>>Good morning! Sorry if this has been asked a million times already, but I am 4 months pregnant and am not wanting to give up my ball python. Is testing for salmonella something I can get done at my vet's office? I know it's rare, but it would set my mind at ease, not to mention more ground to stand on when opposing those who would very much like to see me give up my pet just because I am pregnant (and just because they are prejudiced against snakes!)





Just about all animals (including dogs, cats, humans, etc.) naturally carry various strains of salmonella in them. Testing is pretty much a waste of time for that reason. Also you can have an animal with salmonella test negative if the animal is not actively shedding any of the bacteria at the time of testing and so it is impossible to say the animal is salmonella free (which makes some of the newer 'turtle laws' a big joke). If you have had the snake for more than a few months, chances are you have already built up an immunity to whatever strain it might possibly be carrying and are not going to get sick from it. You are more at risk of salmonella infection from store bought chicken than you are from your pet whose hygiene is properly kept up because people tend to build up protection against strains their pets have compared to being significantly exposed for the first time to whatever the chicken might have.

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