I just realized something more about Hewbie!

[AydenLincoln]

I never really realized/thought about the fact that porcupine fish and pufferfish aren’t themselves producing the toxin tetrodotoxin/ttx but rather the bacteria in the foods they are consuming and water around them is what they then convert into ttx internally. Which is also why they aren’t venomous as they don’t carry the toxin on their skin or inject it in significant enough amounts. It is only when you ingest or eat them that they then become poisonous. I will continue to pet and scratch my little guy as much as he lets me! I’m also not encouraging people to go touch wild ones because they pack a nasty bite and have the capability of biting your finger off and the risk of bacteria transfer. But there is always a misconception about them and how they aren’t safe to touch. You can in theory touch them as they aren’t injecting or secreting the toxin especially when they are in captivity and have been known to enjoy little scratches. Overtime in captivity they lose their toxicity entirely as they aren’t ingesting the bacteria they convert to ttx. So I hate when people mislabel them as being venomous. Okay rant over!

 

[mmorrison55]

I didn’t know that. Always assumed they were venomous.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Some light reading for those interested more about an old case published by the CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6351a2.htm

 

[AydenLincoln]

I didn’t know that. Always assumed they were venomous.

Nope. I pet my little guy and always have at least I try and occasionally give him a little pat on the head. He does prefer that I not touch him and I respect that especially because I like my fingers and he could break one.

 

[KrisReef]

Yea, the dangerous toxic loading is found in their internal organs, and it bioaccumulates into the body as they feed.

When it comes to dangerous pets at home I am more concerned about possible infection from a dog bite or a cat scratch then a fish bite, in most situations.