My mom is worried, what should I tell her?

My mom is worried about the snake giving me Salmonella or some infectious disease. Do you think I will get it from my snake. Also I need tips if I can clean my snake or anything like that. Like a shower or something but not a shower obviously like humans. Somehow clean them? More importantly the Salmonella question, what should I tell my mom?

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Originally Posted by Houzi88

My mom is worried about the snake giving me Salmonella or some infectious disease. Do you think I will get it from my snake. Also I need tips if I can clean my snake or anything like that. Like a shower or something but not a shower obviously like humans. Somehow clean them? More importantly the Salmonella question, what should I tell my mom?

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Wash hands thoroughly before handling, wash hands thoroughly after handling. No Salmonella.

Get hand sanitizer.

Can I clean my snake in any way?

As long as you keep your tank cleaned regularly, you shouldn't worry about any harmful bacteria growing. Snakes are naturally pretty clean animals. I clean my snakes every now and then by cleaning out my sink with tank disinfectant, and then fill it with warm water and let her swim/soak in it. I always put ReptiSafe water conditioner in it before i put her in it though. seems to work well for me!

ps-if anyone sees anything wrong with this, let me know. :oops:

Yep, wash your hands before and after, and no worries. You are more likely to get an infection or exposure to bacteria from handling soil in my opinion.

http://www.triciaswaterdragon.com/sa...htm#salmonella

Show her that. only about 20% of captive reptile have Salmonella

who knows what truth that has but hey:oops:

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Originally Posted by azak323

As long as you keep your tank cleaned regularly, you shouldn't worry about any harmful bacteria growing. Snakes are naturally pretty clean animals. I clean my snakes every now and then by cleaning out my sink with tank disinfectant, and then fill it with warm water and let her swim/soak in it. I always put ReptiSafe water conditioner in it before i put her in it though. seems to work well for me!

ps-if anyone sees anything wrong with this, let me know. :oops:

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I don't know what is in your sanitizer, but I would say that it is totally unnecessary to "sanitize" your snake. If you want to clean your snake (for any reason) a short warm bath of water is your best bet:)

Just fill a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol and spray it on your hands before and after handling the snake. Never spray it on or near the snake though and make sure your hands are completely dry before picking the snake up. The rubbing alcohol kills all kinds of bad stuff that could get on your hands. I have even used it when cleaning tanks out because it makes a good solvent for dried-on nastiness :P

A freshwater soak is really only beneficial to hydrate the snake, and it really isn't going to disinfect him/her.

Just be sure to wash your hands after handling. Like Pat linked to, salmonella in captive reptiles is pretty uncommon. However, snakes aren't exactly "tidy"...they'll spray urates and climb through their own waste on occasion. Keep the enclosure clean and wash those hands!;)

oh no i don't sanitize the snake itself, just the sink bowl before i fill it with warm water. I use a little ZooMed Wipe Out on the sink; it's a mild reptile enclosure disinfectant.

I use soap and water and friction (rubbing my hands together)!!
Also, if the snake has laid in their own pee, I just let the water run tepid and gently wash the snake off- water only, no soap ;)
Let your mom know that my grandchildren handle the snakes after they wash their hands and when they are finished with the snake they wash up again. All the grandkids are fine and have never been ill.
Honestly, I think we have more to fear from our own food supply..... :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by azak323

oh no i don't sanitize the snake itself, just the sink bowl before i fill it with warm water. I use a little ZooMed Wipe Out on the sink; it's a mild reptile enclosure disinfectant.

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In the future to save yourself money a good ol' bleach water solution works wonders to disinfect enclosures, hides, water dishes, and sinks and countertops.:gj:

salmonella is only dangerous to people with compromised immune systems, or the VERY few that have a specific "allergy" to it

in other words: It's good for you! Helps build your immune system! :)

But maybe you shouldn't tell your mom that

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Originally Posted by soy.lor.n

salmonella is only dangerous to people with compromised immune systems, or the VERY few that have a specific "allergy" to it

in other words: It's good for you! Helps build your immune system! :)

But maybe you shouldn't tell your mom that

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WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!! I was (and am) healthy as can be and came down with salmonella a couple of decades ago and was soooooo sick. Needed a fews in the hospital with an IV bag...after bag....after bag..... No specific allergy needed (whatever that means) and it does not build your immune system!!!

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Originally Posted by jknudson

A freshwater soak is really only beneficial to hydrate the snake, and it really isn't going to disinfect him/her.

Just be sure to wash your hands after handling. Like Pat linked to, salmonella in captive reptiles is pretty uncommon. However, snakes aren't exactly "tidy"...they'll spray urates and climb through their own waste on occasion. Keep the enclosure clean and wash those hands!;)

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Agreed, I see no need to sanitize a snake, but should you want to clean him/her for any reason such as being covered in poo, the only thing I would suggest is water. To disinfect, clean yourself:)

Also remember that most things can carry salmonella, Cats carry more diseases you can get then any reptile. Same with dogs, But you dont see people saying dont keep or pet dogs because you can get Salmonella, or Fleas, or any of that stuff. Most Salmonella cases are from food, Usually something like eggs or peanut butter.

Anyway, Theres a few simple rules to follow to not get salmonella.
1. wash your hands
2. Keep the tank clean
3. If your sick, might be a day to let the snake be and not handle him, for your and his sake.
4. Dont lick your snake
5. Dont kiss your snake
6. Dont touch his feces with your hands, If you do, wash your hands thoroughly, Just use a paper towel or toilet paper to pick up after him.

*A few of the above items on the list are sarcastic...* :rolleye2:

But anyway, the public link of Salmonella to Reptiles came about with Baby turtles after Teenage Mutain Ninja Turtles Came out, A bunch of people got turtles as pets, hatchlings/juvies usually, Along with a spike in Iguanas bought after Jurassic park. Little kids would put these in there mouths like todlers do with everything, and of course direct oral contact is one of the main catalysts of disease transmission.

But also there is a public link between reptiles and salmonella even though its very very rare, and on a person-animal ratio, most other pets give more diseases more often then reptiles. People just dont like reptiles as much as the furry counterparts, and salmonella has been made the public spokesdisease for anti-reptile crusades.

In short, Its public concerns that are realitivly unfounded, Not a huge deal, but washing your hand after touching or holding any animal, furry or scaley, wild, domestic or exotic is a good practice to have, and definitally washing your hands with something like Purell, will take that question of worry out of your and your moms mind hopefully.

So do you guys/girls put the snake in the sink to swim in. Do Ball Pythons swim in water??? Or just run warm water out of the sink faucet and let the snakes body run under it, and not get his face wet I would imagine, and then pat it dry with a towel or something?

You can set him in the sink if you'd like, be he's more than likely going to try to get out so you'll end up handling him most of the time anyway :). It's ok if his head gets wet, i just wouldn't hold him under or anything. They're pretty good natural swimmers. My male does laps with his head completely under water in his water bowl sometimes, hehe. Patting dry with a clean towel is what i do to dry them off afterward. :gj:

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Originally Posted by azak323

You can set him in the sink if you'd like, be he's more than likely going to try to get out so you'll end up handling him most of the time anyway :). It's ok if his head gets wet, i just wouldn't hold him under or anything. They're pretty good natural swimmers.

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I don't think the water should ever be deep enough for them to "swim" in when your giving them a bath or washing them. Just fill the sink, or a seperate tub (that's what I use) with just enough water to *almost* cover your snakes body. They shouldn't have to try and swim, although I'm sure they can. If it's lukewarm water and they aren't trying to stay afloat, many times they will relax and not spaz out during "bath time".

I think it was mentioned before, but they don't really need baths that often...a bath is usually to hydrate a snake whose enclosure isn't humid enough or is otherwise dehydrated.

To the OP, if your mom is really worried about it, like the others have said, lots of hand washing, but you can also take a warm damp towel and let your BP slither through it when you first get her out. She will be a bit cleaner that way to help ease your mom's worrying, and it won't be as stressful as a bath. ^_^

You're definitely right! Thanks for the correction. :)