Keeping Your Exotic Pet Healthy During COVID-19

Photo courtesy of Amy Humphries

Everything is a little different right now. It’s a little crazy out there. And you may be wondering if there’s anything you should change regarding pet care during the pandemic.

Here’s what you need to know about keeping your exotic pet healthy during COVID-19…

Can my reptile or amphibian catch coronavirus?

No research has been done on whether the coronavirus can infect reptiles or amphibians, or whether those animals can spread the disease to humans. However, it is highly unlikely. What virus experts do know is that the new coronavirus, COVID-19, which is currently causing a pandemic, is in the same family of viruses as other coronaviruses, such as SARS and the common cold.

These viruses tend to infect mammals and sometimes birds. Although herps can’t be ruled out yet as potential carriers, the evidence we do have would suggest they are not.

That doesn’t mean your exotic pet won’t be affected by the pandemic, though. What it means is that the impact on your pet depends entirely on you, how you are affected, and what steps you take during any lockdown or quarantine situations.

As such, there are two things you need to consider in order to keep your pet healthy during COVID-19:

1. Access to food and supplies.
2. Taking care of yourself.

Access to food and supplies

One thing you can do if you are in an area experiencing a lockdown and high occurrences of the virus is to buy a little more than what your pet needs right away. Stock up on the essentials (in moderation, of course; don’t go crazy). That way, if you find yourself or a family member infected and in a quarantine situation, you won’t have to figure out a way to get pet food or supplies to your home while you shouldn’t be leaving.

Remember that one of the best ways to stop the spread of this disease is to avoid crowds as much as possible. If you can spread out your supply runs in order to be out in public less frequently, it’s a good idea to do so.

Another option to help with social distancing procedures is to take advantage of our Curbside Pickup at The Tye-Dyed Iguana.

With this option, you can call our number (618-624-8003) once arriving at the parking lot. Place your order over the phone, and then we will gather the items and bring them outside. You can pay for the order at your vehicle.

Taking care of yourself

Your reptile or amphibian depends on you for meeting all of its needs. And that means it needs you to stay healthy and plan ahead.

The best steps for keeping yourself safe and healthy are:

1. Wash your hands frequently, especially after being in public or in contact with other people, before eating or preparing food for others, and after blowing your nose.
2. Keep your hands away from your face, where the virus often finds entry to the body, and make sure you wash your hands before any facial grooming.
3. Maintain social distancing while the pandemic is still spreading; best practices, according to experts, are to stay 6-feet away from others when you go outside, to work, or to public places.

Feel free to contact us on Facebook to get more information about our Curbside Pickup procedures for exotic pet food and supplies.

Diedra Blackmill is head copywriter and content marketer at Telepath Writing Services. She specializes in writing blog articles, newsletters, and scripts that generate more revenue for businesses.
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