Turtles and Salmonella

Did you know that turtles can carry a harmful germ called Salmonella? Turtles' slow movements and tough, colorful shells may make them seem like the perfect family pet. However, if there are infants or small children in your home, turtles might not be safe pets for your family.

Salmonellosis is a serious infection of the gastrointestinal tract. (Information on this infection is also available in Spanish.) Diarrhea is the most common symptom of Salmonella infection, but other symptoms such as fever, headache, nausea, and vomiting can also occur. Salmonellosis can be very serious and sometimes fatal for young children, the elderly, and persons with weak immune systems. Therefore, families with children aged 5 years or younger in the home should avoid keeping turtles as pets.

Although many people think of salmonellosis as an illness caused by contaminated food, it can also be caught by handling a turtle or by contact with its environment. Salmonella occurs naturally in turtles and does not usually make the animals sick. You cannot tell by looking at a turtle whether it is carrying Salmonella. Salmonella bacteria are easily passed from turtles to people. Research shows that a person who handles turtles can easily pass germs to others because bacteria are able to cling to clothing and other surfaces such as our hands. Despite this, most people are not aware of the risk of Salmonella infection from turtles.

What can be done to prevent turtle-associated salmonellosis?

• Remember, turtles are cute, but contaminated. Handle all turtles and surfaces that have come in contact with turtles as if they are contaminated with Salmonella, because there is a good possibility that they are.

• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water immediately after handling turtles or turtles' cages, or after contact with pet feces. Do not touch your face, other people or any surface until hands are washed.

• Wash surfaces that the turtle or its cage has come in contact with.

• Do not have a turtle in any household that includes children under 5, the elderly, or people who have lowered natural resistance to disease due to pregnancy, cancer, chemotherapy, organ transplants, diabetes, liver problems or other diseases.

• A family expecting a child should remove any pet reptile or amphibian from the home before the infant arrives.

• Separate the turtle from possible contact with food:

• Do not allow turtles to roam freely about a home or living area, and especially do not allow them in food preparation areas.

• Kitchen sinks should not be used to bathe turtles or to wash turtles' dishes, cages, or aquariums. If bathtubs are used for these purposes, they should be cleaned thoroughly and disinfected with bleach.

• Separate the turtle from contact with high-risk individuals:

• Turtles should not be allowed in childcare centers or nursing homes.

• Don't handle a turtle and an infant (e.g., feed, change diaper) at the same time.

• Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling an infant or preparing a baby bottle.

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. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has prevented an estimated 100,000 cases of salmonellosis each year in children. Despite this ban, such turtles are available from pet stores, flea markets, street vendors, and online stores. In addition, children still catch wild turtles and lizards and bring them home to keep as pets. Whether store-bought or caught in a friend's backyard, a turtle can carry Salmonella and might not be the best choice of a pet for your family, especially if there are young children or immunocompromised persons in the household.

Additional Information

• Multistate Outbreak of Human Salmonella Infections Associated with Exposure to Turtles—United States, 2007–2008, MMWR
• Healthy Pets Healthy People: Diseases from Reptiles
• Turtle-Associated Salmonellosis in Humans—United States, 2006–2007, MMWR
• Salmonellosis Associated with Pet Turtles—Wisconsin and Wyoming, 2004, MMWR
• Reptile-Associated Salmonellosis—Selected States, 1998-2002, MMWR
• Reptile-Associated Salmonellosis—Selected States, 1996-1998, MMWR
• Salmonellosis
• The Trouble with Turtles Podcast (4 minutes, 30 seconds)