How do i know if my baby turtle has salmonella ?
Turtles, and other reptiles, carry salmonella in their intestinal tracts. This is a naturally occurring bacteria. When the animal walks (or swims) through it’s feces the bacteria is transferred to the skin (or shell). We contract salmonellosis by touching a surface that has the germs on it and getting those germs in our mouths or open wounds. There is no way to visually tell if your animal has salmonella, just assume that it does and practice proper handwashing after handling. Turtles do not suddenly, magically get rid of the salmonella bacteria once they grow to larger than 4″… they are just harder for kids to manhandle and put in their mouths when larger. A quote from the CDC on salmonella and turtles: “Since 1975, it has been illegal in the United States to sell or distribute turtles with shells that measure less than 4 inches in length. This size was chosen because small children are more likely to treat smaller turtles as toys and put them in their mouths. The ban by the U.S. Fo
