true salmonella risk?

Hi,
I'm relatively new to the bearded dragon community. I have heard about reptiles and the risk of salmonella that comes along with them. I handle my beardie but always wash my hands right after. Reading more of this forum I see that a lot of people let their lizards run around the house, socialize with pets, and pretty much do everything with them. I'll be honest and say that we have a 9 month old dragon that I've never felt comfortable letting out to run around because of this issue, we also have a puppy that I don't touch or let other people touch after they handle the lizard until they wash their hands. I'm hoping someone can answer this question for me, mostly just to put my worries to rest as to what the real risk of salmonella is for my family and dog by having the bearded dragon out walking around the house.

Thank you for anyone that can provide answers, it's much appreciated !

I'm not sure how much/little of a risk it is...
I have two dragons, a turtle and frogs. There hasn't been any illness' from salmonella in this house. (also have a cat, two dogs and a child)

I do wear gloves when cleaning tanks/enclosures but not when handling the pets.

My neighbor lost thier son to salmonella from a lizard...He was a newborn baby at the time, and they swear they were good at handwashing, but he still contracted it. He died when he was 2 or 3..had major, major problems from it.

Go to youtube, and type in Elijah's Story and you will get more details.

My kids are older, so I am not nervous about it. We all wash our hands, and I carry sanitizer in the carrier if I bring Louie out any where and someone touches her.

mickeysmomma":3ekugtxl said:

My neighbor lost thier son to salmonella from a lizard...He was a newborn baby at the time, and they swear they were good at handwashing, but he still contracted it. He died when he was 2 or 3..had major, major problems from it.

Go to youtube, and type in Elijah's Story and you will get more details.

My kids are older, so I am not nervous about it. We all wash our hands, and I carry sanitizer in the carrier if I bring Louie out any where and someone touches her.

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Wow. We are a young couple getting married this summer, babies are not that far off for us I'm sure, and this story scared me to death. We have 2 bearded dragons now and my fiance is always trying to get me to let the older one walk around, but like I said I was never that comfortable with it, and this just confirms the possibility of bad things happening. I'll have to show him Elijah's story, thank you so much for sharing it with me.

I'm wondering what type of lizard it was. From what I understand is there are lizards that have more of a salmonela risk but beardies aren't one of them. I've read it's a possibility but it's very rare. We have had beardies since Thanksgiving eve of 2004. We aren't that careful with washing our hands after handling them, unless I'm taking my contacts out as I have to wash the oil off my hands before handling them to keep them cleaner. Neither of us has ever has any illness like that. From what I've read, you have a better chance of getting salmonela from bad food than from beardies.

I just watched that video. That wasn't a bearded dragon. It was a uromasticx.

Ellijah's story scared me so much! POOOR baby! The lizard is NOT a bearded dragon, thank God. But when I do get married and get pregnant, I should avoid touching my bearded dragon? Can I harm myslef or my baby? Even if I do wash my hands?

God this is so scary!
I don't plan to give away my beardie, LOVE him way too much!


Can anyone answer?

You will be just fine! Like the saying goes just don't lick your dragons butt or eat the poop! :laughing6: And always wash your hands.

I have 2 cats one dog and 10 beardies they all roam my house at free will pretty much.

As for the salmonella issue with beardies you or your furry pets would literally need to lick their vent or poop inorder to get it. I kiss my beardies all the time they often lick me back as I do I've never once gotten sick. I have even let them bite from the same piece of fruit I'm eating on. Note this is not something I'd do with my furry animals(they lick places I don't care to). However if you don't keep the enclosure clean a fecal free then they may walk through it and the bacteria on their nails could cause an irritation.

Elijah's Mom is very grateful that I posted his story on here. It's hard for me living right across the street from them, and have two dragons....even though it wasn't a beardie that made her son so sick.

Twobeardieguy":rfx8hzai said:

You will be just fine! Like the saying goes just don't lick your dragons butt or eat the poop! :laughing6: And always wash your hands.

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Hahaha, Thanks for such a relief!

I've had beardies since Thanksgiving of 04 and I've never had any health issues of any kind from them and I am not that careful about washing my hands unless I've touched something that could hurt them and am going to touch them or feed them, then I will.

Sarah26":mv0sfhf8 said:

Twobeardieguy":mv0sfhf8 said:

You will be just fine! Like the saying goes just don't lick your dragons butt or eat the poop! :laughing6: And always wash your hands.

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Hahaha, Thanks for such a relief!

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:wink:

it pretty much goes like this bearded dragons like any Herp or bird can carry salmonella. the chances are very low you will contract salmonella from them because they must be a carrier of it to begin with for it to be possible.

i read somewhere that if you really want to a good vet can test your lizard to see if it is carrying salmonella or not if it gives you peace of mind. as others have said though keep the cage and the lizard clean you will not have any problems

when i was a kid i had multiple iguana's and nobody in our house ever got salmonella from any of them ever. they are also known to carry salmonella

Personally, I think it has to do with your immune system as well. Perhaps my neighbors son had some other medical issues when he was born, but never got diagnosed due to the salmonella poisoning. I don't think we will ever know the true answer.

I am not as careful as I was in the beginning when I first got Louie. Then, I was constantly handwashing, and everything she touched got washed. Now, I don't freak out if she runs across my shirt and I don't change it right away.

I make the kids, and any other kids that come in contact with her, use hand sanitizer when they are done petting her.