Kissing your Beardie xoxox

[AHBD]

I realize that the majority of people won't get sick, but it takes just one in your town, and the media will fly with it. If you look through the posts on the " infectious diseases " forum, one poster mentioned she had an infant almost die from salmonalla. Is that a chance anyone wants to take ? The amazing thing about it is that very few people posted to say : Wow, i'm so sorry, or anything like that.Here is a fact that many may not be aware of....turtles under 4" are illegal to sell. [ Although it's done ] look it up....but do you know why ? Because back years ago many small children were getting salmonella from them. so they banned the sale of turtles under 4" because young children were putting them in their mouths, and these were the most common size sold as pets. Also, I personally know a vet who had a client with a young child , they had a puppy allowed to sleep in it's bed. The puppy licked the child on the face/ eyes and the child went blind from parasite infestation. So....bottom line is, people can do what they want, but some people are not aware of how seriously ill a person can get, even if the risk is small.

 

[TheWerewolf]

I realize that the majority of people won't get sick, but it takes just one in your town, and the media will fly with it. If you look through the posts on the " infectious diseases " forum, one poster mentioned she had an infant almost die from salmonalla. Is that a chance anyone wants to take ? The amazing thing about it is that very few people posted to say : Wow, i'm so sorry, or anything like that.Here is a fact that many may not be aware of....turtles under 4" are illegal to sell. [ Although it's done ] look it up....but do you know why ? Because back years ago many small children were getting salmonella from them. so they banned the sale of turtles under 4" because young children were putting them in their mouths, and these were the most common size sold as pets. Also, I personally know a vet who had a client with a young child , they had a puppy allowed to sleep in it's bed. The puppy licked the child on the face/ eyes and the child went blind from parasite infestation. So....bottom line is, people can do what they want, but some people are not aware of how seriously ill a person can get, even if the risk is small.

Wow, okay that is terrifyingly shocking. Yeah, people do need to know the dangers. I'm very responsible, but we can't be sure other people will be. I knew turtles under four inches were illegal. The most terrifying thing is that I got my turtle, Squiggle at that illegal age. But mom knew how responsible I was and I was the youngest. But I had no idea why they were illegal. And people can tell their children not to put the turtle in their mouth but the child doesn't always listen. I do know one thing, 'DO NOT LICK NIM!' I must ignore that weird urge. Because dry lip kissing is one thing, but licking, I would be asking for it.
Thanks for the info AHBD, I'll take it into consideration.

 

[AHBD]

There's no need to be shocked or terrified, just informed.

 

[kjinxx2]

As I said before, it's all part of practicing good hygiene - baths after bm's, clean baths after bm in water, hand washing after cleaning, etc. etc. If you don't practice these basic things then there are no holds barred.

 

[bayoupig5]

I do, I kiss her right on the nose, before she goes to bed.

Emmalee is very clean, bathed every second day, and her viv is never pooped in. So when she does go in the bath, she is also rinsed off after her poop session, just in case. The bath is then sanitized, for further use.

I do, however, realize the risk I take in giving her little nose kisses, but have figured that any salmonella exposure that I may have with my dragon would be minimal. After all, I have probably and most likely been exposed to Salmonella quite a bit in my life time.

Salmonella can be found in raw or undercooked meats and eggs, unpasteurized milk and cheese products . Foods can also be contaminated by Salmonella bacteria during preparation or processing. Other exposures may include contact with infected animals, especially poultry, swine, cattle, rodents and pets, such as reptiles (iguanas, snakes, lizards and turtles), chicks, ducklings, birds, dogs and cats. Previous outbreaks of Salmonella in New York State have been associated with peanut butter, frozen pot pies, eggs, pet foods and turtles.

I have a weak digestive system, if anyone is going to get sick it is me, but I have not caught anything from Emmalee in the 3 years that I have been kissing her nose.

I am very particular, however, in relation to small children around her. My nephews are very curious about Emmalee, and it was only recently that I have allowed my 3.5 year old nephew to touch her. But I am there, and we instantly use hand sanitizer and hand wash after he pets her. Children's immune systems are not as developed and it can lead to sickness or worse. And although Emmalee had not made me ill, I will not take the chance with my nephews or any other small child.

 

[AHBD]

This is from page 2 in the infectious diseases forum, under salmonella.....just so beardie owners are aware

by mikimom07 » Thu Nov 10, 2011 10:10 pm

I would be careful around small children. My 7 month old baby got salmonella from my beardies. We wash our hands after handling but we can only assume she got it because of them climbing on us or on the floor and couches. Or cleaning them and their things in the kitchen sink. After her being in the hospital for a week we bleached everything and now we dont them walk around and we bath them in specified dishes and clean their things in the laundry room sink and then bleach that out after. It was a nightmare and the scariest thing to go thru. 105 fevers for 10 days straight and vomiting and diarrhea which caused dehydration. We are EXTRA cautious niw. We had dont ever want to go thru that again

The topic was auto locked, so I copy + pasted. Again, the risk is small, but it's there. This poster and Bayoupig mentioned some good precautions.

 

[ReptileAddiction]

That is horrible.

 

[JangoMom]

I always want to kiss Jango with my lips but we just rub noses.. I think my hubby would fall over if he ever seen me kiss Jango with my lips.. LOL

 

[traceyb73]

last night I had a weird urge to lick him. Yes, I said lick. I didn't, of course. But that urge was so weird!

Only you would say something like this....(where is the little emoticon shaking his head?). LOL

 

[TheWerewolf]

last night I had a weird urge to lick him. Yes, I said lick. I didn't, of course. But that urge was so weird!

Only you would say something like this....(where is the little emoticon shaking his head?). LOL

Thanks. LOL I guess you know me pretty well then.

 

[BlueDragon09]

I always kiss my dragon on the head, never been sick not in the 8 years I had him.
Werewolf, about the licking him...xD I have that same urge, but I won't do it.
Yeah, just as weird as any beardie parent on here.
Can't help but think about it, dragons are just so darn cute!

 

[tgolden]

Myself I'm not gonna kiss anything that runs thru its own crap. You might ass well lick a truck stop toilet seat lol. good luck with the salmonella!

 

[kjinxx2]

Myself I'm not gonna kiss anything that runs thru its own crap. You might ***** well lick a truck stop toilet seat lol. good luck with the salmonella!

I hope you don't have kids then

 

[tgolden]

Myself I'm not gonna kiss anything that runs thru its own crap. You might ***** well lick a truck stop toilet seat lol. good luck with the salmonella!

I hope you don't have kids then

Y yes I do have kids. 3 reptile loving kids as a matter of fact but what do my children have to do with kissing a bearded dragon?

 

[kjinxx2]

Oh just because you said

I'm not gonna kiss anything that runs thru its own crap

Kids do that More than Beardies!