Hamster

[dragonfly26]

My mom texted me and asked if I had heard anything about hamsters and pregnancy and I said no. Apparently there is a possibility they and all rodents i.e. Guinea pigs, mice, rats, chinchillas can carry a disease, lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV), that that is harmful during pregnancy. Ugh. We have a hamster we got in November for my dd. I have never heard of it before. Has anyone else? Am I just in the dark? Have your doctors mentioned this at all?

 

[Cowgirl07]

No hamsters but I worked where we had baby chicks. I Wasn't allowed to touch them or their pens. My thoughts are good hygenie, no cleaning the pens or messing with feces and have someone feed it you will be fine. Which was my dr rules for the chicks. They are gone now, but all pets carry risks while pregnant. It's about proper management I think.

 

[1nceUponATime]

Never heard of that before! It must not be very common , I'm sure that if you google anything it would come up with a nasty result for pregnancy. Could you ask someone else to handle the hamster while your pregnant to clean his cage ? I'm sure it's a low low chance of you getting anything from your hamster though. Maybe you could ask your doc at the next appointment just to make sure. I'm sure you'll be okay

 

[dragonfly26]

Thanks ladies, it never even dawned on me hat it would be an issue. I'm always very cautious about hand washing with myself and the kid, just like wth, another thing to worry about. Aye.

 

[bcos21]

I just cleaned the hamster cage today lol. I figure if I wash my hands well I'll be fine. Cleaned up after the hamster in last pregnancy too lol if in doubt talk to your dr

 

[dragonfly26]

Thanks, I was thinking oh no, am I the only one that doesn't know this and cares for a rodent, Lol.

 

[1nceUponATime]

I was just thinking your mom probably was surfing the Internet and there is just horror all over it. I bet if you googled any animal or anything it will tell you something bad that could happen. It's a blessing to have such information at our fingertips, but a curse too! I google too much and stress myself out, and people are like "put down Google!!" Lol

 

[JemmaLouise]

It's not a hamster but I have 2 indoor cats who have litter trays. You are warned not to change the litter boxes because of toxoplasmosis but my OH works away quite a bit over the summer so I have to do it. I was advised that so long as you exercise good hygiene you should be fine might just be the same approach with the hamster

 

[x-ginge-x]

I had 13 hamsters during my last pregnancy, and as long as you wash hands etc I think you will be fine!

 

[fairycat]

We have guinea pigs, and doc said guinea pigs aren't an issue at all. I clean their cage on a regular basis since my husband took over the cat's litter box.