Reason n ° 1, you should not get a company turtle
This popular pet can actually include a dangerous risk for your health.
MaybeYou want a cool pet But I can't have a dog. Or maybe you were just strongly influenced by theNinja Turtles mutant teenage. No matter what reason, it is clear that turtles have become a popular pet, especially for families with young children. After all, these reptiles do not need a lot of care in addition to being fed and regularly cleaning their tank. But do not leave nature with a low maintenance of this creature to fall asleep in a false feeling of security. Turtles actually house a major danger for your health, which you want to be aware before committing. Read the rest to learn experts on the first reason why you should not get a pet turtle.
Read this then:The 7 best dogs for beginners, veterinarians say.
Many Americans have acquired pets during the pandemic.
If the increased time spent at home in recent years has pushed you to want a pet, you are barely alone. According to a Forbes Advisor survey, on78% of all animal owners In the United States, the United States welcomed a new animal in its life during the pandemic. The investigation also revealed that the young generation has a new love for a more neglected pet: turtles. The researchers found that 22% of respondents of the Z generation, between 18 and 25 years old, now have a pet turtle.
"Turtles, especially small turtles, are considered to be good pet because they are cute, inexpensive and safer than other reptiles, like snakes," saidKelly Johnson-Arbor, MD, aMedical toxicology doctor and Co-Medical Director of the National Capital Poison Center. But as Johnson-Arbor warns and others, this GO-TO reptilemay not be as sure of an animal as much suppose.
Turtles have a major health risk.
Although turtles are apparently easier to live in than your average pet, they have a dangerous risk. "They haveSalmonella, "Jeff Neal, the director of operationsto Critter Depot, recountBetter life. "The good high can help to mitigateSalmonella exhibition, but even with a good husband, the turtles will always haveSalmonella. ""
As Johnson-Arbor explains, this bacteria "lives in the gastrointestinal system" of a turtle, and they can wear and lose and loseSalmonella without showing any signs of illness. "When humans take care of turtles (including maintaining them, kissing them and cleaning their tanks or water dishes), theSalmonella Bacteria can enter the human body and cause potentially fatal disease, "she saidBetter life. "It is actually quite easy for humans to be infected withSalmonella By contact with the turtles. ""
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Children are particularly at risk.
The ability of a turtle to propagate easilySalmonella Makes them particularly risky as pets for small children, according to Neal. While anyone can getSalmonella Infection, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns thatThe risk is the highest For infants, young children, pregnant people and the elderly. According to the FDA, these are the groups of people most likely to become so sick ofSalmonella infection that they must be treated in a hospital. Symptoms of the disease generally include diarrhea, fever, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and headache, and they appear six to 72 hours after contact with bacteria.
"If childrenEnter contact with small turtles, they run the risk of becoming very sick, "Vic Boddie II, PHD, a consumer security officer at the FDA veterinary medicine center, explains the agency's website. "And unfortunately, children will get informed without knowing it. Could contaminate food and eat utensils, which can be a serious risk for children and the elderly."
The CDC is currently investing in aSalmonella Epidemic linked to turtles.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) actively examine a wave ofrecentSalmonella infections Among the people in 14 different states. According to the agency, 21 diseases were reported between January and July 2022, although the number of infections is probably "much higher than the number reported". At least eight hospitalizations occurred accordingly.AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
Out of 14 infected people interviewed by state and local public health officials, 10reported to touch the turtles Before they fell ill. According to the CDC, MyTurtlestore.com, an online retailer selling pets for pets, was "identified as a source of diseases in this multi-state epidemic". The agency says that the "strain of Salmonella Make people sick in this epidemic has also been found in the establishment of Myturtlestore.com. ""
This is not the first time that the CDC has connected Salmonella Epidemics with pets for pets. The agency found that animal turtles Probably the source of infection In 137 people throughout four epidemics between March 2017 and February 2021. "Investigations have shown that shortly before many people fell ill, they were exposed to a small turtle by touching, nourishing, cleaning Habitat or by changing water in the tank, "The FDA explains on its website.
