Hamsters among exotic pets that tots should avoid: U.S. group

Young children should not have exotic animals as pets because of the risk of disease, says a report by a U.S. group representing pediatricians.

And hamsters are among those making the no-own list, says the American Academy of Pediatrics.

About 11 per cent of salmonella illnesses in children are thought to stem from contact with lizards, turtles and other reptiles, said Dr. Larry Pickering, the report's lead author and an infectious disease specialist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hamsters also can carry this germ, which can cause severe diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps.

The report, in the October edition of the group's medical journal Pediatrics, finds two problems:

• Exotic pets may be more prone than cats and dogs to bite, scratch or claw.
• Young children are more at risk because their immune systems are still developing, and they're more likely to touch pets and put their hands in their mouths.

However, the association stressed that owning an average pet like a cat or a dog can be a good thing for young children. It's just that families should wait until children are older before bringing home an exotic pet.

Number of exotic animals skyrockets

A spokesman for the International Hedgehog Association said there's no reason to single out hedgehogs or other exotic pets, saying any animal can pose a hazard to a young child.  Owning the spiky animals emerged as a fad about 10 years ago.

"Our recommendation is that no animal should be a pet for kids five and under," said Z.G. Standing Bear, who runs a Colorado rescue operation for abandoned hedgehogs.

Since 1992, the number of exotic animals available in the U.S. has increased 75 per cent. In 2005 alone, 87,991 mammals, 1.3 million reptiles, and 203 million fish were imported legally into the U.S.

The association singled out reptiles as posing a particular risk because of high rates of salmonella contamination. In the U.S., nearly 4.4 million households claim to own a reptile.

Even petting zoos pose a risk, said Pickering.

Salmonella has been found in baby chicks, and young children can get it by kissing or touching the animals and then putting their hands in their mouths, he said.

Study co-author Dr. Joseph Bocchini said he recently treated an infant who got salmonella from the family's pet iguana, which was allowed to roam freely in the home.

The child was hospitalized for four weeks but has recovered, said Bocchini, head of the academy's infectious diseases committee and pediatrics chair at Louisiana State University in Shreveport.

Hedgehogs can be dangerous because their quills can penetrate skin and have been known to spread a bacteria germ that can cause fever, stomach pain and a rash, the report said.