Hamsters and pregnancy

6 replies

Rosabuddy · 22/10/2019 14:45

I recently found out I am pregnant and am over the moon. I have also recently bought a hamster and for some reason googled them and pregnancy and was alerted to a virus that they can carry called LCMV and is dangerous for pregnant women. It can spread in their urine and poo and saliva and can also be airborne. I am now panicking that I could infect my baby, has anyone any experience or knowledge of this virus or has a hamster?

Thanks

OP posts:

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 22/10/2019 16:23

Hamsters are pretty clean creatures, they usually only wee in one corner. Is there anyone you know who can do the cage clean? The wee corner only needs doing every few days, you really dont need to do a full cage clean that regular.
Is there any way you can take hamster the vet for a once over?
If you must do any of the cleaning just make sure you have rubber gloves on, to be on the safe size could wear a dust mask also?

Isithometimeyet0987 · 22/10/2019 23:25

I have a hamster and had one when I was pregnant with DD and I cleaned out the cage myself I just wore gloves like I do anyway. I still lifted the hamster and played with it like before I got pregnant nothing happened to me or the baby. If your really worried just go to a vet to get it checked to make sure it doesn’t carry anything.

Pinkbonbon · 23/10/2019 01:21

It'll be fine, just wash your hands after cleaning the cage. Nothing's going airborne. Unless you left the pee for ages or something.

Pcosmama · 23/10/2019 05:40

Never heard of this and I'm 35 weeks and have a hamster!

Original poster

Rosabuddy · 23/10/2019 06:02

Thank you everyone, I hope I’m not going to be this paranoid for the next 7.5 months!!! Bloody google!!!!!

OP posts:

TimeIhadaNameChange · 23/10/2019 14:36

I wouldn't worry. Just use gloves when you clean the cage.

My mum rang me last week to ask if I was ok with cat litter, as a family member (who likes to get involved in everything) had decided they were really worried about me. I said no, as there's a toxoplasmosis risk, which troubled my mother until I pointed out I just use gloves or get DP to clean it. I then mentioned the salmonella risk from the snake, LCMV from the guineas and goodness knows what the rabbits could be harbouring, but that I wasn't worried in the slightest. If I haven't caught anything by now I'm sure it's ok.

(This was the same mother who, when I announced my pregnancy, told me I should get rid of some of the animals as there'd be too much mess. I pointed out that was never going to happen. She asked me a few weeks later if the midwife had told me to and I said I hadn't asked her but I did, and she just laughed. I had warned her that I would ignore any agreement with my mother though!)

Flip