Archive for the ‘How to take care of a Tortoise’ Category
Turtle Salmonella
It’s a fact that most baby turtles and adults carry salmonella, if you look for information on the internet there are many pages carrying news on the subject.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports specifically on this subject. It would appear that keeping turtles in your home creates a very real risk but this perspective has been somewhat over exaggerated. The salmonella strain carried by turtles can produce symptoms of sickness and diarrhea but only in very rare cases are you likely to be hospitalised. Turtle salmonella need no be a problem.
You should not be discouraged from keeping these delightful creatures as pets. To get things back in perspective people working everyday with turtles are hardly
falling over with turtle salmonella poisoning, most will work their whole lives with these creatures and never become infected.
All pet keeping brings an element of risk, look at our favourite pet, the dog, how dangerous is the bacteria in its their faeces. Dog droppings are one of the leading sources of E. coli (fecal coliforms) bacterial pollution: Consider this, one gram of dog feces contains over 20,000,000 E. coli cells yet who would let this fact sway their decision about keeping a dog?
The fact is that all animals harbor bacteria of one sort or another but by using proper hygiene most pet owners will never be affected by it.
The golden rule is always to wash your hands after handling turtles. You should take extra care with young children. Don’t let the turtle come into contact with food preparation areas or let it roam your home freely. Do not use the household kitchen sinks to clean turtles and equipment, better to obtain proper tools for the job.
You should play it safe with very young infants and old people, their natural defenses are weaker. People with existing infections should also be careful, their immune systems are weaker than normal. It might be sensible to remove pet turtles from a home expecting a new born baby.
If you take proper precautions and follow a proper hygiene regime turtle salmonella, when keeping baby or full grown turtles, should not present a problem. The FDA has a view on this topic you might wish to see the video then make up your own mind..
More news regarding salmonella and how you can be safe and enjoy your baby turtles…
Salmonella and turtles info sheet
One of those is about Salmonella in pet turtles, something we’ve discussed on Worms&Germs periodically. The info sheet, and associated commentary from Ben Chapman, can be found here.
How do I prevent getting salmonella from my pet turtles?
I just want to know before I get my pet turtles how to prevent getting salmonella from my turtles~!~ And is there a way to tell if my turtle has it?
FDA Acts to Reduce Risk of Salmonella Infections
On March 3, 2008, Strictly Reptiles Inc., a wildlife dealer in Hollywood, Fla., sold 1000 baby yellow-bellied sliders and Mississippi map turtles to a souvenir shop in Panama City, Fla.
Salmonella Recall List for January 28, 2009
Because reptiles are particularly likely to have salmonella, which can contaminate their skin, people should wash their hands immediately after handling reptiles. Reptiles including turtles
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Posted in How to take care of a Tortoise | 
Tags: salmonella & turtles, salmonella cdc, turtle desease, turtle salmonella | 
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Baby Russian Tortoise
Perhaps it is the tiny appearance that makes the Russian tortoise an ideal pet for many, but you must also be aware of other issues related to it, to provide an appropriate environment for the Russian tortoise. Here’s a brief encounter with the Russian tortoise.
This tortoise with such a small stature really melted my heart
when I first saw it at a friend’s place. I did feel sorry for it in a way, being cooped up in a small place all day long. These tiny Russian tortoises would definitely need ample love and care for looking after them! Being a popular pet option with most people, I decided to compile information with regards to the lifestyle and behavior patterns of the Russian tortoise.
Description of the Russian Tortoise:
The Russian tortoise is also known as the Horsfield’s Tortoise, Central Asian Tortoise, Afghan Tortoise or the Four Toed Tortoise. The Russian tortoise is small in size and its length can reach from 15 to 25 cms. They have around 4 toes per foot. Each toe has very highly developed claws, which are used for digging. Their round shaped carapace has a greenish shade. This green shade can range to an olive brownish shade as well which also has patches of black. The females are always larger in size than the males. Yet another difference between the female Russian tortoise and the male is that the females have flared scutes on their shells. Scutes are the bony external plates, which are found on the shell of the tortoise. Scutes are considered to be very similar to scales, but the major difference in this remains to be that scutes are derived from the epidermis.
Distribution of the Russian Tortoise:
The Russian tortoise is found in Russia, Azerbaijan, North Western China, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan etc. When in the wild, Russian tortoises live in a dry environment. Russian tortoises are found along the rocky hillsides as these provide it ample areas to hide for cover. During the winter season, the Russian tortoise is known to hibernate. They use their well-developed claws to burrow deep into the soil. Their large burrows are sometimes even 2 meters long.
Environment needed for the Russian Tortoise:
The Russian tortoise is facing a lot of problem in the wild due to the loss of its natural habitat. Survival for the Russian tortoise is a major concern because they are bound to go on the verge of extinction because of the several human constructions that are being constructed in their natural habitats. The Russian tortoise is also bred in captivity and also turns out to be popular as pets due to their small size. Let us consider some factors that you would require to take notice with regards to the feeding habits and other issues related to the Russian tortoise.
Diet of the Russian Tortoise:
The Russian tortoises are herbivorous animals that feed on various weeds and grasses. These are known to graze for a long period if the temperature of the place is suitable for the Russian tortoise. When bred, the Russian tortoise would require a diet that is high in fiber and low in protein. This diet would also need to be rich in calcium as well. It is better to give the Russian tortoise a diet that includes loads of edible grasses, romaince lettuce, cactus pods, hibiscus leaves etc. Always remember to offer fresh water to the Russian tortoise at all times during the day. Fruits should always be given in smaller quantities to the Russian tortoise. This is solely because the Russian tortoise requires a diet that is high in fibers rather than protein.
Habits and Maintenance of the Russian Tortoise:
The Russian tortoise generally loves to climb and dig a lot. This could also be because when they are in the wild, they need to move constantly. Burrows would be dug because they feel the need to hide in it. Therefore, you would need to ensure that their habitat is such that it provides them space to move around and very much secure at the same time. These would not be very happy indoors. You must ensure it has an enclosure that at least 2 feet X 4 feet. There should be enough soil or sand, which would allow it to burrow.
If you have added a tank as well, note that you would need to clean this tank at least once a week. While doing so, always place the tortoise aside in a safe place. You would need to scrub the tank with some bleach solution followed by a thorough rinse with water.
The temperature for the Russian tortoises should never be too extreme. The ideal temperatures would be at 70 degrees to 80 degrees F in the day time and around 65 degrees to 75 degrees F in the night time. Russian tortoises need adequate light and you can use incandescent lights, which could be provided for basking.
| By Kashmira Lad |
Want to know how to look after a Russian Tortoise? See the video.
Need to know more about Russian Tortoise care?… check out these cool posts..
My Life’s A Zoo: Caring for Russian Tortoise
Tortoises are a different type of pet, even for the reptilian family. They are very different. Some species will litterally eat you out of house and home if you are not ready. The Russian Tortoise is one of the smaller pet tortoises, .
Russian Tortoise Hatchling-too cold?
I got my russian tortoise Thursday morning (shipped overnight). Right now it’s Friday night (I live in Washington). He’s cb, about 4 months old. First day he had a bath, warmed up under the mercury vapor bulb in his enclosure.
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