Turtles like to make droppings in their water-dish, and those droppings are loaded with salmonella bacteria!

Practice Turtle Hygiene to Prevent Salmonella Infection

Be aware of the link between turtles and salmonella bacteria.  Almost all reptiles carry salmonella bacteria in their intestinal tracts, and never suffer any health problems.^[1] So, while salmonella is bad for humans, it is normal for reptiles, and there is no need to send your little scaly guy to the vet!

All we humans here at the Ornate Bird Garden need to do to protect ourselves from salmonella is to take some common-sense precautions when we handle our turtles.

What is Salmonella?  Salmonella is microscopic, living bacteria.  It can be found in uncooked poultry products, which is the salmonella situation about which you most often hear. It can also be found in your turtle's feces and anything contaminated by your turtle's feces such as your turtle's water-dish. Salmonellosis is the infection caused by salmonella bacteria. ^[2]

What are the symptoms of salmonellosis? The average person with a healthy immune system could experience fever, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, chills, and nausea.  These symptoms can appear within 8 to 72 hours after getting infected, and go away after about 4 to 7 days – often with no medical treatment. ^[3]

Salmonellosis can be fatal for people with compromised immune systems: the very young and the very old, transplant patients, and people with chronic illnesses ^[4].

Don’t let the little scaly guy roam your kitchen counters!

How does infection from turtles occur? Three ways:  First, your turtle might roam through your house, and leave a trail of salmonella behind. Think about that before you let him have access to your kitchen counters while you're washing his temporary terrarium.  

Second and most common, you touch your turtle or some salmonella-contaminated material such as his feces or his dirtied water-dish, and then you transfer the germs on your hand to your mouth, eyes, or to an open wound (scratch, paper-cut, etc.) on your body.

Third, your turtle equipment (terrarium, water-dish, food bowl) might come in contact with your kitchen counter or your eating dishes.

Precautions to take: First, don't eat or smoke while you're handling your turtle and your turtle equipment. You could transfer bacteria to your mouth.

Wear disposable gloves.  Or wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap after you handle your turtle and your turtle equipment.  Water isn't enough; you need the anti-bacterial soap as well. A good recommendation: Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with hot water and anti-bacterial soap. ^[5]

That mixing bowl is his now; it will never again be used for cooking!

Keep a set of dishes and cleaning materials like sponges that ONLY get used for your turtles.  Never store them with your household dishes and sponges.  I use glazed ceramic plant-saucers for my turtles' food- and water-dishes, which are hard to forget about and mix in with the coffee cups! 

If possible, handle all your turtle washing-chores at an outdoor water faucet. If you keep your turtles outside like you're supposed to, you won't have any terrariums to scrub out.

If you've got a turtle indoors under temporary quarantine, however, you may have to use your kitchen sink or bathroom sink. After your turtle washing-chores, make sure you sterilize your sink and counter with hot water and a bleach solution (check your bleach bottle for directions) or hot water and anti-bacterial soap. 

Supervise any small children when they are handling a reptile. In fact, your reptile will thank you if you don't let them handle him at all!  Remember that young kids sometimes want to kiss a pet turtle, and that can get them infected.  Not a good idea! 

But don't worry overly much. Take your precautions as listed above, and you'll be okay.

Note:  I can’t recommend this book highly enough. It’s available through Amazon through this link:

The Box Turtle Manual (Advanced Vivarium Systems)

References:

[1]  "Salmonellosis and Its Risk to Reptile Owners" by Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.  Copyright 1997 to 2007. Found at PetEducation.com.

[2] "Salmonella Questions and Answers" U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, September 20, 2006.  Found at www.fsis.usda.gov.  

[3] ibid.

[4] ibid.

[5] ibid.