Turtles and reptiles can make fun pets. I had 2 turtles at one point, and very much enjoyed feeding them, watching them swim and sun themselves, and interact with each other. However, owning these pets can have a downside.

Most parents are aware that turtles and lizards can carry harmful bacteria, and than hand washing is important after contact with these animals. However, a recent outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to bearded dragons demonstrates the size and scope of the problem.

There have been 150 documented cases so far, with more being reported each week by health departments. Just over half of the cases have occurred in children under 5 years old, and more than 40% of the children landed in the hospital. This is not just a case of being mildly ill for a few days- in many cases the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and require intravenous antibiotics for a period of time.

Now comes the scary part: almost 1 in 10 of these cases involves bacterial resistance. This means that more toxic antibiotics with more serious side effects are required to help the patient clear the infection.

What can you do if you choose to have a reptile as a pet?

1. Restrict children who are younger than 5 years old from the room in which the animal is being housed. If the child does enter the room, ensure that she goes directly to the sink, and supervise his or her handwashing (at least 15 seconds over all surfaces of the hands including the fingernails).
2. Regularly disinfect the environment around the enclosure or tank. This includes all counters, floors, doorknobs, and other surfaces.
3. Consider housing the tank or enclosure in a room that has hard surface flooring and contains a sink. This can also be more convenient when it comes time to clean the enclosure. A dedicated area of a basement can be great, as long as proper temperatures are maintained.
4. Use paper towels in this area, or set out a stack of cloth towels and a hamper for one-time use. This insures that if proper hand washing does not occur, the next child will not recontaminate his or her hands with the community towel.
5. Restrict eating or drinking to the kitchen, or at least do not allow it in the room in which the animal is housed. Never house a tank in the kitchen or near a food-preparation area.
6. Never house a reptile in a young child’s bedroom, where he or she would be able to handle it (or the environment) without supervision.