infections. The best protection is to prevent tick bites. Find out why tick bite prevention is important, how to protect yourself, and what to do if you’re bitten.

About ticks in Australia

Australia has many species of ticks, most commonly found along Australia’s east coast. The Australian paralysis tick is responsible for more than 95% of bites in eastern Australia and is the leading cause of tick-borne illnesses.

Ticks are around all year. But tick season generally runs from July to December. Tick season varies depending on where you live.

See more information on tick bites and tick bite diseases in humans.

Tick bites in animals

See more information about animal pests and diseases and ehrlichiosis in dogs. Or talk to your veterinary professional.  

Why preventing tick bites is important

Ticks are known to cause illness. Some are caused by ticks in Australia, while others – such as Lyme disease – are caused by ticks only found overseas. 

Ticks in Australia can cause:

Some people suffer from the symptoms of a chronic debilitating illness, which many associate with tick bites. This is called debilitating symptom complexes attributed to ticks (DSCATT).

The most common symptoms DSCATT patients report include: 

Prevention

Protecting yourself

Protect yourself from tick bites when you go outdoors in tick-prone areas by:

  • avoiding bush and long grass, especially after rain
  • preventing children from going into tick-prone areas
  • wearing a wide-brimmed hat and light-coloured protective clothing that fully cover your arms and legs
  • tucking your shirt into your pants and your pants into your socks
  • treating clothing and gear with insecticide permethrin
  • using insect repellent that contains diethyltoluamide (DEET), picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) – always follow the instructions on the label
  • putting your clothes into the dryer for 20 minutes after being in tick-prone areas
  • searching your body for ticks , especially:
    • in and around the hair and ears
    • under the arms
    • inside the belly button
    • around the waist
    • between the legs
    • the back of the knees
  • using camp beds when camping
  • using tick prevention treatments on your pets.

Keeping ticks away from your home

Reduce the risk of ticks around the home by: 

  • keeping overhanging foliage and leaf litter to a minimum
  • mowing lawns regularly
  • installing animal-proof fencing to prevent host animals (such as bandicoots and rabbits) coming into the yard
  • eliminating rats
  • applying insecticides to areas where ticks occur – ensuring that the label states the product is suitable for controlling ticks
  • getting a professional pest controller in, if needed.

Watch a video on preventing tick bites. 

If you’re bitten by a tick

Removing ticks correctly and as soon as possible is important to minimise the risk of allergic reactions and serious disease.

Australia has different recommendations for removing ticks than the rest of the world, because the Australian paralysis tick causes specific challenges.

What to do

Tick bites can cause anaphylaxis – this is a medical emergency. If you have a tick allergy, get urgent medical help as soon as you spot an attached tick. Do not disturb the tick or try to remove it.

If you don’t have a tick allergy, freeze the tick to kill it where it is with ether-containing sprays available in pharmacies. This should kill the tick and cause it to drop off. 

Once the tick is off your skin, wash the area with soap and water.

If you can’t freeze the tick, leave it in place without disturbing it, and seek urgent medical help.

What not to do

Do not:

  • scratch or disturb a tick
  • try to pull the tick out with household tweezers, fingernails or other tick-removal gadgets
  • squeeze the body of the tick
  • use irritant chemicals like methylated spirits, kerosene, petroleum jelly, nail polish, oil or alcohol – these don’t work and cause the tick to burrow deeper.

These actions may make the tick inject its saliva into you, which could cause an allergic reaction or increase the chance of disease.

Watch a video on safely removing ticks. 

Resources

For more information about ticks in Australia, see: 

For information on tick-borne diseases endemic to other countries, see:

See Smartraveller for tips on travelling safely.

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