Salmonella ?

Neurus · Dec 23, 2007

Hey there, i have been doing my rounds ever since the spawn of eggs to find potential pet shops that will take some of the babies off my hands if needs be. Yesterday for the first time i got a straight no, the reason being that they don't have a license to sell them "due to them carrying Salmonella". Is this true? Or is this just a pet shop attendant over dramatizing something to sound clever?
Has anyone got any info on this? i have done the usual googling and found that it can be present in reptiles etc but nothing axolotl specific

Saspotato · Dec 23, 2007

I found these old threads you might be interested in reading:
http://www.caudata.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-46351.html
http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=42768&highlight=salmonella
http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=35538&highlight=salmonella
http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=47061&highlight=salmonella

So yes, axolotls can carry salmonella so that is why I always wash my hands after feeding or touching the tank water. If any gets spilled outside the tank I make sure to clean it up thoroughly too. Don't know how big the risk is but better to be safe than sorry I think!

oceanblue · Dec 24, 2007

I think you have just met an assistant giving an excuse to say no. Pet shops have sold thousands of red eared turtles with salmonella. Teenage mutant ninja turtles were an international ecological disaster! Washing hands after reaching into any tank is good practice. Trying to not introduce problems, for instance by never feeding raw chicken, is also wise.

invertkurt · Dec 24, 2007

Everything you can name could give you salmonella... turtles, salamanders, chicken, eggs, and even a person. It just comes from unclean environments. They're either lying or have no clue what they're talking about. I bet a swab check would show salmonella bacteria in at least some quantity somewhere in their store.

Jennewt · Dec 24, 2007

Yep, even hamsters and gerbils can carry and transmit salmonella. Oddly, nobody ever proposes making these pets illegal!

Neurus · Dec 26, 2007

Thankyou very much for finding those links for me that was very helpful

Neurus · Dec 26, 2007

oceanblue said:
I think you have just met an assistant giving an excuse to say no. Pet shops have sold thousands of red eared turtles with salmonella. Teenage mutant ninja turtles were an international ecological disaster! Washing hands after reaching into any tank is good practice. Trying to not introduce problems, for instance by never feeding raw chicken, is also wise.

It did seem very odd, usually when i have spoken to pet shop assistants they have been very keen, especially due to the mother and father being such good specimens. (yes i have been going around with a picture on my camera phone of them receiving lots of awwwwwwwwwws).
Have you ever heard of needing a specific license though?

Neurus · Dec 26, 2007

invertkurt said:
Everything you can name could give you salmonella... turtles, salamanders, chicken, eggs, and even a person. It just comes from unclean environments. They're either lying or have no clue what they're talking about. I bet a swab check would show salmonella bacteria in at least some quantity somewhere in their store.

Well it is one of those aircraft hangar type stores which has plenty of rabbits, gerbils and hamsters etc so most likely there is something nasty floating around..

oceanblue · Dec 30, 2007

I've tried looking at the UK licensing requirements and as far as I can see public health inspectors can stop trading in poultry carrying salmonella and order stock destruction but nothing about any other animals. I'm pretty sure there are no legal problems unless you have reason to suspect your animals are infected and what you were told was nonsense.

Quetzalcoatl · Jan 28, 2008

I have a brother at CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Atlanta) to whom I posed the question of axolotls and salmonella. Keeping salmonella out of the food supply is part of what keeps him employed, so I figured he'd know.

His response was to assume that, being an amphibian, the axolotl might well carry salmonella. Rather than some sort of testing, we should simply assume that he does. Practice safe handling of water and all things that go into the tank. I would also recommend washing your hands and forearms we before putting them into the tank, in order to keep your germs away from your axolotl, too.

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