Veiled Chameleon... Bite?

[blackbetty]

No in the 1970s or something they became banned. I have a friend whos son got salmonella from some bearded dragons..

I was my hands before and use sanitizer after,

 

[rachelk]

good to know, thanks! i wash my hands but not every time...when i let him crawl on me his nails are so sharp they break the skin so i do try and wear long sleeves when i hold him,

..and that is so weird about those tiny turtles, it was about 6 years ago when i had them, i had no idea they were banned...?? they came from one of those many gift shops by the ocean.

 

[blackbetty]

Yea.. I know people who bought them from places like that.. I got mine from a company online based in Florida or something like that..and they were like nickel sized..and deformed! (ended up dying within a week). so we got our money back but its funny because they had a notice on their web page saying they are not allowed to sell turtles under quarter sized yet mine were much smaller than that!


Better safe than sorry!

 

[kinyonga]

I wash my hands before and after handling them too even though I've only had one test positive for salmonella over the years....its just that I'd rather be safe than sorry.

(I also wash my hands after I play with furry animals and I don't let them on my table or counters either.)

 

[rachelk]

so do they carry salmonella all the time? or do they just some how get it and then have it forever or..whats the deal with that?

 

[blackbetty]

Background on Salmonella and Reptiles
Salmonella infections can come from a number of sources. The most common source of Salmonella infection is improperly handled food. Salmonella bacteria can be harbored in the gastrointestinal tracts of many species of animal, including poultry, cattle, and pigs, presenting a risk of contamination of meat and eggs during processing. Salmonella can also be carried by pets (including cats and dogs), but especially reptiles and amphibians. As high as 90% of reptiles are natural carriers of Salmonella bacteria, harboring strains specific to reptiles without any symptoms of disease in the reptile. While it is true that many pets can carry Salmonella, the problem with reptiles (and apparently amphibians) is that they carry Salmonella with such high frequency. It is prudent to assume that all reptiles and amphibians can be a potential source of Salmonella.

The problem of reptile associated Salmonellosis is not a new one, especially in children. A rash Salmonella infections that coincided with a surge in popularity of pet turtles prompted the Food and Drug Administration to ban the distribution of turtles smaller than four inches in length in 1975 in the United States. This seemed to be successful in reducing the incidence of reptile-associated Salmonellosis quite dramatically, but the incidence has increased again in recent years, probably as a result of the increased popularity and availability of a variety of reptiles and amphibians as pets.

It is important to note that Salmonella can be transmitted by direct contact (e.g. handling a reptile) or indirectly (e.g. touching surfaces contaminated with reptile feces, reptile equipment washed in the kitchen leading to contamination of food preparation areas).

Salmonella Infections in People
Salmonella predominantly causes gastroenteritis in humans (nausea, cramps, diarrhea), which is usually not serious in healthy adults. Children, the elderly, and immunocompromised people are susceptible to more serious infections including complications such as meningitis.

Prevention
As with any risk from a pet (exotic or otherwise) education is the key to prevention. Some important points on prevention of reptile and amphibian associated Salmonellosis:

* All reptile and amphibian owners should be aware of the potential for Salmonella transmission from their pets. It is the responsibility of the seller (e.g. pet store) as well as health care providers and veterinarians to inform owners of reptiles or amphibians of the risks posed from Salmonella, and its prevention.
* Reptiles or amphibians should not be kept in homes with children younger than 5, or with anyone who is immunocompromised for any reason.
* Children under 5 and immunocompromised people should avoid contact (direct or indirect) with reptiles or amphibians.
* Hands should be thoroughly washed with soap and water each time a reptile or amphibian (or it's equipment) is handled.
* Reptiles or amphibians should not be allowed free roam of living areas or in the kitchen.
* Reptile and amphibian cages and equipment should not be cleaned in the kitchen. Sinks or tubs used for cleaning equipment or bathing reptiles should be disinfected with a bleach solution afterwards.
* Day care centers, preschools, etc. should not house reptiles or amphibians

Several reptiles, including those kept as pets(such as iguanas and turtles), are common carriers of salmonella. There is evidence that suggests that it may be more common in imported animals than those who are domestically bred. Iguanas seem to be one of the more common reptiles from which people contract the disease. This is in part due to the iguana’s popularity in the pet industry. Despite the iguana’s role in transmitting the disease, the iguana rarely shows any signs that it carries the bacteria. Humans that live with iguanas can contract the disease by touching the animals directly, by sustaining scratches or bites from the animal, or by cleaning the animal’s enclosure and coming in direct contact with the animal’s feces. Another source of transmission is touching household surfaces in which the iguana has come into contact. One of the most common sites of transmission is the bathtub. Many iguana owners place the lizard in the bathtub for indoor swimming. If the iguana is a salmonella carrier and the owner decides to take a bath after the iguana has been swimming, the owner can contract salmonella.

What are the symptoms of salmonella? The main symptom is diarrhea. Abdominal cramps, vomiting, fever, and chills often are in accompaniment. There can be blood in the stool. If the diarrhea continues, medical attention should be sought. If the salmonella bacterium spreads from the digestive tract to the bloodstream
, it can settle in the liver, heart, or even the joints. In these organs it can cause inflammation or abscess. In a severe attack, the excessive loss of body fluids resulting from severe bouts of diarrhea can cause death. Treatment for the disease usually includes antibiotics.

Who is at risk? Everyone is at risk, but children, the elderly and the chronically ill are targeted most commonly, due to their low resistance to infection. Prevention of the disease is the key. If you have a reptile, it is extremely important to take the necessary precautions. Wash your hands with an antibacterial soap after each and every time handling the reptile. If the reptile is on any household surfaces, sanitize them immediately after the reptile is back in the enclosure. You should never let young children clean the enclosure. Young children are famous for putting their fingers in their mouth, thus contracting the bacteria. In fact this has happened so often that many states have passed legislature forbidding the sale of any turtle whose shell is smaller than four inches, because children have been known to put the turtles in their mouths. It is also a good idea to disinfect the animal’s cage, including branches, basking rocks, and food dishes, as often as possible. If you are bitten or scratched by the animals you should clean the wound thoroughly and treat with an antibiotic ointment. If you let the lizard swim in the bathtub, sanitize it immediately after the swim and definitely before taking a bath. Make sure that you store food in places where the iguana or the iguana’s feces can’t come in contact with it. One common mistake that many people make is letting

their iguana have free roam of the house. Unsupervised freedom can spell trouble for the iguana and also increase the chances of salmonella transmission.

It is often recommended that you should avoid purchasing a reptile if you have a child under the age of two. Children are prime candidates for infection. You do not need to live in constant fear of salmonella if you share your home with a reptile. prevention, caution, and common sense are the tools you will need to combat the bacteria.

http://www.wonderfulreptiles.com/Salmonella.html

http://www.reptileallsorts.com/Salmonella.html

 

[rachelk]

wow thanks! ..i will never handle my chameleon or anything else that involves him ever again.

no im kidding, but this definately makes me a little more cautious.

 

[chamelisa]

so does everyone wash their hands after handling their cham?

I wash all the time between handling chameleons. But even more often, if I touch anything like a cage door, bugs, chameleons, a plant inside a chameleon cage, I use hand sanitizer. It trashes my hands and any cuts or chafing will sting from the sanitizer. A good bottle of hand lotion helps.

So to save your hands, disposable gloves are great!

 

[kinyonga]

In all the necropsies that I have had done on chameleons and other reptiles, salmonella has only been reported once....so I don't know why its reported as being so prevalent.

 

[Fred]

Try taking the MicroBiology class I am taking....You DON'T wanna KNOW!!!!!!!!! We're testing household disinfectants right now that CLAIM to kill certain bacteria, MOST of them LIE!!!!!!! Watch out!! When in doubt... Bleach is ur friend!!

 

[moody232002]

ouchy that looks like it hurt.
you asked the question i was going to.
my 4 month old male is also a bit hissy, he does settle and has started to let me stroke his chin and front feet inside his enclosure,but if i go to try and lift him by encouraging him to walk onto my hand he goes to bite and that makes me jump.
As i have only had him two weeks i am hoping it's just where he is settling down still and i don't push for him to do anything he doesn't want to.my husband said i doubt it would hurt too much but looking at your face i doubt his word

 

[blackbetty]

Well I forgot about the bite..UNTIL i went to put lotion on and not only did it burn like Heck, but when I stretched my chin up to rub lotion on it, it felt like it split open..like a scab stretching.. I think I screamed..loudly... I had errands to run today and people keep staring at me.. Its sorta oval so it kinda resembles ringworm. LOL.. the part on my actual chin is fading but the neck is very prominent.. It has the clear outline of his mouth and then a line across the middle.. Im thinking he must have let go and grabbed on again, It happened so fast...But I disinfected with alcohol (more screaming followed).. and Now he runs from me if I try to get him to put him on the basking palm..Hmph.

 

[blackbetty]

Alright..another bad day..

I got Leo out okay to put him on the tree..he ran yet but I just held my hand up higher and he climbed as he wanted to be as high as he could be.. So he hung out on the palm for about an hour or so. I went to get him and held my hand higher up than what he was standing on.. He turned around and tried to climb back on the palm.. So I scooper my hand under him and started back to the bedroom. Well I get halfway and I notice he is turning orange (recalling yesterday this is his ANGRY colors)..and just as I got to the doorway, mouth came open with a nice Hiss and he tried to bite me again! What the!? Why the sudden change? Ive done this basking and back tot he cage just fine ALMOST every day since i got him provided its a nice day by the window.. and up until yesterday, no issues.. I dont hang out with him, play ball with him, or paint his toenails..no quality time of handling, Just the 30 second walk from the bedroom to the living room..and now his demeanor has changed.. I dont have the ability to move his cage in front of a window as previously stated and I know sunlight is better in real form.. so whats the deal!? Should I just leave him alone and remove him only to clean the cage or vet visits? I would like the guy to be able to enjoy the nice weather but he is taking after Ben(ita) now and that concerns me as this wasn't his nature at all prior to me (so Im told) or in the last week until yesterday...

 

[blackbetty]

Well its slowly healing..Hurts.. Surprisingly no one had the guts to ask me what happened. LOL! Its VERY sore like a bruise and rough to the touch..

I still dont know whats wrong with him and I feel bad that he has suddenly decided he doesnt like me..

 

[yoza717]

I don't think anything is wrong with him. I am pretty sure that chameleons don't like to be handled, let alone on a daily basis.

 

[blackbetty]

I don't think anything is wrong with him. I am pretty sure that chameleons don't like to be handled, let alone on a daily basis.

Its not always a daily basis..its Almost depending on weather.. He was cool with it for the first week I had him. Like I said, its not like I was holding him, stroking him, telling him what a pretty boy he is.. I would scoop him up and by time he crawled from my hands to my shoulder, we were in the LR and being placed on a palm to bask for an hour or longer depending on the sunlight..
I just figured sunlight was good and a change of scenery too..

Guess Ill just leave him be. Thanks.

 

[Chase]

The reason why he probably stayed on your hand is because he was warm. I wouldn't suggest holding your chameleon for that long, let alone at all. Only if you have to.

 

[blackbetty]

He usually scurries from my hand to my head as its the highest point. Im just giving a time reference. I placed him on my hand and walked directly to the palm in the living room maybe 10 feet away. He was able to reach my shoulders by then. He is fine with going on..Its coming off that he gets mad.. Could he just not want to go back in?