Do you wash your hands after handling herps?

[wetlander]

I try to ....but sometime I forget. I always do when handling turtles in captivity but I usually don't think about it when I handle one in the wild.

I think the purell is better than antibacterial soaps. From what I remember in the reports, the problem with the soaps, either hand or dishwashing, is that the soap usually doesn't stay in contact long enough to kill all the bacteria so resistant strains can emerge. With purell it stays on your hands so it has a better chance or killing all or most of the germs

[Boidbrain]

I wash my hands before and after handling my snakes, rats, mice, and my wife's dog. But what about the fact that you turn the faucet on, wash your hands, then turn the faucet off. Any germs on your hand before you turn the water on could get back on your hand when you turn the water back off anyway. Just something to think about.

[Invictus]

Remember also that even if a snake is harboring salmonella, it doesn't mean you are going to get it. It has to be VERY concentrated to be able to affect the human body. We do have immune systems, ya know.

I don't do it probably for the same reason that I eat my steak blue rare - I have better things to do with my life than live in fear of what "might" happen. I use common sense, but I don't allow paranoia to consume me. Generally speaking, I wash my hands before I eat anyway, but as I said, unless my snake has made a mess in its cage, I don't bother washing after routine handling.

[Linds]

I ALWAYS wash my hands after handling reptiles, and in between handling eachother. I use dishsoap and follow up with 99% rubbing alcohol occassionally. I have a crappy immune system and am unwilling to take any chances like that, nor am I willing to take any chances of getting my herps sick.

Originally posted by Dani33
I always do. If I don't and than think about it, I feel nauseous - lol. I have to wash them with soap and water too. Hand sanitizer doesn't feel clean enough to me. I'm chronic I guess.

LOL with good reason. Hand sanitizer is only 65% or something alcohol, which cannot kill many things. Even 99% pure isopropyl alcohol is only capable of killing some bacteria... it is incapable of killing bacterial spores, fungus, or yeast. I think its strength on viruses is questionable. So in essence, its better than nothing, but not necessarily good enough in some cases.

Originally posted by wetlander
I think the purell is better than antibacterial soaps. From what I remember in the reports, the problem with the soaps, either hand or dishwashing, is that the soap usually doesn't stay in contact long enough to kill all the bacteria so resistant strains can emerge. With purell it stays on your hands so it has a better chance or killing all or most of the germs

Proper handwashing *should* ideally be 10 minutes, but even a few minutes is sufficient. Purell is just alcohol, and the alcohol evaporates in 30 seconds, so it doesn't remain on your skin at all. Anitbacterial soap really shoudln't be used unless it has to be, due to the problems with bacteria progressively developing resistances to it. Many people don't need to use it in their day to day lives, but do so as a result of the media scaring them in to such.

[Bartman]

Anitbacterial soap really shoudln't be used unless it has to be, due to the problems with bacteria progressively developing resistances to it. Many people don't need to use it in their day to day lives, but do so as a result of the media scaring them in to such.

That was exactly my point. I assumed that purell was the same sort of idea, but that could just be wrong.

[SpiderLord]

i have ocd...it really sucks...i wash my hands ALL the time...i also am autistic, and i have asburghers...im messed up

[concept3]

ANY egg laying animal has the potential to carry salmonella. The reason it is most commonly assosiated with miss handeled food is because some of the food we eat is raised in A LOT more discusting conditions than any of our (well at least mine) animals are kept in. Have you ever been inside a chicken coop? Well if you have you will realize they keep 50 chickens in a ten foot by ten foot box, thus creating unsanitary bacterium thriving environments. Same goes with pigs, chicken and turkeys, this is why you cant eat it raw like beef. If you maintain your snakes environments the chances of salmonella showing up are reduced dramaticly. Not saying they CANT have it but more than likely DONT.

[mudflats]

I wash my hands. Because if i am handling the snakes its for cleaning purposes. Handling feces here and there, some thawed rats, feces still wet and warm (chick feces smells the worst on your hands). So i tend to wash after that. Washing before handling to prevent spreading anything on you is also great i try to remind myself. But them giving me disease, i laugh at that. Salmonella is an excuse for parents to not buy there children reptiles, and in fact 30% of all canines tested where carrying salmonella. I have caught water turtles with algea on there backs, i have touched my mouth after that so many times, hell i bet if you added it all up it would be the equevlent of me eating the algae on there backs. Only "disease" i have gotten from a herp was getting scratched by the claw of a wild gator. Horrible bacteria on them toes, like a komodo dragon. Got a horrible infection. but other then that i protest in the whole hand washing after handling herps unless you have feces or food items of theres on you.

[rwg]

A few thoughts...

As high as 90% of reptiles carry salmonella in their feces. For comparison, I read that with domestic cats it's estimated to be around 30%, also in the feces. It is a pretty safe assumption that your reptiles carry salmonella. Aquatic herps get a bad rap for it because they swim in their feces, so it's much more likely that you will come in contact with fecal matter during handling. Pretty much guaranteed in fact.

You are unlikely to get sick from salmonella unless you either come in contact with a sufficient amount, or your immune system is compromised. The very young and elderly can be at risk for example.

A large part of the cleaning you get from washing your hands is due to the machanical aspect. You basically physically rub off the germs, and they go down the drain. This is why in hospitals, doctors use soap and water, but they have protocols about how long they should scrub their hands.

Purell: Alcohol is not one of the ingredients scientists and the medical community are concerned about when they talk about resistant bacteria strains. There are statements to that effect found on the net if you look.

I use purell between animals at the zoo when working there to prevent transmission between animals should there be anything "going around". My kids (5 and 2 1/2) always wash with purell after handling at home. I try to use purell after handling, but occasionally forget at home. My pet theory is that I'm self immunizing against salmonella, but I have no science to back that up.

rg