Safety

Tortoise Safety

Pest Control & Tortoises: What Is Safe & What Isn’t

The safest kinds of pest control around pet tortoises are organic methods such as worms, bacteria, oil sprays, insecticidal soaps, pheromones and floating covers. Chemical pest control methods are dangerous to tortoises and other pets. They can get them sick, or worse, be fatal.

Why Tortoises Should NOT Roam Around The House

Tortoises shouldn’t roam around the house. They could get injured, lost, too cold or too hot, fall or get stuck and be attacked. A tortoise roaming around the house might also spread disease. Even when supervised around your home, you will often have to handle the tortoise (pick her up) to put her back safely within a supervised area. This can be stressful to your tort.

Tortoises should not wander around your house because:


  • There is no proper enclosure set up
  • They could get lost
  • Your house does not replicate nature
  • They often carry many germs (such as Salmonella which is typical of reptiles

How To Clean, Bathe And Wash A Tortoise Safely

Tortoises do need a bath every now and then. A lukewarm bath will help clean a tortoise from dust and dirt, reduce bacterias from shell and skin, helps with hydration, and help with passing waste. Frankly, it just feels nice too.

A Soft-Bristle Toothbrush


For your tortoise bathing adventure, you will also need a soft-bristle toothbrush that has not been used before so it won’t hurt or irritate your tortoise’s skin.


Cotton Swabs, Cotton Balls and Towels


You may need cotton swabs, cotton balls, and towels for drying. Keep these on hand until you create a bathing routine for your tortoise and decide what extra items are best.



Can Tortoises & Turtles Live Without Their Shell?

Tortoises and turtles absolutely cannot live without their shells. The shell is not something they can simply slip on and off. It is fused to the tortoises’ and turtles’ bones so they cannot live without it.

Can tortoises and get out of their shell?


No, and you should never try to force them to. Since the shell is part of the animal’s exoskeleton, there is no way to safely remove a tortoise or turtle shell. Trying to do so would cause great pain and would eventually kill them.


Let me repeat that: Please, please, please do not try to get a tortoise out of its shell! Imagine someone trying to peel the skin off your back or to remove your spine and ribs. Not a pleasant thought, is it?

Tortoises And Salmonella: What You Need To Know

Not all tortoises carry salmonella but they are all likely to carry it. For health and safety, it is best to assume all reptiles and amphibians carry salmonella on their skin, scales, shells, or in their excrement.

Symptoms of Salmonella Infections

Someone infected with salmonella can expect to suffer the following symptoms.


  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Diarrhea
  • Muscle pains
  • Nausea with or without vomiting
  • Dizziness
  • Stomach cramps
  • Bloody stools
  • Joint pain that can last for months, or years

Do Tortoises And Turtles Need Vaccinations?

Tortoises, turtles and other reptiles do not need vaccinations or frequent vet visits, but they might need a little help sometimes. Tortoises and turtles do need some vet care but not as often as a cat or a dog.

Don’t Worry it’s Just a Little Shot


In the event that your tortoise needs to have an injection, the vet will prepare the site carefully. It is a little trickier on a large tortoise but essentially the same practice. Your vet will push the head back and move either the left or right front leg to expose the softer skin there. They will then push the needle into the pectoral muscle on the inner side of the plastron. It’s quick and relatively painless, but it does take a practiced hand.