Geckos and Salmonella
Geckos and other reptiles can carry Salmonella germs in their droppings even if they look healthy and clean. These germs can easily spread to their bodies and anything in the area where they live and roam.
You can get sick from touching your gecko or anything in its environment and then touching your mouth or food and swallowing Salmonella germs.
What you should do
Always take these steps to stay healthy around your pet gecko:
Wash your hands with soap and water
- After handling your gecko
- After feeding your gecko or handling its food
- After handling your gecko’s poop or equipment (for example, cages, rocks, substrate, enrichment, cage decorations)
- After cleaning your gecko’s cage
- Before eating and drinking
Play safely
- Children younger than 5 years old should not handle or touch reptiles, amphibians, or their environments because they are at a higher risk for serious illness and hospitalization caused by Salmonella infection.
Don’t cross-contaminate
- Keep geckos and their equipment out of the kitchen or anywhere that food is prepared, stored, served, or eaten. Don’t allow geckos to roam freely throughout a home or living area. Supervise your gecko when outside of its habitat to prevent accidents and contamination.
- Keep gecko food away from your food.
Safely clean your gecko’s habitat
- Clean your gecko supplies outside of the house, if possible. These supplies may include feeders, toys, and food and water containers.
- If you must clean the supplies indoors, don’t clean them in the kitchen or other areas where you eat or prepare food. Use a laundry sink or bathtub, and thoroughly clean and disinfect the area right after.
- Pour any water from your gecko’s enclosure down the toilet instead of sinks or drains.
If you are thinking of getting a pet gecko:
Pick the right pet for your family
- Geckos and other reptiles are not recommended for children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems. These people are more likely to get a serious illness from germs that reptiles can carry.
What businesses should do
Educate customers about how to stay healthy around geckos.
- Consider giving a pet safety handout to customers who are buying a gecko.
- This graphic can be used as a social media post or a sticker and illustrates handwashing when handling pet reptiles, including geckos.
Learn more about how to protect your customers and employees from Salmonella infection and other diseases shared between animals and humans.
- Read this resource that provides tips on how to prevent diseases with non-traditional pets.
Symptoms of Salmonella
Most people infected with Salmonella experience diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps:
- Symptoms usually start 6 hours to 6 days after swallowing the bacteria.
- Most people recover without treatment after 4 to 7 days.
Some people—especially children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems—may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization
