can turtle pee hurt you

It might disgust you to experience your little snapper peeing on you. All reasons aside, turtle pee is entirely safe to be in contact with human skin. FYI, ingesting turtle pee can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and even death. White Poop, Diarrhea and Other Turtle Feces - AnimalWised Do You Need A Tetanus Shot After A Cat Bite. A great way to win over a pet turtle is to avoid being overly noisy around him/her. Figure out when your pet is most active, what scares it, and when it seems the most comfortable. My goal is to share what I have learned over the years through my experience and research about animals of all kinds. How Big Does A Turtle Get? (Here's What People Don't Know) 7 Things That Can Make Your Pet Turtle Sick, Turtles 101: How to Clean and Care for Your Turtle's Tank, Turtle FAQs: What Kind of Turtle Do I Have and More, any pet has the potential to transmit disease, unlikely combinations of animals into lifelong friends. This may sound like a silly question, but it gets asked a lot! The most common reason for your turtle to pee on you is that theyre experiencing stress. Check out this post which is one of the most popular of all time. Dont shake your turtle, and dont leave him/her alone too high off the ground. There are a few theories on why turtles pee when theyre picked up. We dont know many things about them yet or arent sure. If they find themselves far from the ground, they would just pee on you. As for the situations where you would need to touch them, remember these three reminders: The key is in handling them and the deliberate pressure you put on them. An out of whack bladder could be causing issues. Happy turtles will eat their meals enthusiastically and appear excited when presented with food. However, someone who owns a turtle and can no longer care for it might think that theres a perfect spot in a nearby pond or forest that would be just the place for a turtle. All animals have defense mechanisms, but some of them may seem stranger than others. 2011-09-12 15:23:38. . Wild turtles are commonly found on the side of the road after getting hit by cars and suffering from serious shell fractures. Although shell fractures can be serious, the shell is bone and often can be repaired. Remember that just because your turtle accepts your affection sometimes does not mean that it will always be receptive to human interaction. I love turtles, and I write turtle-related blogs and product reviews. If your turtle resists, stop petting it immediately. But, when you do decide to pick up your turtle, be sure to support their weight from underneath and keep a firm grip, so they dont fall and hurt themselves. A turtle that is six months to one year old can't go more than a day without eating. The cloaca is the opening that turtles use for defecation and reproduction. If you come across a turtle on the ground or have one yourself, you may be tempted to pick it up. Aquatic turtles on the other hand still spend a fair amount of time on land as well. Just like the excrement of other animals, it contains the body's metabolic waste products which can be harmful for humans especially children and pregnant women. A good general rule is to siphon about 1/2 of the water out once a week, replacing it with clean water. While growing, juvenile turtles need to be fed fairly often, adult turtles can be fed a few times per week, depending on the species. Any animal lover would recoil at the prospect of leaving a cat or dog to its own devices in the wild. If your turtle resists, stop petting it immediately. Home Turtles Why Did My Turtle Pee on Me? They can also spin around quickly or even lunge. By carefully taking note of your pets behaviors and body language, youll be able to make sure your turtle feels safe, comfortable, and happy! The same goes for adult turtles, peeing on you is a defensive move. Stand nearby your tank while slowly moving around and this will help your pet get used to your presence. Another option to get your turtle feeling more comfortable is to handle it in water. Other turtles seem to be terrified of being picked up and try to squirm away or even bite if theyre grabbed. Turtles are also able to use their pee as a defense mechanism. Nothing bad will happen if you touch turtle pee, just make sure that you wash or disinfect your hands before you touch anything else. If given the opportunity, most wild red-eared sliders will attempt to hibernate, depending on the subspecies and its native locale. This behavior helps turtles bond with each other and shows how much they care for others. Your email address will not be published. And Coates adds, depending on your turtles species, its diet, and your set-up, you may also need to provide a calcium and vitamin D supplement. And it can also have toxins that can be dangerous to the brain if it comes to contact. But with patience and effort, you can build a strong and rewarding bond with your pet. They will lay out under the. While drinking a little bit of your own urine probably won't hurt you, it's definitely not as safe as a glass of water. When turtles get scared they can basically pee on themselves. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. This means that they tend to be quite skittish around people they dont know. While the natural instincts of turtles would probably kick in, a turtle that has been captive most or all of its life will not have the keen hunting skills of a wild one. One of the keys to keeping your pet turtles happy is consistent feeding. And there are several questions regarding the turtles pee. And there is the same threat of Salmonella infection from turtles to other pets as there is to humans (see the previous slide). Also, a turtle may urinate more often when it is hot outside and sweating a lot. Younger turtles feel much more secure if they have a solid surface to place their feet on. Hence, if youre interested, hop on the ship. Try to avoid frequent and excessive handling of your turtle. In this blog, we will discuss those and answer some related queries. The cloaca works in a similar way to the lungs, when the turtle is inside the water the cloaca will act like a pump that will suck water inside and after it gathers all the oxygen from it, it will expel the water out, and then it will start over. And, there are no turtle species that dont pee. The first several times you handle your pet turtle, you should only hold it for a few seconds. Turtles are fascinating animals with a lot of unknowns. Do make sure to read its body language. When a predator picks up a turtle, it will often void its bladder as a last-ditch effort to escape. Is Turtle Pee Harmful to Humans? - Small Pets 101 Additionally, if a turtle has been eating a lot of fruits or vegetables, its pee may be a brighter color. While this is normal behavior among turtles in nature, humans often misinterpret these actions as aggressive acts. Infection, swelling, or injury damages the urethra, a tube that carries pee out of the body. 26 Ken Saladin During the mid-1970s, some young children contracted Salmonella from their pet turtles. Put a heat light also. Make sure not to shake your turtle, and dont hold it too far from the ground. Cloudy white. However, a few things make box turtles urinary habits unique. While observing your turtle, stand near its aquarium and make slow movements. Its possible that your turtle may also defecate if it feels truly threatened. Many turtles know the sight and sounds of their owners, even though most people don't. By the time you notice this, the underlying problem likely has been going on for quite a while and may have serious long-term effects on the turtle's health. Having either type 1 or type 2 diabetes can make you need to use the bathroom more often than other people. They love the water. Why You Have UTI Symptoms After Taking Antibiotics - Verywell Health Lastly, if your turtle is still peeing on you, it may be a sign of a health problem. How Can I Make My Turtle Feel Comfortable Being Handled? While turtles generally dont go out of their way to do so, they may release urine as a defense mechanism if they feel threatened or are startled. Thats because turtles excrete very little nitrogen in their urine. Can turtle pee hurt you? This reflex is often triggered when theyre picked up, leading to an accidental release of urine. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site does not constitute pet medical advice, please consult a licensed veterinarian in your area for pet medical advice. In most turtle species, females will grow quite a bit larger than males, so this is also important to consider, she adds. Remember that its not in the typical turtles nature to be extremely social. This is Shuvo Mahfuz, one of the main authors of NursingPets.com. Men and women of any age can experience dysuria, but it's more common in women. What's The Smallest Turtle You Can Buy? - LegalProX As they feel frightened, they proceed to pee on you as one of their defensive measures as it allows more space for them to withdraw into their shells and shut it tighter as they do. The process is just a little different for each species. So why did my turtle pee on me? The second reason is that they live in water, where pee is kind of hard to see, especially if you take the small quantity that they let out, into consideration. . 3 Ways to Prevent Your Penis from Retracting - Expand Penis Happy turtles will eat their meals enthusiastically and appear excited when presented with food. The first one is that turtles are really small, so they will have a bladder of appropriate size. This will cause a lot more damage than a simple snap. With enough time and patience, your turtle will learn to associate that area with urinating and will start to use it as their designated bathroom spot. Why Does It Hurt When I Pee? - 8 Reasons for Painful Urination - Prevention If your turtle is energetic and active, thats a great sign that its comfortable in its environment. While drinking a little bit of your own urine probably won't hurt you, it's definitely not as safe as a . It should be a calm hiding place where your pet doesnt have to worry about being bothered. Im Devin Nunn, an average joe that just so happens to have a deep love and passion for everything to do with reptiles. Luckily, its possible to make your pet turtle feel more comfortable around you. Yes, turtles can urinate on us but not because they want to get rid of their waste products. Also, a turtles pee can create problems during the pregnancy. Yes, turtles pee through their cloaca, which is an orifice that is a combination of an anus, urethra, and gills. They can also bite, so its best to avoid putting your fingers near their mouths. But urine can turn colors far beyond what's typical, including: Red. Heres a detailed article that may interest you: Why Do Turtles Pee When Picked Up? You will need to supplement ambient light with a quality UV light source placed over the tank. When this substance is concentrated, it can be harmful to humans. They too would like some space of their own and have peace of mind, if not they might pee on you as a sign of distress as soon as you pick them up. Mistake 2: You Push While Peeing. You can find more details on traction wrapping in this article. However, this does not mean you let turtles pee on you while handling them. It is likely based on the individual personalities. If your turtle pees on you, theyre probably feeling scared or threatened. Can sea turtles hurt or harm humans? - Answers Dont make it frequent and dont make it excessive. Read my articles and share them with your beloved ones. If you have a UTI the tubes and your bladder get red and irritated (inflammation). A bubbler can help to aerate the water and improve water quality. While its hard to resist, overfeeding a turtle can lead to serious consequences. Properly clean and disinfect the turtles tank every time it is soiled. Urgent need to pee. Turtles can carry diseases that can be passed on to humans, so its necessary to wash your hands after handling one. Holding your breath while urinating or pushing with your abdominal muscles to speed up the process won't hurt you if you do it once in a while, but if this is an everyday habit, it may weaken your bladder, says Jenny Archer, PT, DPT, a pelvic floor therapist based in Nashville, Tennessee. But, in reality, turtles dont have the ability to produce urine. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Be careful approaching turtles; coming up behind them is a sure fire way to spook them. Infected animals and people carry the bacteria in their gastrointestinal tracts and shed the bacteria in their feces, serving as a source of infection to others. For example, sea turtles only urinate every few months because they live in saltwater. Regardless of the tissue or organ prolapsed, all can become traumatized, become dried out, or suffer from compromised blood flow. Keep any enclosure back from the edges of shelves, tables, or bureaus, and secure cords going to and from lights, heaters, and filters to avoid both tripping and curious mouths. Posted July 22, 2018. If you put them down on the floor, they might inch closer and closer to you. Its always best to wash your hands thoroughly after handling your turtle or cleaning its enclosure. But if you pick them up they'll likely pee on you, so watch out. Do snapping turtles recognize their owners? Turtles and other reptiles carry Salmonella bacteria, which can be easily transmitted to people. While at first, this doesnt seem like a very efficient defense, it actually is. Dysuria means you feel pain or a burning sensation when you pee (urinate). Clean up all feces right away. However, turtles pee could be harmful to humans and cause health issues. It's not harmful to the turtle itself, however, people can get infected by coming in contact with it. As you can see in the picture above the cloaca is basically the turtles butt. If so, youre not alone! Urine (or urine) is an end product of vital functions of the human body that secrete the kidney. Considering that they are instinctually intelligent, peeing on you isnt normal. I love turtles, and I write turtle-related blogs and product reviews. Therefore, that can cause the turtles muscles to relax, including those that control its bladder. Is a softshell turtle aggressive? - Daily Justnow Can box turtle pee hurt you? You will also feel the urge to urinate more often and a change in smell can occur. A red-eared slider's shell is remarkably strong, but it can be injured. There is also a belief that turtle pee is contagious and can spread warts from one person to another. The bite does not cause any real damage, although it can hurt kids with tiny fingers. Is Drinking Urine Good for You? Benefits, Risks, and More - Healthline You can prevent this behavior by bonding with your pet turtle over time. Though turtles peeing onto their caregivers is odd and with concerning reasons. Give them the proper space and time to naturalize themselves so they wont feel threatened by you. Some animals make noises or bite, while others may run and hide. During hibernation, they will stop eating and slow their movements; their metabolism also slows, and their immune system function becomes suppressed. And, a question that people often have do or can turtles pee? Many other animals, including humans, have this same reflex. https://www.petplace.com/article/reptiles/general/how-turtles-and-tortoises-behave/, https://peteducate.com/do-turtles-get-attached-to-their-owners/. Sea turtles use it all the time since some of them spend their entire life without leaving the water. As your turtle eats, watch it and make slow movements so your pet is aware of your presence. When a turtle is scared, its body goes into fight-or-flight mode, and it may release the uric acid (a urine-like substance) as a way to defend itself. Salts also accumulate in the plant's leaves, potentially causing . They tend to pee more often on you due to wrong and frequent handling. Approach the turtle slowly, and make sure it can see you. Do Or Can Turtles Pee? - Nursing Pets UTI is a common, irritating, and painful sensation experienced when urinating. Turtles arent likely to escape a well-managed enclosure, so if you can rig things up properly, you might not need a lid at all. For instance, baby turtles or hatchlings are more sensitive to touch as they are not used to that. So, its best to replace your bulbs every 9 to 12 months, even if theyre still operational. Turtles dont really pee, they release uric acid as they defecate. The problem may be due to an inappropriate diet that may be too high in protein and fat or may be imbalanced in vitamins and minerals. Thick urine in men and women - Medical diagnosis Any trauma to the shell should be brought to the attention of a veterinarian immediately. If you enjoy the content that we create, please consider saying a "Thank You!" Can Sea Turtles Hold Their Breath For 5 Hours? - Mastery Wiki Before purchasing a turtle, check the laws in your municipality regarding legal ownership of pet turtles. And that can be detrimental for humans if ingested or made contact with the skin. Green. If your turtle does stop eating and you are concerned that it may be ill, be sure to schedule a checkup with your veterinarian. But then why do some people claim their turtles pee smell bad? Between feedings, you can sneak some tasty morsels into your pets bowl. Salmonella is a bacteria that lives on their outer skin and shell surfaces. (Are They Dangerous?). For example, if a turtle is dehydrated, its pee will be darker in color. The most common reason for your turtle to pee on you is that they're experiencing stress. The kidneys filter the blood and produce urine stored in the bladder. The cloaca is located at the base of the tail, and urine is passed through it using muscular contractions. Generally speaking, a turtle can go about 8 hours without water in a warm and dry environment. Not all turtles that use their cloaca for breathing are able to achieve such long periods underwater, but they are able to spend a lot more time than they would have without the cloaca. Turtles are considered aquatic animals, so by all means they can You would probably notice how eager turtles would poop once they got into the water. Your veterinarian will perform a physical examination, palpate the turtles abdomen, and take radiographs (X-rays) to diagnose the problem. The young and the elderly are more at risk for complications. However, that is just a case of Hollywood artistic license in reality, turtles cannot pee in this way. You might not realize it, but turtling can be a result of problems with your enlargement routine. This may be because warts are often found on the hands and feet, the same body parts that come into contact with turtles. In susceptible people and animals, salmonellosis can cause severe gastrointestinal disease, with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramping, fever, or septicemia (blood infection). Do your research so that you can be sure that you are prepared to care for any animal companion you choose to call your own. YSK if you decide to help a turtle cross the road, always move - reddit If you notice that your turtle's shell is growing irregularly, it may be a sign of malnutrition or even metabolic bone disease. Dont force ithold a piece of lettuce about six inches away from your pet and wait patiently. Turtle pee can harm humans in several ways: -Turtle pee contains bacteria that may cause infections in mucous membranes or open wounds. If you need to rehome a turtle, there are any number of internet groups and organizations that might be able to help find a suitable new family for it (see related links below). There are a few main aspects of survival that are essential to turtles, and if you can take care of these needs, youll be well on your way to creating a close relationship with your turtle. Check the shell closely for any signs of abnormalities suggesting disease. But if you wee in the same place too much, you will build up a concentration of salts in the soil, and this can affect osmosis of water into the plant's roots. Yes that's right, sometimes a turtle pees on you So the question you may be wondering - Why did my turtle pee on me? Many turtles enjoy being petted, but first they must get used to humans being present and interacting with them. Of course, water changes and cleaning should be done on a regular basis. So, if you see a turtle peeing when its scared, dont be alarmed. This is a natural reflex that helps them to escape from predators or other threats. Therefore, when you're planning on handling a turtle, it's best to be prepared for a potential wetting. In fact, all turtles pee. Moreover, if your turtle isnt used to handling by you or humans, it could pee on you as a defense mechanism. No, turtles do not pee in their shell. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The protective shell of a turtle makes surgery difficult. There are a few main aspects of survival that are essential to turtles, and if you can take care of these needs, youll be well on your way to creating a close relationship with your turtle. When a turtle urinates, the urine is stored in a sac near the cloaca. 11 Possible Reasons You're Peeing All the Time - SELF This is Shuvo Mahfuz, one of the main authors of NursingPets.com. Depending on factors, such as environmental temperature and the amount of water its drinking. Required fields are marked *. In addition, if your turtle greets you and interacts with you, its easy to see that theyre happy. Before I wrap up, I want to touch on how you can get your pet turtle to like you. It should be a calm hiding place where your pet doesnt have to worry about being bothered. There is a common misconception that turtles dont urinate. Make a habit of giving your turtle its regular mealtime snack each morning and evening. vent), which is located at the base of their tail (we have discussed it above). After all, some say, there are probably other turtles there, and an abundance of food, water, and sunlight. Coates warns that obesity and hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) are two conditions that are related to overfeeding pet turtles. The answer is yes; turtles can pee. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If your turtle isnt interested, then try offering live food like cricket nymphs to get him/her excited.