This just occurred to me when reading another thread about IDing a Box Turtle. I'm sure that many of you live in areas where there are native turtles or tortoises that romp through your yards, is there any sort of health risk to your pets there?
Personally, where I live (NJ) we regularly have Eastern Box Turtles, RESs, Painted Turtles, Red Belly Turtles (this is great, since they are endangered), and Snapping turtles that wander through our yard. I'm hoping to welcome a Leopard Tortoise into my home in the next few months, and while I would of course have a secure pen for him on my lawn, I was wondering if there was anything airbourne I need to be worrying about? Obviously a wild Leo would never be in my yard, and I worry that he would be susceptible to the diseases that occur here.
Personally, where I live (NJ) we regularly have Eastern Box Turtles, RESs, Painted Turtles, Red Belly Turtles (this is great, since they are endangered), and Snapping turtles that wander through our yard. I'm hoping to welcome a Leopard Tortoise into my home in the next few months, and while I would of course have a secure pen for him on my lawn, I was wondering if there was anything airbourne I need to be worrying about? Obviously a wild Leo would never be in my yard, and I worry that he would be susceptible to the diseases that occur here.