# Exotic pets a health risk to children, experts warn



## shellfisch (Jul 5, 2010)

*Published On:* - 5/7/2010
*Source:* The Courier Mail

THEY turn heads but health experts have warned that exotic pets carry an often overlooked risk of serious disease.

Doctors have reported the recent case of a baby in the ACT who became infected with a rare strain of salmonella.

The four-month-old girl took four days to recover in hospital as the infection was traced to the family's pet eastern bearded dragon.

*Go to Original Article*


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## shellfisch (Jul 5, 2010)

So, the poor lizard gets put down, when all the family had to do was wash their hands...


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## mrkos (Jul 5, 2010)

they probly didnt even have a bottle of repti gel or anything it pays to be hygenic with your animals especially if there are young kids in the house


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## the jungle guy (Jul 5, 2010)

shellfisch said:


> So, the poor lizard gets put down, when all the family had to do was wash their hands...


 

everyone knows babies have a very weak immune system how stupid of the family not to practice good hygiene around her new born, 
They should be euthanaised for the lack of care and practice in good hygeine lol any reptile or mammal that produces eggs carry salmonella not just reptiles!
Thats sad that dragons life ended so early


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## rhett (Jul 5, 2010)

*Why euthanise it?*

Understand that people need to be careful when handling them - but why put the animal down? Why not hand it in to someone else - authorities, store, another collector? What a stupid decision


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## euphorion (Jul 5, 2010)

OH MY GOD. how stupid can you be? im always making sure i wash my hands with anti-bacterial handwash after handling any of my reps and occassionally use F10 or method as well if im concerned. grrrr. what a stupid thing to let happen.


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## Bushman (Jul 5, 2010)

Australian reptile species like the one in the spotlight here, the Eastern Bearded Dragon (_Pogona barbata_) is NOT an "exotic pet"! I've heard this term misapplied and bandied around lately to my amazement and disgust. It's almost as disgusting as killing an innocent and healthy animal because of human mismanagement and ignorance!


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## syeph8 (Jul 5, 2010)

i make a sandwich right after i handle sometimes.. i know im stupid for doing it but i occasionally forget for some reason or another, usually get distracted, as it is easy to do with a baby running around. i agree its irresponsible with a bub though, but i do understand the "i occasionally forget" scenario. what i dont understand is putting it down... if i got sick from eating after handling one of my animals i would say "well I'm an idiot" not "they must all die". what an odd decision.


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## Adsell (Jul 10, 2010)

Just about any animal can carry salmonella Inc dogs and cats. Pigs are one of the worst with the strain the carry having a one in five mortality rate in humans.
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## snakehandler (Jul 11, 2010)

We always make sure anyone that touches our animals, including our dogs washes their hand immediately afterward, we take hand gel to shows and all events and invite people to use it should they wish.......many dont, but dont blame the animals, blame the idiots who dont know about good hygiene.


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## Asharee133 (Jul 11, 2010)

So that means i should stop kissing my bird?


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## nagini-baby (Jul 11, 2010)

my partner has a renal desease so he has no immune system and we have numerous reps incl 2 of the biggest offenders the beardie and the water dragon. i clean the tanks and handle then and if he wants to handle one we just make sure it hasn got and faeces on its under side and he washes his hands thourougly afterwatds. as do i . its not hard to manage...


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