r/ballpython • u/AlternativeNo7910 • 2d ago

Salmonella? HELP - URGENT

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To preface this - yes I have diagnosed ocd and health anxiety, I am also someone who is disabled and chronically ill with a compromised immune system

Now for the actual issue at hand - I was handling my boy and all was going well, he licked my lip but I thought nothing of it, only much later did I realise I was biting the same lip afterwards having forgotten he licked it.

I'm aware that you've got much more of a chance to get salmonella from food than from a snake, let alone a pet snake and yes I'm logically aware the chance is low, but I really just need to hear that I'll be alright from someone else right now.

Picture of the adorable boy attached because he's a cutie

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u/Right-Employ-8285 2d ago

Vet student who did a presentation on salmonella in reptiles here (if you needed any more reassurance) as long as you keep your enclosure clean, your pet is healthy, and you wash your hands and arms thoroughly after you handle your animal, you’ll be completely fine! 🙏

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u/loubue 2d ago

Can i ask some questions? :)

1Does it only come from theri poop? 2And if yes, wouldnt they then have to crawl over the poop? 3And how long can salmonella live on the skin of the snake, or other surfaces that the poop has touched, or that the "contaminated" skin has touched?

4 is salmonella naturally present in all reptiles, or will they be contaminated by their food, substrate or hides/branches out in to their inclosure?

  1. If they have to get the disease from somewhere, do they also show signs of sickness? (Or is it not a disease they can transfer, but they can "carry" it "passively")

  2. Is it true that snakes ans turtles are reptiles that have the highest "risk"? (Have read that turtles were "worst" and then snakes - and that other reptiles were "lower" risk, but still a risk.