• BreadOven@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Once I was in some rock pool, wearing some old converse with holes in them because of the rocks.

      I must have stepped in a nest or something, because when I took the shoes off I had like 50 tiny (like rice-sized) leeches on one of my feet.

      Thankfully they came off easily.

        • BreadOven@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          Thankfully I don’t think I’ve had any that attached. I think salt also works to get them off/dry them out?

          • IninewCrow@lemmy.ca
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            9 months ago

            Don’t use salt, fire or lighters on leeches. The leech is attached, gave you a light anesthetic, punched a hole through your skin to a blood vessel and now drinking the blood by sucking through the hole. When you use salt or fire in the leech, you’re shocking it with extreme pain which makes it vomit through the hole it’s sucking on … basically puking into your body. This has the danger of causing an infection or even a reaction to whatever was in the leech stuff that went back into your body.

            Carefully and slowly pinching and nudging them is the safest way to get them off.

            • BreadOven@lemmy.world
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              8 months ago

              Interesting. Good to know. I haven’t removed one with salt in decades probably, but I will remember this. Thanks.

    • threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works
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      9 months ago

      stretching their little proboscides up and flop around like a slow version of those inflatable airdancers used to advertise car dealerships

      Thank you for this vivid description. Yet another reason for me to tuck my pants into my socks.