FaunaClassifieds - View Single Post - Dangerous wording on letter to congress re: salmonella and reptiles as pets

02-27-2003, 02:16 AM

Looks like the Kaplanites are truly taking over at KS. What ever happened to their link about the CDC's stance on Salmonella? I was looking for the info they posted last year (or year before??) in opposition to the HSUS smear campaign last night, and came up with zip.

I tried the Animal Issues page and found nothing but crap.

Now we have this garbage? That statement is utter crap. Some aquatic turtles may be prone to being salmonella carriers, and they may even require some salmonella in their systems. Sure. But "frequent" in "all reptiles"?

This is STUPID. First, not all reptiles can carry salmonella asymptomatically. Second, I've NEVER read about any reptile related salmonella cases outside of an incident at a zoo and the odd case of some idiot allowing free range reptiles (usually iguanas) in their house. The reptile salmonella risk is WAY overblown.

Bottom line, cats can carry THREE types of salmonella and quite a few other zoonotic diseases, including some that are fatal to healthy, adult humans, which salmonella seldom is.

But cats are everywhere.

I guess that the Kaplanites have pulled any teeth that KS had in regards to helping us protect our hobby.

And maybe the idiot who wrote that letter should stick to using the word "turtles" instead of making blanket statements.

02-27-2003, 02:16 AM	#6
BrianB	Looks like the Kaplanites are truly taking over at KS. What ever happened to their link about the CDC's stance on Salmonella? I was looking for the info they posted last year (or year before??) in opposition to the HSUS smear campaign last night, and came up with zip. I tried the Animal Issues page and found nothing but crap. Now we have this garbage? That statement is utter crap. Some aquatic turtles may be prone to being salmonella carriers, and they may even require some salmonella in their systems. Sure. But "frequent" in "all reptiles"? This is STUPID. First, not all reptiles can carry salmonella asymptomatically. Second, I've NEVER read about any reptile related salmonella cases outside of an incident at a zoo and the odd case of some idiot allowing free range reptiles (usually iguanas) in their house. The reptile salmonella risk is WAY overblown. Bottom line, cats can carry THREE types of salmonella and quite a few other zoonotic diseases, including some that are fatal to healthy, adult humans, which salmonella seldom is. But cats are everywhere. I guess that the Kaplanites have pulled any teeth that KS had in regards to helping us protect our hobby. And maybe the idiot who wrote that letter should stick to using the word "turtles" instead of making blanket statements.