i just dont buy it, not at all, not after my local reptile sanctuary (which is excellent) destroyed the myth. read my earlier post, number #21.

i do not see any reptiles as carriers of salmonella. the food, like mice or rats or chickens, may carry it, and that may turn certain reptiles into temporary transmitters of the disease, but reptiles are not a vector and not a harbor for the disease.

in europe, we have a peculiar case: rabies is eradicated, its a really nasty disease. basically when the symptoms set in, the mortality rate for humans is 100%. it can be cured after the infection happens, but when any later symptoms arise, death is certain and there is no way to stop it. In nations where rabies is still frequent, hospitals have dedicated quarantine areas, and special rooms for the sole purpose of having rabies patients die there.

Now we could turn against bats, because in europe bats are the last remaining reservoir of the disease, in all other species rabies is eradicated. But all the species of bats in europe only eat insects and they dont bite anyone.

The point is: compared to that, how harmless are salmonella? its a nuisance, it knocks you out for a few days, but you survive. and you get it as food poisoning. mainly traced back to chicken farms, or to unhygienic conditions in a restaurant. EVEN IF (and i doubt it), but if reptiles are a carrier, why should this be turned against pet reptiles? If anything, wild reptiles are the problem. Also there is a lack of verified cases, just no evidence. And EVEN IF, how could a war against the wild reptile population be justified when europe does NOT go after the bats while a bite from a bat can actually kill a person?


its just phony, its just as phony as the republican-induced government shutdown the USA is facing right now. Restricting or banning reptiles based on unrealistic and falsely perceived salmonella threats? hell no. Tanking the USA economy and holding the nation hostage because of some imagined threats of potential damage to the US economy from the affordable care act? You decide.

The people up there do not make decisions based on facts. When they go against reptiles, expect EXCUSES being brought forward to justify it, but really, there is someone who wants to sell more dogs and cats and rabbits behind it. Salmonella is just one of these excuses.