Cross Contamination

Authored by Pete Hawkins: Chameleon Network / Bearded Dragons Network / Snake Network / Lizard Network / Amphibian Network

Many reptile keepers are totally unaware of the risks of cross contamination. It’s not just a beginner mistake. Like anything that’s a risk, it’s often just a bad habit you need to get out of doing. The best way is to practise the right way, and make that the good habit.

(Obviously this is more of a risk if you have more than one reptile.)

Now, you may think your reptile sanitation and hygiene husbandry is spot on. It may well be. But also as you’ll probably be aware, reptiles pick up parasites from live foods, greens etc, and can live quite happily without you knowing the internal issues caused by these little nasties. Many reptiles are great at hiding illness, often until it’s at its worse. This is why I recommended a faecal parasite test done 1 or 2 times a year.

You’re never going to know if any said bug has parasites? It’s just not possible. But you can stop unnecessary parasite/illness transfer from one reptile to another (even one species to another) by following some very simple steps.

Bug Handling:

If you use your hands, wash them, before and after you feed one reptile. So you can then feed another with clean hands. Same goes for using tweezers/forceps, clean them between each reptile. Again, before and after each use.

F10 Disinfectant Wipes

A spray with a reptile safe disinfectant like F10 or ProTect Ultimate will do the trick. Personally I use the ProTect Ultimate wipes, or F10 wipes before and after use.

I also have several sets of metal tweezers. All labelled for the reptile/amphibian they are to be used for. But still I clean before and after use. These also get a good steam clean when I deep clean the vivariums once or twice a month.

Putting Uneaten Bugs Back with the Rest of the Bugs:

Don’t do this. If the vivarium, or tank that bug was running/climbing about in, housed a reptile full of parasites (or worse, Adenovirus for example), there is obviously a high risk that the bug can pick up these, via faecal matter, saliva, the food bowl etc. Putting that bug back with the other bugs, which will then be fed to your other reptiles…is not worth the risk. The contamination potential is huge. It’s a very common issue., I’ve even seen well-known pet/reptile shops do this.

I guess it’s something many just don’t think about, or even realise until you are forced to change what you do via a reptile’s illness.

This was the case for me around 8/9 years ago.
I had a a very sick dragon. It turned out, via faecal tests, bloods, and swabs, he had Adenovirus. I won’t go into the symptoms etc, you can research yourself. But I was told, there is no cure, and it is very very contagious. So for me, keeping at the time, 2 or 3 other dragons, it was a huge shock. The only way I was going to stop this spreading was to practise what I have spoken about above. Which being honest, I didn’t worry about at all before. I didn’t even think of the dangers.

So cleanliness and equipment hygiene was the key for the survival of my reptiles. I’m happy to say, it worked. I was lucky it had not spread to my others. Ultimately the virus did take my dragon a year or so after the diagnosis. His quality of life and ability to perform basic survival function ceased, so he was put to sleep. But the other lived many years after. Only age took them. (Please note, although the Adenovirus still has no cure. It’s NOT a death sentence as it once was. There ARE things you can do to aid the life of the infected reptile. They can live without other issues. But still, the hygiene is the number one rule.)

You may think that using one set of tweezers for multiple animals is fine. You may also have had no issues at all of cross contamination before doing this. I understand that. But this was also the case for me. The 15 years prior to that dragon getting Adeno, I had no issues.

It does happen. So don’t risk it.

Bathing of multiple reptiles (more often than not, Bearded Dragons):

A sure-fire easy way for parasites to get from one to another bathing reptiles together. As we know, often a bathing reptile will empty its bowels. It only takes a piece of faecal matter to get into the mouth of another. So why risk it. Yes agreed, it’s quicker bathing 2…3…4 dragons all at the same time. But YOU chose to have 2…3…4…dragons, so take the time to bathe them individually. Then empty the water and disinfect the sink/bath before refilling.

Personally I use ‘Dettol liquid’. It’s a hospital safe disinfectant. A cap full (or less if a sink) in some fresh water, leave for a while, empty, rinse, refill. Easy, yet safe.

So to conclude;
Keep it ALL clean.
Use separate feeding equipment.
Throw uneaten bugs away, never put them back in with others.
Bathe separately.