Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know that you can be around cats and dogs when you're sick but what about your pet reptiles?

I've always made it a point to never hold my sav when i'm sick and I'm wondering if I've overreacting. He gets pretty deprived of attention and excercise each time I have a cold.

Thanks

--Sam

Reptiles are immune to the vast, vast majority of human illnesses. They are perfectly safe from the common cold and influenza viruses.
I know of no viruses which are zoonotic between reptiles and humans. There are a few bacterial infections which are.

There's probably not a whole lot of viruses in the world that you can pass to your lizard. Its the whole zoonotic thing- while some viruses (like west nile) can pass between mammals and avians/birds, reptiles are completely different because they are cold blooded and have variable metabolisms. often a virus (or even a some bacteria) gets used to a certain animals metabolism type among many things and evolves and therefore cannot spread and survive in other creatures. Just as AIDS dies in the presence of oxygen/air, and birds cannot get rabies even if they eat a rabid animal, reptiles are far enough removed from humans that yours should be ok if you have a cold or flu.

just be careful if you're REALLY sick and think you have some strage disease! : )

plus, your savennah monitor might provide you with some good company when you are sick!
-----
Zsa-Zsu and Corny the Corn Snake
and Monaco the Argentine B&W Tegu
and Meanie the Black Throat Monitor

WOW! thank you!!

spending time with him while i'm sick would have made me feel better so many times but I was so afraid of making him sick that I left him in his tank for days instead (fed and watered of course).

I always thought that i could give him a respitory infection if i had a cold and a sore throat was dangerous too. Damn, maybe i'll go hold the little guy right now =)

--Sam