do you guys wash your hands after handling your snake

[drache]

I wash my hands before, after, and between certain snakes

[salzar]

me as well
they can smell very good,
and mine has reacted to the smell of lemon oil,and the kind of soap I use , he als does not always readily know it is me if my hair is up. heee to funny... bye salzar

[Thamnophis]

After handling a snake you should wash your hands with water that is at least 45 °Celsius. Use a normal soap and rub your hands with soap for at least ten seconds. Then rinse them off with the warm water.
The soap makes that bacteria, wormeggs, etc. are removed from your hands.

[Stefan-A]

Soap and water is all I use.

I've noticed that after washing my hands, my snakes don't initially seem to know how to react to my hand. Obviously masks the normal smell.

[Cazador]

Hey Mike,

Your mom's right. You should wash your hands before handling your snakes to prevent spreading pathogens to them and afterward for your own health. Even their digestive flora (like ours) can be harmful and/or irritating to you if you digest it or get it in a mucous membrane.

To answer your question, I wash my hands most of the time, but I should be better about it. With new or sick snakes, I ALWAYS wash my hands before and after handling them or cleaning their enclosures. It's a good practice with your snakes, and there aren't many good reasons why NOT to do it.

Rick

[drache]

Hey Mike,
It's a good practice with your snakes, and there aren't many good reasons why NOT to do it.

Rick

well actually . . .
being a health practitioner, I get to wash my hands a lot when I'm not handling snakes, and I get dry skin from it
I do actually try to plan things in order to minimize the necessity of hand washing, because I can't handle snakes with moisturizer on my hands
by the way - that sanitizer stuff does nothing
soap and water and being thorough is where it's at

[adamanteus]

Yeah, soap and water for me too!

[infernalis]

A good topic to bring back out...

I wash before and after, for the reasons already stated.

[katach]

I wash my hands before, between , and after with soap and water. I don't know how the gel sanitizer may or may not effect the snakes, and I'd rather just play it safe.

[infernalis]

May sound funny, but I keep a bottle of dawn dish soap by the bathroom sink, it kills germs and removes virtually everything.

I scrub out my feed boxes and water bowls with it too. rinses away without residue.