Salmonella with aquatic turtles

[bmt123]

I am thinking about getting a spotted turtle but I am really afraid of salmonella. Have any one on here ever gotten salmonella from turtles. Also what are some things you guys do to prevent from getting sick.

 

[lisa127]

Don't put the turtle in your mouth and practice good handwashing. Salmonella is in many, many other things too. Turtles are just one possible way of getting salmonella.

ETA: It is in your chicken and eggs too, btw. More so than turtle, I believe.

 

[Vickie]

I second Lisa. I have had water turtles off and on for yrs and yet to ever get it. The whole scare from water turtles was some parents didn't bother to enforce good handwashing as well as several kids thought it was cute to put them in their mouths. I have NO clue why they thought it was funny or cute but they did. Also, not all those kids even got salmonella even from that......though I would advise against it. They started the law on it having to be above 4" to purchase due to the same lack of knowledge. They thought since people that have them larger then that weren't getting it apparently it the risk lowered as they got larger. Frankly it doesn't its just those kids couldn't put those in their mouths.

Honestly if you want one it wouldn't stop me one bit. Again, I never got it from my turtles and know as a kid I didn't always wash my hands after holding them.

 

[bmt123]

Ok thank you I always wash my after doing anything with my box turtles and there habitat.

 

[AustinASU]

make sure no deep water and it has to be acidic.

 

[kristin_roman]

I've had my red ear sliders got five years and have never gotten sick from them. I take them out quite alot so they can roam outside. Just wash your hands every time after handling them or anything they've been on.

 

[AustinASU]

no different that tortoises....or any reptile just wash your hands