Poor Immune System Question

A friend of mine has an empty tank, and really wants to put a leo or some little herp in it. She's a great critter mom, and she's had reptiles before but that was long before she got sick. She has a weakened immune system now, and she asked me if that is something she should be worried about with a herp. I don't know. So I thought I'd ask you guys.

She's kept birds since she was sick with no problems, and I even gave her a very nice Neptune shed a while back that hasn't given her any problems. I assume that a little leo gecko or corn or what have you shouldn't give her any problems so long as she's careful when cleaning the tank and doesn't, you know, lick it or anything (no problems there, I'm sure :rolleyes: ). But I'm also not a doctor or a vet or have any experience with this sort of thing, so I don't want to say that and then see her get sicker down the road.

Anybody around with a bit more knowledge on the subject? :confused:

I don't think it would be a problem. If she's even the slightest bit concerned, she can get some latex or latex-free(if she's allergic to latex) gloves to wear while cleaning. Just for peace of mind :)

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Originally Posted by MedusasOwl

A friend of mine has an empty tank, and really wants to put a leo or some little herp in it. She's a great critter mom, and she's had reptiles before but that was long before she got sick. She has a weakened immune system now, and she asked me if that is something she should be worried about with a herp. I don't know. So I thought I'd ask you guys.

She's kept birds since she was sick with no problems, and I even gave her a very nice Neptune shed a while back that hasn't given her any problems. I assume that a little leo gecko or corn or what have you shouldn't give her any problems so long as she's careful when cleaning the tank and doesn't, you know, lick it or anything (no problems there, I'm sure :rolleyes: ). But I'm also not a doctor or a vet or have any experience with this sort of thing, so I don't want to say that and then see her get sicker down the road.

Anybody around with a bit more knowledge on the subject? :confused:

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Sheree,i have a poor Immune system (cancer) and i have never had any problems while keeping snakes.I would ask her doctor though just incase :).

The problem with asking a doctor is they will err on the side of caution. So if they don't know, they'll say don't do it. Asking the doctor is probably still a good idea, but if the doc says no but doesn't seem to have a lot of knowledge about it, I wouldn't take that as a final answer.

From my totally non-expert understanding, birds and reptiles are both possible salmonella carriers. So if she's keeping a pet bird, a pet reptile probably does not pose a great increase in risk. If she brings raw chicken into the house and handles it while preparing it, that is a risk too.

If I were in that situation, I think what I would do is get the reptile I wanted, but take some extra precautions, many of which she is likely already doing just as part of living with a weakened immune system. As Becky mentioned, she could wear gloves when cleaning the cage or even when handling. Based on the pics I see on here, most people don't worry about letting their snake roam on their bed, couch, etc. But with a weakened immune system, I might choose to limit what the critter is allowed to come in contact with to surfaces that are easily cleaned and sterilized. I might go a step beyond washing my hands after everytime I touch the snake or the enclosure and also change my clothes if my critter touched them.

Of course a lot of this depends on just how weak your friend thinks her immune system is.

Thanks guys! This is pretty much what I was thinking, and gloves for cleaning just to play it safe is a very good idea. I'm going to go ahead and link her to this thread. I think having had birds around is a good sign that a little leo shouldn't be a big problem. :)

Sheree, I'd just add that your friend should most likely get her lizard or snake from a top quality breeder rather than the local pet store. I know you know this stuff but it bears saying that you just cannot know how long the store has a creature in it, what sort of conditions it's been kept in and so forth so especially with an owner with her special concerns, I'd strongly recommend a breeder choice.

That's a good point too! Thanks, Jo! I always discourage folks from getting herps at pet stores, but I wouldn't have thought to in this case I think.