Table 5.
Demographics, animal husbandry, attachment and practices of exotic companion mammal and reptile-owning households (Ontario, Canada)
|
Variable |
Exotic Companion Mammal1 (N=29) |
Reptile (N=22) |
||
| |
NR |
N (%) |
NR |
N (%) |
|
Household Demographics |
|
|||
| Child under 16 yrs living in household |
29 |
19 (65.5) |
22 |
10 (45.5) |
| Child under 5 yrs living in household |
29 |
3 (10.3) |
22 |
2 (9.1) |
| Adult ≥ 65 yrs living in household |
29 |
2 (6.9) |
22 |
0 |
| Individual living in household ever diagnosed |
23 |
8 (34.8) |
19 |
9 (47.4) |
| with an immunocompromising condition |
|
|
|
|
| Individual < 5 yrs, ≥ 65 yrs, or ever diagnosed |
26 |
12 (46.2) |
20 |
11 (55.0) |
| with an immunocompromising condition |
|
|
|
|
| Previous receipt of pet-associated zoonotic |
27 |
11 (40.7) |
17 |
7 (41.2) |
| disease education2 |
|
|
|
|
|
Animal Husbandry, Attachment and Practices |
|
|||
| Cage cleaned |
29 |
|
21 |
|
| Daily |
|
2 (6.9) |
|
1 (4.8) |
| Every several days |
|
6 (20.7) |
|
3 (14.3) |
| Weekly |
|
18 (62.1) |
|
6 (28.6) |
| Every 2 weeks |
|
3 (10.3) |
|
5 (23.8) |
| Greater than every 2 weeks |
|
0 |
|
6 (28.6) |
| Animals allowed to roam through house |
NA |
NA |
22 |
2 (9.1) |
| Animals allowed to roam in kitchen |
NA |
NA |
22 |
2 (9.1) |
| Animals/cages washed in kitchen sink |
NA |
NA |
22 |
3 (13.6) |
| Animals/cages washed in bathtub or bathroom |
NA |
NA |
18 |
5 (27.8) |
| sink |
|
|
|
|
| Household’s emotional attachment to pet |
29 |
|
21 |
|
| Very attached |
|
16 (55.2) |
|
3 (14.3) |
| Somewhat attached |
|
11 (37.9) |
|
11 (52.4) |
| Not very attached |
|
2 (6.9) |
|
4 (19.1) |
| Not at all attached |
|
0 |
|
3 (14.3) |
|
Questions answered by households with one or more children under 16 yrs |
|
|||
| Any children ever clean the animal’s cage |
19 |
12 (63.2) |
10 |
4 (40.0) |
| Wear gloves when cleaning |
12 |
1 (8.3) |
3 |
0 |
| Wash hands after cleaning |
12 |
11 (91.7) |
4 |
3 (75.0) |
| Animals roam in children’s room |
NA |
NA |
8 |
0 |
| Children touch the pet |
19 |
19 (100) |
9 |
7 (77.8) |
| Children wash hands after touching |
19 |
|
7 |
|
| Always |
|
8 (42.1) |
|
4 (57.1) |
| Usually |
|
8 (42.1) |
|
0 |
| Sometimes |
|
3 (15.8) |
|
2 (28.6) |
| Never |
|
0 |
|
1 (14.3) |
| Children’s emotional attachment to the pet |
18 |
|
10 |
|
| Very attached |
|
11 (61.1) |
|
1 (10.0) |
| Somewhat attached |
|
6 (33.3) |
|
5 (50.0) |
| Not very attached |
|
1 (5.6) |
|
3 (30.0) |
| Not at all attached | 0 | 1 (10.0) | ||
1Exotic companion mammals included rabbits, hedgehogs, and rodents (such as gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs, chinchillas, mice, and rats).
2Respondent recalled having ever received information from any source about diseases that they can get from pets or precautions to take with pets to reduce the risk of disease.
NR: Number responding to question. Blank and “don’t know” responses were excluded.
NA: Not asked.