Washing hands between torts?

[EKLC]

If you have multiple tortoises (different species) and none with a history of disease, do you wash your hands between handling them? What if only dry, shell contact is made?

 

[l0velesly]

I don't all the time, but I always wash my hands before I eat.

 

[Laurie]

I wash my hands after between handling my adult Russian, wc, and my CB babies, but not between the two Russian babies anymore. I have hand sanitizer on top of my enclosure that I always use before handling my tiny Dalmation hermanns. I'm a little OCD lol

 

[Tom]

Yes. Every time. Even between batches of the same species. Even if I'm touching any part of their cage or furniture. I am very careful with this due to past problems that I have seen. All of mine have their own dedicated tools, sprayers, soaking tubs, water carrying vessels, food dishes, etc. I mix nothing at any time. They also have their own dedicated sunning enclosures. I even use different sinks for washing the bowls of different species. I didn't use to be so careful, but I think if others had seen what I've seen, they would be more careful too. Talk to a wholesaler. They have some really scary horror stories they can tell you about diseases and pathogens...

 

[Talka]

Some pathogens require only 1 cell to infect, others tens of thousands.
But remember, tens of thousands of cells fit on one droplet of water. Even dry contact on a shell can contaminate simply because it gets in the substrate.
Not to sound scary or anything, but if you want to make sure nothing at all can happen to make them sick, do as Tom does.

 

[EKLC]

Yea, so far I have been working with absolutely no cross-contamination, just wondering what the consensus is around here, since it's not really talked about

 

[mainey34]

Now that's concerning, I'd like to hear more about this.

 

[jtrux]

I have two torts right now. I don't share anything between them unless it's thoroughly washed and dried and I also wash hands imbetween handling them.

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

If you have multiple tortoises (different species) and none with a history of disease, do you wash your hands between handling them? What if only dry, shell contact is made?

It never hurts...

 

[Tom]

If none of your animals have anything contagious, then you don't have much to worry about. The problem is that many of those little buggers are really good at hiding out and biding their time. Its not as simple as a trip to the vet or a fecal exam, where you can just say, "hey nothing in the fecal and the vet says their fine..." It is SOOOOOOOO much more complex than that. Some pathogens and parasites are very difficult to find and diagnose. Especially, in a live animal. None of us are going to maintain lab-like sterility. I just try to minimize any cross-contamination and exercise some caution where its reasonable and practical. Dedicated tools and hand washing is all pretty simple, and cheap insurance too, in my opinion.

 

[Tortus]

I always wash my hands after touching my tortoise or anything else in its enclosure. I'm the same way with my other reptiles. Or at least use hand sanitizer which I keep by the enclosures.

I don't want to risk spreading salmonella or anything else around the house. You have to take into account that they poo and pee a bit here and there (even if you can't see it), walk in it, and then walk over everything else.

 

[Jacqui]

I am pretty much like Tom with each aniaml or group having their own enclosures, dishes, ect.., I even have a pocket handsanitizer I carry every where, because of those emergencies, when you out doing something in the yard and you spot a situation needing quick response and do not want to go all the way back inside. One in the truck too, for those roadside stops moving reptiles or if I go to a pet shop. I also have a bottle of soap by the water faucet outside. My kids were taught to do the same thing and even now, I see them remembering their childhood rules. Call me paranoid, but I have too much time, money, and emotions invested in my critters to lose them due to my own laziness.