Howdy folks.

I have heard that there are some risks around herp handling hygiene relating to salmonella. How does this occur and how can it be prevented? Is it a herp diet problem or viv hygiene? Are there any signs that a particular specimen is a carrier and does salmonella affect the specimen carrier as it does people?

Cheers, Mal.

Salmonella is produced naturally by the animal (someone correct me if I'm wrong here). The most simple way to prevent you from getting salmonella is to simply wash your hands after handling your animal. A person with a strong immune system, ie not children or the elderly should be just fine when handling a herp.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Hey thanks for that, I didn't know that . Does the animal show any signs of being a carrier? Afterall dogs go crazy with rabies

Hahaha, rabies! Rabies is an illness, salmonella is just bacteria. Its just naturally occurring. The animal isn't sick.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Hahaha glad you got a laugh hehe! I just had a thought that the toxic saliva in many animals (Komodos for example) are there to aid hunting and scavenging- guess this would be no different huh.

Salmonella is nothing like the toxic saliva of the Komodo dragon. They don't really use the bacteria from their skin (at least not that I know of) like a dragon would with its saliva, or a snake with venom.

Its just kinda there, and you wash your hands. Its very minimal in the amounts. I for one have bad salmonella habits. I'm often eating dinner while feeding my frogs, which means I have to pick them up. I'm still here!

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

Komodo dragon saliva contains over 50 species of bacteria and is virulently toxic. Dragons kill large prey by rushing from ambush along game trails, biting at legs and tendons, maiming the animal and then trailing the injured animal until septicaemia sets in and kills it.

I think they have the toxic saliva so they can take down a bigger animal But I'm sure it also helps to kill the bacteria in the animal they are eating.

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LMAO! You are looking at the wrong end of the animal!
Salmonella is shed in the feces, not the saliva.
Humans are exposed to it from handling the animal or equipment and then putting their hands in their mouths rubbing their eyes, anywhere there are mucous membranes or open cuts to allow the bacteria to enter the body.

As long as you practice good hygiene such as keeping the cage clean and washing your hands, disinfecting tubs and sinks after cleaning cage equipment you should not have a problem.
I have kept numerous species for years and have never had an occurence.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Wow!, lots of new info, thanks to all you folks

I've owned a red eared slider turtle for over 13 years and I have horrid hygene when it comes to him. I hold him to get shell scales off, I've gotten his nasty *** need to be cleaned way too badly water in my mouth and down my throat beginning a siphon tube. I've fed him food off my own plate. Ive pulled him out of his water and set him on his basking dock while eating a hamburger.

If you're healthy, you have nothing to fear from salmonella.