Buddy is my new roommates’ pet snake. It is an albino something-breed and his once-a-week nutrition consists of Gourmet Rodent meals (I am not making this up, that is the actual name on the bag of frozen rats).

Being aware of the dangers associated with frozen foods for reptiles – and reptiles themselves – every Friday (and Saturday just to be safe) I thoroughly wipe down the area where my roommate thaws out the poor little rat for the weekly feed.

Today, I came across a warning from the Public Health Agency of Canada regarding a salmonella outbreak from frozen rodents that may be associated to the outbreak in July here in the U.S.

The warning says all the usual things about cleaning reptile-areas and washing hands, but I have some problems regarding some of their tips, such as:

“Sealing frozen reptile food products in a plastic bag and place in a covered garbage can.”

How is the frozen food supposed to stay frozen in a garbage can? Or, if they mean the empty bag, why would it be important to seal it up before throwing it away?

Another thing they might want to include on their advice list is how exactly to clean “surfaces that come into contact with reptiles.” Will regular soap and water work? And what should be used on non-hard surfaces such as couches or carpets? 

For us newly-introduced-to-the-world-of-reptiles people, information like this is important and needs to be clear.