Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Dedicated exclusively to field herping.

Moderator: Scott Waters

Post Reply
User avatar
KingCam
Posts: 1020
Joined: April 11th, 2011, 1:03 pm

Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by KingCam »

I've had a recent Lyme Disease scare and the ticks seems to be especially thick this year already. I need to start using bug spray I suppose. I was wondering if anyone uses Permethrin insect repellent/killer while field herping, and does Permethrin pose a threat to the critters I'll likely be handling? I hope it's safe to use in the field, because apparently it's completely odorless and will last on your clothes for up to 6 washings.
User avatar
Don Becker
Posts: 3312
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 4:21 am
Location: Iowa
Contact:

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by Don Becker »

KingCam wrote:I've had a recent Lyme Disease scare and the ticks seems to be especially thick this year already. I need to start using bug spray I suppose. I was wondering if anyone uses Permethrin insect repellent/killer while field herping, and does Permethrin pose a threat to the critters I'll likely be handling? I hope it's safe to use in the field, because apparently it's completely odorless and will last on your clothes for up to 6 washings.
Yes. It causes problems with their nervous system if there is too much exposure. Spraying it on your clothes may not give them enough exposure, but if you have any on your hands while handling amphibians, you can cause serious issues.
User avatar
Dr. Dark
Posts: 380
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 4:39 pm
Location: Concord TWP, Ohio

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by Dr. Dark »

I've used Permethrin for a couple years now and it works great. Ticks climb on, crawl a few "steps" and drop off. You apply it to your clothes, socks and even boots. You need to use rubber gloves while applying it and hang clothes to dry overnight. I do it in the garage or on the driveway so there is ample ventilation. Hit cuffs, collars, waist and cuffs on pants extra heavy where the little buggers would likely find their way in. Once dry, it is oderless and non-toxic. It supposedly lasts up to six washings. I hate ticks more than any creature on this planet and Permethrin works like a charm!
User avatar
KingCam
Posts: 1020
Joined: April 11th, 2011, 1:03 pm

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by KingCam »

psyon wrote:Yes. It causes problems with their nervous system if there is too much exposure. Spraying it on your clothes may not give them enough exposure, but if you have any on your hands while handling amphibians, you can cause serious issues.
The label warns multiple times against getting any on your skin. You treat (spray) the outside of your clothes with it, let them dry 4 hours, and then apparently the stuff holds up through 6 washes after that. If I were careful not to let any specimens make contact with my clothes do you think there'd be any issues? I certainly don't want to hurt any animals with it.

What about DEET? Is that harmful to herps?
Dr. Dark wrote:I've used Permethrin for a couple years now and it works great. Ticks climb on, crawl a few "steps" and drop off. You apply it to your clothes, socks and even boots. You need to use rubber gloves while applying it and hang clothes to dry overnight. I do it in the garage or on the driveway so there is ample ventilation. Hit cuffs, collars, waist and cuffs on pants extra heavy where the little buggers would likely find their way in. Once dry, it is oderless and non-toxic. It supposedly lasts up to six washings. I hate ticks more than any creature on this planet and Permethrin works like a charm!
Now that's what I like to hear!
User avatar
Don Becker
Posts: 3312
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 4:21 am
Location: Iowa
Contact:

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by Don Becker »

I have directly experience with DEET causing a seizure in a salamander when I had some on my hands after applying it to my head. With the permethrin, I only have experience with it with captive animals. As much as I sweat though, I would be hesitant to have it on my clothing, even dried, then touching animals.
User avatar
KingCam
Posts: 1020
Joined: April 11th, 2011, 1:03 pm

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by KingCam »

psyon wrote:I have directly experience with DEET causing a seizure in a salamander when I had some on my hands after applying it to my head. With the permethrin, I only have experience with it with captive animals. As much as I sweat though, I would be hesitant to have it on my clothing, even dried, then touching animals.
Is there a form of repellent that's safe?
User avatar
Don Becker
Posts: 3312
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 4:21 am
Location: Iowa
Contact:

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by Don Becker »

DEET based stuff is normally used, I just wouldn't use it heavily, and if possible, would wash my hands off after applying it to my body. If other people have had good experiences with Permethrin when dried, then try that. I only know that Permethrin causes neurological problems in high doses, and killed a captive snake trying to get rid of mites while using it. It was my first time using the stuff for mite issues, so I probably over did it, but I would be worried I applied to much to my clothing just the same.
User avatar
withalligators
Posts: 329
Joined: June 29th, 2010, 6:50 am
Location: northern Westchester co., NY

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by withalligators »

If you have to wear permethrin, I would just go ahead and play it safe and not handle stuff, especially amphibs. Deet as well. I imagine you have more leeway with reptiles, especially if you wash them off after. But if you can avoid handling in an especially thick tick year, it would probably be best. Use your judgement with what you know.

Also- Permethrin can cause neurological damge in low doses as well. People used to put the cat flea collars inside hamster cages inside their snake cages to get rid of mites. Then people began realizing that their snakes were never the same again and occassionally dying. So even the incidental transfer from that cause some damage.

Occassionally in the tropics when the mosquitos get overwelming (cahuita anyone? everglades in the summer?) I will wear a rainjacket with some citronella based crap sprayed on my face. Doesn't work too long though, so that's the trade off.

Cheers,
Alex
bewilderbeast
Posts: 121
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 11:22 am

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by bewilderbeast »

Seems pretty extreme... every once and a while I will spray a bit of bugspray on my boots and pant legs but for the most part I just wear long pants try and keep in mind that Ticks happen.

I've never had the Lymes disease scare and maybe that would change my opinion and yet... I have only ever had 1 tick actually get far enough to begin to burrow into me and that was when I was 16 so maybe that says something positive about my technique.

I usually can tell when i should search my pant legs for them. If I walk through some long grass or brush or kneel down to photo something I know I'm likely to have picked up a few and simply pick them off with my fingers and toss em on the ground.

It usually takes a while for them to climb to a spot they actually want to bit you on. Worse case scenario I will find one on my arm or neck after I get into the car to leave a spot.
I try to be aware of where I set my pack or any clothing as they seem to sense the human body odor and climb aboard. I had a small outbreak in my car once from my backpack sitting in the seat all night. funny thing was I hadn't seen one tick on me the day before when I had gone hiking.
if you are hiking in a group, the person in the lead is going to pick up the majority as they latch on to the first warm thing that goes by... I've had 20 on my pants while my buddy behind me had none.

I think that some DEET can help on your pants and boots but awareness is the best defense. We are all out looking for potentially dangerous animals anyway. If you can be aware enough to hike around rattlesnakes and poison oak/ivy, then you should be able to notice the ticks too.

in conclusion; Boots, Long Socks, Long Pants and awareness.
User avatar
Mark Brown
Posts: 567
Joined: June 8th, 2010, 2:15 am
Location: Austin, TX

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by Mark Brown »

bewilderbeast wrote:Seems pretty extreme... every once and a while I will spray a bit of bugspray on my boots and pant legs but for the most part I just wear long pants try and keep in mind that Ticks happen.

I've never had the Lymes disease scare and maybe that would change my opinion and yet... I have only ever had 1 tick actually get far enough to begin to burrow into me and that was when I was 16 so maybe that says something positive about my technique.

I usually can tell when i should search my pant legs for them. If I walk through some long grass or brush or kneel down to photo something I know I'm likely to have picked up a few and simply pick them off with my fingers and toss em on the ground.

It usually takes a while for them to climb to a spot they actually want to bit you on. Worse case scenario I will find one on my arm or neck after I get into the car to leave a spot.
I try to be aware of where I set my pack or any clothing as they seem to sense the human body odor and climb aboard. I had a small outbreak in my car once from my backpack sitting in the seat all night. funny thing was I hadn't seen one tick on me the day before when I had gone hiking.
if you are hiking in a group, the person in the lead is going to pick up the majority as they latch on to the first warm thing that goes by... I've had 20 on my pants while my buddy behind me had none.

I think that some DEET can help on your pants and boots but awareness is the best defense. We are all out looking for potentially dangerous animals anyway. If you can be aware enough to hike around rattlesnakes and poison oak/ivy, then you should be able to notice the ticks too.

in conclusion; Boots, Long Socks, Long Pants and awareness.
Maybe it's different where you are, but around here you have much more to worry about from ticks falling from trees, not climbing up from the ground. I've only had one bad experience with ticks, but it was bad enough - blood poisoning from one that burrowed into my neck just above my hairline.

I don't know anything about Permethrin, but I'd sure be leery about something that toxic in immediate proximity to my skin. The stuff sounds nasty and history is littered with grim examples of "safe chemicals" that turned out not to be.
User avatar
Steve Atkins
Posts: 744
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 5:14 pm
Location: Asheville NC

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by Steve Atkins »

If it's dangerous enough that you need rubber gloves to apply it in your garage, are you sure you want it all over your clothes. I'll take my chances with the ticks, and I'm saying that with a swollen testicle that got infected from a tick bite 2 weeks ago :(
User avatar
SnakeStick
Posts: 355
Joined: August 18th, 2010, 5:35 pm
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Cackalacky

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by SnakeStick »

fox cove 4 wrote:If it's dangerous enough that you need rubber gloves to apply it in your garage, are you sure you want it all over your clothes. I'll take my chances with the ticks, and I'm saying that with a swollen testicle that got infected from a tick bite 2 weeks ago :(
:( That's a bummer. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.

I don't have any experience with permethrin but from what i've read above it sounds like some nasty stuff (not that deet isn't). I have a pair of "herping" pants that I practically douse in bug spray. I've noticed that the mosquitos are more reluctant to land on me but the ticks are still thick as nails. I have to stop and check my pants every five minutes and probably pull off 15+ every outing. The thing that bothers me is that most of the ticks I'm finding on me are SO SMALL. Lymes disease is definitely something I wish to never experience...

I don't have a good prevention method but a cottonball and some dish soap will get an embedded tick out without the risk of breaking off the head.
User avatar
Dusty Rhoads
Posts: 103
Joined: June 15th, 2010, 1:15 pm
Location: Provo, UT and Oxford, MS
Contact:

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by Dusty Rhoads »

KingCam wrote:I've had a recent Lyme Disease scare and the ticks seems to be especially thick this year already. I need to start using bug spray I suppose. I was wondering if anyone uses Permethrin insect repellent/killer while field herping, and does Permethrin pose a threat to the critters I'll likely be handling? I hope it's safe to use in the field, because apparently it's completely odorless and will last on your clothes for up to 6 washings.
I've seen an Eastern Hognose writhe for hours in seizures and then die a fairly violent, long death after being sprayed with Demand CS (a pyrethrin) and then rinsed off, which did not help. I would imagine it's even more harmful to amphibians.
Rick Staub
Posts: 81
Joined: June 9th, 2010, 10:32 am

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by Rick Staub »

A few things to note. First there is a big difference between permethrin and pyrethrin. Pyrethrin is a natural compound extracted from chrysanthemum flowers, while permethrin is a synthetic analog. Both work on the same nerve target but permethrin is a lot more persistent and was basically derived for field use where stability is essential. Both have low acute toxicity in rodents but permethrin is listed as a possible human carcinogen. Translating -- it caused tumors in one rodent model when they were fed real high doses. Hence the label suggesting wearing gloves though it is wise to reduce exposure to any toxic compound. To me the risk from ticks is greater. Pyrethrin sprays also typically contain piperonyl butoxide, which is a synergist that blocks metabolism of pyrethrin allowing it to be toxic longer, but may also have toxic affects itself. AFAIK permethrin sprays marketed for mites do not contain this compound.

Second item to note is that there is a huge difference between low level exposures in the field and direct exposure to high levels in a cage. You cannot correlate between the two. The toxicity of permethrin on snakes has actually been researched at the Dept of Agric labs with respect to studies trying to find poisons for brown tree snakes to control them on Guam. Permethrin was found to be relatively non-toxic to snakes. This further demonstrates that either some keepers are using way to much when they treat their snakes for mites (more likely), or specific species may be more sensitive. It does not take much to work on mites.

Lastly, permethrin is very toxic to fish and likely amphibians, so if it is on your hands and you pick up a salamander you will likely transfer some that may affect the animal. If you are wearing gloves when you apply permethrin to your clothes this should not be a problem unless you are in the habit of continually wiping your hands on your clothes afterwards. Wading into water may release some but these compounds do not have high solubilities in water so they will likely stay mostly bound to your clothes. I do not see an issue handling snakes in the field even if you are a hand wiper. :)
User avatar
FunkyRes
Posts: 1994
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 6:19 am
Location: Redding, CA
Contact:

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by FunkyRes »

psyon wrote:I have directly experience with DEET causing a seizure in a salamander when I had some on my hands after applying it to my head. With the permethrin, I only have experience with it with captive animals. As much as I sweat though, I would be hesitant to have it on my clothing, even dried, then touching animals.
I have directly experienced DEET causing a seizure in me ... maybe I'm a salamander ?? ;)
User avatar
Don Becker
Posts: 3312
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 4:21 am
Location: Iowa
Contact:

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by Don Becker »

FunkyRes wrote:I have directly experienced DEET causing a seizure in me ... maybe I'm a salamander ?? ;)
Just how much did you put on?
User avatar
FunkyRes
Posts: 1994
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 6:19 am
Location: Redding, CA
Contact:

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by FunkyRes »

psyon wrote:
FunkyRes wrote:I have directly experienced DEET causing a seizure in me ... maybe I'm a salamander ?? ;)
Just how much did you put on?
Don't know. It was my first seizure, but epilepsy runs in family.
Neurologist said things like DEET can trigger a seizure in people who already have a disposition, and not to use it again.
User avatar
KingCam
Posts: 1020
Joined: April 11th, 2011, 1:03 pm

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by KingCam »

psyon wrote:I have directly experience with DEET causing a seizure in a salamander when I had some on my hands after applying it to my head. With the permethrin, I only have experience with it with captive animals. As much as I sweat though, I would be hesitant to have it on my clothing, even dried, then touching animals.
I'll definitely avoid using DEET. I don't sweat much.
psyon wrote:I only know that Permethrin causes neurological problems in high doses, and killed a captive snake trying to get rid of mites while using it. It was my first time using the stuff for mite issues, so I probably over did it, but I would be worried I applied to much to my clothing just the same.
Do you feel like wearing treated clothes would likely cause any harm? I don't think that could even be considered moderate exposer, and definitely not a high dose. Or is it? I don't claim to be informed, just making assumptions.

Based on these other stories I do recognize that permethrin is toxic to most herps, but it sounds like it's only toxic in concentrated amounts. If I were to treat a designated set of clothes, let them dry, and wash them once to get the "loose" permethrin off I feel like I wouldn't pose much threat at all to the animals I handle so long as I don't carry them around wrapped up in my shirt. I feel confident in my ability to keep snakes, lizards, salamanders, turtles, etc away from my clothing. On the other hand, I wouldn't want to handle any frogs in fear they may jump onto an article of my clothing.
bewilderbeast wrote:Seems pretty extreme... every once and a while I will spray a bit of bugspray on my boots and pant legs but for the most part I just wear long pants try and keep in mind that Ticks happen.
I dunno, maybe so. I'm not scared of the ticks themselves. It's the disease they could be carrying that scares me. Protecting my health is extremely important to me. Maybe permethrin isn't the best thing for my health either, but I feel if used in moderation and if wearing a non-treated second layer of clothes as a barrier between the permethrin and the skin I could minimize any negative health effects while effectively taking a big step in eliminating the possibility of contracting Lyme Disease, West Nile, or any other number of parasite transmitted diseases/infections.
bewilderbeast wrote:I have only ever had 1 tick actually get far enough to begin to burrow into me and that was when I was 16 so maybe that says something positive about my technique.
I'm in a similar situation. I can't remember the last time I had a tick attach itself to me, but I do remove dozens of them from crawling around on my clothes and skin every outing. (Mosquitoes however, I have a big problem with. The permethrin isn't just for the ticks.) It's also worth mentioning that many Lyme Disease victims report never having known they were bitten, and ~50% of people never show the "bullseye" rash. What if you just missed one, and it happened to be carrying Lyme Disease? Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but to me it seems like a big deal.
bewilderbeast wrote:If you can be aware enough to hike around rattlesnakes and poison oak/ivy, then you should be able to notice the ticks too.
I don't think I agree with that statement, especially when you throw gnats, biting flies, mosquitoes, chiggers, and more into the equation.
Mark Brown wrote:I don't know anything about Permethrin, but I'd sure be leery about something that toxic in immediate proximity to my skin.
I'd definitely want to be wearing a second untreated layer of clothing under the treated layer as a buffer.
Mark Brown wrote:The stuff sounds nasty and history is littered with grim examples of "safe chemicals" that turned out not to be.
Very valid point.
Dusty Rhoads wrote:I've seen an Eastern Hognose writhe for hours in seizures and then die a fairly violent, long death after being sprayed with Demand CS (a pyrethrin) and then rinsed off, which did not help. I would imagine it's even more harmful to amphibians.
Yeah, I'm definitely not planning on spraying any snakes in the face with insecticide :crazyeyes: So no worries there :P
Rick Staub wrote:A few things to note. First there is a big difference between permethrin and pyrethrin. Pyrethrin is a natural compound extracted from chrysanthemum flowers, while permethrin is a synthetic analog. Both work on the same nerve target but permethrin is a lot more persistent and was basically derived for field use where stability is essential. Both have low acute toxicity in rodents but permethrin is listed as a possible human carcinogen. Translating -- it caused tumors in one rodent model when they were fed real high doses. Hence the label suggesting wearing gloves though it is wise to reduce exposure to any toxic compound. To me the risk from ticks is greater. Pyrethrin sprays also typically contain piperonyl butoxide, which is a synergist that blocks metabolism of pyrethrin allowing it to be toxic longer, but may also have toxic affects itself. AFAIK permethrin sprays marketed for mites do not contain this compound.
Fascinating, thanks for the information! Very interesting :mrgreen:
Rick Staub wrote:Second item to note is that there is a huge difference between low level exposures in the field and direct exposure to high levels in a cage. You cannot correlate between the two. The toxicity of permethrin on snakes has actually been researched at the Dept of Agric labs with respect to studies trying to find poisons for brown tree snakes to control them on Guam. Permethrin was found to be relatively non-toxic to snakes. This further demonstrates that either some keepers are using way to much when they treat their snakes for mites (more likely), or specific species may be more sensitive. It does not take much to work on mites.
Exactly what I'm thinking. I'm not going to go into the woods and spray it. I'm not even going to have any on my skin. I'll be wearing a treated set of clothes, and I'll even wash them once after the initial treatment to wash off any excess residue that might be transfered easily.
Rick Staub wrote:Lastly, permethrin is very toxic to fish and likely amphibians, so if it is on your hands and you pick up a salamander you will likely transfer some that may affect the animal. If you are wearing gloves when you apply permethrin to your clothes this should not be a problem unless you are in the habit of continually wiping your hands on your clothes afterwards.
I don't plan to ever apply any to my hands or any other skin. I'd definitely want to do my best not to wipe my hands on my clothes afterwards, but wouldn't 1 wash eliminate most of the residue that would easily transfer to my hands? They claim the stuff will be effective through 6 washes. Maybe I could carry a bottle of something in my pack to rinse my hands with before touching any herps? Ideas?
Rick Staub wrote:Wading into water may release some but these compounds do not have high solubilities in water so they will likely stay mostly bound to your clothes. I do not see an issue handling snakes in the field even if you are a hand wiper. :)
If I'm ever wading I'll have waders or tall boots on. Those will not be treated with permethrin, only the clothes under them. The permethrin treated clothes should never come into contact with any bodies of water.


Thanks everyone for your input and opinions. This forum is always a great source for an education and feedback.

- Cam
User avatar
-EJ
Posts: 1078
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 12:17 pm

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by -EJ »

Thats like a common sense thing.

I was going to ask how you know it effects reptiles that you handle.

Living in GA the last 5 years the stuff has become my buddy this time of year not to mention the heat of the summer.

I've never seen a reaction in a reptile that I handled but that's not to say nothing happened after it went on its way.
psyon wrote:I have directly experience with DEET causing a seizure in a salamander when I had some on my hands after applying it to my head. With the permethrin, I only have experience with it with captive animals. As much as I sweat though, I would be hesitant to have it on my clothing, even dried, then touching animals.
User avatar
FunkyRes
Posts: 1994
Joined: June 7th, 2010, 6:19 am
Location: Redding, CA
Contact:

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by FunkyRes »

KingCam wrote:
bewilderbeast wrote:Seems pretty extreme... every once and a while I will spray a bit of bugspray on my boots and pant legs but for the most part I just wear long pants try and keep in mind that Ticks happen.
I dunno, maybe so. I'm not scared of the ticks themselves. It's the disease they could be carrying that scares me. Protecting my health is extremely important to me. Maybe permethrin isn't the best thing for my health either, but I feel if used in moderation and if wearing a non-treated second layer of clothes as a barrier between the permethrin and the skin I could minimize any negative health effects while effectively taking a big step in eliminating the possibility of contracting Lyme Disease, West Nile, or any other number of parasite transmitted diseases/infections.
It should be noted that lyme disease isn't that much of a problem out here in the west, I believe because Western Fence Lizards act as a biological filter removing the disease from ticks that feed on them. I think they have an enzyme or something in their blood that kills the disease.

I get ticks like no ones business. I usually find them before they burrow but not always. When I get home, I enter into the laundry room, strip into the washing machine (removing any ticks I find and drowning them), head for the shower - first using the mirror to check my back.

And even with all that, it is not uncommon to find a tick on one of my cats a day or two after I go herping.
User avatar
-EJ
Posts: 1078
Joined: June 10th, 2010, 12:17 pm

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by -EJ »

I seem to remember seeing a paper on that...
FunkyRes wrote:
KingCam wrote:
bewilderbeast wrote:Seems pretty extreme... every once and a while I will spray a bit of bugspray on my boots and pant legs but for the most part I just wear long pants try and keep in mind that Ticks happen.
I dunno, maybe so. I'm not scared of the ticks themselves. It's the disease they could be carrying that scares me. Protecting my health is extremely important to me. Maybe permethrin isn't the best thing for my health either, but I feel if used in moderation and if wearing a non-treated second layer of clothes as a barrier between the permethrin and the skin I could minimize any negative health effects while effectively taking a big step in eliminating the possibility of contracting Lyme Disease, West Nile, or any other number of parasite transmitted diseases/infections.
It should be noted that lyme disease isn't that much of a problem out here in the west, I believe because Western Fence Lizards act as a biological filter removing the disease from ticks that feed on them. I think they have an enzyme or something in their blood that kills the disease.

I get ticks like no ones business. I usually find them before they burrow but not always. When I get home, I enter into the laundry room, strip into the washing machine (removing any ticks I find and drowning them), head for the shower - first using the mirror to check my back.

And even with all that, it is not uncommon to find a tick on one of my cats a day or two after I go herping.
User avatar
SnakeStick
Posts: 355
Joined: August 18th, 2010, 5:35 pm
Location: Hilton Head Island, South Cackalacky

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by SnakeStick »

It should be noted that lyme disease isn't that much of a problem out here in the west, I believe because Western Fence Lizards act as a biological filter removing the disease from ticks that feed on them. I think they have an enzyme or something in their blood that kills the disease.
That's amazing and pretty fortunate for all the west coast herpers.
Jimi
Posts: 1955
Joined: December 3rd, 2010, 12:06 pm

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by Jimi »

KingCam-

USE IT. That stuff rocks. I get mine from TravMed.com - the solution that lasts up to 6 weeks. Not the spray-on stuff that's only good for 2 weeks.

Detractors-

Yes, it's nasty nerve poison before it dries on the clothing - you do not want to apply it wet to yourself. But once it dries, you can wear the clothes in the rain, sweat like a hog in them, whatever - it doesn't re-hydrate and cause problems for the clothes-wearer, or presumably, animals.

I've been using that stuff for about 11 years. Including while bird-banding. No problems. These were long-lived, resident birds that we monitored pretty intensely, for years. No effects I could see, at the moment or in the long run. Birds are pretty easy to poison. I felt WAY, WAY better handling animals with the permethrin on my clothes than with DEET.

Cheers,
Jimi
User avatar
KingCam
Posts: 1020
Joined: April 11th, 2011, 1:03 pm

Re: Permethrin and Field Herping - Are they compatible??

Post by KingCam »

Jimi wrote:The solution that lasts up to 6 weeks. Not the spray-on stuff that's only good for 2 weeks.
Thanks!! BassPro didn't have the wash, they only had the spray. I'll order the wash online next time.
Post Reply