Handling your snake whilst you are ill

[Desertstrike]

I take it this is a very bad idea?
I wasn't sure if snakes can catch your germs and have them translated into their body.

I have the beginnings of a sore throat and a cold coming on, and Absinthe (snake) needs handling at least every other day to stop her from striking at you at the moment, which is how young she is...do I have the green light to hold her or...?

 

[Joba]

I'll defer to the experts, but I doubt we would share common diseases with snakes.

 

[AliCat37]

The snake can't get anything you have.

 

[captainjack0000]

Absinthe (snake) needs handling at least every other day to stop her from striking at you at the moment, which is how young she is

Something seems amiss about this statement. I thought hatchlings could be calm.

???

 

[Desertstrike]

Something seems amiss about this statement. I thought hatchlings could be calm.

???

I got her from a pet shop, and I have only had her just under a month, she's starting to learn that not all handlings are rough or full of nerves.
New people, new places, she's settling down nicely now.

 

[Charlotte]

We are mammals, snakes are reptiles, completely different immune systems/host of illnesses. I've never even given anything to my dog who's also a mammal. I've never worried about it.

 

[captainjack0000]

We are mammals, snakes are reptiles, completely different immune systems/host of illnesses

What about avian flu? I think you'll be fine, but diseases can jump from animal to animal.

 

[MysticExotics]

I personally restrict handling if I have any type of sinus infection going on.

 

[HVani]

There are only a few zoonotic(diseases people can get from animals) diseases out there. The most common one associated with reptiles being salmonella.

I don't think something like the common cold even has a chance of infecting your snake. The diseases that infect us are just too different with some rare exceptions (rabies, salmonella ect).

You are fine. If you are really worried just wash your hands really well before handling.

 

[BugAyedBradshaw]

We are mammals, snakes are reptiles, completely different immune systems/host of illnesses. I've never even given anything to my dog who's also a mammal. I've never worried about it.

That's partly true.....snakes can carry lime disease. That is something we CAN catch.

In answer to the original poster, it's a good idea to wash your hands prior too handling your snake in case theres something possibly harmful on your hands (or maybe your hands smell like food and mistakes you for din-din). And because of the lime disease concern, I wash after as well.

Just some knowledge I've heard from people, and just common sense.

 

[BugAyedBradshaw]

Correction: LYME disease

After further research, Salmonella can also come from corn snakes.

 

[toxiclight]

I tend to not handle my snakes when I'm ill...mostly because I generally sneeze a great deal and I don't want to startle or drop them (my sneezes come in multiples). I'm not so much worried about transmitting germs to them.

 

[7legion77]

I can tell you this much:

Don't handle when under the influence! Snakes are so sneaky & silent its kind of easy to forget about them. I've lost my snake several times due to inattentive handling. Pay attention to your state of my mind before you pick up your snake.

I think handling is more of an art, we should keep it stress-free for the snake. If we handle our snakes casually, we may inadvertently cause them undue stress. Its easy to be kind of oblivious about it.