The Surprising Answer( With Video). Taking good care of your pet is the first step to relieving any stress it may feel. Affiliate of Mars Inc. 2023 | Copyright VCA Animal Hospitals all rights reserved. A turtle bite can be dangerous depending on the species of turtle and its age. You might just adore your turtles so much that you tend to pet them so frequently that it stresses them out. So, its best to be careful and keep clean. 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. In fact, all turtles pee. Usually this is a result of being handled or picked up suddenly, especially if theyre not used to being held. The same is true for light shining through the sides of a glasstank. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. . Salmonellosis is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. Turtles and water are of course inseparable. What do we learn here? Urinary tract infections are commonly associated with dysuria. This will help your pet get used to your presence. Additionally, the amount of urine a box turtle produces can also differ depending on the season. Depending on their natural habitat different turtle species are able to get more air through their cloaca than other species, and this is to be expected. Read our advice on understanding turtle behavior and forming a relationship with your turtle below! Some animals make noises or bite, while others may run and hide. If your turtle resists, stop petting it immediately. This may be because warts are often found on the hands and feet, the same body parts that come into contact with turtles. Set up your myVCA account today. As your turtle gets more accustomed to you it will stop peeing on your hand, but until then this is one of the few occasions when you can see your turtle pee. Also, their bladder is located near their tail, and picking them up can put pressure on their bladder and cause them to release urine. After all, some say, there are probably other turtles there, and an abundance of food, water, and sunlight. They feel the need to defend themselves thus peeing on you would make you put them back down on the ground where they feel much more secure. During hibernation, they will stop eating and slow their movements; their metabolism also slows, and their immune system function becomes suppressed. Therefore, when youre planning on handling a turtle, its best to be prepared for a potential wetting. Be careful approaching turtles; coming up behind them is a sure fire way to spook them. Its consistency may be moderate, liquid or dry, and depends on the amount consumed by a person fluid, climatic conditions, violations of the functional activity of the urinary organs. A great way to win over a pet turtle is to avoid being overly noisy around him/her. Keep working on hand-feeding, and with time and patience, you can try petting your turtle again. No, turtles do not pee in their shell. Any prolapsed tissue represents a potentially life-threatening problem that should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. Snapping Turtles can be fast and they can bite. As your turtle eats, watch it and make slow movements so your pet is aware of your presence. Hissing expels air while urinating and defecating allow more space for your turtle to withdraw into its shell. -If your immune system is weak, other health problems may arise. 3. And that can be detrimental for humans if ingested or made contact with the skin. Snapping Turtles are Special Moving Snapping Turtles especially large ones is more challenging. Observe your pet regularly and figure out when it is most active, what frightens it, and when it appears the most comfortable.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'reptileshere_com-box-4','ezslot_7',109,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-reptileshere_com-box-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'reptileshere_com-box-4','ezslot_8',109,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-reptileshere_com-box-4-0_1'); .box-4-multi-109{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. You can get turtles that come with balls, ropes, and many other fun items.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'reptileshere_com-leader-1','ezslot_13',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-reptileshere_com-leader-1-0'); These types of toys not only provide entertainment, but they also give your pet something to do. Do You Need A Tetanus Shot After A Cat Bite. While there are plenty of sources that can offer information on what youshoulddo for your turtle, here are some things that youshouldnt. 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. Salmonellosis is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. And well talk about those and a few more related topics in this blog. This is Shuvo Mahfuz, one of the main authors of NursingPets.com. An adult turtle needs to eat on average every 3 hours during the day and 3-4 hours at night. Watch how he reacts while eating and move slowly towards him so he knows you are near. Its best to wait until your turtle chooses to enter an open space where it can eat and socialize. When box turtles actively grow and mate during the spring and summer, they tend to urinate more frequently than in fall and winter. You shouldnt force it hold a piece of lettuce close to its mouth and wait patiently. If youve ever held a turtle in your hand and felt a warm, damp spot, theres a good chance that your turtle has peed on you. However, this does not mean you let turtles pee on you while handling them. Most of the turtles for sale as pets require both aquatic and terrestrial environments within their tank, and special attention needs to be paid to water quality. This means that they tend to be quite skittish around people they dont know. It depends on how much water you drink. Its a white, crystalline substance that is relatively insoluble in water. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. And its perfectly natural for turtles to let out a little urine when theyre feeling stressed, excited, or scared. 26 Ken Saladin Instead, they will only do so if they are ill or trying to conserve water. Instead, turtles have bladder problems which cause them to relieve themselves by releasing fluids directly onto their skin. ReptileJam.com also participates in other affiliate programs and may be compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. First, keep your turtles aquarium warm. 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. And do turtles pee is one of them. One theory proposes that turtles are ectotherms, meaning they rely on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature. For one, the frequency of urination can vary depending on the time of year. If you ingest turtle pee, drink plenty of fluids and immediately seek medical help. If your turtle seems uninterested in food and hunting, its likely to be unhappy. Its possible that your turtle may also defecate if it feels truly threatened. Its true! Properly clean and disinfect the turtles tank every time it is soiled. With a safe zone, your turtle can easily escape any unwanted interaction. One technique involves cutting the shell and then repairing it following the procedure; the second technique involves making an incision in front of and through the muscles of the pelvis and hind limbs to enter the abdominal cavity. But if you pick them up they'll likely pee on you, so watch out. Frequent urination can also be caused by drinking too many liquids. Dont keep them too long in your hands, being gripped is unnatural for them, so it is quicker for them to be in a defensive mode. Your turtle certainly wont grow to adulthood overnight, but its bound to occur faster than you would think. The answer is yes! Turtles are aware of their owners. In fact, all turtles urinate (or have a similar process), including red-eared slider turtles. If you can get your turtle to associate you with these essential parts of their life, theyll feel more comfortable around you. The answer to this question is a bit complicated. Although shell fractures can be serious, the shell is bone and often can be repaired. Give them the proper space and time to naturalize themselves so they wont feel threatened by you. A turtle that is in good health will actively hunt any live food you give them. https://www.petplace.com/article/reptiles/general/how-turtles-and-tortoises-behave/, https://peteducate.com/do-turtles-get-attached-to-their-owners/. 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. Doing all this correctly will definitely stop your turtle peeing on you every time you pick him up, It does take time and patience but it will be all worth it in the end, Because your turtle will show affection towards you too, Happy you asked because thats what Im going to talk about next. They will drown in a tank of water. With appropriate treatment healthy adults tend to recover from infection with Salmonella bacteria relatively quickly. In fact, they have to pee to get rid of the waste products they produce. Many turtles enjoy being petted, but first they must get used to humans being present and interacting with them. However, these tests only show infection if they are shedding the bacteria in their stool at that time.. A red-eared slider's shell is remarkably strong, but it can be injured. Here is a short video that shows how cloacal breathing works: Some turtle species like the Olive ridley sea turtle can stay almost 10 hours submerged underwater, and the air that they get through the cloaca is essential for that. But all of this shouldnt talk you out of getting a turtle, after all,any pet has the potential to transmit disease. You can slowly introduce this behavior over several days. How Can I Make My Turtle Feel Comfortable Being Handled? Read my articles and share them with your beloved ones. There are a few reasons why your turtle might be peeing on you. Also, it can cause other health issues if you have a weak immune system. 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). When turtles get scared, they release a small amount of urine. A good way to get your turtle used to being around humans is to feed him/her regularly. Generally speaking, a turtle can go about 8 hours without water in a warm and dry environment. If you're always looking for the bathroom because you have to pee upwards of eight times a day and it's not just uncomfortable but hurts . But before you do, there are a few things you should know. However, that is just a case of Hollywood artistic license in reality, turtles cannot pee in this way. They will also begin associating your presence with something good. Putting all the disgust aside, you also might overthink if something internally could be wrong with your turtle. Just be sure to use warm water and avoid getting water in their nose or eyes. Yes, turtles pee through their cloaca, which is an orifice that is a combination of an anus, urethra, and gills. The bite does not cause any real damage, although it can hurt kids with tiny fingers. They tend to pee more often on you due to wrong and frequent handling. It should be a calm hiding place where your pet doesnt have to worry about being bothered. turtles do have the ability to hold their urine in their shell. Its a natural way for the body to protect itself from danger. Yes, affectively from research from scientists, according to men only, earthworm urine can immensely be affective and sting to . 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. 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. 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. Soft-shelled turtles from China can essentially expel pee from their mouths, researchers say. There are a few theories on why turtles pee when theyre picked up. They often follow their owners around the house with their heads down, looking at them intently.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'reptileshere_com-banner-1','ezslot_9',110,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-reptileshere_com-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'reptileshere_com-banner-1','ezslot_10',110,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-reptileshere_com-banner-1-0_1'); .banner-1-multi-110{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. And, there are no turtle species that dont pee. Turtles require both Ultraviolet A and B light to survive. Patience and regular interactions with your pet turtle are the best way to ensure he/she grows accustomed to handling. Turtles and other reptiles carry Salmonella bacteria, which can be easily transmitted to people. Hence, if youre interested, hop on the ship. Don't confuse "remaining alive" with thriving. On the flip side, many species observe a hibernation period and may refuse food for long periods of time. Disclosure: Nursingpets.com is reader-supported. They won't hurt you unless you provoke them. Lets get into more detail in this article, Before we get into ways on how to stop your turtle peeing on you. Its best to wait until your turtle chooses to enter an open space where it can eat and socialize. And also one of the places from where they breathe. And, a question that people often have do or can turtles pee? Not only is it smelly, but it can also be a health hazard. Its always best to remove any uneaten food from a turtles enclosure to avoid a mess from cast-off and decaying matter, which can make the tank water get very nasty. Most pet owners can recognize when their pet is stressed or feels like its in danger, but some behaviors can take you by surprise! Disclosure: Nursingpets.com is reader-supported. 2011-09-12 15:23:38. . This is generally a good thing, since they wont refuse the food you give them. Never enter the safe zone! Every little bit can help us tremendously in continuing to create quality content that helps turtle and tortoise owners around the world. However, this does not mean you let turtles pee on you while handling them. And they have a well-developed system for getting rid of waste. Treatment depends on the cause and ranges from antibiotics, to avoiding irritants to treating the underlying medical problem. Another great way to make your turtle more comfortable with you is to use food to develop a relationship. Is turtle Pee harmful to humans? This kind of thing can also be a deliberate defensive mea. Dont make it frequent and dont make it excessive. What is this cloaca that allows them to breathe underwater, lay eggs, and pee? There is also the risk of one or both animals being injured, or possibly killed, by a falling aquarium. Small children handling turtles should be supervised to ensure they dont place them near their eyes or mouths and that they wash their hands afterwards. turtles "pee" (actually it's not urine, it's just water from their anal bladder that stores water to help the females lay eggs and also helps turts breathing under water ) because they are scared. 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. If your turtle doesnt show any interest. You just have to pick your turtle up, and you will be able to see that your turtle will start to pee. These include rubbing their heads and necks against their owner, licking faces, and even biting. When theyre picked up, they may feel cold and release urine as a way to warm themselves up. Unless it is a protected species, it is not illegal to own or buy a turtle under a shell length of 4 inches. Salmonella is a bacteria that lives on their outer skin and shell surfaces. Some people may have believed that turtles pee out of their mouths because of a scene in the popular movie Finding Nemo. Offer him some pumpkin to see if that helps. The turtle also may not be getting appropriate ultraviolet light. Also, you can try to handle your turtle less. Not only the turtle's pee is harmful to humans, but it can also cause serious complications leading to death. Like all reptiles, turtles excrete uric acid as waste. But urine can turn colors far beyond what's typical, including: Red. However, a few things can affect the appearance of turtle pee. Burning sensation or pain when you pee. Weve identified a few more theories through our research and observation on why turtles pee on you when picked up. Bites from a young turtle will have no major effect on your skin and will certainly not hurt like bites from an adult turtle. When the sac is full, the turtle expels the urine through the cloaca. Fluids dilute the yellow pigments in urine. Today I saw a painted turtle in the road and moved him. You will also feel the urge to urinate more often and a change in smell can occur. Turtles will also beg for food when you pass by their enclosure or venture near that coveted food shelf. By carefully taking note of your pets behaviors and body language, youll be able to make sure your turtle feels safe, comfortable, and happy! It is caused by a variety of factors. Commonly called bladder stones, cystic calculi occur when minerals from the diet form crystals in the urine, which then stick together and form stones. This odd ability may have helped them invade salty environments, researchers explained.. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). 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. As you can see, several possibilities can cause this behavior. Have you ever held a turtle and felt a warm stream of urine run down your arm? The easiest thing you can do is just give them regular access to water. If you notice that your turtle's shell is growing irregularly, it may be a sign of malnutrition or even metabolic bone disease. And whatever the reason, its important to be prepared for a turtle to pee when you pick it up. When turtles get scared they can basically pee on themselves. Turtle Pee Can Be Lethal! Do not grab the sides of the shell of a Snapping Turtle as the head may whip around and bite you. Its possible that you might have seen a few horror movies where people that are going to be attacked by monsters or ghosts, pee themselves. It is not illegal to own or to buy a turtle under a shell length of 4 inches, again, unless it is a protected species. Start gently and gradually. Even if your turtle is used to being picked up, try not to handle it for an extended period of time. Can box turtle pee hurt you? Figure out when your pet is most active, what scares it, and when it seems the most comfortable. Some owners feed their turtlesin a separate area to avoid this from happening. The answer is no; turtles do not pee out of their mouth. To get your turtle to feel more at ease when you pet it, set it on the ground first. Considering that they are instinctually intelligent, peeing on you isnt normal. Your email address will not be published. A gravid turtle with dystocia typically does not eat and rapidly becomes sick, lethargic, or unresponsive. Keep working on hand-feeding, and with time and patience, you can try petting your turtle again. This may sound like a silly question, but it gets asked a lot! 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. They have a well-developed urinary system, and they excrete waste through their cloaca (a.k.a. A dirty habitat is often the cause of turtles peeing on their owners. Make sure your turtle feels secureimagine how scary it must feel to be held high in the air with its feet scrambling around! Any prolapsed tissue may be viewed by other animals in the same tank as something to eat, and they will readily bite at the exposed tissue. Turtles express their love through eye contact rather than physical touch. If your turtle opens its mouth and moves its head upward when you pet it, you should stop because this is a sign of discomfort. Make sure you put your pet away after he or she plays with these toys because they can chew through anything. In addition, if your turtle greets you and interacts with you, its easy to see that theyre happy. The regular color of urine varies. And a few theories backed it from the behind. While at first, this doesnt seem like a very efficient defense, it actually is. After awhile, you can try to feed your turtle by hand. But straining that hard is an indication of a serious problem He may have an intestinal blockage, and straining can cause him to have an intestinal prolapse when part of the intestine comes out of the cloaca/anus. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. They excrete waste in the form of urine, just like any other animal or turtle. Approach the turtle slowly, and make sure it can see you. Turtles are commonly incriminated as a cause of Salmonella bacterial infection in children. Usually this is a result of being handled or picked up suddenly, especially if they're not used to being held. Will turtle pee hurt you? With a safe zone, your turtle can easily escape any unwanted interaction. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. This will help your pet get used to your presence. Happy turtles will eat their meals enthusiastically and appear excited when presented with food. Turtles love being outside, especially during springtime. While sunlight will provide all the ultraviolet light a turtle needs in the wild, its not enough to simply have your enclosure near a sunlit window. However, if a turtle doesnt urinate for a long time, it could die. Turtle pee can harm humans in several ways: -Turtle pee contains bacteria that may cause infections in mucous membranes or open wounds. So turtles do pee, but why dont we see them do it? You also might have . It may be a reflection of a dirty tank and infrequent water changes. If he does, then give him a few light pats. Make sure not to shake your turtle, and dont hold it too far from the ground. Do make sure to read its body language. Its always best to wash your hands thoroughly after handling your turtle or cleaning its enclosure. In most turtle species, females will grow quite a bit larger than males, so this is also important to consider, she adds. Approach the turtle slowly, and make sure it can see you. Stress and pressure could cause your turtle to pee on you, or defecate. They can also spin around quickly or even lunge. They should excrete in natures order just as we normally imagine. Patience and regular interaction with your turtle are the best ways to help it grow more comfortable with being handled. Coates warns that obesity and hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) are two conditions that are related to overfeeding pet turtles. Try to avoid frequent and excessive handling of your turtle. Turtles releasing their pee on you is one of their defensive measures against the invasive move. You've only seen one page. 5: Lower Exercise Intensity to Prevent Turtling. This hormone causes the heart to beat faster and its blood vessels to constrict. Its possible that your turtle may also defecate if it feels truly threatened. If you are not sure whether the shell is normal, check with your veterinarian. Home Turtles Why Did My Turtle Pee on Me? Other turtles seem to be terrified of being picked up and try to squirm away or even bite if theyre grabbed. 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. However, there are some potential risks associated with exposure to turtle urine. Can turtle pee hurt you? Wild turtles are commonly found on the side of the road after getting hit by cars and suffering from serious shell fractures. Not only is it illegal to keep most native turtle species as pets, but it's almost impossible to provide habitat where the turtle can thrive. When stroking your turtles shell, take note that it is much more sensitive than you may think. If so, youre not alone! Common UTI Symptoms. Clean up all feces right away. In addition, if your turtle greets you and interacts with you, its easy to see that theyre happy. 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. Therefore, the right method of handling may slow down the occurrence of them peeing on you as they get used to your grip on them. Forming a bond with your pet over time and gaining its trust will also help to prevent it feeling stressed when you pick it up. Turtles feel much safer there and you can gradually get them used to being touched without feeling scared. Hence, when a turtle is picked up, its body releases a hormone called adrenaline. Turtles urinate when theyre stressed; this is a natural reaction to feeling threatened. In fact, they have to pee to get rid of the waste products they produce. But some people argue that even in such situations we have plenty to drink, as long as we don't turn up our noses at it. Green. Due to the way things are arranged on the inside of the turtle this process is less exhausting than normal breathing. As you can see in the picture above the cloaca is basically the turtles butt. Thick urine in men and women. 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. A veterinarian familiar with reptiles should examine an turtle with these signs immediately. It should be a calm hiding place where your pet doesnt have to worry about being bothered. Another great way to make your turtle more comfortable with you is to. Sea turtle shells consist of bones, which are . Turtles tend to be more receptive and energetic when theyre warm. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. If you do have to force yourself, here are 10 strategies that may work: 1. Our most recent posts that may interest you: Turtle anatomy is different from ours, but they still have to go to the bathroom. If your turtle doesnt seem to be digesting properly, its a good idea to take them to the vet. And how do they use pee as a defense against predators? If your turtle is energetic and active, thats a great sign that its comfortable in its environment. Even if you opt for a screen top for your tank, its best if the cells of that screen are as wide as possible to allow ample UVB lightto reach the turtle. Not only will you be able to avoid getting peed on in the future, but your turtle will be much happier and can even grow to form a bond with you. Contrary to popular belief, turtles can become attached to their owners. vent), which is located at the base of their tail (we have discussed it above). Its a common phenomenon that has puzzled turtle owners and experts for years. If your turtle is energetic and active, thats a great sign that its comfortable in its environment. Younger turtles feel much more secure if they have a solid surface to place their feet on. Required fields are marked *. This reflex is often triggered when theyre picked up, leading to an accidental release of urine. This is not a problem as long as the penis can go back in. If your turtle opens its mouth and moves its head upward when you pet it, you should stop because this is a sign of discomfort. Turtles need a platform to stand on. Full thickness shedding of skin, leaving raw or bleeding areas, is clearly abnormal and may be a sign of a bacterial or fungal infection, hypovitaminosis A (vitamin A deficiency), burn, or trauma.