Health risks of keeping herps in a bedroom?

[chriscollier]

May sound a silly question, but I'm wanting to get back into reptiles again and I'm planning on having one of those aqua-pac chameleon vivs in my room for some sort of arboreal lizard. My mum keeps swaying back and forth on the matter, her arguement for saying no is that 'it can't be healthy having animals in your bedroom'. To me its abit of a lame excuse for saying no. I'v had hamsters, a skink, a gecko and a map turtle in there before, and I'v currently got a piranha and a marine tank setup in there now. It hasn't caused me any health problems as of yet!

I guess this question is just to quash my mums reason for saying no, so are there any health problems she should worry about, assuming the viv is kept clean (which it obviously will be)

[tazzyasb]

to be honest i don't know mate.

However I have three boas in my bedroom at the moment cos I am back living at my dads for a while and the BD is in the sitting room, the corns and rat snakes are in racking on the landing and the mice are in the utility room so due to the size of the vivs my bedroom was the only place that could fit them. I even use one of the vivs as a bedside table and I am still alive lol

[t-bo]

There shouldnt be any health impications with sleeping in the same room as a lizard...

as long as its not a Komodo Dragon or anything!!

[chriscollier]

Thanks for the replies guys. I posted this question on another board aswell, and the general view is that there are no problems at all. Theres an expert over on that site (keeps EVERYTHING!! I think he even loans crocs out to zoos) who said that its probably more harmfull to pick up the phone. If you think about it, how many times do you clean the phone lol.

I explained it to my mum and she's pretty much said yes and we'l discuss it over the weekend. So all being well I should have a viv again soon.

[captaincaveman]

Theres no risks(ignoring large snakes constricting, which i think theres been a couple of cases before). Unlike keeping birds in the bedroom which can be a risk to your lungs over prolonged periods(or so ive heard)

[DeanThorpe]

nicely played...