Wash?

[Snarf]

This is a stupid question but on several forums and the like I've seen some people asking what people use to wash their hands with after handling their reptile and I was a bit surprised for several people to say nothing and they don't wash. I know I'm a bit of a clean-freak and I would start hyperventilating if I didn't wash my hands but just wondering what other people's opinions are on it

 

[Lauram63110]

You should wash your hands after handling any animal.
When I first got Lizzy, I knew that reptiles can carry salmonella,but
really, all animals can. I kept hand gel near the viv and used
It religiously, and was super careful. I've relaxed a little and
Wash with antibacterial soap afterr handling him. He does not
Poop in his viv and does not have an opportunity to run thru it,
So I feel that he is cleaner than most, but still washing your hands
Is a good practice. I do wash him with a little
Baby shampoo when he comes out of his bath, but
Still, he is a reptile and hand washing is a good thing.

 

[Claudiusx]

I use purell hand sanitizer after touching anything to do with my reptiles, including handeling their food/tank items/ lights.

-Brandon

 

[Gail]

Honestly, I never wash my hands after touching my dragons unless they were dirty or poopy.

 

[Fuzzyviper]

I wash my hands with antibacterial soap and I sometimes will do a quick rub on his back legs and tail with some Dawn after he's pooped in the bath. I will usually clean his back end if he's going to be on the couch/my bed just to make sure he's not rubbing lizard poop all over everything. Otherwise, I just put him back in his cage and wash my own hands.

 

[Lauram63110]

Well, Gail, when I said I have grown more lax, that is sort of what I meant. I make sure I wash my hands if I am going to handle food or dishes, but there have been a few] times when I realized that the same hand that just shoved a cookie into my mouth was also the hand that was just holding Lizzy. I honestly try to be diligent, but I have had a couple fails.

I had snakes previously and there was no potty training them. They pooped and slithered right thru it, I saw it happen on many occasions, and it kept me diligent. But Lizzy is different. He truly is potty trained. And he hates poop! Even though he does it in the bath, as soon as he does it, I open the drain and "flush the toilet". Because he hates being in the tub with it and gets all freaked out if he is.
And seriously, when he gets ready to do it, he goes to the deep end of the tub where the drain is and gives me plenty of warning. I think he goes to the deep end because the water is deeper and warms his belly more. Once he's there, he spreads the back legs, swishes the tail and is ready for a flush. A quick wash with a drop or 2 of baby shampoo, a rinse, and the bath is over. I know they are reptiles and can carry salmonella, and like I said, I try to be diligent about hand washing, but I'd be lying if I said I was 100% perfect with it. When I first got him, I was uncertain about people letting beardies ride their shoulders and crawl on them due to my experience with the snakes. Also, when I went to get Lizzy, the lady put him on my shoulder and the first thing he did was poop on me. It was yucky. But, after I read up on potty training them,and working with him, we have never had poop outside of the bath. So he is VERY different from my snakes. When we go on long trips in the car, I take hand gel and some antibacterial wipes because you never know what could happen and I do want to be able to wash hands before eating, but hey, we are also traveling with a dog.

 

[BonesMommy1011]

I washed and sanitized when I first got Bones but I have since stopped. I only wash and sanitize when I clean their poop!

 

[AtlasStrike]

I am very particular about washing my hands and cleaning items that will be shared between my reptiles (2 snakes and Charlie), but I am fairly lax with Charlie. I keep him and his viv very clean and I disinfect his tiles and viv furniture weekly, whether he has pooped in there or not, and I do usually wash my hands between touching him and preparing food/eating...but I also put my face on the same pillow that he likes to sit on when we watch TV. My fiance gets super skeevy when I handle Charlie and then touch him, but at the same time he has no problem putting Charlie on his bare chest and cuddling him. Blech.
Being honest, I guess I am pretty obsessive about hand washing anyway- so even being "lax" I probably wash my hands 3-4 times an hour every hour that I am awake...I have a little OCD about dirt, but Charlie doesn't trigger it badly at all. Probably because he is so freaking cute!!

How can you resist this face?

 

[Mirrorakay]

I use hand sanitizer everytime I handle the things in Zeke's tank. When I handle Zeke himself, I sanitize and wash. When I clean his poop, I actually wear gloves. A lot of this is because my hermit crabs could easily die because of salmonella and I don't want to risk transfering it to their tank. I would still sanitize even if I didn't have my little crab buddies, but that's probably as far as I would go.

My mother is really freaked out about it all. She has refused to touch him for the year that I've had him and will insist I change my clothes after handling him :lol: