reptiles and children

[v-tachgeezer]

Hi ive just joined this forum-Ive posted in the intro forum. Ive been carrying out a fair amount of research about the risk of children under 5 contracting salmonella directly or indirectly from reptiles. This is very pertinent to us as we were married last year and are planning to have children. Much of the information gathered states very much what we already do as standard hygiene practice-we use alcohol rub after handling each reptile and we wash our hands with anti bacterial soap-dry with a dedicated towel-along with a further application of alcohol hand rub. The towel gets rotated and washed every couple of days on a boil wash. Their cage decor does not get wshed in the sink-it is soaked in boiling water, allowed to cool the scrubbed with a dedicated scourer-the water is then disposed of outside. Marigold gloves are also used-we have gloves for this purpose only. The thing we are doing wrong is letting them roam-which will stop when we do have kids-nor will my wife have any contact with them when she is preganant /breastfeeding.
However,what most literature seems to be suggesting is that all reptiles must be removed from the house- ie get rid of them. Im not keen to do this and feel that if precautions are taken there is no need to do this and that you seem to hear as much if not more about the family dog savaging a child than you do about salmonella.
Just wandering what everyone else did on here when they had children and what everyones take is on this issue.
Obviously we do have a collection and if I find I cant look after all the reptiles, then that would be different, Id be happy to reduce numbers but not get rid of all of them

[Taxemic]

I have recently been looking into this as I sometimes feed one of my lizards raw meat. I think it's a very underlooked subject. Although good hygiene practices should illiminate the concern of the bacteria.

[beardedlady]

i have 2 kids one of 3 an the other 10 months i take precautions i.e washing after handling etc i am the only one in the house that does anything with the reps an was doing so through both pregnancys nither of my kids have had salmonella, after reading ya post however it does seem that you got to extremes with cleaning etc (mayb thats just me i dont know) at the end of the day do you go to such extremes when you handle an cook chicken or eggs????? im guessing you are more likely to catch it from that then you are reps.

[v-tachgeezer]

Thats true-things are rather hyped-alot of it common sense. Ive noticed the group that states this idea that you should get rid all reptiles before children is the US humane society-who are against keeping reptiles at all!!- and looking back many of the other research is linked to this group

[LiamRatSnake]

Realistically it's very unlikely to happen unless you're particularly careless, kids are probably more likely to pick up salmonella doing their daily business of playing with other kids and random objects, in school, nursery ect. I'm sure dogs and cats are just as filthy. As long as they can't get access to the reps or their foods and normal standards of hygiene is followed then I wouldn't worry too much.

[cubeykc]

iv got a one month old baby and my beardie have gone up to him and had a little look around and iv had know probs

[Pliskens_Chains]

I have four children. Th youngest child was born after we had aquired our reptiles.
Be sensible, wash your hands and dont let your kids play with vivarium accessories, dont allow them to come into contact with soiled substarte and water bowls. Its really all common sense.
my youngest son has been allowed to touch our reptiles from the age of 2, as an adult you can supervise and ensure that children wash their hands before and after touching snakes.
Have good hygene standards but dont give up your hobby, take precautions and your child can grow up learning all about reptiles from a very early age, not every child is going to have that chance.
Salmonella can happen from reptiles but its really not as common as some anti-reptile people would have you believe.
More people have got salmonella from poorly cooked food than we will ever see from reptiles

[v-tachgeezer]

Thanks folks youve put my mind at rest-after all one of my aims is for our future children to develop a healthy respect for reptiles and animals in general.

[Lucifus]

Keeping any animal does have its health risks. I remember picking up roundworm as a kid from poor hygiene around horses. Be sensible and it should be fine.

[TEENY]

I think you may be going a little ott on the cleaning ( i thought i was bad lol) I just wash everything in boiling hot water in a bucket in the bathroom then stand it on paper towels in the bath to dry. I practice handwashing after touching as you would other pets but other than that i do not do anything special tbh.
Mine are both fine