Handwashing?

So do you guys really wash your hands after you handle your snakes? I don't really. I wash them when I come home from work, after the bathroom, before I eat at work, but I don't wash my hands after I pet my dogs and I don't really think I'm going to get salmonella from a captive BP. Plus he crawls all over my bed and covers so I don't think the handwashing would help much. I also learned from my Anatomy professor that unless it's antibacterial soap, all your doing is making your hands dry and smell nice. If you use antibacterial all the time the bacteria build up a resistance. Anyways enough rambling. What do you personally do?

Hand sanitizer in between handling different snakes and hand washing after I'm done with everyone.

I wash my hands after, yes.

Before and after

I wash before handling snakes, and after.
Your professor is also incorrect. Washing with non-anti-bacterial soap does reduce the amount of pathogenic bacteria on your hands.
While not completely sterilizing you (which is a bad thing any way) it allows the beneficial bacteria that cover your entire body to out compete the harmful bacteria.
At least that is what is supposed to happen, things like open wounds change the game. Also, some people have higher immunity from disease than others. i.e. farm kids or kids raised around a number of pets.

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Originally Posted by Raven01

I wash before handling snakes, and after.

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Holy H, we agree on something.

Another for before and after.

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Originally Posted by Daybreaker

Hand sanitizer in between handling different snakes and hand washing after I'm done with everyone.

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I wouldn't trust hand sanitizer at all.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/...er-recall.html

If it is being recalled for being contaminated with bacteria how effective can it be at killing bacteria?
Also, the residual alcohol means you have to wait for your hands to completely dry so you do not expose your herp's to isopropyl alcohol.

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Originally Posted by Rob

Holy H, we agree on something.

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We agree on quite a bit actually. I just haven't thrown my comments in everywhere.
O/T I genuinely wish you luck in your BHB bidding, you lucky so and so.

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Originally Posted by Raven01

I wouldn't trust hand sanitizer at all.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/...er-recall.html

If it is being recalled for being contaminated with bacteria how effective can it be at killing bacteria?
Also, the residual alcohol means you have to wait for your hands to completely dry so you do not expose your herp's to isopropyl alcohol.

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That looks like a particular brand of a particular type of foaming isopropyl hand sanitizer, in Canada. I would assume using a different type is more effective than using nothing! Also, I don't think trace amounts of isopropyl will harm snakes other than drying them out superficially. Just don't use it directly on them and I think it's ok (please correct me if I am wrong!)

I use sanitizer in between handling snakes and thoroughly wash my hands after. I am the type who would be peeved if I was handling snakes and then washed my hands over dirty dishes in the sink...never know what will flourish in some old spaghetti. I am a semi-germophobe.

You are likely right. Just remember you are talking to a guy that won't use newspaper due to the chems in the ink.
Never mind that thousands of others do so safely.

On the whether or not it is effective thing, just check the label and make sure the isopropyl alcohol is above 60%. Otherwise it is useless. And the alcohol despite being pretty toxic does evaporate pretty quickly so, if your hands aren't damp you critters should be 100% safe.

I tend to be critical in my thinking and had no intention of suggesting you are likely to harm your animals. I was just thinking of younger kids with new BP's and an excitement level that hard for us to reach, grabbing snakes with hands still covered in the stuff.

I always just use hand sanitizer before and after I handle my snakes

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Originally Posted by Raven01

I wouldn't trust hand sanitizer at all.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/...er-recall.html

If it is being recalled for being contaminated with bacteria how effective can it be at killing bacteria?
Also, the residual alcohol means you have to wait for your hands to completely dry so you do not expose your herp's to isopropyl alcohol.

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I don't use that kind (I use Germ-X brand here in the US) and always make sure the sanitizer drys before handling any snakes. Haven't had any problems.

I'm no germophobe. I will wash my hands before I eat and will wash them before handling Allure if I've been out or have been cleaning with chemicals or something. Other than that I don't run to wash my hands after handling him. He's probably a lot cleaner than horses since they roll in dirt and poo and such. I used to be a germophobe but got over that quick with horses. When at shows, helping with lessons, doing camps, etc you muck poo, get covered in dirt and dust, inhale dust, get covered in horse hair and sweat. When you're at shows and riding or helping out you gotta eat on the go.

I could definitely see sanitizing between handling different snakes though. I would also think that soap kills just as many good bacteria on our skin as bad. We naturally have a lot of bacteria on us at all times. You're actually supposed to get rid of your shower sponges/scrubs weekly because of all the bacteria on us. I'm definetly an advocate of washing your hands before you eat. That is what I'm particular about. I find it interesting that people are so particular about handwashing after snakes but not dogs/cats/fish, etc.

I wash my hands between each animal, not because of salmonella, but just so I don't transfer anything animal to animal.

Honestly, I only sanitize after cleaning a tub or handling any quarantined animals. Other than that, I don't worry about it. My stepdaughters on the other hand wash and sanitize after handling anyone from my snakes to my beardie.Kids are more susceptible to salmonella than adults are and I'm not going to take chances where they are concerned.

I wash my hands EVERYTIME I handle any snake, lizard, etc, before I eat ANYTHING, after I go to the bathroom, even after touching something that has been in a snake's cage. I am kind of a germophoic though. Well maybe more then kinda..

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Originally Posted by daybreaker

(i use germ-x brand here in the us).

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x 2

I usually wash my hands before and after handling often use a hand sanitizer product (usually F10 hand gel) between each snake as well, much of this is to keep them safer rather than myself.

A side thought on hand sanitizers, like most most disenfecting prioducts, they are often used incorrectly. Your hands must be clean before use. To be effective your hands must be wet with the product for 30 seconds. It often requires one pump and then a second before the first dries. I have worked shows and most people get a blob and run shaking dry in under 10 seconds. Never even coming close to 30, this is pointless.


http://www.ext.colostate.edu/safefoo...r/v8n3s06.html
http://www.cambridgemontessori.org/s...dsanitizer.pdf
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy732

OP I am not fanitical about hand washing unless there is poo/pee involved. The only time I am is actually with dogs, you have a higher chance of contacting fecal material in a dogs fur than a snake.

Before & after handling. Before & after cage maintenance. Soap, water, Purell hand sanitizer.

After handling because snakes will roam in their pee :rolleye2:

General rule I follow is wash your hands after playing with your balls :) but medical field has made me goofy bout cleaning my hands so its not just worrying about dirty balls

Like Marissa I'm a horse person, and I have two idiot Scottie dogs so I'm definitely not a germaphobe. But I am very leery of transferring germs to or between snakes (also want to remove mammal smells from my hands) so I wash before and after. And if I have one in quarantine, I spray my hands with F10 (bad I know) first and then wash them. Horrible on the skin, but better than taking my entire collection to the vet.

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Originally Posted by Badgemash

I have two idiot Scottie dogs so I'm definitely not a germaphobe.

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Ah! I love Scotties and all things Terrier! :D I have a Cairn myself.

I wash before handling and after when it comes to my snakes. After the bathroom of course and before/during cooking. I grew up on farms and as a kid was not so careful about washing my hands before a snack, and if you are eating your lunch in the loft with the other kids the point is fairly moot. Now of course I wash my hands before I eat, but I am in no way a germaphobe.

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hand sanitizer

Well they crawl through their own urine and feces so what do you think? ;)

A Hand washing thread, really?

Should I brush my teeth daily too?

:p

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Originally Posted by 3skulls

A Hand washing thread, really?

Should I brush my teeth daily too?

:p

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Only if you want dates. ;) If you're married then disregard. :P

Haha.
For the record I wash my hands until a layer of skin comes off.

I work with animals all day before I come home to work with my animals. I'm washing my hands pretty much all day.

The majority will cringe with what will follow...

I do not wash my hands before or after simply handling my snakes on a normal day. I will shower and change clothes before walking into my snake room after going to a show or handling friend's reptiles (Which generally means continuing on my day, and showering as usual the following morning before entering the snake room). QT animals get touched or handled only as necessary (feeding, cleaning), and I generally also clean them on a seperate day, or at a minimum, only after I've completed what I need to in the main snake room.

If it is cleaning day, my hands are generally covered in chlorhexidine, F10, or bleach as I assembly-line dirty tubs into clean tubs, and snakes into new spots and clean dishes. I also chew my fingernails, and HATE the feel of paper on dry skin... and have caught myself dabbing my finger on my tongue to grab newspaper and realizing I hadn't actually cleaned my hands. Oops. Filthy, I know, but I've not gotten sick from it yet. I do wash my hands after a room clean.

I get sick from existing in an office building with 2000 other people, not from my reptiles. Being in an office building 90% of my existence, also limits my exposure to other animals that might have something for me to pick up.

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Originally Posted by Anatopism

I also chew my fingernails, and HATE the feel of paper on dry skin... and have caught myself dabbing my finger on my tongue to grab newspaper and realizing I hadn't actually cleaned my hands. Oops. Filthy, I know, but I've not gotten sick from it yet. I do wash my hands after a room clean.

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Haha. I used to be a habitual nail biter but I stopped putting my fingers in my mouth when I began to find myself elbow deep in snake poop every day.

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Originally Posted by spitzu

Haha. I used to be a habitual nail biter but I stopped putting my fingers in my mouth when I began to find myself elbow deep in snake poop every day.

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I've not graduated to that stage yet. I mean, I can barely remember not to poo in the bathtub when I'm in there. It's tough being a 3 year old in an adult's body :(

I wash my hands before i eat. Other than that sometimes i wash my hands after i handle my snakes and sometimes i dont.

Before eating, or after handling if the snake is dirty or I came into contact with their waste products.

I wash my hands before and after.

Obsessively and not just my hands since they tend to hang out on other parts of me.


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I have horses, dogs, goats and snakes. I always wash my hands before handling my snakes and handle QT snakes last. Other than that, if I drop my candy bar on the ground in the barn the 3 second rule applies lol. Outside People on the other hand freak me out and I become a compulsive hand washer, hand sanitizer and I have even threatened to spray guests with Lysol. Don't come to my house sick cuz you won't get on the property and an armed response might be necessary lol. I'm on chemo so terrified of other PEOPLES germs. Never gotten sick from my animals.


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I wash mine before and after.