Ouch!!

[Mintglow]

This is kind of an off-the-wall sorta question.

I've mentioned before that Cricket likes to climb on me, for whatever reason. Well, as he's getting older, I've noticed that (obviously) his grip is getting stronger. This is great and all, but it's starting to be a problem for ME.

If I reach into his cage (or one of the various plants and vine setups we have around the house) to straighten something or do some spot-cleaning or feeding, he'll crawl onto my arm, and since my arm is smooth, he DIGS his claws right in. Sometimes he'll go up my arm, other times he'll just sit ON my arm.

I wash thoroughly after handling him, always, because I know that reptiles can carry e. Coli or something like that... but he's digging his nails in so deep that I'm actually getting lacerations that bleed. When this happens, I disinfect with peroxide, but am I putting myself at risk here? His cage and all his plants around the house are kept very clean, and he is always nice and clean, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have bacteria ON him. I'm just kind of wondering if I should be really worried... is disinfecting sufficient, or should I bust out the rubber gloves (which he is scared of, for some reason)?

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

When Guido started to do me like that, I purchased a pair of pale green garden gloves. He liked them so much we had to stuff one for him to use as a "girlfriend" (seriously). I didn't realize the pale flowery pattern was in the same colors as a receptive female veiled. I was definitely sending him the wrong signal. But, that's probably TMI, huh? . Anyway, soft garden gloves in a non-agressive color seem to work. For man and beast. Hope this helps.

 

[Jeweledchameleons]

please, no scratches....

Hehe,
well he's doing it because he's a bit unsure of whats going on
and is digging in his grip to make sure he's not going to fall or anything.
As they get more relaxed they'll soften their grip and both will be happier
until then, you may just use the gloves.

In general, Veileds have sharper nails and more gripping power than Panthers (ymmv)

 

[Chill]

yah ive noticed that my older Veiled (clyde) has a killer grip. he squeezes so hard and it does hurt sometime. But Panthers wont squeeze as hard even though they could get bigger??

 

[ChromaChameleons]

The proper response would be that you avoid your cham from breaking your skin. Infection is possible.

But.. if he is CB or LTC and you have not had an infection from previous skin breaks, hes probably "bug" free.

Personally, I , as many of us here, don't want my interaction with my reptiles to be so sterile and physically removed , that I obsess over it.

How many people dont mind a dog licking them in the face, while other people have phobias about what the dog might spread.... same issue.

 

[ian]

What is LTC?

 

[Will Hayward]

Ian, Long Term Captive.

Personal simple solution for this, is that when I hold my chameleons (the few and far between times I do), I don't let them climb around my body but I keep them on my hands. I watch for their subtle hints that denote displeasure in whats happening, keep them on your hands and fingers (where you skin it tough) and keep them elevated at head level or above.

Secondly, I always try to sanitize before and after holding chameleons. I have installed sevel sanitizing stations in the area.

 

[Mintglow]

If I could avoid having him on me so much, believe me, I would. I mean, I love to hold him and interact with him and stuff, but it can be quite inconvenient if all I'm trying to do is clean off a vine or something! And he can't climb my arms unless he digs his claws in really deep. I try to move him or get him to climb onto something else, but he won't always go. I don't want to stress him out, so if he wants to sit on my arm or hand (or shoulder, ouch even worse)... I try and let him do it as long as he wants to, and sit incredibly still so he'll maybe loosen his grip a little.

I'm not a germ-o-phobe or anything, it really doesn't bother me aside from the claws thing, but you know.

 

[ChromaChameleons]

Sorry, Mintglow,, I wasnt implying that you were a germaphobe, i was just trying to illustrate a general point.

Your questions on this thread and the topic in general are excellent.

 

[Mintglow]

Thanks C_M ^_^ knowledge is power, as I always say

He is captive-bred and came from a place that I can trust to be honest about that, too. He's "bug-free" and we're careful to never expose him to anything that could give him parasites, so I think we're pretty safe that way.

I think I will invest in some pale green and soft gloves, just to keep on hand. Despite everything, I'm thankful that I'm one of the incredibly lucky ones that wound up with a veiled chameleon that seems to like human interaction, so that's a plus at least!

 

[ChameleonsTree]

I had a jackson who used to poke holes in my hand. I never had a problem but it is conceivable that poo bacteria could be on their feet. I would suggest wearing long sleeves and gloves.

 

[PardalisGirl]

Sounds like you keep your cage very clean. Poopy feet would be a problem but it sounds like you are not likely to have that situation. My male veiled leaves scratches on my hands too. I don't handle him much but when I do for a health check or a "shower" his long nails and tight grip leave marks. I've handled reptiles with big claws for over a decade with no issue. I do wash my arms and hands afterwards. The biggest cause of infection transferred from reptile to human is Salmonella (which is spread orally, not by claws scratches). Its tranferred by handling an infected reptile and then not washing your hands. If you put your fingers in your mouth or handle food (like eating chips) without washing your hands you can get Salmonella.

Salmonella in reptiles, including chameleons, is a lot more common than most reptile keepers realize. A large segment of wild caught reptiles (snakes, lizards, including chameleons, and turtles/tortoises) carry it. It is actually part of the "normal" gutload of bacteria found in most reptiles in the wild. It is spread by water, insects and feces. It is now widely common in "farm raised" reptiles like iguanas and turtles.

Salmonella is a bacteria and not a parasite. Salmonella does not normally cause issues or problems in a reptile until it's immune system is compromised by something else. Then certain strains of Salmonella can reproduce rapidly and overtake the reptile. It is at this point that the Salmonella is normally discovered by the vet. The vet takes samples to diagnose the situation causing the now visible symptoms. Salmonella is then discovered along with the bacteria or parasite that caused the initial health issue in the first place. Not all Salmonella is created equally. There are many documented strains. Some are more problematic than others. Some are fairly innocuous. Salmonella has to be sent to a very special lab for "typing" to determine the strain.

Salmonella is very difficult to irradicate in an individual reptile and in a collection that has become exposed to it. It is treated with antibiotics and all caging components must be sterilized continuously during treatment. This whole issue is why we see hand washing warnings at zoos and in our vet's office. Many people have actually had it and just thought it was the flu and recovered from it without realizing they ever had it. It is also in our food system (raw eggs and chicken, etc.). Like with reptiles, it usually only becomes a problem in people if the imune system is compromised by something else first.

I hope all this information is informative but not scarey. Reptile owners should be aware of this so they are motivated to keep cages and hands clean at all times. It is more likely to be found in wild caught or farm raised reptiles. It is, however, possible to find it in captive bred reptiles too. Wash your hands after handling your reptile. Get your kids in the habit of washing their hands after handling a reptile. Clean up reptile poop as often as possible. It becomes second nature if you get into the habit of doing it. I've had reptiles since I was a kid. I've got lots of them now. I wash my hands all day long (they look twenty years older than I do!). I've never had a personal issue with Salmonella but think it's important to realize that it's so common. My husbandry practices make it more likely that I will get Salmonella from something in the grocery store or in a restaurant than from my reptiles. Once again, don't be scared off by all of this, just be informed

 

[Phatturk]

Super info thanks a lot!