# Do tortoises carry salmonella?



## MantisFTW (Dec 10, 2013)

Hello, I have two pancake tortoises and I have had them for approximately 5 months now. As for their age, my guess would be approx. 2 years. 

The reason this question came to mind is that one of our recent "house guests" (that I really dont consider a guest) is freaking out over the salmonella issue. I wash my tortoise dishes in our sink and use the scrub brushes. She doesn't want me doing that anymore and says that it can transmit salmonella to us all.

I know that salmonella can be carried by most reptiles and other egg layers, kitchen counters and sinks, and other bacteria-ridden places. So, my real question is, do tortoises carry salmonella as frequently as an aquatic turtle would, and should this guest be as freaked out about it as she is?

Salmonella has never been an issue to us before. Is it possible that even though I've had these tortoises for several months that they can still carry salmonella? Thanks to all the replyers


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## Saleama (Dec 10, 2013)

I could be wrong, but I think what contributed to the great turtle salmonella outbreak was grubby kids picking up turtles with grubby hands and feeding their turtles raw chicken. There is always a danger that certain animals carry disease but you are more likely to get it from your cat than your tortoise.


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## Tom (Dec 10, 2013)

The direct answer is yes. They do carry it. And one study I saw showed that tortoises carry more of it than turtles.

What the general public fails to understand is that salmonella is everywhere. It can be transmitted by any pet, any food and any surface. There is no more risk from tortoise dishes than from a dog's dish. There is ASTRONOMICALLY more risk from handling and preparing raw chicken than there is from a pet tortoise.


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## Saleama (Dec 10, 2013)

Tom said:


> The direct answer is yes. They do carry it. And one study I saw showed that tortoises carry more of it than turtles.
> 
> What the general public fails to understand is that salmonella is everywhere. It can be transmitted by any pet, any food and any surface. There is no more risk from tortoise dishes than from a dog's dish. There is ASTRONOMICALLY more risk from handling and preparing raw chicken than there is from a pet tortoise.



I think you said it better than I did Tom!


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## stinax182 (Dec 10, 2013)

i don't clean anything my tortoise poops in or on with something you wash dishes with. but you could always just bleach the scrub afterwards, i suppose.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Dec 10, 2013)

They do carry it but just use separate cleaning things for tortoises than peeps. Also, boiling water is wonderful stuff, as is vinegar, plain white one. Zaps that bacteria ba-bye. Please do not use bleach. Too scary in my opinion, to be used with tortoise any thing.


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## Elohi (Dec 10, 2013)

I'm with beebee, bleach isn't the best idea. Plain ol' cheap white vinegar is an amazing and safer cleaner. I use vinegar water as an all purpose cleaner in my home. Good stuff.


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## EricIvins (Dec 10, 2013)

Salmonella is carried by just about everything living....Usually 10+ strains depending on the organism....


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## lisa127 (Dec 10, 2013)

I agree with Tom. Yes, they carry it. Yes, many animals do. And yes, you probably have more chance of catching it from eggs or the chicken you prepare than from your reptiles. I've been keeping reptiles many, many years and have never had an issue.


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Dec 10, 2013)

My torts and turtles don't lick my face
Or their butts . But fear comes from a lack of research , that's hard to believe 
In this computer age


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Dec 10, 2013)

While we are on the subject of salmonella. If ever you feel that my face is going green and my gut is distorting and I am going to die way before my time feeling from possible food poisoning from whatever (I got it from a very expensive fish place a few months back, paid for it big time, LOL) take a shot glass, plug your nose if you have to, of apple cider vinegar (although I think plain old white may also work, but I always have extra virgin organic apple cider vinegar handy) ... down the hatch ... works.like.a.charm. Swear. It's also great for wasp or bee stings. Dab a little and the sting stops now. Yay! : )


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