[jamesReid]

Ok.. I have a question. Knowing how easy it is for our furry children to get sick, do you all wash your hands before and after playing with them?


My real daughter Jordan had Leukemia when she was 6. She is 15 now.. almost 16 and doing wonderful. But the doctor told me back then the best way to prevent the spread of illness is for us to wash our hands a lot.


So needless to say and especially after reading about Vlads loss.. Tonya and I wash our hands Before we play with Hector... Just in case there is sometime on our hand we dont want there...

 

[tinypixiexoxo]

I wash my hands constantly. I have an exotic pet, a hedgehog, that probably carries diseases that could hurt my hammies, So I wash before and after playing with her... And the hams might bite my hand if they smell another ham on it, so I wash in between holding the hams too.

My hands are quite dry! But it's for the health of me and the animals. Hand sanitizer is not the best idea though.

 

[Vladina]

Jimmie,
Yes, that is a great rule to live by with rats or any other pets for that matter. We always washed our hands both before and after playing with or handling our rats and our gerbils. An excellent routine and a must! Preventing bacteria and germs, both from person to rat and vice versa

P.S. Rats are very very clean and they groom themselves all the time. Much different from the image of the "dirty sewer rat" ha ha. But yes, domesticated rats are very clean animals. So we always liked to make sure WE didn't spread any nasty people germs to them too.

 

[Toirtis]

Jimmie,
Yes, that is a great rule to live by with rats or any other pets for that matter.

Precisely. It is amazing how few people do this....it needs to be done with ALL animals...and forget all that 'anti-bacterial' soap/hand cleaner rubbish...a simple, good scrub with warm water and plain soap is sufficient.

 

[Storyseeker]

Yah James,

A good handwashing is a really good idea before and after handling. And I'm in agreement with Tiortis, just use soap and water. All of those antibacterial cleaners are not only overkill, but are more harmful than helpful. The soap industry saw a way to make extra money playing on fears and we bought it to our detriment.