Hey guys, has anyone else noticed their beardie having a strange fascination with keyboards?

[beardie_owner]

I've thought about it whenever Allie sits on the keyboard and that's why they've got hand sanitizer and disinfecting spray.

Do you disinfect anywhere Allie touches?

 

[khaleesi]

The risk of Salmonella being contracted from either you to your dragon or vise versa is very small if you have good cleaning habits. Most if not all people on this forum know the importance of clean vivs, our dragons are bathed 3 times a week on average and I would imagine our homes are cleaned daily so as I say it's not likely Salmonella will be a problem for any of us! It's very simple webcat86 if your worried about it don't let your dragon sit on anything you touch...which begs the question why would you want reptiles if you are not willing to let them free roam for a small portion of the day? I personally touch everything in my home at least once a day when I clean, I sanitize my hands in excess of 20 times a day and I wash them in hot soapy water lots too. As a reptile enthusiast my main health concern is problems being passed from reptile to reptile not reptile to human or human to reptile. Hope this helps with your concerns

 

[Noella]

Do you disinfect anywhere Allie touches?

No. Just the keyboard and chair. (Her blankets are washed in warm or hot water and bleach. Her basking sticks and huts are oven baked for 1/2 hour to an hour.) I soak her decorative rocks and plants in a vinegar and water solution. Clean her tank with a warm water and vinegar solution once a month, spot clean every day that she goes poop and urates.) The thing is with Allie, she won't tramp through her poop and urates. She stays far away from it. (It's rare that she does.)

Allie's very different. She knows that if she goes to the bathroom, she gets to come out and roam around my room. Sit on a designated pillow and get the warmth from the sun if she can.

 

[beardie_owner]

The risk of Salmonella being contracted from either you to your dragon or vise versa is very small if you have good cleaning habits. Most if not all people on this forum know the importance of clean vivs, our dragons are bathed 3 times a week on average and I would imagine our homes are cleaned daily so as I say it's not likely Salmonella will be a problem for any of us! It's very simple webcat86 if your worried about it don't let your dragon sit on anything you touch...which begs the question why would you want reptiles if you are not willing to let them free roam for a small portion of the day? I personally touch everything in my home at least once a day when I clean, I sanitize my hands in excess of 20 times a day and I wash them in hot soapy water lots too. As a reptile enthusiast my main health concern is problems being passed from reptile to reptile not reptile to human or human to reptile. Hope this helps with your concerns

I don't bath my dragon three times a week or clean my house every day. I don't know of anyone who does that to be honest.

I'm willing to let my reptiles free roam, but i'm quite particular about them being on furniture without a blanket and i wouldn't let them on my desk/computer.

What do you mean by "touch everything in my home at least once a day when I clean"? Is that touching everything in your home after touching your dragons, or have I misinterpreted?

Personally I think sanitizing your hands 20+ times a day is asking for trouble. Sanitising gel is not as effective as soap and water, but it also leads to germ resistance, so not only will it stop killing much of the bacteria on your hands, but what's left will be extremely resilient.

 

[Noella]

Bathing 3x's a week is a good way to get water since they absorb water through their vents.

I usually bathe Allie 3x's a week, but cut down her bathing days to once a week now that it's winter and cool in my house. (No central heat and air.) I do use space heaters to warm up rooms so I can give her a soak.

When it gets warmer, she'll get more baths. (I always give her water in her salads.)

As for using hand sanitizer, washing your hands and following up with hand sanitizer is a good way to make sure all the germs is gone. I use hand sanitizer first, then wash my hands or vice versa.

I sweep my floors once a day because I've got three dogs and they track dirt in, dust once a week or two, clean Allie's tank fully once a month and spot clean every day as needed, mop once a week, clean the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and living room. (I'll take each room in phases because I found it very difficult to clean three or four rooms in one day. By the time I'm done with one room, I'm exhausted to the point I can't do anymore.) It's not because of Allie. It's because of Iron Deficiency Anemia and yes, I do take Iron Pills. (They upset my stomach too much so I have to stop them.)

 

[beardie_owner]

i agree that sanitizer after washing is good, but i think 20+ times is going to be allowing resistant bacteria to develop very quickly.

 

[khaleesi]

I don't bath my dragon three times a week or clean my house every day. I don't know of anyone who does that to be honest.

I'm willing to let my reptiles free roam, but i'm quite particular about them being on furniture without a blanket and i wouldn't let them on my desk/computer.

What do you mean by "touch everything in my home at least once a day when I clean"? Is that touching everything in your home after touching your dragons, or have I misinterpreted?

Personally I think sanitizing your hands 20+ times a day is asking for trouble. Sanitising gel is not as effective as soap and water, but it also leads to germ resistance, so not only will it stop killing much of the bacteria on your hands, but what's left will be extremely resilient.

We have a dog, a snake, 2 bearded dragons, a plated lizard and an iguana, then kids on top. As they say cleanliness is next to godliness

 

[beardie_owner]

So do you not take any precautions about hygiene?

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[khaleesi]

errrm nah we live like pigs what do u think?!

 

[beardie_owner]

errrm nah we live like pigs what do u think?!

not sure why you're being cryptic, people have very different attitudes and practices

 

[khaleesi]

If I'm being crypic you must be being passive aggressive. This thread is placed in the section called beardie fun I don't understand why your being so insistent on pursuing this argument! We all know the risks involved in having reptiles that free roam if you choose to not clean regularly that is your choice your taking the health of yourself and your reptile in your own hands, it's not a lifestyle I choose myself but I do understand that my ways are different to yours. When people read this and they take on board just a little of what's been said they will see this argument didn't need to happen in the first place it's not my fault most of us like to live in clean homes maybe you should try it before you criticize you might just like it as much as we all do! And take better care of your dragon bathing is essential for his/her health 3 times a week is not too much to ask of your time 30 minutes from a whole week is nothing!

 

[beardie_owner]

If I'm being crypic you must be being passive aggressive. This thread is placed in the section called beardie fun I don't understand why your being so insistent on pursuing this argument! We all know the risks involved in having reptiles that free roam if you choose to not clean regularly that is your choice your taking the health of yourself and your reptile in your own hands, it's not a lifestyle I choose myself but I do understand that my ways are different to yours. When people read this and they take on board just a little of what's been said they will see this argument didn't need to happen in the first place it's not my fault most of us like to live in clean homes maybe you should try it before you criticize you might just like it as much as we all do! And take better care of your dragon bathing is essential for his/her health 3 times a week is not too much to ask of your time 30 minutes from a whole week is nothing!

Whoa, little uncalled for. I'm not starting an argument at all, I am merely asking what people do because I am still quite new to reps.

You have made some gross assumptions in your comment. I do not live in a dirty home, I just said I don't clean every day. I also clean my dragon when it needs it, and every fortnight for hydration. They certainly do not "need" a bath three times a week.

You need to calm down, I have not accused anyone of anything, nor started an argument, you're the one firing. Just a newbie wanting a little advice, but if this is what this forum is like you can stick it

 

[khaleesi]

I am sorry if I offended you but it's true you are trying to be argumentative! I answered your question when I said:

The risk of Salmonella being contracted from either you to your dragon or vise versa is very small if you have good cleaning habits. Most if not all people on this forum know the importance of clean vivs, our dragons are bathed 3 times a week on average and I would imagine our homes are cleaned daily so as I say it's not likely Salmonella will be a problem for any of us! It's very simple webcat86 if your worried about it don't let your dragon sit on anything you touch...which begs the question why would you want reptiles if you are not willing to let them free roam for a small portion of the day? I personally touch everything in my home at least once a day when I clean, I sanitize my hands in excess of 20 times a day and I wash them in hot soapy water lots too. As a reptile enthusiast my main health concern is problems being passed from reptile to reptile not reptile to human or human to reptile. Hope this helps with your concerns

To which you replied:

I don't bath my dragon three times a week or clean my house every day. I don't know of anyone who does that to be honest.
I'm willing to let my reptiles free roam, but i'm quite particular about them being on furniture without a blanket and i wouldn't let them on my desk/computer.
What do you mean by "touch everything in my home at least once a day when I clean"? Is that touching everything in your home after touching your dragons, or have I misinterpreted?
Personally I think sanitizing your hands 20+ times a day is asking for trouble. Sanitising gel is not as effective as soap and water, but it also leads to germ resistance, so not only will it stop killing much of the bacteria on your hands, but what's left will be extremely resilient.

I tried to be nice and play down my frustrations with you by saying cleanliness is next to godliness and yet you still tried to provoke a response!

This is the THE best forum for BD owners it's not very fair of you to tar the whole site and all of it's users with the same brush as me simply because you go more than you expected when you continued prodding! If you don't like me and I irritate you, it would be a great shame, but you can very easily avoid me by clicking on my name in the lobby and selecting the option. I know my opinion means nothing to you but bathing your dragon once a fortnight is not enough he/she is likely to be dehydrated and that is not good.

All I can say webcat is if you have a direct question it's best to ask straight out not let people guess until they get so frustrated they snap at you!

 

[Noella]

I don't bath my dragon three times a week or clean my house every day. I don't know of anyone who does that to be honest. When I worked for a home health agency, I cleaned the patient's rooms every day, even if there were no spots of dirt and everything was super clean. There are several people in the world I know who are obssessed over cleanliness. I wish I could keep my house clean. Considering the fact I have three dogs who are like children, they track dirt into the house and I live off on Interstate so there's always a layer of dust on my furniture. It doesn't matter if you've got room air conditioners and closed windows, dust has a way of sneaking into my house. The only things that are clean or near clean are my gerbils' tank, Allie's tank, and the bird cage. Half the time, I'm going after my dogs with a broom and dustpan to sweep up their dirt. LOL. There are people who were brought up in the world of cleanliness and some attended private schools and they learned how to be compulsive.

I'm willing to let my reptiles free roam, but i'm quite particular about them being on furniture without a blanket and i wouldn't let them on my desk/computer. Some dragon owners let their dragons roam in a dragon-proof (Child-proof room) for exercise. You can lay blankets, puppy pads, anything that'll help keep the salmonella risk lower. I've done it when Allie had been sick. I learned to recognize the little butt wiggle and lifting of tail. Or the way she becomes uncomfortable when outside her home. I've seen her go poop or urate in her tank after I put her into her environment. There are also wood floors which are easy to clean with Pine Sol or some brand of Antibacterial wipes. I have many places that Allie loves to roam in my room. I don't have to beardie-proof my room because I'm always watching out for her. You can also watch and supervise them to make sure they don't go on a soft surface like your blanket. But you can't stop their curiosity of the beardie persuasion to explore. They know where they can go and can't. Why I taught Allie the word, "Stop!" She'll freeze and when you say, "Turn around," She'll turn around. So you can train them to go somewhere else. It's the matter of time and effort. Allie's mentality is like a two year old toddler. She loves to run around and get into trouble. I've seen her take running leaps and 'flying across the room to land somewhere else. Allie loves to warm up on the keyboard and near the computer. It emits a lot of heat and they're only searching for a place to warm up. They're always looking for a warm hot spot. Namely the computer keyboard. Allie lays across the keyboard and plays 'Glass Dance Game' on the monitor. It's up to you whether or not you clean and santize your dragon's whereabouts. I can only tell you what I experienced with Allie. No two dragons are alike and prefer to do things you'd consider funny is actually instincts and the way they interact with their surroundings. Some dragons don't care and laze around. They don't care as long as you're providing the best environment for them. We're actually trying to imitate their natural environment. Half the times, it's not enough because they don't have the 'freedom' to catch wild-prey. We actually make their choices in crickets and worms. In the wild, they have more bugs, less water, and are only out during certain times during the day.

These beautiful dragons require a lot of work and are smart in their own way. Allie shows a lot of intelligence and everyone around me who's seen her saw how big and beautiful she is. They want a dragon like her and they're always asking how to care for them. People take care of their dragons differently than others. I've noticed that people will clean their houses once a week to once a day to keep on top of their 'house chores'. Half the time, I don't clean, but I do try to do some cleaning. I cleaned the total of four rooms before I became tired from being anemic. There are many people who are compulsive, but I know none on here are unless you account for me.

 

[beardie_owner]

I am sorry if I offended you but it's true you are trying to be argumentative! I answered your question when I said:

The risk of Salmonella being contracted from either you to your dragon or vise versa is very small if you have good cleaning habits. Most if not all people on this forum know the importance of clean vivs, our dragons are bathed 3 times a week on average and I would imagine our homes are cleaned daily so as I say it's not likely Salmonella will be a problem for any of us! It's very simple webcat86 if your worried about it don't let your dragon sit on anything you touch...which begs the question why would you want reptiles if you are not willing to let them free roam for a small portion of the day? I personally touch everything in my home at least once a day when I clean, I sanitize my hands in excess of 20 times a day and I wash them in hot soapy water lots too. As a reptile enthusiast my main health concern is problems being passed from reptile to reptile not reptile to human or human to reptile. Hope this helps with your concerns

To which you replied:

I don't bath my dragon three times a week or clean my house every day. I don't know of anyone who does that to be honest.
I'm willing to let my reptiles free roam, but i'm quite particular about them being on furniture without a blanket and i wouldn't let them on my desk/computer.
What do you mean by "touch everything in my home at least once a day when I clean"? Is that touching everything in your home after touching your dragons, or have I misinterpreted?
Personally I think sanitizing your hands 20+ times a day is asking for trouble. Sanitising gel is not as effective as soap and water, but it also leads to germ resistance, so not only will it stop killing much of the bacteria on your hands, but what's left will be extremely resilient.

I tried to be nice and play down my frustrations with you by saying cleanliness is next to godliness and yet you still tried to provoke a response!

This is the THE best forum for BD owners it's not very fair of you to tar the whole site and all of it's users with the same brush as me simply because you go more than you expected when you continued prodding! If you don't like me and I irritate you, it would be a great shame, but you can very easily avoid me by clicking on my name in the lobby and selecting the option. I know my opinion means nothing to you but bathing your dragon once a fortnight is not enough he/she is likely to be dehydrated and that is not good.

All I can say webcat is if you have a direct question it's best to ask straight out not let people guess until they get so frustrated they snap at you!

You did offend and irritate me, yes, because your attitude is wholly uncalled for. I was not trying to be argumentative, and I simply responded to your posts. If my posts did indeed come across as flippant then I apologise, because it was not their intent - but i would appreciate you mentioning how they are being interpreted before jumping off the deep end.

What did i say that was so argumentative? Most people don't clean their homes EVERY day, and washing and sanitizing your hands 20+ times a day is impractical and asking for germ resistance, which is a fact. And I also stated in my reply that my reptiles do indeed free roam, but i am particular about where they go. Nothing wrong with that is there? In all honesty, all i'm trying to do is gauge the appropriate measures against salmonella, and I was just confused by your comment that you touch everything once a day when you clean, because it could mean you touch everything with 'dragon hands', or you clean everything, or anything else.

I will reserve judgement on this being the "best" BD forum for now, but so far it doesn't seem to be. I am on two others, one of which has the most knowledgeable person you could hope to encounter (who, by the way, fully explains why weekly baths are unnecessary). Certainly I have yet to see a new member be chastised for having the audacity to ask a few questions about a very serious illness.

 

[beardie_owner]

These beautiful dragons require a lot of work and are smart in their own way. Allie shows a lot of intelligence and everyone around me who's seen her saw how big and beautiful she is. They want a dragon like her and they're always asking how to care for them. People take care of their dragons differently than others. I've noticed that people will clean their houses once a week to once a day to keep on top of their 'house chores'. Half the time, I don't clean, but I do try to do some cleaning. I cleaned the total of four rooms before I became tired from being anemic. There are many people who are compulsive, but I know none on here are unless you account for me.

Now this is a proper response, thank you.

For the record, I'm not worried about her being on the floor or the windowsill - i pay much more attention to where my hands will be, or food may be (children have a tendency to place things like cookies on the arm of a chair, for instance), so I prefer to keep them off the couch and bed, they aren't allowed in the kitchen, and so on. That's why i was surprised that people let them on their keyboards, because personally I will eat after typing.

Part of my confusion is that there is so much conflicting information on salmonella - some places say it's in their gut and then their faeces, then other sources say it's also in their glands and so their saliva, and others say it's on their skin too. So it's very difficult to know what is practical and what is asking for trouble.

I also wonder about their cleanliness, i have noticed when she 'goes' it goes on the base of her tail etc. Do you take any precautions with them being on your clothes, or not?

 

[Charley]

I'm definitely not a cleaner :-p I clean as little as possible! I think the cleanest part of my place is my dragons' tanks. I give my dragons access to the shower as often as possible, not only for hydration but also because they just seem to enjoy running in and out of it, sitting directly under the shower spray etc...my dragons mostly do their business in the shower, so by the time they leave it they are all clean again. I keep sanitiser by every tank for after handling them, but I sometimes forget- which I guess is why I try to keep them as clean as possible so that if I do forget I know the dangers are minimal. However I let them free roam and I do not follow where they've been with disinfectant, so I do not clean my laptop when they've sat on it or the sofa when they climb it. I don't take any precautions when they decide to climb on me/my clothes (which is often the case) and I don't really have any concerns about that (except their claws ruining tops-which they do often!) because I know Iwatch them like a hawk and they are clean.

 

[beardie_owner]

Thanks Charley. How often do you shower them, and do you then clean the shower/bath? I disinfect the bath after she goes in it, even if she does not defecate

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[Charley]

Depends on whether they accept syringe fed water or not- if not then would shower them more often. But usually 2-3 times a week. Sometimes one might get less showers than others and more misting as I have 2 females and a male (one of my females has taken to laying alot of eggs so I try to make sure she doesn't see the male). But generally I can put them all in together and the water distracts them from any nefarious activities ;-) I disinfect after defecation but usually not if they just sit there- unless they bring in sand.

 

[beardie_owner]

Mine has never been under the shower, might try it tomorrow. I don't mist though, and bath around every fortnight. Having seen the annual rainfall of where they come from and what they are evolved to survive in, it isn't necessary for hydration. It's now being questioned whether they actually get hydrated through their skin anyway, but regardless, it's why they are so good at extracting water from their food. Provided they have liquid when they defecate they are not in need of hydration

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