Reptile Food May Have Sickened People in 17 States

Published November 20, 2014

Reptile owners who have been feeding rats, mice and chicks to their pets may be at risk for salmonella poisoning.

The company that sells the reptile food, Mice Direct, announced a recall of the frozen rats, mice and chicks Tuesday, saying that 30 human illnesses possibly related to the frozen reptile feed have been reported in 17 states.

The company says the recall is based on Food and Drug Administration sampling of the frozen mice. The products were shipped to all states except Hawaii, and the feed was available for purchase through pet stores, mail order and direct delivery.

A spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control said the agency is investigating the illnesses, which began in January.

The most common symptoms of salmonella are diarrhea, abdominal cramps and fever. It can be life-threatening, especially to those with weakened immune systems.

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