What do vegans do about headlice?

[Wellsbells]

Just finished the first round of nit treatment for the term and this has just occurred to me!

Not vegan, but a vegetarian Jain. My very devout grandmother wouldn’t kill any insects that were just going about their business and not causing harm (eg ants, bees), but was happy to swat mosquitoes and murder lice! I think most people in general try to be pragmatic and balance conscience with practicality as much as they consider feasible.

I think someone mentioned about not eating root vegetables. I can’t speak to the rationale behind it for all people who avoid eating root veg, but for Jains it’s not because they think those vegetables feel pain but, rather, because farming root vegetables can be destructive in two ways: (1) digging in the earth can kill worms etc - much more risk of killing animals in the soil than when farming plants above ground level; and (2) if you dig up some root vegetables, it involves destruction of the whole plant (eg carrots), compared to other vegetables which you can pick without destroying the whole plant (eg fruit and veg that grows on trees and bushes).

I'm vegan. I treat them, like everyone else. Veganism allows you to remove parasites.

I don't harm animals as far as practically possible.

(Just to add, I do eat root vegetables. There isn’t really a concept in Jainism of things being forbidden - it’s all a matter of personal choice.)

My vegan friend combed her hair to excess, put them in paper towel and ‘released them in the garden’

It makes me wonder how do vegans do worming treatment as those like creatures as well.

It isn't an original question......just so you know. It's a ridiculous smarmy "gotcha"! Head lice are parasites, I would assume it would fall under the category of "self defense"

Well I try not to ask idiotic baity questions anyway

That's fair. None of your idiotic and baity replies are phrased as questions.

I'm not a vegan

That's a shame, you'd be excellent at it.

I'm vegan. I treat them, like everyone else. Veganism allows you to remove parasites

Phew, looks like the other one was just bonkers.

I’m a vegan, never thought about this before! (Haven’t had lice since I was a child but currently pregnant so I know they’re in my future).

Tbh I think I would draw the line at compassion for head lice. Veganism is about excluding harm to animals ‘as far as possible’, so there are circumstances where vegans will make use of animal products (usually in respect of medicines, or eating crops treated with pesticides etc). I would put head lice under that exemption since the alternative is letting them run riot through not only your own scalp but that if anyone else you get into close enough proximity with.

Keep the nits as pets, they are very tiny, but feed them well and they will grow into lovely big specimen nits.

@donquixotedelamancha

It isn't an original question......just so you know. It's a ridiculous smarmy "gotcha"! Head lice are parasites, I would assume it would fall under the category of "self defense"

Well I try not to ask idiotic baity questions anyway

That's fair. None of your idiotic and baity replies are phrased as questions.

I'm not a vegan

That's a shame, you'd be excellent at it.

I'd be excellent at not eating meat and animal products................ thanks I guess? - Oh look that one's phrased as a question

@schitter I was treating them because they had lice, not sure why anyone would do the treatment for no reason, that stuff is not cheap!

OP look up "sentient being". If it helps you to understand.

OP look up "sentient being". If it helps you to understand.

Well, in fairness, where you draw the line of sentience is very subjective but, regardless, I've never heard of that as a criteria for veganism.

If it were, surely vegans could eat more than vegetarians? Most inverterates, quite a lot of fish and the odd reality TV star would be fair game.

I'm vegan but although I like animals the main reason I don't eat meat is I find meat a bit gross. It reminds me of bits of organs I remove in theatre - which puts me off eating it! I have no idea why I think like this or have made this association - I have though and can't undo it and don't really want to.

However, I do cook meat for dh and dc when it's my turn to cook.

I have no qualms squishing headlice.

I've always wondered what vegans do about drugs and vaccinations. Surely they have all been tested on animals too?

@WhySoSensitive

My vegan friend combed her hair to excess, put them in paper towel and ‘released them in the garden’ ...

Yes but they wouldn't survive and she'd know that, so that's definitely still manslaughter at least.

Or nitslaughter but you know what I mean.

Do you know how many insects are killed when digging up/harvesting vegetables? It's a lot!

@CatMagic

OP look up "sentient being". If it helps you to understand.

Nits know exactly what they're doing

No, vegans don’t consume or use products sourced from the animal kingdom. They’re not pacifists.

@Mistymonday

This vegan doesn’t buy or eat avocados because they are disgusting. Hth.

That's okay, I ate all the ones you didn't buy.

When ds had nits the first time he sobbed because we were killing them.
He said:
"They have mummies and daddies and aunts and uncles and cousins and you're killing them all."

🤣🤣🤣

Anyone else itching now? 😁

@VanGoghsDog but they are harmful to humans, unless you're using a very strange definition of the word harm. They cause pain and discomfort to you and to anybody you hug. How are they not harmful?

Not only pain but they (can) also transmit deseases.

A bit off topic but i have wondered before about how vegans or vegetarians feel when the get a mouthful of midges or accidentally swallow a fly. I don't make a habit of going around with my moth hanging open hoovering up bugs but ive definitely swallowed a few when out running and suddenly faced with a swarm of midges

Do you mean Buddhists OP?
Vegans don't eat animals or animal products. But no one eats headlice.