Can snakes/reptiles get sick from you being sick?

[CoolioTiffany]

I've ALWAYS wanted to know this. Just remembered to ask now. If you are sick (infectious disease) and your handling your snake/reptile, could they catch the bacteria/virus and possibly get some sort of sickness (not the sicknesses we have.. like flu and colds..)? This always got my head spinning in circles because I wasn't even sure if that was possible. I've handled my snakes and reptiles when I was sick, I even cleaned their water dishes out (cleaned my hands first!), and nothing has ever happened.. so.. is that a no?

[_Venom_]

Nope...

[Muze]

Highly unlikely, but possible. There are certain types of bacterial pneumonia, for example, that you could transmit to your snake if you were infected.