# Lice Infestation Good Idea?



## PrinPeach (Mar 16, 2008)

I have a question for the bug experts. I'm hoping you could give me some advice. My boyfriend is all excited about the love lice, crabs, animal things and wants us to get them. I'm not sure this is such a good idea. He says these are specially bred and they're not the same kind as homeless people's lice. He says these are bigger and tame. I'd never heard of this before, but he and his buddies are all into it. See the FAQ on lovebugz.net  to explain it better than I can. 
I'm worried but he says it's totally harmless and if I don't like I can just wash them right out with karosene. The web site seems kind of one sided to me and I thought I'd ask somebody else if there's anything I should be concerned about. Are they just harmless fun?


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## myrmecophile (Mar 16, 2008)

Gotta be a joke.


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## PrinPeach (Mar 16, 2008)

*No Joke*

I've seen em crawling around. There a are several internet places devoted to this. My Boyfriend and his friends are crazy but not insane. I see where you're coming from, but people get excited over weird stuff.


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## Hedorah99 (Mar 16, 2008)

myrmecophile said:


> Gotta be a joke.


I second that.


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## cacoseraph (Mar 16, 2008)

it doesn't snopes and i didn't see malarky google hits in the first 50


but... the guys that run the lovebugz site sound like idiots

lice are vampires as far as i know... to selectively breed them to eat dead skin sounds VERY suspicious to me

there was not a species name anywhere on the site that i could find to anchor research to


and... if the lice *are* vampire they could greatly facilitate the spread of blood born diseases, possibly


i personally don't know if it is a joke or not... but the lovebugz site has no useful info and i would not personally do this from them

makes me think of Typhoid Mary a little bit


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## cacoseraph (Mar 16, 2008)

and i still say putting karosene on yoru privates is not a spectacular idea, especially for females =P


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## Hedorah99 (Mar 16, 2008)

The websites probably from the same makers of GenPets


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## PrinPeach (Mar 16, 2008)

I looked around the internet and the official name for this fetish is Formicophilia. AS bug experts, I'd think you'd heard of this.

Look, I know this is pretty fringe but it really goes on. I'm just trying to decide if this is just mildly stupid or life altering permanently dumb. If I don't like it, I can always just wash them out.


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## xchondrox (Mar 16, 2008)

:?  sigh......people never cease to amuse me.


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## thedude (Mar 16, 2008)

id just not do it.. think about it.. do you really want lice or crabs? lol..... itchy stuff.... but if you like the fact that you have little bugs on you sucking your blood and eating your dead skin thats your deal, to each his own i suppose...

i can think up a few names for the person who created the whole idea of parasite fetishes....


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## Matt K (Mar 16, 2008)

I can always count on the human race to dissapoint me in some way or another....

Maybe instead of asking bug keepers if this is a good idea, you should ask a health professional why people normally try to avoid these creatures in the first place.  Your question should be "Why do people in every country, and primates, and birds, and even fish, for that matter, intentionally remove lice from thier bodies? Why not just live and let live with all creatures, including lice and fleas?"

*sigh*


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## Choobaine (Mar 16, 2008)

I am one of the most open minded people in this world (most people just call it weird) but even I see absolutely no fun in this whatsoever. 

It looks VERY questionable, I'd avoid it if I were you. I'd probably give your man a good talking to as well.


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## lucanidae (Mar 16, 2008)

> I looked around the internet and the official name for this fetish is Formicophilia. AS bug experts, I'd think you'd heard of this.


Come on! Really? Formicidae is the family of ants. Thus, Formicophilia is a 'love of ants'. Loosely translated I guess this could mean getting some kind of pleasure out of ants or ant bites or having ants crawl on you....I dunno.

Entomophilia would be the same, except for all insects. And I guess I could coin a new term for you; Anopluraphilia, a love of sucking lice.

I think this is ridiculous.


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## Frédérick (Mar 16, 2008)

haha your boyfriend and his friends are into this? this is pretty funny actually lol  but indeed i wouldn't recommend it...how and where would they be supposed to live anyway (the lice) ?


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## Hedorah99 (Mar 16, 2008)

Please people, stop feeding the troll.


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## pinktoe23 (Mar 16, 2008)

Yeah this is probably a waste of time but the fact this could be real disturbs me so here goes nothing. PrinPeach, if your boyfriend asks you to catch an std from him so everytime you "itch" you can think about him and the bond you share , would you do it? That website must be run by 13 year olds at best, this is how stupid this sounds. Check out the poetryprose thing on their website at the far right(the testimonial ). Have you read this?

Time to ditch this immature boyfriend of yours and get someone who *cares *about your health and comfort. I don't think you should do anything you don't want to and let him pressure you into doing something this dumb :wall: 'Nuff said.


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## thedude (Mar 16, 2008)

pinktoe23 said:


> Yeah this is probably a waste of time but the fact this could be real disturbs me so here goes nothing. PrinPeach, if your boyfriend asks you to catch an std from him so everytime you "itch" you can think about him and the bond you share , would you do it? That website must be run by 13 year olds at best, this is how stupid this sounds. Check out the poetryprose thing on their website at the far right(the testimonial ). Have you read this?
> 
> Time to ditch this immature boyfriend of yours and get someone who *cares *about your health and comfort. I don't think you should do anything you don't want to and let him pressure you into doing something this dumb :wall: 'Nuff said.


yeah i jsut checked the site out..... thats the stupidest thing ive ever seen... thats all i can and will say


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## arachyd (Mar 16, 2008)

I can see how the  whole concept came about....

Spouse 1: And just where were you for 2 hours??? The convenience store is 3 minutes away. 
Spouse 2: The convenience store had such a long line I went to the one across town. 
Spouse 1: That one is only 15 minutes away. 
Spouse 2: Yeah but I couldn't find a parking space and then there was somebody giving the cashier a hard time so it took a while. When I came out I had a flat tire so I had to empty the whole trunk to find the jack and spare, change that and I had to go farther to find a working air pump to fill the spare.
Spouse 1: Why aren't your hands dirty?
Spouse 2: The air pump was at a service station with a bathroom. I scrubbed up for you dear.
Spouse 1: Oh, well ok but it seems like an awfully long time.
Some time later......
Spouse 1: Eeeeeeek!!! What the heck is that!??????
Spouse 2 (Quickly thinking as fast as humanly possible): Oh, those are my new pets! I mail-ordered them last week. They are called Love Bugz because you share them with someone you love. You know you are the only one I will ever share them with because darling I love you.
Spouse 1 (Recognizing an opportunity and thinking even faster than humanly possible): Wow! That is really amazing! I ordered some 2 weeks ago.........


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## Jer (Mar 16, 2008)

Is your boyfriend into crystal meth? I just don't see why someone would want to have lice crawling up their peehole. Try it, and post the results back here. And I thought I knew some weird people.


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## hamfoto (Mar 16, 2008)

This thread is getting dangerously close to being closed...not from bad replies...but from stupidity.
What a ridiculous idea!  One phrase..."thinning the herd".

Chris


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## lucanidae (Mar 16, 2008)

Hey, you've got to admit, Anopluraphilia has a nice ring to it.


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## PrinPeach (Mar 16, 2008)

*Thanks for your input*

Hey, thanks y'all for your input here. 

Nobody has really posted any actual concrete reasons not to do this. I understand its kind of fringe and some of you are a little freaked out. Once you get used to the idea, it seems a lot less strange. I want to repeat that as I understand it, these are NOT your normal homeless person's lice. So a lot of your comments don't apply. But I appreciate them anyway. 

'Entophilia' is the correct term. It has a name so there are lots of others into this or it wouldn't have a name. I'm going to see what its like. If I don't like it, I can always wash them right out.

Thanks again,

Prin


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## hamfoto (Mar 17, 2008)

Just because it has a name associated with it doesn't mean that "lots" of people are into it...

Coprophagia is a term...and I doubt that many people are into this...except detritovores.

And if you're not smart enough to realize that there aren't "modified" or "artificially selected" pubic lice out there...then frankly...you deserve to learn the lesson that lice aren't "fun".

Chris


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## Scythemantis (Mar 17, 2008)

It scares me how many of you gave serious replies to a joke post about a joke website.


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## arachyd (Mar 17, 2008)

The "joke" website has enough on it that someone who easily falls for things without checking them out before trying would be gullible enough to believe what it says. I didn't see any disclaimers anywhere on it saying "beware, this is a joke" or the ever popular "don't try this at home".

As far as concrete reasons they were given but apparently the original poster has already been fooled. I'd think the transmission of diseases would be enough reason. There are no specially bred pubic lice that eat skin flakes and make good pets. Simply washing them out with kerosene is not something you want to do. If it were that easy the companies that make lice shampoos and creams and sprays wouldn't be making a fortune like they are now.

Even if the site is a joke it is a little too realistic. Some people will believe anything they read.


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## cacoseraph (Mar 17, 2008)

Scythemantis said:


> It scares me how many of you gave serious replies to a joke post about a joke website.


how do you know it is a joke?

i snopes and googled and no malarky hits in the first 50-100




i am really disappointed in most of the posters here. this SHOULD be a place someone can come to for info about bugs.  even on the off chance it is a post... hey, YOU don't have to reply

i am kind of leaning towards thinking it *is* a trollish move... because i have given a handful of pretty good reasons and the OP is ignoring them. but... nobody has posted ANYTHING with any kind of proof this is, in fact, bull.

good job guys. way to demonstrate your true love for bugs 






think of it this way... not everybody knows about bugs. most ppl are quite ignorant.  this *could* be someone who is being pressured by her bf into doing something she is not quite sure about and came to get some solid facts to argue with. and you guys made fun of her.  AWESOME!  some real compassion displayed here!


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## Tleilaxu (Mar 17, 2008)

I know those europeans kept the fleas of their significant other back in the day. They know better now. I cannot find that site online that you mentioned about the lice, but dont do it, its just not wise and the fact your BF is into that sorta thing should ring alarm bells.


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## Jer (Mar 18, 2008)

My question is how do you go about intentionally getting crabs?


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## billopelma (Mar 18, 2008)

These bloodsucking itchy parasites have probably been around in their present form for tens of thousands of years. To believe that someone has selectively bred them to circumvent a significant part of their life cycle (bloodsucking) is just being a sucker of a different kind . Would be like claiming to have bred a cat that thrives on eating hay rather than flesh. Possible, I guess, but highly unlikely (though the japanese would the people to pull this off).

 As far as people wanting to host itchy bloodsucking parasites, I bet there's way weirder fetishes out there than that, shrug, whatever...

  I'd be *really* PO'ed, if I got crabs from a friend, coworker or family member who was vectoring them intentionally. According to the CDC and other sources, you can get them from non sexual contact, clothing, towels, sheets, furniture. They can live outside human contact for a day or two, the nits even longer. I've heard rumors the Tijuana locale variety can jump two feet.
 I have a friend who is a paramedic/EMT and I noticed a quite big plastic bag in the middle of his garage, away from everything else. He saw me looking at it and told me that a week ago he had to wrestle around with an OD'ing junkie to get him in the ambulance. Turns out the guy had crabs and he found out only after he had been at home and work for a few days. Hard earned experience had taught them that in addition to topically applied permethrin, all clothing and bedding of his and everyone who had direct contact with him (family, coworkers) had to be isolated for two weeks to break the life cycle of the possible infestation.

 In other words it's not just kero on your crotch to get rid of 'em and you can't always control who you pass them along to. I certainly would not want someone with them in my house, car or work. I consider this socially irresponsible at best and if I personally knew someone doing it I'd probably be giving the local board of heath a phone call...

Bill


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## vvx (Mar 18, 2008)

Jer said:


> My question is how do you go about intentionally getting crabs?


From the site faq:



> Q. How can I get some?
> 
> You are what we call a bug chaser. You want the gift. The best way to get bred is the all natural route. Ask around till you find someone who's got 'em. Then, you know what to do. Just make sure you grind a lot and hold it all the way in for a while afterwards.


Need any more proof it's a troll? "Hey baby, let's get some love bugs." "Oh, that sounds awesome! How do we get them?" "We get to do strangers until we get lucky, awesome eh?" "OH yea baby!!"


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## willywonka (Mar 18, 2008)

PrinPeach said:


> He says these are specially bred and they're not the same kind as homeless people's lice. QUOTE]
> 
> Just from this ignorant statement alone you should have known that he doesn't have a clue what he's talking about.  Lice don't make the distinction between a "homeless" person or a person who is "well off."  Lice will live on anyones head given the chance, just ask any school teacher.


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## Scylla (Mar 18, 2008)

I'm fairly convinced this is a joke.  But on the off chance that it's true, I'll relate my story.  I was working at an airport and handled various imports.  Somewhere along the way, one of the shipments had lice in it and I got bit.  I contracted a disease that had me near death and in the hospital for one month.  The doctors were baffled had given up hope on me and told my family to expect the worst.  Fortunately, One of the best infectious disease doctors in the city happened to pick up my case, and the man literally saved my life.  I then spent the next 2 months on antibiotic IV therapy at home.  My heart lungs, and nervous system were all affected. I spent about 4 months at home recuperating.  My health was shattered and to this day I'm not at pre-illness condition.  Every day is a gift, my friends.  Don't go compromising it.

Kathy


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## Nich (Mar 18, 2008)

PrinPeach, I say go for it!!!!! I think you would have tons of fun with it...you know seeing whos colony gets bigger, who has the biggest, ect. I think you should give it a try


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## Jer (Mar 18, 2008)

It's not a joke. This person is genuinely interested.


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## Aarantula (Mar 18, 2008)

Then they're genuinely insane... 

That's like saying... "Hey guys... where can I get a really cool tape worm?"

I mean WTF? Are parasites becoming the latest in exotic pets??? :?


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## arachyd (Mar 18, 2008)

It started out looking like a sincere quest for professional opinions and advice with "The web site seems kind of one sided to me and I thought I'd ask somebody else if there's anything I should be concerned about. Are they just harmless fun?". 

All the serious replies indicated it is an extremely foolish and unhealthy practice to cultivate pubic lice and that PrinPeach had been lied to. PrinPeach completely ignored all the advice from experienced bug people and posted that no one had given any concrete reasons why it was bad and said "I'm going to see what its like. If I don't like it, I can always wash them right out."

To me that makes it difficult to believe PrinPeach had any intention of seeking advice and makes it very easy to believe this is a troll post.


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## Jer (Mar 19, 2008)

If anyone, and I mean anyone, thinks this is a troll post then you might as well slap yourself silly, and then after silly has been achieved, keep slapping yourself some more, because you desperately need it. PrinPeach has 4 posts on arachnobaords, meaning that their sole purpose of signing up was to receive information on crabs, lice, or whatever you want to call them, and nothing else.

Along with all of you, I see this individuals thread as completely absurd, but that does not mean that we have the right to treat this person as a fool, and call them a troll. Shame on anyone who has called PrinPeach a troll. This person is obviously only interested in their own well being, and signing up to the best insect forum in the world to ask questions is a wise move on their part. Being that this persons post is stange, odd, weird, effed up, and pretty much anything else you can think of, no one, and I mean no one has the right to call this person a troll.


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## vvx (Mar 19, 2008)

Jer said:


> no one, and I mean no one has the right to call this person a troll.


Is the sarcasm not coming through right or are you serious?


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## arachyd (Mar 19, 2008)

Um...trolls typically post only a couple of comments in only  1 topic. Trolls typically start an off-the-wall topic with the intention of stirring up the members of a message board in a way that accomplishes nothing but a lot of posts and ends up with people arguing. If a troll asks for advice they never take the advice offered. This is pretty standard for message boards  all over the net.  If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck  it is most likely a duck. Insulting the people calling a troll a troll is the person who should slap themselves silly.


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## PinkZebraBooty (Mar 19, 2008)

Jer said:


> If anyone, and I mean anyone, thinks this is a troll post then you might as well slap yourself silly, and then after silly has been achieved, keep slapping yourself some more, because you desperately need it. PrinPeach has 4 posts on arachnobaords, meaning that their sole purpose of signing up was to receive information on crabs, lice, or whatever you want to call them, and nothing else.
> 
> Along with all of you, I see this individuals thread as completely absurd, but that does not mean that we have the right to treat this person as a fool, and call them a troll. Shame on anyone who has called PrinPeach a troll. This person is obviously only interested in their own well being, and signing up to the best insect forum in the world to ask questions is a wise move on their part. Being that this persons post is stange, odd, weird, effed up, and pretty much anything else you can think of, no one, and I mean no one has the right to call this person a troll.


Lice lover.


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## PrinPeach (Mar 19, 2008)

*NOT a Troll*


I can't figure out why you people are calling me a troll.
Not a single one of you has ever seen me in person anyway.
So how the hell do you know what I look like???
For your information, I have been told on several ocaisions that I even qualify as "pretty". So take that!
Thank you Jer and Nich and you others who have been nice.
Why do you other people drag how a person looks into this and insult a complete stranger who've you've never seen! c'mon.


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## cacoseraph (Mar 19, 2008)

ok... i pretty much think this is beat into the ground. a lot of ppl have given the original poster a lot of excellent reasons to not do this. 

the first few ppl callign troll had no where near the data points necesary... and i still stand by them being jerks. but now... many data points a trend DO make 


is troll or willfully stupid person. i care about neither =P


so i flip flop.  go ahead and pick up some nits and let us know how it turns out for you   i'd say to take some pics but... ew.


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## billopelma (Mar 19, 2008)

PinPeach, a 'Troll' by internet definition is not a reference to your appearance.
It is a person who intentionally posts a controversial/annoying/whatever topic with the sole purpose of stirring things up and getting people upset. 'Trolling' for trouble so to speak...

While your post could fit this scenario, I for one don't think it is the case here.

Happy scratching...

Bill


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## Jer (Mar 19, 2008)

PrinPeach said:


> I can't figure out why you people are calling me a troll.
> Not a single one of you has ever seen me in person anyway.
> So how the hell do you know what I look like???
> For your information, I have been told on several ocaisions that I even qualify as "pretty". So take that!
> ...


Sorry the forum is full of inconsiderate idiots. When someone doesn't agree with a post, or doesn't understand, it is default for them to revert to the old call them a troll routine. Don't let that scare you away. I would go talk to your doctor and see what they had to say. If no one else can talk you out of it, perhaps they can.


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## AzJohn (Mar 19, 2008)

Remember to fill out a bite report. I think I'd leave out the pictures. 

John


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## AzJohn (Mar 19, 2008)

Aarantula said:


> Then they're genuinely insane...
> 
> That's like saying... "Hey guys... where can I get a really cool tape worm?"
> 
> I mean WTF? Are parasites becoming the latest in exotic pets??? :?


Bot flies are kind of cool.


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## Choobaine (Mar 20, 2008)

PinkZebraBooty is a she.

and this thread is comedy gold.

yeah bot flies fascinate me, I'd love to feel what it's like but I doubt I'd subject myself to it willingly. I'll stick testing assassin bug bites as I normally do


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## Mushroom Spore (Mar 20, 2008)

On the off chance this ISN'T a joke:



PrinPeach said:


> He says these are specially bred and they're not the same kind as homeless people's lice.


There is no such thing as "homeless people's lice." There's just lice, and they'll live on anyone that doesn't bother keeping themselves clean and parasite-free. So yes, if you infest yourself with these things, they ARE in fact the exact same bugs that are crawling around on those icky homeless people.  



PrinPeach said:


> He says these are bigger and tame.


I promise you they have not domesticated lice.



PrinPeach said:


> I'm worried but he says it's totally harmless and if I don't like I can just wash them right out with karosene.


_All of the several hundred other brands and types of kerosene (aviation fuel, coal oil, heating oil, lamp oil, and fuel oil) contain a variety of extremely toxic ingredients, principally benzene and naphtha. These are absorbed though the skin and mucous membrane, and accumulate in the liver and kidneys._ http://www.foreworks.com/liquid.html

The cure is worse than the disease in this case. Your boyfriend is telling you to poison yourself, for heaven's sake!



Jer said:


> Sorry the forum is full of inconsiderate idiots. When someone doesn't agree with a post, or doesn't understand, it is default for them to revert to the old call them a troll routine.


...is THAT why you started calling me a troll for pointing out that you were wrong about something over in Not So Spineless? :?


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## Mat (Mar 20, 2008)

AzJohn said:


> Bot flies are kind of cool.


They certainly are, if they are on (in?) other people.

One of my entomological friends ended up with a human bot-fly maggot in his arm after a visit to South America.  I would bump into him every couple of weeks and take a peek at his "guest" - often you could see the spiracles of the larvae in the base of the wound.  We were all quite looking forward to seeing the resulting fly specimen but unfortunately the maggot decided to emerge out of his arm one day when he was out and about and he was unable to find it....

As for the mallophagaphiles - they must be absolutely barking !  "Hey Honey - Guess what  - I have Crabs - but these are GOOD Crabs"   :clap: 

 

Matt


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## Mushroom Spore (Mar 20, 2008)

Mat said:


> often you could see the spiracles of the larvae in the base of the wound.  We were all quite looking forward to seeing the resulting fly specimen but unfortunately the maggot decided to emerge out of his arm one day when he was out and about and he was unable to find it....


Mother of all that's good and holy.  I would probably have looked at it too, but then I'm prone to giving myself nightmares for life like that, haha. Did it hurt?


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## pinktoe23 (Mar 20, 2008)

Prin, since you're boyfriend is so sure these are *not *your common pubic lice and crabs found on bums, why don't you ask him to give you the *scientific name* of this miracle genetically selected breed of parasitic lice that doesn't feed on your human blood to survive and reproduce? 

This way you could find the exact information your looking for without giving any buts why all the advice given to you in this thread is not applicable to you. 

Surely, he must have it, and must have wanted to educate himself on this exclusive wonder breed..otherwise I'd be inclined to believe he's as gullible for being fooled there is such thing. OR just wants to convince you into believing this lie if his intentions are to try it out and knows you won't acccept otherwise for just for the heck of it. Yeah, he'd def. be looking for your best interests and health in any case.  

Enjoy the severe itching, just don't scratch too much, you dont want to get the region too raw and get any secondary infections  

Some references on what exactly are you willing to get yourself into: 

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000841.htm

http://www.ento.okstate.edu/ddd/insects/pubiclice.htm

And a picture of these harmless "fun" critters! So cute and fuzzy to have crawling and biting your crotch. Not to mention the redness, swelling, marks, bumps and discomfort they'll give you until you get rid of them. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab_louse

http://www.bbc.co.uk/relationships/sex_and_sexual_health/stis_lice.shtml

--Kamil


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## Jer (Mar 21, 2008)

No you are just an idiot.


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## dtknow (Mar 21, 2008)

mods please kill this thread, its bumpin all the goodies down and all that can be said has been said.

Jer: I gotta wonder if you are dragging some outriggers behind your boat, too?


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## Galapoheros (Mar 21, 2008)

I had never heard of the word "troll" used this way before until I came across this site.  It finally came to me that it means, for example, the same as it does when people troll for fish.  It's a "people" fishing lure (something that looks real but isn't) to catch people, like fish, that are fooled and think the "bait" is real.  So the bait caster is reeling the people in and having fun with their catch, ..laughing and being entertained as they read the bait info that looks real.  It's a metaphor.  Not that this is the case.  Even if it is a troll, I don't care, it wouldn't surprise me either way.  Everybody is interesting in their way.  The last dog I had had a bot fly larvae.  I pushed it out and I swear that dog never forgot that.  It seemed to think I was pretty cool after that.


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## dtknow (Mar 21, 2008)

I've always though of the analogy as dragging some tempting tidbit around trying to get a rise off of someone, but anyway.

I've heard alot of those botfly stories. Has anyone seen the photo of one in someone's brain? Could that happen if a botfly laid an egg, say, near your ear?


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## hamfoto (Mar 21, 2008)

This is now over...

Chris


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