# Do you wash your hands before feeding your betta?



## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

I was just curious


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## sainthogan (Sep 27, 2012)

I am worried about soap contaminating their food and making them sick, so I never wash with soap before feeding my Bettas. In fact, if I've just washed my hands, I will delay their feeding for a while. I will sometimes rinse with just water before feeding them.


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

Nope. Of course I make sure theres nothing weird on my hands, but I don't ever bother washing my hands before I feed. Though if I feed bloodworms I do wash afterwards because my hands get all bloodwormy. xD


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## callistra (Jun 29, 2010)

I rinse them in water, but I never ever use soap. If I forget and shower before I feed them I'll use measuring spoons or count it as their skip day.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

I sometimes do. I have a question, can we touch bettas like people do with goldfish? Not to hijack, sorry.


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## Destinystar (May 26, 2012)

I always make sure my hands are clean an rinse a millions times before feedling.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

I almost never wash my hands before fiddling with my tanks. Only exceptions are if I have been handling cleaning chemicals with bare hands or have been touching my hospital tank.

Since I don't wear nail polish, perfume or body/hand lotions I don't really see the need to be excessively washing my hands. I am always putting my hands into my tanks so to wash them every single time would just be time consuming.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

I always wash my hands-before and after I do anything with my tanks using soap and water.

I don't stress over any soap residue...I have been doing it this way for a very long time and have never had any issue or caught anything from my tanks in the 40+ years in this hobby.

IMO/E-washing hands before and after working with your tanks is a good habit to form....


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## FishFriend9292 (Oct 14, 2012)

I dont wash my hands before, because I dont want any soap to come in contact with the tank. However, I do rinse them and always wash my hands after doing anything with my aquarium.


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

I don't do full soap and water, but I do use hot water.

Afterwards, I normally don't only because as I fill up the tank, I always have my hand under the water already.
And if my hands smell, well I just use hand sanitizer xD


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Well the way I feed, I pretty much just touch the pellets. I don't touch the water or anything. So I don't really see a need to wash my hands before just feeding. I do, however, wash and rinse my hands very thoroughly before doing a water change, because I stick my hands in the water and touch things in the tank...


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## Alcemistnv (Jan 29, 2012)

....Why did I think this was about before cleaning the tanks? xD

Disregard my last post

I rarely clean my hands before feeding them


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Alcemistnv said:


> ....Why did I think this was about before cleaning the tanks? xD
> 
> Disregard my last post
> 
> I rarely clean my hands before feeding them


Lol. I would have probably made the same mistake if it wasn't my thread


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## sunshineandish (Dec 9, 2012)

*paranoid about soap*

I do wash my hand but sometimes I think of something on the fly (like seeing a decoration slanted )..and before I know it I got my hands in hahaah...thankfully I don't use soap knowingly but I have made that mistake once..i just went and did a quick water change right after

by the way these would come in handy:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3728+3871&pcatid=3871


http://www.youtube.com/user/sunshineandish


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I wash my hands with hot water and minimal soap and rinse for 30 seconds


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> I wash my hands with hot water and minimal soap and rinse for 30 seconds


Before feeding or water changes?


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## pittipuppylove (Feb 23, 2012)

Under normal circumstances, I don't wash my hands before feeding or cleaning. lol I guess I'm lazy and don't want to go down the hall to my floor's nasty bathroom. However, if I've just come from a chemistry or biology lab (where I wash my hands before leaving anyway), I will scrub my hands like I'm about ready to go into surgery - the last thing I need is sulferic acid or something of the like in my tanks.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

I personally don't think it hurts or benefits the fish either way. Washing your hands usually doesn't kill every single germ on your hands, so if your fish was going to get sick from you touching it's food, I think it would get sick whether you washed up before or not. Just as long as you didn't touch any chemicals or lotions within a few hours prior...


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## RaptorX8 (Sep 7, 2012)

I always wash my hands with soap before and after feeding, I just rinse for at least 30 seconds afterwards and get in good under the nails.

As far as cleaning, I do the same thing except if I have a wound on a hand or arm then I have gloves labeled for the fish tanks and I wash the gloves.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Now I really want to know if it's actually necessary or not...


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Is it necessary? Do those of you that do wash your hands before feeding think that it is necessary? Or do you do it more to ease your own mind?


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## horsyqueen (Nov 13, 2012)

My betta are on a live food diet XD. I have to use a spoon because I have a fear of touching anything remotely leach like, that includes blood worm. I generally rinse my hands under water if I have been doing art before anyway as I always get paint on my hands.

The only time i have stuff on my hands is because my nails are painted and i don't think that will kill the fish.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Before feeding I don't. My hands never actually touch the water when I'm feeding them. However, when I rearrange the tank or do water changes I always wash my hands and rinse them very well.
I kinda figured that the residue couldn't hurt them much since my hands will only be in the tank for a few seconds. Plus their are many things my hands could have come in contact with that I am unaware of.

If you rinse in hot water it dries out your hands so I know I at least don't have to worry about any oils on my hands, lol.


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## Butterfly (Nov 13, 2012)

Never before, always after. If I stick my arms into my tank(The larger 5 gallon I just had to prune some leaves), I rinsed that arm off with some vinegar and then with water. After I was done, antibacterial soap and water, absolutely. If I'm just feeding, I use my fingertips and don't get dirty. Just wipe them off. The Omega one pellets aren't smelly like the hikari pellets I used to give. If I'm feeding blood worms, I wash.


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## deso (Apr 24, 2012)

I use the tiny spoon that comes with bottles of Atison's Pro to feed my betta his staple pellets (which are now NLS Betta Formula), so I don't really think about washing my hands before feeding times. If I'm handling FD bloodworms, which are really difficult to pick up with a spoon, I make sure to wash my hands before and after feeding.

However, if I'm going to be fiddling around with something inside the tank, or if it's water change day, I always wash my hands before and after doing anything. Basically - if I'm planning to touch anything that will come into direct contact with my fish, I wash my hands neurotically, for my fish's sake.


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

The main reason I wash my hands is due to the natural oils and lotions I use. This helps to keep the surface scum limited-especially since I don't use a lot of filtration on my tanks to help keep it broke up. And when I feed-it always seems like I gotta stick my hands in the tank for one reason or another....lol.....


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## Phaydra (Nov 20, 2012)

I wash my hand using Dawn Liquid Soap. I wash them because I touch a lot of things through out the day. Some of is money and imo money is just a dirty thing to touch.


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## pittipuppylove (Feb 23, 2012)

Phaydra said:


> Some of is money and imo money is just a dirty thing to touch.


Too true! My goodness, some days I wonder where a dollar bill has been - and then I start to think about it and decide that there are some things that are best left unknown :shock:


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Oldfishlady said:


> The main reason I wash my hands is due to the natural oils and lotions I use. This helps to keep the surface scum limited-especially since I don't use a lot of filtration on my tanks to help keep it broke up. And when I feed-it always seems like I gotta stick my hands in the tank for one reason or another....lol.....


Do you have a concern about contaminating the food/getting the fish sick from not washing your hands?


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## SDragon (Sep 26, 2011)

I don't before, because i don't want soap residue to get into the tank, and I usually don't after, unless I'm going to eat soon.


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## Katy (Apr 10, 2012)

I wash before and after- mostly for sanitary reasons- as long as you rinse well and your hands are dry when handling the food then soap residue really shouldn't be a problem.


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## Neight (Oct 20, 2012)

I rarely wash my hands before, and only after if I've touched bloodworms. They give me the heebie jeebies, despite my totally neutral attitude towards bugs. 
@RaptorX8, I also have a cat named Obi. Just thought that was kind of cool.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

What do you hand washers dry with?


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I don't  Hands are washed, no need to use a towel (which may have something on it ex. a chemical or soap residue). Hands are going into water anyways, I don't see the need to dry my hands to get them wet :lol:

If I wash my hands AFTER dealing with fish food or fish, I use paper towel


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> I don't  Hands are washed, no need to use a towel (which may have something on it ex. a chemical or soap residue). Hands are going into water anyways, I don't see the need to dry my hands to get them wet :lol:
> 
> If I wash my hands AFTER dealing with fish food or fish, I use paper towel


I'm confused about what to do... If I didn't dry my hands then I would get the pellets wet and then they would get moldy.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

And since theres chlorine and junk in tap water, wouldn't you have chemicals on your hands no matter what?


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Sometimes when my hands are only slightly damp, I will pick up a pellet so only one or two stick to my fingers. It may take a little longer, but you could let them air dry.

I don't think that tiny amount of chlorine would harm them at all.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> Sometimes when my hands are only slightly damp, I will pick up a pellet so only one or two stick to my fingers. It may take a little longer, but you could let them air dry.
> 
> I don't think that tiny amount of chlorine would harm them at all.


But saying that, wouldn't it be fine to use a towel too?


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Yes. I use a towel almost all the time and it hasn't hurt my fish.


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## bryzy (Nov 3, 2012)

I use warm water before and after. I'm a person who of I have something smelly on my hands immediately freaks out. So that why I rinse before and after. Also not to push off topic… but can betas be touched?


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Yes, a lot of people touch them. I don't. It can damage their slime coat if done too often, but I know many who scoop them up with their hands instead of a net. I actually posted a thread about it awhile back..


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## bryzy (Nov 3, 2012)

Could I maybe get a link?


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Oldfishlady said:


> I always wash my hands-before and after I do anything with my tanks using soap and water.
> 
> I don't stress over any soap residue...I have been doing it this way for a very long time and have never had any issue or caught anything from my tanks in the 40+ years in this hobby.
> 
> IMO/E-washing hands before and after working with your tanks is a good habit to form....


What do you dry your hands with?


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

bryanacute said:


> Could I maybe get a link?


http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=121017


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I don't stick my hand right in the food container. Usually tapped some food into the lid. I also have to feed 10+ adults and 200+ fry so wet hands are fine considering it makes it seemingly faster (slight tap or flick of pellets to each fish without continuously going back for more food)

By chemicals I mean: sanitizer, soap, any household cleaners (or does no one clean anymore?)

As for chlorine: considering bettas are hardy, my fish are very hardy, and I don't think minuscule amounts of chlorine could kill them... I'd rather a tad bit of tap water than dirt, grease, sanitizer etc to get into the tanks. I work retail. I also handle chemicals.


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## aemaki09 (Oct 23, 2012)

I'd say about 80% of the time I dont wash my hands.
I usually only wash them if I know there is some kind of chemical on them (i.e. nail polish remover, hair color, shampoo, etc. from school) and when I do wash I dont use soap, just rinse well because I dont want there to be any left over soap residue getting into their food.


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## Jessa24 (Dec 1, 2012)

I like to wear perfume so I am afraid of that harming him. So anytime I mess with his tank I wash with hot water and soap, dry my hands and wait ten minutes. I also wash my hands after messing with his tank or feeding him. I am a nurse...so I am very committed to good hand washing habits.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> I don't stick my hand right in the food container. Usually tapped some food into the lid. I also have to feed 10+ adults and 200+ fry so wet hands are fine considering it makes it seemingly faster (slight tap or flick of pellets to each fish without continuously going back for more food)
> 
> By chemicals I mean: sanitizer, soap, any household cleaners (or does no one clean anymore?)
> 
> As for chlorine: considering bettas are hardy, my fish are very hardy, and I don't think minuscule amounts of chlorine could kill them... I'd rather a tad bit of tap water than dirt, grease, sanitizer etc to get into the tanks. I work retail. I also handle chemicals.


Well I feed one pellet at a time so what am I supposed to do?


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

:lol: I guess you air dry. Or dry with whatever you have. I literally grab a good amount, and walk around feeding everyone their 3-4 pellets (and moreso for the giant) Luckily everyone is downstairs.

I am more careful, because of what I handle. Plus I rinse off my hands between fish (especially new. Sick fish I do a thorough clean with my hands).


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## SinX7 (Oct 20, 2012)

I do sometimes, but most of the time I feed my betta using those feeding stick. 

Gotta start washing my hands before and after if I'm going to start touching my betta tank lol.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> :lol: I guess you air dry. Or dry with whatever you have. I literally grab a good amount, and walk around feeding everyone their 3-4 pellets (and moreso for the giant) Luckily everyone is downstairs.
> 
> I am more careful, because of what I handle. Plus I rinse off my hands between fish (especially new. Sick fish I do a thorough clean with my hands).


I just wanna do what you say because you had a betta live for 7 years


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

:lol: He was my first!!! He lived in a bowl, and got poked by a plant in the eye once (which then I cleaned his water more often). When his water was too cold I put him in the warmest spot possible and wrapped my sweater around it. And that was before I knew what I was doing. :lol: He ended up getting a bigger bowl, live plants, and pellets. Rather than the silly 0.5 gallon they gave me, the fake plastic plant, and flakes.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> :lol: He was my first!!! He lived in a bowl, and got poked by a plant in the eye once (which then I cleaned his water more often). When his water was too cold I put him in the warmest spot possible and wrapped my sweater around it. And that was before I knew what I was doing. :lol: He ended up getting a bigger bowl, live plants, and pellets. Rather than the silly 0.5 gallon they gave me, the fake plastic plant, and flakes.


Lol they can be pretty random like that. But didn't you have two others that lived to be 5? That's pretty good!


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I did. My grumpy old man fish was about 5. No one really knows. Other than his fins looked "old" and he was huge! The size of my giant, basically (who is only about 3 inches right now) I also do not mass clean every tank unless it's that time of the year :lol: Or a fish died. I leave the bacteria on the walls.


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## strangelove (Dec 8, 2012)

Usually not, though always after. Don't want smelly fingers


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> I did. My grumpy old man fish was about 5. No one really knows. Other than his fins looked "old" and he was huge! The size of my giant, basically (who is only about 3 inches right now) I also do not mass clean every tank unless it's that time of the year :lol: Or a fish died. I leave the bacteria on the walls.


Did you get grumpy when he was already old? What about the other one?


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I bought him old and grumpy. He must've been a retired breeder or something since he came with the goldies and not the betta shipment :lol: The other one calmed down when he got older. Spartan (2.5) calmed down too, and so did Shiloh (about 3). I've had rescues so their ages vary.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Do you think the other one was old when you got him? Or like <a year?


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Most of my fish were definitely 1+ years old, grumpy old man fish Georgie was definitely waaay past that point :lol: A lot of my rescues were unknown. Some females were tadpoles. No bigger than my 2 week fry! Some lived to a year, others barely 5 months :/ (stunted, ammonia poisoning, columnar is, etc etc etc for these rescues)

Spartan was about 6 months or so when I got him. He grew a bit more afterwards.


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## carbonxxkidd (Oct 30, 2012)

I always do before and after I put my hands in my tank because I'm worried there might be something on my hands that is NOT safe for fish - like lotion, for example. I'm a chronic nail biter so washing afterwards is just second nature for me, I wash my hands A LOT.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> Most of my fish were definitely 1+ years old, grumpy old man fish Georgie was definitely waaay past that point :lol: A lot of my rescues were unknown. Some females were tadpoles. No bigger than my 2 week fry! Some lived to a year, others barely 5 months :/ (stunted, ammonia poisoning, columnar is, etc etc etc for these rescues)
> 
> Spartan was about 6 months or so when I got him. He grew a bit more afterwards.


Aww, that's nice of you to rescue 

How old was Shiloh when you got him/her?

EDIT: Oh and what about the other 5-year-old?


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Oh BTW, thanks for all the votes so far everyone! XD


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

The other 5 year old one was a pet buy :lol: about a year or older.

Shiloh had a torn beard, missing scales and torn fins. He was about 1 or so I'd say. He lived longer than I expected (considering the girl said "he won't make it")


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> The other 5 year old one was a pet buy :lol: about a year or older.
> 
> Shiloh had a torn beard, missing scales and torn fins. He was about 1 or so I'd say. He lived longer than I expected (considering the girl said "he won't make it")


Wow you are very good with bettas


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I seem to be. With any animal really. Guineas with scurvy recover very well. Hopefully my beardie gets better too :roll: 


-steers back onto the tracks-..... >.> I'm surprised my hands have not dried out with how many times I wash my hands.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

So you would suggest that I wash my hands with soap, rinse thoroughly, and then air dry before feeding my betta?


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

You could do that lol.  I also use paper towel.


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## Perry the platypus (Aug 20, 2012)

I just rinse with no soap. I I don't want Perry getting sick!


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> You could do that lol.  I also use paper towel.


Well now I'm all paranoid about the paper towel being contaminated! Which do you think is better?

Also yay I love guinea pigs! I want some but I'm not allowed to have any more pets.


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Well in my house paper towel is best to use xD My bf works in a welding shop, and so using a towel is a no-no. If I had a towel it would be in my fish room for fish use only :lol: Really depends on the environment IMO. I avoid towels because they could have been dropped on the floor, used for dishes improperly cleaned, used to clean up a mess... Who knows anymore? x.x

Two guineas were severely sick when they gave them to me. Rabbit pellets and stale hay is not a diet. It's a torture.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Sena Hansler said:


> Well in my house paper towel is best to use xD My bf works in a welding shop, and so using a towel is a no-no. If I had a towel it would be in my fish room for fish use only :lol: Really depends on the environment IMO. I avoid towels because they could have been dropped on the floor, used for dishes improperly cleaned, used to clean up a mess... Who knows anymore? x.x
> 
> Two guineas were severely sick when they gave them to me. Rabbit pellets and stale hay is not a diet. It's a torture.


There's no downside to air drying though, right? 

That's like eating nothing but stale cereal


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Cereal at least has some nutrients -.- She was so thin she bit me whenever she was touched, and you could count her ribs and spine plus feel the sharp bony tips of the hips. She got better though. Less grumpy too. we dodged a failing liver problem. Barely.

I don't think so, unless someone JUST sprayed some perfume or whatever LOL. I've got fry in jars now, so there is 0 tolerance for air stuff within that room.


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## Signature Farms (Nov 23, 2012)

I don't because I don't touch their food with my hands. I have rounded tweezers that I use to pick up the pellets and drop them in, and I use a kitchen spoon handle to dispense of the softened frozen bloodworms. 

On a related note... I hate touching the frozen bloodworms. When I take a cube and chop it into little bits it just makes me gag. The things we do for our fish...


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

I use a toothpick for the bloodworms, after they thaw in a measuring cup I have just for the fish. Left overs go to the platys.


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## Warlock (Aug 12, 2011)

i use tweezers.. to feed freeze dried black/blood worms and pellets to my betta


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