Cleaning out cages while pregnant?

[ilovechocolate80]

Hello

My daughter has a gorgeous one year old hamster. I don't handle him much, but I do clean out his cage and have done so throughout this pregnancy (14 weeks). I STUPIDLY googled if I should be doing it and there's loads of stuff about catching LCMV whilst pregnant and it causing miscarriage and severe birth defects. I've never heard/read about this in pregnancy books and surely there's lots of pregnant ladies who care for hamsters, mice etc. Any thoughts?

Wear washing up gloves?

I have been, I've read you can catch it from the dust when you clear the cage out? Apparently hamsters can carry it if they catch it from wild mice at the breeding centre or pet shop. It's tricky because my partner is away so much. I'm hoping that there will be a load of hamster caring mums on here who care for hamsters with no problems so I can feel a bit less worried. Interested if anyone else has even heard of this? Im hoping it's just so rare that it isn't publicised much.

From googling it is very very rare. Some sites suggest spraying soiled bedding with water first so that it minimises dust rising into the air. I had never heard of it until you posted about it here

Thanks Pixie, that's really reassuring about it being rareband that you've never heard of it either. Wish I hadn't Googled it. When will I learn?! X

I read up on LCMV, one of my guinea pigs died last year (severe loose bowels) the vet said they could do a culture (of his pooh) to see what was going on but he was gone within 12 hours of his vet trip.

From what I could tell, it was wild mice (we have had some little mousey freeloaders in our Pighouse) but this is the first time I've ever had a piggie with such a problem.

I know people who have worked in stables (all through pg) where there are numberous wild mice/rats, handling potentially tainted bedding. So I think it is rare but for your own peace of mind, can you wear a dustmask and gloves?

I'm 40 wks pregnant and have cleaned out our piggies all throughout. ..