How to remove leeches in Ark: Survival Ascended

In Ark: Survival Ascended, leeches are a real hassle. These pesky bloodsuckers cling to you or creatures you’ve tamed, sapping your health. Knowing how to get rid of them or avoid them altogether is key to staying alive, and it’s very easy to do.

How to remove leeches from yourself in Ark: Survival Ascended

If a leech has latched onto you, you can remove it by finding a heat source like a Campfire or Cooking Pot and stepping into the fire for a short while. The leech will detach and drop off. You’ll take a bit of damage from the fire, but it’s a small price to pay to remove the leech.

Another way to get rid of a leech is to have a friend help out. They can simply interact with you and take the leech out of your inventory. And of course, you can do the same for them. It’s all about teamwork.

How to remove leeches from a creature in Ark: Survival Ascended

To get a leech off a tamed creature, just press and hold the use key—that’s E for PC, Triangle for PlayStation, and Y for Xbox. Then, choose the remove leech option on the inventory menu that pops up.

The method to remove a leech from a tamed creature is just like the one you’d use for other players. While your creature can’t exactly say thanks, you can bet it’s feeling a whole lot better without that pesky leech.

How to protect yourself from leeches in Ark: Survival Ascended

There are two ways you can protect yourself from leeches and avoid having them latch onto you at all.

First, you can craft some Bug Repellant. Just combine six units of Pelt, Hair, or Wool, two Narcotic, four Citronal, and four Rockarrot in a Mortar and Pestle. This mix will give you six.

Second, you can take them out from a distance using ranged weapons like a bow and arrow. A couple of well-aimed shots are usually enough to get the job done here. I didn’t have a bow early on so I used a spear, which was a little trickier to maintain a safe distance with because leeches are quick, but I got the job done eventually.