salmonella

[drache]

I just got through reading an article on turtles and salmonella and proper hygiene and all that
now I need to add that I am also a health professional trained in the clean needle protocol, according to which one gets to wash ones hands a minimum of four times per patient
and I just realize that the salmonella article left out, that one is supposed to wash ones hands for the entire time it take to sing the happy birthday song ("thoroughly" is not a sufficiently exact term for children)
in addition I have a chronic viral disease that kind of pre-occupies my immune system and puts me into the elevated risk category
and I am all for hand washing
well maybe not "all"
in fact, I think it can be overdone
and I am against hand sanitizers, because they have been shown to be ineffective and can mess with one's natural defenses
I must say that a part of me wants to scream every time I read these hygiene instructions
they imply that I need to disinfect my entire house every time a reptile has been out of it's cage
all that because people used to think it's cute to see their toddler suck on a baby turtle
there's got to be some measure of moderation between the two extremes
I wash my hands after handling reptiles, but I must confess
I do not disinfect my bathroom after I flush a lizard poop
what's the chance of picking up salmonella from a toilet seat given that I don't vomit any more?
the lizard does get to run around the kitchen and I don't disinfect it, because I don't let him on the table and we don't eat on the floor
but according to the article I read, those two items alone qualify me as irresponsible
even worse
I get lizard greens out of the fridge, after just having handled their food dishes
some enterprising germs could easily make it from my fingertips to the back of my hand where they can then jump onto anything in the fridge, hang out on it and proliferate until the food gets washed
and according to the article I read, I should not even be allowed near a reptile cage
I tell you
this is a far cry from getting me out of cleaning the litterbox when I was pregnant - that was just convenient
I "should not be allowed near the reptile or it's cage" - that's fricking paranoid
it makes it seem like salmonelly is out to get us and will leap across distances of what? - 3"? 4"? - what's near? - to accomplish it's evil purposes

all that being said
I think there's a host of other good reasons not to give a toddler a baby turtle

[Charlet_2007]

Never herd that before... we have 20+ mice, 6 rats, 5 snakes, 3 turtles, 3 dogs, 2 cats, 2 Tarantula's, 1 nile montior, 1 box turtle, also with 2 kids ages 1 year old and 2 years old.. We have never gotten sick from anything animal or reptile.. I know some lizards like iguanas carry salmonella tho... but never turtles...

[RZL36]

Turtles carry salmonella. That is why it is illegal to keep them in so many states.

[Stefan-A]

Something like 90% of all reptiles carry salmonella, but the risk is severely exaggerated. Anyway, it's best to just not eat their poo.

[RZL36]

Well said, but I've been growing so fond of it.

I think turtles carry a greater risk b/c they are in the water. The water becomes contaminated and the bacteria reproduce on the turtle itself. However, I really don't know. Not into microbiology.

[Charlet_2007]

thats where you clean the water once a day if not twice lol do not let it get stagnit (spelling?)

no the reason its illegal to keep turtles in soo many states is because they may be native to that state not because of salmonella.. if that was true then no pet store would sell them anywhere... like here in Missouri its illegal buy/sell red ear sliders under 4 inches.. over 4 inches you sell all day long.. because there native here...

Also just like alligators.. you don't have to have a permit to have one here in Missouri.. I live 10 mins from the Arkansas border but, in Arkansas its illegal to have them.. Just depends on the state and its laws...

[RZL36]

In New Jersey, the reason is salmonella.

http://www.state.nj.us/health/cd/documents/njac_823.pdf

[Charlet_2007]

yeah but dogs can have rabies just as well as retiles haveing salmonella but the percentage if retials haveing salmonella is VERRRRRRRRY low.. but you don't see people complaining about the rabies dogs have.. reptiles have a bad rep. anyways its always them that make people sick.. not there own stupidity to buying a reptile then not taking care of it properly and then them blaming the reptile because they get sick...

best way to handle this don't get a reptile if you think your going to contract something from it..

[drache]

Something like 90% of all reptiles carry salmonella, but the risk is severely exaggerated. Anyway, it's best to just not eat their poo.

yeah
precisely my thinking

and
in the article in question they were referring to a state where they prohibit the sale of turtles under 4" carapace length, specifically because the small ones are the ones likely to end up in children's mouths

[Lori P]

W-w-w-what??????

No more poo eating????

But what if I boil it first?????