All Turtles Message Board

deesygirl · Moderator Joined: 12 Sep 2002 Posts: 1226

Basic preventative recommendations include:

Do not use the same equipment for your animals that you use for yourself.

Pet reptiles should be kept out of kitchens and other food-preparation areas to prevent contamination. Kitchen sinks should not be used to bathe reptiles or to wash their dishes, cages or aquariums. If bathtubs are used for these purposes, they should be cleaned thoroughly and disinfected with bleach.

Wash all food and water bowls and equipment with hot soapy water and disinfect with a chlorhexidine or household bleach solution, (remember to rinse all disinfected utensils with clean water before using).

Wear disposable gloves or wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling turtles.

Do not eat or smoke while working with or cleaning turtles or their tanks.

Pregnant women, children, elderly or frail adults, or immunosuppressed people are particularly at risk of infection or serious complications of salmonellosis. At a minimum, they need to take extra precautions; ideally, they should avoid contact with turtles.

Pet turtles should be kept out of households where children less than 5 years or immunocompromised persons live. Families expecting a new child should remove the pet turtle from the home before the infant arrives.

Pet turtles should not be kept in child care centers.

Pet turtles should not be allowed to roam freely throughout the home or living area.

If these basic precautions and good common sense are observed, the risk of contracting Salmonella from a turtle is very low. Enjoy your turtle and remember that good hygienic practices are one of the best things you can do to protect yourself and your turtle from a whole host of infectious diseases.