How long does it take for a tick to feed fully on a human? - briefly
A fully engorged female Ixodes tick typically needs three to seven days of attachment to a human host to complete its blood meal. The precise period depends on species, ambient temperature, and the host’s immune response.
How long does it take for a tick to feed fully on a human? - in detail
Ticks attach to the skin, insert a barbed hypostome, and begin a prolonged blood meal that can last from several days to over a week, depending on species, life stage, and environmental conditions.
The feeding process proceeds in three phases. In the initial 12–24 hours the tick secures attachment and secretes cement‑like proteins. The next 48–72 hours constitute the slow‑feeding stage, during which the parasite ingests modest volumes of blood while continuously delivering saliva that contains anticoagulants and immunomodulators. The final engorgement phase accelerates dramatically; the tick’s body swells as it consumes the majority of its blood load, often reaching a weight increase of 100‑200 times the unfed mass. Completion of this stage marks detachment and the end of the feeding cycle.
Typical durations for common human‑biting species are:
- Ixodes scapularis (black‑legged tick) – nymphs: 3–5 days; adults: 5–7 days.
- Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) – nymphs: 3–4 days; adults: 5–10 days.
- Amblyomma americanum (lone‑star tick) – nymphs: 2–4 days; adults: 4–8 days.
Factors that can shorten or extend these intervals include ambient temperature (higher temperatures accelerate metabolism), host immune response (increased inflammation may prompt earlier detachment), and the tick’s physiological state (starved ticks may feed more rapidly).
Overall, a fully engorged tick on a human typically requires between three and ten days to complete its blood meal, with adult stages of larger species approaching the upper limit of this range.