# can i?



## missllama (Oct 25, 2008)

hey everyone
im pregnant, and i know that i cant clean out the kitty litter, but am i able to clean out my reptile enclosures? i heard beardys carry listeria or something and i heard that alot of bugs are airborn with reptiles also

i dont want to sell my reptiles i just want to work out the best way to care for them over the next few months being safe at the same time


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## Rocky (Oct 25, 2008)

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!! Missllama is Gravid! (as for your question, i have no idea.)


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## funcouple (Oct 25, 2008)

ive allways had cats and cleaned their trays while i was pregnant. i never had any problems. if your so worries wear gloves and a face mask


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## missllama (Oct 25, 2008)

LOL rocky hahaha
ur a nut

i dont want to neglect my reptiles


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## LullabyLizard (Oct 25, 2008)

Congrats Miss Llama! I don't know the answer to your question :?


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## missllama (Oct 25, 2008)

funcouple said:


> ive allways had cats and cleaned their trays while i was pregnant. i never had any problems. if your so worries wear gloves and a face mask



i think that the doctors etc make this stuff up to make women paranoid and it causes us to worry and end up back seeing them thinking we have ended up with toxoplasmosis rabies and lots of other scary made up things...


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## Rocky (Oct 25, 2008)

People still drink and smoke when they are pregnant, I am sure a few little bugs wont hurt


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## missllama (Oct 25, 2008)

lol rocky well i wont be doing either, but i guess ur rite
my mum said there was a thing on the news the other night about reptiles and other animals having lots of bugs that are airborn thats where i heard that part from and that made me scared, and i heard the listeria part from another person
but i guess it cant be that bad


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## Noongato (Oct 25, 2008)

Yeah i wondered the same thing, and i thought it simpler to assume yes, as i have discovered that apparently 99.9% of everything is bad for you. Hahaha   Now i wonder how much has been made up?


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## Sel (Oct 25, 2008)

Congratz Lana

Im not sure about your question, people say alot of things u cant do when your preggers...most are full of crap.
Only thing i steered clear of was Alcohol and ciggarettes! I didnt have reptiles cages to clean though..
Ask your doctor !


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## missllama (Oct 25, 2008)

midnightserval said:


> Yeah i wondered the same thing, and i thought it simpler to assume yes, as i have discovered that apparently 99.9% of everything is bad for you. Hahaha   Now i wonder how much has been made up?



lol thats like me right now michaels like is there anything u CAN DO? lol 
i have been stuffing my face with peanuts and peanut butter toasties, and then i find out im not suppose to eat peanuts while im pregnant
...... how much does that suck
and no tuna?!?! OR ICECREAM since wen cant we eat icecream!?

i would like to know tho if beardys really do have listeria because it would be interesting to find out if they really do carry bugs and if so what


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## missllama (Oct 25, 2008)

MzSel said:


> Congratz Lana
> 
> Im not sure about your question, people say alot of things u cant do when your preggers...most are full of crap.
> Only thing i steered clear of was Alcohol and ciggarettes! I didnt have reptiles cages to clean though..
> Ask your doctor !




my doc said that the cats steer clear of, but the reptiles she said she hasnt really heard much about the issue before


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## Noongato (Oct 25, 2008)

My doc ripped it up me about the smoking thing and said i must give up NOW!!!!

Then she lit up, and her second-hand smoke hit me in the face....


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## snakes4me2 (Oct 25, 2008)

Congrats, I would use this as an excuse to get you hubby to clean them out .......hang on im ment to be on his side :lol: 

Have heard of the kitten thing but not about reptiles, make sure you do get a proper answer first, wouldnt want little bubs have something wrong because you didnt.


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## Sel (Oct 25, 2008)

missllamathuen said:


> lol thats like me right now michaels like is there anything u CAN DO? lol
> i have been stuffing my face with peanuts and peanut butter toasties, and then i find out im not suppose to eat peanuts while im pregnant
> ...... how much does that suck
> and no tuna?!?! OR ICECREAM since wen cant we eat icecream!?
> ...



Honey, you can eat whatever the hell you want!! Since when cant you eat peanuts?? And ICe cream?? What crazy person told you that!?
Not sure about tuna, i know raw fish is a no no and if your eating chicken make sure its cooked properly (which you do anyway..duh)

But go for your life with the icecream, when i was preggers i craved Rasberry Splits...had to have them everyday lol
I also ate hot n spicy chicken ALOT which people also say is bad when ur preggers. Pfft..people are stupid


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## missllama (Oct 25, 2008)

snakes4me2 said:


> Congrats, I would use this as an excuse to get you hubby to clean them out .......hang on im ment to be on his side :lol:
> 
> Have heard of the kitten thing but not about reptiles, make sure you do get a proper answer first, wouldnt want little bubs have something wrong because you didnt.



yea i know what u mean! lol yes i think ur suppose to be backing up the guys on this one lol

today when i fed them i put gloves on and it still makes it hard cleaning the enclosures out because i am unsure on the whole if its airborn or if its when u come in physical contact with it
i have googled some things but still no answers

another main one i need to know is, what about baby birds?
my cockatiels and indian ringnecks are about to hatch any day now and i wanted to hand raise them but i know birds are an animal that carry lots of bugs too, any opinions on that??


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## missllama (Oct 25, 2008)

MzSel said:


> Honey, you can eat whatever the hell you want!! Since when cant you eat peanuts?? And ICe cream?? What crazy person told you that!?
> Not sure about tuna, i know raw fish is a no no and if your eating chicken make sure its cooked properly (which you do anyway..duh)
> 
> But go for your life with the icecream, when i was preggers i craved Rasberry Splits...had to have them everyday lol
> I also ate hot n spicy chicken ALOT which people also say is bad when ur preggers. Pfft..people are stupid




no way i love spicey stuff i have been eating alot of hot salsa dip lol! peanuts is because the baby could have a alergic reaction to it... which i had never heard of either i thoguht alot of women liked peanut butter while pregnant?? and icecream who knows why it was on a website with lists of food not to eat lol, i mean if a baby is going to have a reaction to peanuts why not have a reaction to other things its not like peanuts are the only things people are alergic to in this world!


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## bundy_zigg (Oct 25, 2008)

My doctor told me to have someone else clean out the enclosures or wear gloves and practice good hygiene also posted this not long ago and heaps of women said they didn't really worry about it which is fair enough - but are you willing to be the 1 in 10,000 or so that contracts it and the child then suffers? wear gloves and wash your hands with a disinfectant and you'll be right. Doctors give warnings not because they like to or because all things happen to every pregnancy they give warnings cause if your not careful you may just be the poor person who gets something or has a problem due to a preventable thing.
I'm pretty sure many reptiles can be carriers of the salmonella bacteria which is harmful to pregnant women.
As many others have said nearly everything is bad for you while pregnant its up to you to choose what advise you take and what risks are involved

*Congratulations on the pending arrival !!! - *
are you going to find out if its a girl or boy?


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## missllama (Oct 25, 2008)

bundy_zigg said:


> My doctor told me to have someone else clean out the enclosures or wear gloves and practice good hygiene also posted this not long ago and heaps of women said they didn't really worry about it which is fair enough - but are you willing to be the 1 in 10,000 or so that contracts it and the child then suffers? wear gloves and wash your hands with a disinfectant and you'll be right. Doctors give warnings not because they like to or because all things happen to every pregnancy they give warnings cause if your not careful you may just be the poor person who gets something or has a problem due to a preventable thing.
> I'm pretty sure many reptiles can be carriers of the salmonella bacteria which is harmful to pregnant women.
> As many others have said nearly everything is bad for you while pregnant its up to you to choose what advise you take and what risks are involved
> 
> ...




yea that was it i have no idea why i was thinking listeria! salmonella! did ur doctor say if its airborn tho? because i know gloves should be worn but i wasnt sure if a mask is needed? i think ill let my partner find out about the sex but i want it to be a surprise
(i am expecting to have a girl tho, seems alot of people have that feeling aswel) lol


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## Australis (Oct 25, 2008)

missllamathuen said:


> hey everyone
> im pregnant,



:|...


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## bundy_zigg (Oct 25, 2008)

missllamathuen said:


> yea that was it i have no idea why i was thinking listeria! salmonella! did ur doctor say if its airborn tho? because i know gloves should be worn but i wasnt sure if a mask is needed? i think ill let my partner find out about the sex but i want it to be a surprise
> (i am expecting to have a girl tho, seems alot of people have that feeling aswel) lol


 
Cool - I'm not pregnant yet but fingers crossed it will happen soon
I think like may other bugs when the feces dried the salmonella can become airborne but best to ask a professional - my doc just said to have some one else do the cleaning to limit the change so I never thought to ask him that - I will now though.


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## missllama (Oct 25, 2008)

bundy_zigg said:


> Cool - I'm not pregnant yet but fingers crossed it will happen soon
> I think like may other bugs when the feces dried the salmonella can become airborne but best to ask a professional - my doc just said to have some one else do the cleaning to limit the change so I never thought to ask him that - I will now though.



ok thanks heaps bundy, that makes alot more sence now, i might get my partner to do the cleaning and ill still do the feeding with gloves etc
 thanks everyone for ur help

would still like to know if its safe to be handling the baby birds soon if anyone knows a bit more about that, would appreciate the info


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## Bearded_Lady (Oct 25, 2008)

Congrats on the great news! Don't really know what to say about the whole bug thing. Everything seems to be bad for you when your pregnant! I guess I would have to agree with snakes4me2. The hubby should help/clean out the enclosures. You shouldn't be doing anything "overly strenuous"


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## buttss66 (Oct 25, 2008)

here's one thing i found:

http://www.amazingpregnancy.com/pregnancy-articles/438.html

It basically says not to handle reptile poo as it may transmit nasties but there doesn't seem to be a problem with anything in the air.

I just googled "reptile handling while pregnant" and heaps of stuff came up.


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## AUSGECKO (Oct 25, 2008)

I wouldn`t risk it, i`ve had salmonella poisoning before and it`s crap... literally!!! I can`t imagine it would be too good for apregnant woman.


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## bundy_zigg (Oct 25, 2008)

missllamathuen said:


> ok thanks heaps bundy, that makes alot more sence now, i might get my partner to do the cleaning and ill still do the feeding with gloves etc
> thanks everyone for ur help
> 
> would still like to know if its safe to be handling the baby birds soon if anyone knows a bit more about that, would appreciate the info


 
If the birds are healthy(which im sure they are) it should not be a problem but I'm sure they too carry salmonella - take a feces sample to the vet and get it checked maybe? if its all clear there is no reason at all not to H/R them


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## bundy_zigg (Oct 25, 2008)

Geck82 said:


> I wouldn`t risk it, i`ve had salmonella poisoning before and it`s crap... literally!!! I can`t imagine it would be too good for apregnant woman.


 

Me too and I'm pretty sure a fetus in the first trimester wouldn't make it through a bad bout of it. It was horrible the worst was the dehydration - BLOODY CHICKEN WINGS hahahaha never again:evil:


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## missllama (Oct 25, 2008)

buttss66 said:


> here's one thing i found:
> 
> http://www.amazingpregnancy.com/pregnancy-articles/438.html
> 
> ...




 that sounds nasty, guess ill definatly be leaving the cleaning up to michael for now, thanks heaps buttss

and im sorry that u have had to have salmonella poisening geck i hate to think how bad it would be, do u no what u did that caused u to get it?

thanks again bundy, i might just give it a miss hand rearing this lot i might tell them to someone who wants to work on hand rearing them and just wait till next season i dont really want to take any risks now

oh and good luck  forgot to say it in my last post to u!


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## AUSGECKO (Oct 25, 2008)

bundy_zigg said:


> Me too and I'm pretty sure a fetus in the first trimester wouldn't make it through a bad bout of it. It was horrible the worst was the dehydration - BLOODY CHICKEN WINGS hahahaha never again:evil:


 Yep i will never eat shaved ham thats been in the fridge for longer than a week again!!:lol: and yes birds definatly can carry it!!


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## Cooper_Simone (Oct 25, 2008)

Rocky said:


> People still drink and smoke when they are pregnant, I am sure a few little bugs wont hurt


 
Your lucky my wife hasn't seen this post. She's studying to be a midwife and I heard it a thousand times how people that smoke have reduced blood flow through the placenta and are literally suffacating their baby. 

I think its a good excuse to get your husband to do the cleaning beter safe than sorry, or if he wont do it wear gloves and make sure you keep things as clean as possible.


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## missllama (Oct 25, 2008)

Cooper_Simone said:


> Your lucky my wife hasn't seen this post. She's studying to be a midwife and I heard it a thousand times how people that smoke have reduced blood flow through the placenta and are literally suffacating their baby.
> 
> I think its a good excuse to get your husband to do the cleaning beter safe than sorry, or if he wont do it wear gloves and make sure you keep things as clean as possible.




oh thats horrible, glad i dont smoke! :|


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## pete12 (Oct 25, 2008)

Congrats!!!

My sis is due to have her bub any day now her doctor said that she just wasn't aloud to eat soft serve ice cream because it have to much bacteria


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## Soldiers_Girl (Oct 25, 2008)

I know you cant' eat fetta cheese when your pregnant


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## missllama (Oct 25, 2008)

yea something about non pasturised milk is suppose to be bad

congrats pete and thanks soldiers girl


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## daniel1234 (Oct 26, 2008)

Congrates Lana thats fantastic. I dont think finding out what it is takes away from anything, it helps plan for things to come.

Remember that childhood illness often result because they are still learning good hygiene.
Look after yourself, look after your herps, don't pick up poo with your bare hands:shock: and always wash them before you eat and after doing whatever with/for your reptiles.


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## fraser888 (Oct 26, 2008)

Congrats. I wouldn't wory about it.


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## missllama (Oct 26, 2008)

"don't pick up poo with your bare hands" lol hahaha im so tempted to quote that in my sig rite now lol 

thanks dan and fraser

i know that some people go over board with keeping things too clean but i think that if i need to clean it out ill use a little mask and gloves but ill be getting my other half to do it as much as pos


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## fraser888 (Oct 26, 2008)

Well you have fun............lol


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## missllama (Oct 26, 2008)

fraser888 said:


> Well you have fun............lol



lol i dont mean like a massive gas mask or anything... just one of those little disposable white ones lol
fraser if u were a female and had a wierd looking jellybean growing in u i think ud know how it feels to get paranoid about this sort of stuff lol


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## fraser888 (Oct 26, 2008)

missllamathuen said:


> lol i dont mean like a massive gas mask or anything... just one of those little disposable white ones lol
> fraser if u were a female and had a wierd looking jellybean growing in u i think ud know how it feels to get paranoid about this sort of stuff lol


 
Haha, yeah I guess so, I guess if you protect your jelly bean now, it can help you in later life with your maintanence. But seriously, I would be more scared that when it gets born something trys to eat your sweet little jelly bean!


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## missllama (Oct 26, 2008)

fraser888 said:


> Haha, yeah I guess so, I guess if you protect your jelly bean now, it can help you in later life with your maintanence. But seriously, I would be more scared that when it gets born something trys to eat your sweet little jelly bean!



lol gah now u have me start thinking somethings going to eat it! i was watching tv today and a baby on the telly started crying and it scared the daylights out of my dog... i wonder what he is going to be like when it arives? lol i will make sure my pythons have a big padlock on there enclosures too now... and anything els that could try too... gah u are making the paranoia worse mr!


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## No-two (Oct 26, 2008)

Getting "hands-on" with dirty things like kitty litter and reptile poo, you will build up an immunity to whatever nasty diseases lie inside their crap. Obviously it's not the best idea to try it out whilst pregnant just in case you do catch something and it's passed on to your baby, but I'm almost completely confident that when I become pregnant one day I won't need to worry about keeping away from my cat's litter simply because I have had a "hands-on" experience with kitty litter and over 20 different cats since I was a child, and we all know how disgusting young children are, having to taste everything they see 
The snakes I'm not as confident about but I'm sure there have been a few occasions where I didn't wash my hands after cleaning reptiles and whatever germs were on my hands somehow made their way into my system.
The dirtier you get, the healthier you'll be. That's my theory anyway, seems to have worked with everything so far 

Oh and congrats on the pregnancy


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## Kitah (Oct 26, 2008)

From what we learnt from our parasitology lectures this semester at uni, toxoplasmosis (caused by _Toxoplasma gondii_) Isn't actually that much of a risk during pregnancy. If you have cats for years or whatever you'll most likely have been exposed to the parasite before- the only time it's harmful when your pregnant is if you are exposed to the parasite for the first time whilst pregnant. If you've been exposed before the start of your pregnancy, your immunity is already built up to it so you won't have a problem.

Can't comment about the reptile stuff though, not sure


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## Creed (Oct 26, 2008)

bundy_zigg said:


> Cool - I'm not pregnant yet but* fingers crossed it will happen soon*
> I think like may other bugs when the feces dried the salmonella can become airborne but best to ask a professional - my doc just said to have some one else do the cleaning to limit the change so I never thought to ask him that - I will now though.



how are you planning that?

nah seriously, as a teacher that spent years studying human biology it amazes me how many kids these days have allergies. i know that everything is dangerous while you are pregnant and i agree that it is something that is far too risky to mess with, but once you have a healthy baby please let them play in the dirt.

As generations go by they become more and more allergic to things that we all used to be fine with. I cant help but think that if we let our kids get dirty when they are young they will naturally build up the immune system and will be able to fight off such things.

Huge congratulations and i hope you have an uneventful pregnancy and you enjoy the birth process. As a guy i say it cant be that bad giving birth. 

and dont find out the gender........have a surprise.


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## AUSGECKO (Oct 26, 2008)

No-two said:


> Getting "hands-on" with dirty things like kitty litter and reptile poo, you will build up an immunity to whatever nasty diseases lie inside their crap. Obviously it's not the best idea to try it out whilst pregnant just in case you do catch something and it's passed on to your baby, but I'm almost completely confident that when I become pregnant one day I won't need to worry about keeping away from my cat's litter simply because I have had a "hands-on" experience with kitty litter and over 20 different cats since I was a child, and we all know how disgusting young children are, having to taste everything they see
> The snakes I'm not as confident about but I'm sure there have been a few occasions where I didn't wash my hands after cleaning reptiles and whatever germs were on my hands somehow made their way into my system.
> The dirtier you get, the healthier you'll be. That's my theory anyway, seems to have worked with everything so far
> 
> Oh and congrats on the pregnancy


 
Im pretty sure that last time i checked you can`t build up an immunity to salmonella or listeria?


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## channi (Oct 26, 2008)

missllamathuen said:


> no way i love spicey stuff i have been eating alot of hot salsa dip lol! peanuts is because the baby could have a alergic reaction to it... which i had never heard of either i thoguht alot of women liked peanut butter while pregnant?? and icecream who knows why it was on a website with lists of food not to eat lol, i mean if a baby is going to have a reaction to peanuts why not have a reaction to other things its not like peanuts are the only things people are alergic to in this world!


 The main problem with allergies is swelling of the throat which causes suffication...your precious baby is breathing through its (i'm sorry i hated my boys being called it but we don't know the sex yet) belly button , so eat all the peanuts you want. Also on the icecream issue that rule is just for soft serve cause the venders don't clean the machine very well, so icecream is back on the menu. Sorry if this stuff has already been said I only read half way through the threat before replying. I will go and read the rest now


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## Minke (Oct 26, 2008)

Congrats! And welcome to the world of completely conflicting and confusing advice that parents must work out and somehow do the right thing. 

On the peanut thing they warned women to not eat peanuts during pregnancy because apparantly it contributed to the baby having severe peanut allergies when young. Now, with allergies on the rise, they think the opposite and that you should in fact eat peanuts so your babe will have some level of tolerance... In other words they have no idea :? 

Either way, with everything you do from now on, you will be doing the wrong thing, and it will be all your fault  (according to those that of course are doing it the right way, and will be quite forward in telling you so). Ahhh, gotta love parenting. :lol:


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## RedEyeGirl (Oct 26, 2008)

Aww Congrats little miss Lama! As for your q's I have no idea........................Sorry :|


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## bundy_zigg (Oct 26, 2008)

Well its a little thing called sex at the right time that's the planning of it.
I have chronic asthma so I know all to well about allergies and building up immunity to things - I will allow my child to encounter things so he/she can built up immunity but I will now put the child in the womb at risk of a completely avoidable risk - just for the sake of "I did it and it did me any harm" or " They tell you everything is bad for you I say just do what you want, that worked for me" cause I may just be the unlucky person who does get something and my child then suffers for it.
As for the uneventful pregnancy - I'm pretty sure my asthma wont allow that but I do know that what ever comes my way I will do the best I can.





Skot_WA said:


> how are you planning that?
> 
> nah seriously, as a teacher that spent years studying human biology it amazes me how many kids these days have allergies. i know that everything is dangerous while you are pregnant and i agree that it is something that is far too risky to mess with, but once you have a healthy baby please let them play in the dirt.
> 
> ...


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## bundy_zigg (Oct 26, 2008)

Love, respect, discipline where needed, guidance and more love and I'm pretty sure your doing the right thing : ). I think there is way to much pressure put on parents with regard to their bringing up of a child now days - but I also think that a lot of parents are not putting the time in to their kids due to work and other commitments. I'm all for the stay at home mum : ).
I feel for 6 month old babies that are dropped at child care at 6am and then picked up at 5 pm by a mum or dad who is buggered from a hard days work and have nothing left to give the child - that's not parenting.




Minke said:


> Congrats! And welcome to the world of completely conflicting and confusing advice that parents must work out and somehow do the right thing.
> 
> On the peanut thing they warned women to not eat peanuts during pregnancy because apparantly it contributed to the baby having severe peanut allergies when young. Now, with allergies on the rise, they think the opposite and that you should in fact eat peanuts so your babe will have some level of tolerance... In other words they have no idea :?
> 
> Either way, with everything you do from now on, you will be doing the wrong thing, and it will be all your fault  (according to those that of course are doing it the right way, and will be quite forward in telling you so). Ahhh, gotta love parenting. :lol:


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## fraser888 (Oct 26, 2008)

missllamathuen said:


> lol gah now u have me start thinking somethings going to eat it! i was watching tv today and a baby on the telly started crying and it scared the daylights out of my dog... i wonder what he is going to be like when it arives? lol i will make sure my pythons have a big padlock on there enclosures too now... and anything els that could try too... gah u are making the paranoia worse mr!


 
Haha, whats more important? Jelly bean, or herps, jellly bean, herps?


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## bundy_zigg (Oct 26, 2008)

hahah


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## xScarlettex (Oct 26, 2008)

Kitty litter trays are supposed to be avoided when your pregnant because there are parasites living in your cats intestine that produce eggs which are excreted in the cats faeces. The parasite eggs can then be ingested if your cleaning the tray (so scrupulous hygiene is a must) and once the parasite is in your body it can create problems with the developing fetus (miscarriage, retardation, stillbirth). I havnt done much research on it but from what i have read its only a problem associated with cats, other animals excrement should be fine to be near. Should always wear gloves etc just to be sure =)


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## kakariki (Oct 26, 2008)

This is my vision of what Lana's bub will be like! :lol::lol: Lil Miss Spaghetti head. 
As for your questions...listen to your body firstly! Eg.... If you eat something & it comes back be aware of it. If the same food causes the same reaction twice avoid it! You do need to build immunity in bub but don't take unnecessary risks with known dangers. You have stepped on to the confusing & sometimes scary path of parenthood. It's a thrilling ride, enjoy it!


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## bundy_zigg (Oct 26, 2008)

xScarlettex said:


> Kitty litter trays are supposed to be avoided when your pregnant because there are parasites living in your cats intestine that produce eggs which are excreted in the cats faeces. The parasite eggs can then be ingested if your cleaning the tray (so scrupulous hygiene is a must) and once the parasite is in your body it can create problems with the developing fetus (miscarriage, retardation, stillbirth). *I havnt done much research on it but from what i have read its only a problem associated with cats, other animals excrement should be fine to be near*. Should always wear gloves etc just to be sure =)


 
you may want to look up salmonella in reptiles and other animals its not just cats that are harmful


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## kensai (Oct 26, 2008)

If all else fails and you need a reptile sitter, PM me.
As to your question, No Idea


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## tattoolizzie (Oct 26, 2008)

Hey congrats. 

Listeria and toxoplasmosis can kill your baby. Chances of it happening are low obviously - we don't have millions of instances of it happening - however to be sure it's best to avoid risk factors.

This would be things like handling animal faeces, eating unwashed raw vegies, eating unpasturised animal products (soft cheeses). 

Also if you have a family history of allergy, avoiding high risk allergens such as peanuts is not a bad idea as the baby can become sensitised to these in utero. 

To all those who think it's rubbish because 'you neve avoided these things and your kids were fine' - that's great your kids are healthy, you were lucky. They do present a real risk though, so to ignore accurate warnings about risks posed is foolish. For example, my two year old ran accross the road and didn't get run over. this doesn't make it safe to play on the road - it just means he was lucky. 

Obviously though, *missllamathuen *this is your body/baby and you have a right to autonomy in the choices you make.... make sure they are educated choices though. These things do present risk and it's up to you whether you take the risk or not. Personally, I would let someone else clean the animals for the next few months.

Lizzie


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## PhilK (Oct 26, 2008)

missllamathuen said:


> i think that the doctors etc make this stuff up to make women paranoid and it causes us to worry and end up back seeing them thinking we have ended up with toxoplasmosis rabies and lots of other scary made up things...


Doctors tell you this stuff (and a lot of other overly cautious stuff) just in case if they don't tell you and something does happen, you can't sue them.

I think you'll be just fine, and if you are still worried wear gloves and mask as suggested.

Oh and by the way, congratulations! Get ready to set up the click clack.

EDIT: Sorry, I didn't realise this thread was so long and I replied to something on page 1!


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## missllama (Oct 26, 2008)

wowie lots of replies! thanks so much everyone for your help

channi, thankyou so much for explaining that too me, and that makes sence about the soft serves i dont eat those anyway  so im glad i know that icecream is safe now too 

minke, ur comment made me giggle, it is so true! my mother is telling me "get rid of ur damn cats" my mother inlaw "cats are fine if anything they will help ur immune system dont get rid of them" lol!! shows how many different opinions and advice bits im getting!!!

scarlette, the kitty litter prob is mainly toxoplasmosis, and your right it can lead to miscarriges etc if i got it it would be almost certain i would miscarry, thanks for that im deffinatly not going near there tray

kakariki, haha kacky dacks, u had to post my babys photo up didnt u! yes my baby will be brought up on spaghettie and icecream! ... just kidding, but honestly i think that they will be a spaghettie nut like me when there older lol

kensai, lol u shouldnt have said that because im actually considering looking for people in adel to take my reps on a "breeding loan" while the pregnancy goes along, so if ur serious i will contact u if u want to look after some lol

tattoo, my mums mum was alergic to the bean family and pea family i think... but im ok with them so is my mum dad and brother, i guess maby i should avoid it just incase? im alergic to artificial stuff im hoping my baby doesnt get stuck with my alergies too

philk, lol i wonder if it will fit in a click clack? just kidding lol thankf for the input 

fraser... ur a nutt lol jellybean!! then again... herps are pretty awsome... lol nah my jelly bean is good


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## Kitah (Oct 26, 2008)

As I mentioned before.. if you've had cats for a while, toxoplasmosis won't be a problem, as you'll have already been infected before- its only the FIRST infection (if you get it during pregnancy) that can cause miscarriage. 

all the best


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## bundy_zigg (Oct 26, 2008)

You've probably heard that cat feces and litter are a major source of toxoplasmosis, but that doesn't mean you need to get rid of your beloved pet. It just means you'll need to take some extra precautions. Here's the scoop on how cats can transmit the infection.

Felines are a natural host for the parasite and it reproduces in their intestines. A cat may become infected with toxoplasmosis from eating infected prey or undercooked meat, or anything contaminated by the feces of another infected cat. The parasites then form "oocysts" in the cat's gut, and the cat excretes up to 10 million oocysts daily for about a week to ten days. (Oocysts can't be seen with the naked eye, and in most cases you'll have no idea that your cat is sick.)

The oocysts first become infectious 24 hours or so after they're excreted. Under the right conditions, they can live in the soil, sand, or litter and remain infectious for up to 18 months. During this time, they spread, contaminating water, fruits, and vegetables, and infecting warm-blooded species, including humans, that ingest them.

So while it's possible to get infected with toxoplasma oocytes from direct contact with cat feces (such as handling the litter of a newly infected cat), you can also be exposed to oocytes elsewhere (for example, while gardening, eating unwashed vegetables, or drinking contaminated water).

Although only cats pass the parasite in their feces, other infected species harbor the parasite in their tissue forever, in so-called "tissue cysts." Heat will kill the parasites, but if you eat raw or undercooked meat (or touch it and then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes), you can be infected by these tissue cysts. Pork, lamb, and game meat (like venison) are major culprits, but any type of meat may be infected, so all meat should be handled and cooked appropriately.

Here are some guidelines, whether you have a cat or not:

• Cook meat well. Use a food thermometer to test the internal temperature of meat. Most meat should be cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, or 180 degrees F in the thigh for whole poultry. If you're not actually measuring the temperature of the meat, cook it until it's no longer pink in the middle. Be sure not to sample meat you're cooking before it's done.

• Avoid salt-cured or smoked meats such as Genoa salami, Parma ham, and prosciutto unless you first heat them until they're steaming. For example, they're fine if cooked on a pizza. But if not cooked, they're risky because they might have been processed without thorough heating or with no heat at all. Also, don't eat dried meats like jerky, which may have not gotten sufficiently hot during the drying process.

• Don't drink unpasteurized milk or products made from unpasteurized milk, and avoid raw eggs.

• Wash or peel fruits and vegetables before eating.

• Wash counters, cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and your hands with hot, soapy water after preparing unwashed produce or uncooked meat, poultry, or seafood.

• Don't touch your mouth, nose, or eyes while preparing food, and always wash your hands before eating. Also make sure open sores aren't in contact with potential sources of exposure to the parasite. Wear disposable gloves if you have cuts on your hands.

• Keep flies and cockroaches away from your food.

• Avoid contaminated water. Use bottled water when camping or traveling to developing countries.

• Wear gloves while gardening, and don't touch your hands to your mouth, nose, or eyes until they've been washed thoroughly afterward.

• Avoid public sandboxes and cover your child's sandbox when it's not in use. If that's not always possible, then stay out of it as well. (Toxoplasmosis isn't likely to be harmful for your child and you can't catch it from him if he does get it, but you do need to stay away from sand that might contain infected cat feces.)

• Don't get a new kitten or cat while you're pregnant, and don't play with stray cats or kittens.

• If you have a cat, have other people empty the litter box, and have them do it daily. This reduces the risk of infection because the oocysts aren't infectious for the first 24 hours after they're excreted. If you must do the job, wear disposable gloves and wash your hands well afterward. Some even suggest wearing a mask in case any particles become airborne when the litter is stirred up, and disinfecting the box by pouring near-boiling water into it five minutes before you handle it.

• To keep your cat from becoming infected while you're pregnant, feed him only commercial cat food or well-cooked table scraps, never raw or undercooked meat. Keep him indoors so he won't hunt down potentially infected prey like mice or birds. (Remember, though, that even an indoor cat might catch a mouse.)

• Keep Kitty off of the kitchen counter and dining table.

• Though it's unlikely your cat has any parasites in his fur, it's a good idea to wash your hands after playing with him, especially before eating or otherwise putting your hands to your mouth.


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## FNQ_Snake (Oct 26, 2008)

Just make sure you wash your hands after cleaning. Don't forget babies crap the hell out of their nappies so I little reptile poo won't hurt them, especially when it has to go through you first.



How are the hormones? lol AAARRRGGHHH!!!!!


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## tattoolizzie (Oct 26, 2008)

With the allergy stuff, if the family history is only sensitivity/intollerance and not a life threatening anaphylactic response I wouldn't stress too much - I am not an immunologist though. Talk to your doctor or midwife about it... they will be able to give you advice specific to your situation.


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