Do I have to wash my hands everytime I hold my lizard?

[StaceysBuddy]

You SHOULD wash your hands... but I'm guilty of not washing too. I have sanitizer that I use sometimes. But I mainly just wash my hands after she poops (which is in the bath). She gets bathed daily and I wash her tank out religiously. When I first got her I washed and sanitized constantly. I don't really anymore. I think my hands are dirtier than her sometimes.
It's mainly up to you. If you want to be really safe, wash your hands all the time. But if you forget to sometimes, you're going to be fine. Like everyone has said, it's the poop that's the problem. So don't be rubbing any poop in your eyes or anything. :wink:

 

[sheri85]

i kiss all my beardies almost constantly. nope, i don't care about the "risks," and obviously i'm not that concerned about washing my hands. obviously i wash my hands after removing poop from their tanks and disinfecting the spot, but my beardies get baths, and therefore get smooches. if i had kids, i'd make them wash their hands after holding any of the lizards, but i don't, so there's no reason to get all obsessive about washing hands. hell, my cat is probably more disgusting than my beardies.

for added info, i've eaten a cheeseburger that my male beardie jumped on. i mean, i'm not gonna waste a burger!

 

[kcarello]

Ha ha.. I know what you mean..2 dogs and 4 cats..yep I believe the dragons are the cleanest of them all!

 

[brittani299]

Lol. Yes I have two cats and they are probably dirtier. I actually just read a medical journal that said. Cats and dogs that go outside have a higher chance of having salmonilla on them then the lizards. I mean that is probably true. When outside the animals roll in poo and dirt. And that is not counting for litter boxes which are pretty gross.

 

[Aceyourface]

Lol. Yes I have two cats and they are probably dirtier. I actually just read a medical journal that said. Cats and dogs that go outside have a higher chance of having salmonilla on them then the lizards. I mean that is probably true. When outside the animals roll in poo and dirt. And that is not counting for litter boxes which are pretty gross.

hahah Oh never even considered that before. And think about this, dogs who love to go litter box diving for treats then want to give you kisses. Blech my dog is guilty of both that and rolling in nasty things. Uhg I am slightly paranoid about germs. I get it from my mom. But there are times I handled thor and never washed my hands and an hour or two later forgot and ate something. I've never gotten anything from her. But When I do remember especially when I clean poo out of her tank I do wash my hands. But I don't beleive petting her head a little with my finger requires me to sanitize my hands in piping hot water.

 

[esn]

If any of my reptiles or amphibians happened to carry salmonella, I'd have it long before now. I wash my hands, but usually only if I'm entirely done with reptile-feeder things. I use sanitizer and a paper towel if I get something unsavory on me and I still have things left to do. I'm not the most diligent about washing my hands, but I do it in the end before touching my food.

But considering the percentage of diseases actually carried by captive bred reptiles, you're hardly likely to get it at all, whether or not you wash your hands. In the end, though, I'd wash my hands eventually. If you put your lizard down and pick up a book, well... I probably wouldn't wash my hands if my rep had no poop on them or didn't smell funky. If I put a rep down and pick up a plate of food, that's a little different. Though I have eaten after touching my reptiles in travel situations.

It's really up to your discretion and view of how clean your reptile is. I'm just as likely to wash my hands after petting a cat or dog as I am after one of my reptiles. I don't allow cats or dogs to ever lick my face, but people who do gross me out.