salmonella?

[Prairie Mom]

Forgive the naïve question here...Every single time my family members touch our recently found tortoise, I'm making everyone wash their hands and use sanitizer. I feel like I do nothing, but wash my hands (which, is a good thing with cold season coming up) But do I really REALLY have to be this cautious of salmonella? And I was curious about what you guys knew about how these beasties are carriers of it.

Thanks!

 

[johnsonnboswell]

You don't need both hand sanitizer and washing with soap and water. Save the sanitizer for times you can't get to a faucet.

I use the bathroom rather than the kitchen sink as much as possible and take the same precautions as handling raw chicken, with sink scouring, avoiding cross contamination.

 

[Prairie Mom]

You don't need both hand sanitizer and washing with soap and water. Save the sanitizer for times you can't get to a faucet.

I use the bathroom rather than the kitchen sink as much as possible and take the same precautions as handling raw chicken, with sink scouring, avoiding cross contamination.

Johnsonboswell, thanks for taking the time to respond to kind of a silly thread I do appreciate your advice.

 

[Prairie Mom]

Is the concern that it may be in their feces and get on their skin? Or is it part of their saliva, skin, etc? -It doesn't really matter, we'll love the beastie and wash up regardless. I'm just curious.

 

[tryme]

Just wash hands after preferably in the bathroom away from food prep areas

 

[Tom]

Any animal of any species can carry salmonella. You are most likely to get it from raw chicken in any normal house.

Proper hygiene dictates hand washing after any contact with your tortoise, but I handle tortoises and other animals all day. I wash hands before I eat or when they get "dirty", but seldom any other time. After 42 years of this, I'm still alive and have had no salmonella attacks. Mind you, I am down to only 48 tortoises now...

 

[Kathy Coles]

I have to use the kitchen sink to wash my torts water dish, it doesn't fit in the bathroom sink. And he gets his soaks in a plastic tub that gets emptied in that sink also. If you don't know yet they will usually give you a good poop while soaking. So that also goes in the sink. Pretty gross. If I didn't love him…. But, I'm just careful not to cross contaminate. Wipe the sink with the good disinfecting wipes then wash my hands and dry with towels that get washed. So far no one has gotten sick.

 

[Jodie]

Only 48 Tom? I have my hands full with 6.

 

[Prairie Mom]

Hey guys, thanks so much for humoring me and responding to my questions.

 

[Prairie Mom]

I have to use the kitchen sink to wash my torts water dish, it doesn't fit in the bathroom sink. And he gets his soaks in a plastic tub that gets emptied in that sink also. If you don't know yet they will usually give you a good poop while soaking. So that also goes in the sink. Pretty gross. If I didn't love him…. But, I'm just careful not to cross contaminate. Wipe the sink with the good disinfecting wipes then wash my hands and dry with towels that get washed. So far no one has gotten sick.

Thanks Kathy And you're right...I've definitely noticed that soak time tends to be more like "toilet time"

 

[Prairie Mom]

Any animal of any species can carry salmonella. You are most likely to get it from raw chicken in any normal house.

Proper hygiene dictates hand washing after any contact with your tortoise, but I handle tortoises and other animals all day. I wash hands before I eat or when they get "dirty", but seldom any other time. After 42 years of this, I'm still alive and have had no salmonella attacks. Mind you, I am down to only 48 tortoises now...

Thanks for the great perspective, Tom. Very valid points made! 42 years and only 48 tortoises! Wow! Where do the PEOPLE live at your place!?