This weekend I was catching up on tree trimming and yard work. I have a huge blue agave I typically use a machete or serrated steak knife to trim. But what the heck I already had the chain saw running and in my hands. No need to get another tool to trim a little agave. So I went at the first 6 foot leaf or what ever you want to call it. Thought wow that's a great idea. Cut it up into smaller 1 foot sections easier to handle. Started on the next one and so fourth. About a min or two into it I feel stinging like I am getting bit by an ant. I wipe at it and knock the debris from my hair thinking I smushed the little bugger and went back at it. Then I felt more stinging. And it was increasing intensity. I now felt this stinging in my arms too! I am now in pain and feel like 100s of ants or bugs are stinging me over and over. I turn the saw off and start swatting and wiping and I don't see any ants. I don't see anything except saw dust and splatters of agave. But I am now on fire!!!! I am starting to freak out a little. I run to the water hose and start rinsing my entire body and stripping down. I know my wife is in the bed room so I tap on the window and motion her to come out. She knew something was not right when she opened the blinds Nd I have my shirt off standing with hose in my hand and taking a bath in the yard with my boots on. She comes out and I tell her I have no idea what is going on but I am on fire. She goes and gets aloe from the fridge. The cool aloe feels good for a sec, but the burning stinging crawling flesh feeling is still there. I strip down and head for the shower. The cold water was amazing. Puzzled I come back out after getting my self under control to check out the area. I have trimmed agave 100 times! Must of gotten into some kind of tiny bugs. I search the area and can not find any offending critters. Then for the heck of it I started googling. Low and behold its that devil spiked demon that caused the pain. I now have a huge rash where ever the agave pulp was thrown on my skin. Starting to blister now. My ankles to right under my knee and both arms. Just thankful my beard blocked the offending pulp from my face.I would rather weed eat a 100 yard fence covered in poison ivy naked then cut one more agave leaf with a chain saw. You now have been warned!!
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ouch.... never heard of this.. -
Had the same thing happen to me cutting up a agave (century plant) trunk that had just bloomed out.
Nasty stuff when green.Comment
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That sounds rough, and I thought the thread would be about making homeade tequila or something like that.Comment
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well crap, here i thought i had poison ivy on my ankles and a few places on my left arm.
blisters into red "ant bit" looking whelps???
very red whelps unlike pinkish poison ivy blisters?
mine has that GOOD feeling when hot water is run over it though.
weed eating the area that has several Agave occasionally hitting the stalks... hmmmmmm
googled. sure looks like it from some of the pictures i see.
that corner of the backyard is going to get re-decorated !
thanks for the heads up! Hope you heal up well. i can't imagine having gone after them with a chainsaw and feeling like i feel with the few i have. maybe 50Last edited by wassaw; 07-29-2014, 01:40 PM.Comment
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it's a deal: No Agave cutting for me !!!Comment
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did the same thing. although not with a chainsaw. weedeater, for several months at the new house. mine didnt start immediatly which is why it was hard to find the culprit. a day or so later though and i'd have hundred of tiny red bumps on any exposed skin. never had something itch so bad.
heads up... mine would itch for about 2 weeks.
since then i've removed just about all of them with a machette and shovel.Comment
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bag some of that up and send it here... like to introduce it to a couple peoples underwear drawers...Comment
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pics???Comment
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Here is a pic of my right wrist. Not as bad as my legs. The crap was being thrown down from the bottom of the chain saw so my arms are not as bad.
For those of you that had done this before, what helped the most? I feel like fire ants are crawling up my right leg
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Thank god I am hairy. You can see where there is hair the demon juice could not get to my flesh.Comment
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you want pics of someones underwear drawer? you sick freak....Originally posted by blntrey3 View Post
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I'm on day 4 since weedeating and it itches like day 1.
I have been using the Ivy Dry spray. knocks it down a little
like you describe, it feels like ant bites. burn/itch at the same time
left ankle
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Can't remember what I used other than a lot of cold showers.
I did learn that I would never try and cut one down again.
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Yea I clicked cause I grab drinks at the Blue Agave in Rio at Ipenema Beach frequently. Not sure of your question and solution .Comment
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