# Reptiles and human pregnancy



## rachy (Nov 18, 2006)

At some point i will have more children. Are there any risks with keeping snakes and lizards that could affect my pregnancy? Thanks:smile:


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

I am not sure about during pregnancy but if you have young children in the house, the CDC in the USA recommends you not keep reptiles, full stop.. 

This makes an interesting read (USA based though)

Pet Owners Beware: Reptiles Can Cause Salmonella Infections

Here is the most relevant quote:



> "What is new is the concern over children less than 5 years old. Our concern is that they seem to contract salmonellosis [infection with the bacteria salmonella] and they tend to get the more severe forms, including sepsis and meningitis. [In] many of these cases, the infants in fact were never in direct contact with the reptile but instead had indirect contact, such as a parent touching the iguana and then holding the child. Because of that concern, we included a new recommendation, which is that households with children less than 5 not have reptiles in the home." Wong is with Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases branch of the CDC.


This was however written in 1999 and I do not believe that it has had much effect in people keeping reptiles!


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## skimpy (Nov 22, 2006)

i have no intentions of getting rid of any of my animals if i fall pregnant. some women wont even have cats near them during pregnancy. what that thing that Tommy died of in Trainspotting?? Well it's that anyway that makes some women avoid cats.

surely with careful attention to hygiene, your risk should be no greater?


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## samanslow (Feb 14, 2007)

Never had any problems with my pregnancies that were related to my snakes. Plenty that were'nt though :lol2: 

As long as you wash hands/alcohol rub/ good hygiene etc really cant see any issues.


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## PendleHog (Dec 21, 2005)

The whole thing with cats has always amused me somewhat... you must keep a filthy house if you are even mildly concerned about keeping your cat whilst pregnant. The fact of then matter is fresh cat faeces are not dangerous to pregnant women. It is old faeces that have been left for a few days that the toxoplasmosis may be present in.

YOu can also only be infected with toxoplasmosis once, as you gain an immunity to the disease. If you live with cats you are likely to have already contracted it without being aware of it.

Theres always good old hand washing


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## rachy (Nov 18, 2006)

I had heard about the salmonella thing and i think alot of it is basic hygiene. It was another post that made me wonder. Id never sell my reps either id just get sheryl to do everything for me lol


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## Nat (Jan 26, 2005)

Id never stop keeping reptiles if I got pregnant again. I had all mine throughtout my entire pregnancy and my son who is now 21 months old also handles my reps and has done for a long time now, however, like a few of u hav already stated, it really is down to gd old basic hygiene xx


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## samanslow (Feb 14, 2007)

:lol2: :lol2: 

already got my own zoo (not including hubby and the kids) without looking after yours too LOL


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## Blazey (Apr 30, 2006)

I always thought that the reason pregnant women shouldnt go near cats is something to do with certain cat litters...
If your hygenic I dont see any reason why you wouldnt go near your pets but if you have them rolling in filth then maybe you should get rid of them anyway :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## mcrickydiva (Mar 4, 2007)

when i worked at the sanctuary, we had hundreds of cats, and pregnant women werent aloud on site/in the cat areas, im not sure of the ins and outs of it, but i think it USED to be something in cat litter, but obviously thats been removed now, and now its just skank in the cat poo...not sure how high the risk is ,but its best to not risk you kids life to clean up some cat crap if some1 else can do it...personally cat crap makes me gag anyway, any other poo im fine with...just not cats lol. 

dunno bout reps, suppose just the salmonella thing, but every1 can catch it, i suppose babies are just more prone to it cos of the immune system? If it ever happens then im sure ur Dr would be able to tell u either way...theres always ways to work around these problems lol


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## sami (Oct 23, 2006)

i wouldn't give up any reps if i got pregnant.. whatever. 

i make Mason clean out / feed the ferrets if i have a cold, cuz they can catch the cold/flu virus, and it can be deadly...
but the animals come first. 
oh, and i would make him clean out the cat litter tray if i was pregnant. cuz i have enough problems with me that i would have complications in pregnancy anyway. 

but i have stopped being broody (a first for me) cuz i'm more in to my animals and stuff now! 

sami


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## sparkle (Mar 21, 2007)

I think its basic hygeine thats all...

my daughters are 9 and 1 and they both have a little hnadle of the reps etc...

as long as u have a wee squirty germ cleaner on hand...

you can buy some good ones cheap on ebay etc.. similar to those ones they use in hospitals...

as long as ure clean and careful i am thinking its fine.


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## Guest (Apr 20, 2007)

My wife used to deal with the snakes when she was pregnant and all we ever used to do was keep a bottle of dettol next to the viv.Give your hands a quick squirt then dry them off after handling.


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## skimpy (Nov 22, 2006)

Greenphase said:


> My wife used to deal with the snakes when she was pregnant and all we ever used to do was keep a bottle of dettol next to the viv.Give your hands a quick squirt then dry them off after handling.


there's this gel stuff too, think its by cuticura or somthing like that. it is basically the stuff you have to use when visiting folk in hospital. mind any cuts though, its nippy stuff :grin1:


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## Venomous Poison (Jan 12, 2007)

i use the cuticura one it smells abit like cucumber lmao, i agree about the cuts tho. i couldn't get rid of any animals if i got pregnant..it'd just be a matter of tighten up on hygiene


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## Niccired (Apr 13, 2007)

I kept reptiles throughout my pregnancy and still have them now! my daughter is 9mths old and loves watchin my snakes and lizards  
As sum1 mentioned earlier if you mentain basic hygine, you sudnt have a problem!
Theres loadz ov things you shudnt do whilst preggas but alot ov them arnt proven or over exagerated :grin1:


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## skimpy (Nov 22, 2006)

tigercub2005 said:


> i use the cuticura one it smells abit like cucumber lmao, i agree about the cuts tho. i couldn't get rid of any animals if i got pregnant..it'd just be a matter of tighten up on hygiene


 
thats the one, smells like the old 'cumber! i like the smell actually. its great coz it dries up really quickly.


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## Venomous Poison (Jan 12, 2007)

i quite like it, i keep it with me everywhere i go and im glad as i took my sister to park last year and she picked up a foil try with a needle in it i was like get here and roll your sleeves up * scrub scrub scrub* i think its more hygienic than washin hands with soap and water!


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## BADGERS MUM (Dec 5, 2006)

im ashamed to say that my kids being boys are a nightmare for hand washing etc and theyve never hand any tummy upsets from eddie,i think tortoises carry more salmonella,not sure tho,we all need a few germs:smile: helps us become immune,some of the things my kids got up to and ate when they were younger would make the PC brigade drop dead:grin1:


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## Blazey (Apr 30, 2006)

I think its more of fear with unborn babies than children that are already born...

pregnant women need to avoid anything that will carry salmonella so they shouldnt have soft boiled eggs and mayo, my mum always told me that, because they'd be more likely to have the bug. 

Toxoplasmosis, the other thing to avoid, is also found in un washed raw fruit and veg and raw meats, so its not only found in cat poop and that CAN cause serious problems for the unborn baby if it contracts it.

Salmonella is less likely to be caught but it is always better to avoid it however you can whilst your pregnant, but it isnt likely to harm the baby, it will just make u feel unwell, which is obviously what you dont want when your pregnant.


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