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My Pet World: Turtles can be safe pets, depending on what type

By Steve Dale, Tribune Content Agency on

ORLANDO, Fla. -- These reader questions were answered by experts attending the North American Veterinary Conference with more than 8,000 veterinary professionals from around the world, form Jan. 16-20 in Orlando, Fla.

Q: I really want a pet turtle for my birthday. But we looked online and saw baby turtles give you meningitis, and more diseases. I hope I spelled it right. LOL. Are turtles safe pets? Can you give me some resources? What breed should I get? -- C. Z., Croix, MN

A: The good news is that you spelled meningitis correctly. The bad news is that you have the wrong disease, it's salmonella that turtles (and other reptiles) can transmit to people.

Dr. Stephen Barten, one of the most respected reptile veterinarians in America explains that in the mid-1970s, the U.S. government banned the sales of little red-eared slider turtles (under four-inches) because there was so much salmonella, about 350,000 individuals diagnosed annually, and mostly children. When the sliders were banned salmonella cases related to reptiles dropped to about 75,000 a year.

Today, Craigslist and assorted online outlets are peppered with ads for sliders. Some are given away (not sold, and therefore legal); the money is made off all the supplies that go with the turtles. Others are older, and therefore large enough to legally be sold.

The only plastic "turtle homes" sometimes sold with sliders aren't adequate. Barten explains that sliders need to be in a filtered aquarium, but also need a place to hang out of the water.

 

Barten says that thorough handwashing after handling red-eared sliders (or any reptile) is exceedingly important. The Centers for Disease control recommends against turtles for children younger than five years old.

Having said this, Barten adds "While there's some risk to even responsible children owning a reptile, there's also risk -- likely more far more risk -- to playing sports. This is where parental supervision matters."

You asked about turtle breeds, though you mean species. An excellent choice, according to Barten, may be a box turtle. This species, unlike red eared sliders, isn't quite as dependent on water. Another idea may be a land-loving pet tortoise.

Here are some of those resources:

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