WASH YOUR HANDS! hygiene/ sanitation tips for the reptile owner.

[CowBoyWay]

WASH YOUR HANDS! Hygiene (Hi Gene!) Sanitation tips for the reptile owner.

The following is a list of recommended hygiene/ sanitation tips for the reptile owner. imho.

*One should always wash your hands after handling the reptile, its dishes, or its cage.

* Young children should not handle reptiles unless under adult supervision to ensure good hygiene techniques.

* Protective gloves and dust protection while cleaning the reptile habitat is a pretty good idea to reduce the possibility of "Zoonotic disease" cross - transmission related reasoning.

* Disinfect the cage and dishes with a 1:10 dilution of bleach in tap water then rinse very well with plain water.

* Water and fecal material should be flushed down the toilet,
put a bump of bleach in the toilet afterwords, or those little toilet bowl flush the water blue sanitizer thinga ma jigs..
death to bacteria!

* Reptiles, should not be housed or treated in the kitchen.

* The reptile should have a swimming container of its own rather than using the bathtub, if your into swimming your Corn Snake for excercize occasionally.

* Habitats should be designed with sanitation in mind;
i.e., build with nonporous surfaces whenever possible,
construct the cage with ease of changing substrate and ease of animal capture in mind,
ensure good ventilation and temperature and humidity control.


Any others tips come to mind?

 

[QuickSilver]

We wash our hands "before" handling our snake, also, not just "after". Why? I think it's just as fair to worry about not transfering something to our snake. Also, if you have rodent pets or have handled a rodent, wash first or your hands will smell too good to a snake.

 

[CowBoyWay]

Good point...

*One should always wash your hands after handling the reptile, its dishes, or its cage.

It should probably read instead;

*One should always wash your hands before and after handling the reptile, its dishes, or its cage.
The Cross transference of harmful microbes can work both ways.
Washing ones hands is a good husbandry practice, that is also applicable to rodents, before and definitely after handling the thawed mice carcasses.

I always wash my hands before and after handling my corns, many times even between snakes.
I've thought of doing it during handling, but I figured the Corn wouldn't like that soap in his eye hehe

I've recently have been using a pump bottle of Aloe Vera gel and have added 20 drops of G.S.E. (grapefruit seed extract) to the pint (1/2 liter) for a quick hand sanitizer type thing, to use between the handling of the various corns.

 

[woodworm]

My opinion:
the more afraid one is, the more unpleasant things happen to him

My kids are playing out in the garden, in the fields. I dont wanna know in what kind of stuff they put their fingers.
They are healthy and they dont get ill so fast.

I think snakes should be handled with care, but maybe the chemical products you use are more dangerous then the stuff I have under my nails.

 

[dartguy]

Its true that....

Not meaning to encourage sloppiness, but, the more 'sterile' one keeps their house, the less resistant a childs immune system is to infection and illness.

My kids are playing out in the garden, in the fields. I dont wanna know in what kind of stuff they put their fingers.

All within reason though.

 

[CowBoyWay]

Moderation in everything...

Taken from the National Reptile & Amphibian Advisory Council's website...

Recommendations for Preventing Transmission
of Salmonella from Reptiles to Humans

Keeping any pet poses a variety of health risks regardless of whether that pet is a dog, cat, bird, or reptile.

While occurring in far fewer instances than dog bites, or other pet related injuries and illness, reptile associated Salmonellosis does pose a risk to anyone that keeps or handles reptiles and amphibians.

According to the Center for Disease Control(CDC) their projected data shows a significant increase in salmonella cases over the last 10 years.

While some of this increase can be attributed to advances in technology, improved reporting systems, and increased physician awareness, a significant rise is due to the increased popularity of keeping reptiles and amphibians as pets.

Many organizations would have you believe that reptile associated salmonella is such a risk that possession of reptiles by the general public should be banned or significantly restricted.

The CDC does NOT make that statement.

Based on CDC supplied data its becomes obvious that the threat posed by keeping reptiles and amphibians is much less significant than the risks associated with owning either dogs or cats.

{(Hey, thats well worth repeating on the CORNSNAKES.COM Forum, so lets do it, what the Dell...)

Based on CDC supplied data its becomes obvious that the threat posed by keeping reptiles and amphibians is much less significant than the risks associated with owning either dogs or cats. }



By following the CDC recommendations below you should DRAMATICALLY decrease the risk of infection to yourself and your family.

Center For Disease Control Recommendations

* Pet store owners, veterinarians, and pediatricians should provide information to owners and potential purchasers of reptiles about the risk for acquiring salmonellosis from reptiles.

* Persons should always wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling reptiles or reptile cages.

* Persons at increased risk for infection or serious complications of salmonellosis (e.g., children aged less than 5 years and immunocompromised persons) should avoid contact with reptiles.

* Pet reptiles should be kept out of households where children aged less than 5 years or immunocompromised persons live. Families expecting a new child should remove the pet reptile from the home before the infant arrives.

* Pet reptiles should not be kept in child care centers.

* Pet reptiles should not be allowed to roam freely throughout the home or living area.

* Pet reptiles should be kept out of kitchens and other food-preparation areas to prevent contamination.
Kitchen sinks should not be used to bathe reptiles or to wash their dishes, cages, or aquariums.
If bathtubs are used for these purposes, they should be cleaned thoroughly and disinfected with bleach.

NRAAC supports the CDC recommendations and asks that you not only follow them, but you make sure that your local breeder, dealer, and pet store are aware of these recommendations as well.

Education is the key to keeping the hobby of keeping reptiles and amphibians a safe and enjoyable hobby for everyone.

For further information regarding reptile associated Salmonellosis at the Center for Disease Control please visit the addresses below.

* http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/fact/salmonel.htm
CDC Media Relations: Questions and Answers about Salmonellosis

* http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/salmonellosis_g.htm
Salmonellosis- General

* http://www.cdcc.gov/ncidod/diseases/FOODBORN/salmon.htm
Salmonelosis

* http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4844a1.htm
Reptile-Associated Salmonellosis -- Selected States, 1996-1998

* http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4845a5.htm
Errata for above: Vol. 48, No. 44

* http://wonderder.cdc.gov/wonder/prevguid/m0037004/entire.htm
Reptile-Associated Salmonellosis -- Selected States, 1994-1995

* http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00037004.htm
Reptile-Associated Salmonellosis -- Selected States, 1994-1995

* http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol5no1/grant.htm
Preventing Zoonotic Diseases in Immunocompromised Persons: The Role of Physicians and Veterinarians

http://www.nraac.org/salmonella.html:

I realise that none of this will build the immune system of a corn snake by subtle vaccination like exposures to relevant microbes...There is no vaccine to prevent salmonellosis.

Just how common is salmonellosis?

Salmonella can be secreted from reptiles through saliva and waste products.

People become infected with the bacteria when they touch a reptile and then put their hands in their mouth.

Salmonella also can be transmitted when the reptile secretions contaminate surfaces within the house.

Every year, approximately 40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported in the United States.
Because many milder cases are not diagnosed or reported, the actual number of infections may be twenty or more times greater.
Salmonellosis is more common in the summer than winter.

Children are the most likely to get salmonellosis.
Young children, the elderly, and the immunocompromised are the most likely to have severe infections.

It is estimated that approximately 1,000 persons die each year with acute salmonellosis.

 

[dartguy]

WOW

I think I've failed on many of those on your list

I never wash my hands after hanling my snakes,

I let my snakes come and go as they please

AND

I often let them watch me make dinner cause they like it so much....they told me



just kidding

ANYHOW...all very good things to think about when owning reptiles

Thanks cowboy!!