Do you wash your hands after handling herps? - Page 2

ydnic · 10-20-04, 05:37 PM

i dunno I think the chance that there is pee or something on it (i don`t bath my snakes daily) is a good reason to wash up

but I just don`t like pee lol

concept3 · 10-20-04, 05:38 PM

If im going to handle another herp I will, but not if i olny handle the one. I would lick anyone of my snakes or lizards to prove the point I wont get sick from them. But then again Im on Brents side Ive never seen a germ so I dont beleive in them LOL.

Bartman · 10-20-04, 05:42 PM

I think that myth comes from turtles, gators, or anything aquatic because they swim in their crap all day so germs would build up. I dont think its the same for snakes/lizards unless the tanks a real mess or its sitting in its crap.

marisa · 10-20-04, 05:43 PM

I think hand washing after holding a reptile is just plain good hygiene. LOL. Not myth pushing.

I am not saying you should or shouldn't wash your hands. Either way, whatever is good for you. For me, I definitly wash my hands after holding a reptile, petting my dog for a good amount of time, touching the cats, fish stuff, eating, holding money, etc. Simple hand washing is effectively the best way to prevent common bugs that go around as well. Not to mention I just happen to like clean hands

I also use Purell in the herp room.

Marisa

ydnic · 10-20-04, 05:43 PM

yeah - lol

I guess I do kiss my snakes some times when they are being cute - my iguana too

so i guess umm - yeah my hand washing is just a problem i have

chong_python · 10-20-04, 05:44 PM

lol, the sanitizer i use i find works. it says it kills 99.9 % of germs ( for what thats worth )... when you put that on your hands it almost burns. But its just until i can find a sink. Id rather use a bit of that on then nothing at all. And as for germs mutating and becoming immuned seems a bit far fetched you know one of those a friend of a friend stories lol

Invictus · 10-20-04, 05:45 PM

Hey, don't get me wrong, if the reason I'm handling my reptile is because it is being cleaned, hell... I dunno where he's been between the time he took a crap and the time I handled him! That's good cause for a handwash. But for routine handling, I don't bother. If the cage is clean, the reptile probably is too.

and ydinc - I kiss my snakes occasionally too, and I don't give a damn what anyone says about it! lol

Matt_K · 10-20-04, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bartman
I personally think hand sanitizer, or at least purell (sp) is a load of crap. I was told by someone that by now the bacteria has mutated to be immune to it and all you’re doing is mushing it around your hands. I personally think soap and water is the best way to wash your hands...

Yeah, it's sooo much crap that it's what they use in the hospitals...

I guess im just friggin weird then.. I wash my hands BEFORE I pick up a snake and after I put it back.. If im handling more then one snake, i'll wash my hands with my Purell between every snake.. I don't do it cause im worried about getting anything on ME, I do it as a caution of getting something on them, whether from another snake or something I picked up on my hands througout the day.. Better safe then sorry..

-Matt

lostwithin · 10-20-04, 05:50 PM

Good answer invictus, I'll go with that as well. But in all reality it just doesn’t fizz on me any more, I don’t even think about it, I mean how many thousands of people pet the dog and don’t even think about it and I’m sure most dogs are much dirtier then my snakes.

Devon

Artemis · 10-20-04, 05:57 PM

I do, myth or no myth, I dont want salmonella, and it is a possibilty, whether or not a guarantee, so it's not worth the risk to me. I wash my hands a lot anyways, just a good idea in general.

Artemis

HeatherRose · 10-20-04, 06:34 PM

Quote:

I personally think hand sanitizer, or at least purell (sp) is a load of crap. I was told by someone that by now the bacteria has mutated to be immune to it and all you’re doing is mushing it around your hands. I personally think soap and water is the best way to wash your hands...

If bacteria's had enough time to become immune to alcohol-based hand sanitizer, then it must have had more than enough time to become immune to soap

Aside from that...salmonella in herps is far from a myth!

http://www.stopgettingsick.com/Condi...cfm/2313/251/1

http://www.icomm.ca/dragon/salmonella.htm

http://www.spcaofpinellas.org/new_pe...YourHealth.htm

One quote from the end link states:

"Several studies have been conducted to determine the extent of Salmonella infections in certain species of reptiles. Roughly 16%-92% of the snakes and 36%-77% of lizards (including iguanas) surveyed had Salmonella. Turtles and tortoises had rates of 12%-85% testing positive. Reptile owners can have their pet tested for Salmonella bacteria. Several tests are sometimes required to accurately determine its presence. If the results are positive, successful treatment is often difficult to achieve and may result in your pet carrying a resistant strain of salmonella."

-Heather

Bartman · 10-20-04, 07:53 PM

I was told, which isnt the best argument back

, that they do mutate to become more immune to the sanitizer. Dont quote me on that as I dont know if its true, but thats what I was told...

Just because they use it in hospitals, doesnt mean it works..it most likely does, but people use a lot of stuff that supposedly work.

As for the salmonella, how does it exactly show up on certain lizards/snakes? Not trying to question these facts, just curious why some have it and some dont. What I was saying is it could have something to do with husbandry issues. i.e not cleaning feces.

edit: I personally think that alwasy washing your hands blah blah is something pushed on by society and is now just something you do and it will keep you clean. I bet most bacteria, which could get you sick, could enter your system either way. If you touch a dirty public handrail or something and then go wash your hands, I doubt it will stop it from getting you sick. Dont most virus's move through the air anyway?

I agree it will aid in preventing sometimes, but it forsure doesnt stop it....

Matt_K · 10-20-04, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bartman
Just because they use it in hospitals, doesnt mean it works..it most likely does, but people use a lot of stuff that supposedly work.

Right.. So if there's a better product out there for them to use, they're going to ignore it cause they THINK purell works?? You do realize how sanitary hospitals are, right???

Bartman · 10-20-04, 08:00 PM

Yes, but they use soap and water, or that special type of soap I always see surgeons using in movies

I just dont think purell really works......well at least not anymore.

HeatherRose · 10-20-04, 08:06 PM

"The most common source of Salmonella infection is improperly handled food. Salmonella bacteria can be harbored in the gastrointestinal tracts of many species of animal, including poultry, cattle, and pigs, presenting a risk of contamination of meat and eggs during processing. Salmonella can also be carried by pets (including cats and dogs), but especially reptiles and amphibians. As high as 90% of reptiles are natural carriers of Salmonella bacteria, harboring strains specific to reptiles without any symptoms of disease in the reptile. While it is true that many pets can carry Salmonella, the problem with reptiles (and apparently amphibians) is that they carry Salmonella with such high frequency. It is prudent to assume that all reptiles and amphibians can be a potential source of Salmonella"

^^^For the lazy among us, to summarize, salmonella is naturally harboured in the gastrointestinal tract of some animals, and at a higher frequency in some herptiles.

Quote:

Just because they use it in hospitals, doesnt mean it works..it most likely does, but people use a lot of stuff that supposedly work.

You can think it doesn't work...but Alcohol is an ANTISEPTIC. It kills germs, period. I could *think* humans don't need oxygen to live all I like, but science would prove me wrong...as it does here.