Are pet reptiles safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about pet reptiles during pregnancy?

1. Handling reptiles, amphibians, and birds raises the chance of a Salmonella infection, and thorough handwashing after handling these animals or cleaning their habitat is the main way to lower that risk. 1
2. In about 4 percent of Salmonella cases, the infection spreads into the bloodstream, which can become serious for both the pregnant person and the fetus, and vertical transmission to the baby has been reported. 1
3. Captive reptiles carry Salmonella at strikingly high rates in surveyed populations, with up to 100 percent of pet snakes and over 80 percent of captive lizards testing positive in some regional studies, and infected reptiles typically look and act completely healthy. 2
4. Researchers found only 69 percent of reptile owners consistently washed their hands after handling their pet, and recommend keeping reptiles out of kitchens and other food-prep areas and away from young children. 3
5. In one large multistate outbreak linked to pet bearded dragons, 37 percent of illnesses were in infants under age 1, many with no direct contact with the animal at all: documented routes included a parent holding the reptile before breastfeeding and a terrarium kept near a diaper-changing area. 4

Is pet reptiles safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. If you're planning ahead for a new baby, now is a good time to establish the household habits that matter most: consistent handwashing after handling the reptile or its tank, and keeping it out of the kitchen and other food-prep surfaces.
• Second trimester. There's no special reptile-related risk that appears specifically in the second trimester. The same daily habits, handwashing and keeping the reptile's space separate from where you eat and prepare food, carry you through the rest of pregnancy.
• Third trimester. As you get closer to bringing a newborn home, it's worth deciding now who handles tank cleaning and where the reptile stays relative to a future diaper-changing or feeding area, since infants can pick up Salmonella indirectly even without touching the animal themselves.