The scutes(plates) of the shell normally flake off as the turtle grows. A veterinarian uses a physical examination, blood tests, and radiographs (X-rays) to help diagnose the cause of the dystocia and to determine whether medical and/or surgical procedures are best indicated in treating these animals. 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. However, land turtles urinate every day or two. There are a few reasons why your turtle might be peeing on you. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. If you can get your turtle to associate you with these essential parts of their life, theyll feel more comfortable around you. Turtles releasing their pee on you is one of their defensive measures against the invasive move. And how do they use pee as a defense against predators? So, its better to be careful. On this site we share what we know and learn about reptiles to help you give your reptile the love and care it deserves. And, suppose you do decide to pick up a turtle, make sure you support its body from underneath. Thick urine in men and women. Stress and pressure could cause your turtle to pee on you, or defecate. Read our advice on understanding turtle behavior and forming a relationship with your turtle below! 10. Most commonly, it is associated with poor husbandry, including improper environmental temperature or light cycles, inadequate nest sites, and/or improper diet (malnutrition). And its perfectly natural for turtles to let out a little urine when theyre feeling stressed, excited, or scared. If you put them down on the floor, they might inch closer and closer to you. Many turtles enjoy being petted, but first they must get used to humans being present and interacting with them. Another theory suggests that turtles dont have the same muscle control as other animals. Thats because turtles excrete very little nitrogen in their urine. Although turtles are certainly not the only reptiles that can carry Salmonella, most turtles carry the infection asymptomatically, in that they do not show signs of illness. As we mentioned earlier, Salmonella is a serious disease. Splashing around in the water and basking regularly are some other signs of a happy turtle. Can box turtle pee hurt you? 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. I love turtles, and I write turtle-related blogs and product reviews. Hence, its best to err on the side of caution and avoid contact with turtle urine if possible. Figure out when your pet is most active, what scares it, and when it seems the most comfortable. Its up to you, but remember to handle it with care. Turtles pee out of fear, pressure, and feeling threatened. Keep working on hand-feeding, and with time and patience, you can try petting your turtle again. The answer to this question is a bit complicated. Other signs you might have an STI include: Itchiness. Therefore, when you're planning on handling a turtle, it's best to be prepared for a potential wetting. A dog or cat may view your new turtle with curiosity at first, but a simple exploratory scratch or bite can easily cause serious, andpotentially lethal, harm. If your turtle doesnt seem to be digesting properly, its a good idea to take them to the vet. Whether turtle, tortoise or terrapin, a pet with four legs and a shell can make for a fine companion. Therefore, that can cause the turtles muscles to relax, including those that control its bladder. You might not realize it, but turtling can be a result of problems with your enlargement routine. Approach the turtle slowly, and make sure it can see you. Green. On the other hand, a turtle may urinate less often when it is cold, and its body is not producing as much waste. A lack of safe drinking water is a common result of disasters, natural or otherwise. While turtles generally don't go out of their way to do so, they may release urine as a defense mechanism if they feel threatened or are startled. The same is true for light shining through the sides of a glasstank. Heck, that was probably where our first encounter with turtles was, near the waters. . 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. Between feedings, you can sneak some tasty morsels into your pets bowl. 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. There is also the risk of one or both animals being injured, or possibly killed, by a falling aquarium. Turtles are aware of their owners. However, this does not mean you let turtles pee on you while handling them. Some turtles may simply curl up into a ball and remain still when frightened. They should excrete in natures order just as we normally imagine. Here you will also find countless interesting turtle facts about turtles, tortoises, terrapins and sea turtles. To get your turtle to feel more at ease when you pet it, set it on the ground first. They may even beg for treats, similar to a dog! They have an opening at the bottom of their shell that they use to excrete waste. Turtles love being petted, especially around their shells. The first several times you handle your pet turtle, you should only hold it for a few seconds. Just as important, any vet can test an animal for Salmonella. Coming up behind your pet is a surefire way to scare it! Turtles and water are of course inseparable. When you pick up a turtle, its body is suddenly subjected to a different type of gravity than its used to. Turtles require both Ultraviolet A and B light to survive. Turtles urinate when theyre stressed; this is a natural reaction to feeling threatened. This is Shuvo Mahfuz, one of the main authors of NursingPets.com. This may be because warts are often found on the hands and feet, the same body parts that come into contact with turtles. While your local pet store is unlikely to accept your turtle, they might be able to steer you in the right direction or allow you to post on their community boards. Have you ever held a turtle and felt a warm stream of urine run down your arm? The process is just a little different for each species. If you hold them less, they will be less likely to feel the need to urinate. These simple precautions are simply your best protection againstgetting sick. They excrete waste in the form of urine, just like any other animal or turtle. Yes, turtles can urinate on us but not because they want to get rid of their waste products. -If your immune system is weak, other health problems may arise. 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. Theres never any harm in asking for advice and getting a quick checkup! Because taking care of them for the vast majority of my life wasnt fulfilling enough, I decided to begin educating others about them through my articles. Read my articles and share them with your beloved ones. Additionally, the amount of urine a box turtle produces can also differ depending on the season. In most turtle species, females will grow quite a bit larger than males, so this is also important to consider, she adds. This creates scar tissue that blocks or slows the flow of urine, which can hurt. Any prolapsed tissue represents a potentially life-threatening problem that should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. Some even try to get close enough to kiss our hands. 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. Well take you from why they pee on you, and what is in their pee to avoid it from occurring again. Many of these children did not exercise proper hygiene (such as washing their hands after handling the turtles and even placing the turtles in their mouths). These include rubbing their heads and necks against their owner, licking faces, and even biting. Also, its a good idea to invest in a vacuum, or even just a simple siphon device made for tanks, which offers a simple way to make a partial water change each time you use itwhich should be at least once a week. For instance, baby turtles or hatchlings are more sensitive to touch as they are not used to that. 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. Those are the questions that we will explore in the rest of the article. Can box turtle pee hurt you? A friendly turtle will also greet its owner with open eyes. 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. Required fields are marked *. Urea is a waste product produced when the body breaks down protein. One of the keys to keeping your pet turtles happy is consistent feeding. The needed frequency of this will depend on the size of your tank and whether or not you use a separate tank at mealtimes, but you should change the water before it becomes dirty or foul smelling. While growing, juvenile turtles need to be fed fairly often, adult turtles can be fed a few times per week, depending on the . And how do they use pee as a defense against predators? I hope this article answered all your questions about turtle pee. If they find themselves far from the ground, they would just pee on you. Aquatic turtles, such as the red-eared slider, have several unique problems. When you pick them up out of their consciousness, it startles them, making them pee on you as they are frightened of the sudden touching and lifting. Log in 24/7 to access your pets health care information. Make sure your turtle feels secureimagine how scary it must feel to be held high in the air with its feet scrambling around! They will lay out under the. They can also bite, so its best to avoid putting your fingers near their mouths. Other contributing factors include the age and physical condition of the animal, injury to or physical obstruction of the reproductive tract from deformed or oversized eggs, physical abnormalities within the reproductive tract or pelvis, infections, constipation, abscesses, or other masses. A turtle that is in good health will actively hunt any live food you give them. 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. Understanding these problems will allow you to better care for your pet and minimize future health care issues. Posted July 22, 2018. There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that turtle pee can cause brain damage. Its best to wait until your turtle chooses to enter an open space where it can eat and socialize. 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. In addition, if your turtle greets you and interacts with you, its easy to see that theyre happy. 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. The answer is no; turtles do not pee out of their mouth. Turtles pee can carry high levels of urea. Continue with Recommended Cookies. When box turtles actively grow and mate during the spring and summer, they tend to urinate more frequently than in fall and winter. A lot of predators have a very sensible smell and based on the smell of their prey they can decide if its a good meal or not. A healthy, gravid (with eggs) turtle may not eat, but will still be bright, active, and alert. One theory is that the bacteria in turtle pee can cause warts. However, a few things can affect the appearance of turtle pee. Its also important that your turtle gets enough natural sunlight and UV rays. Dont force ithold a piece of lettuce about six inches away from your pet and wait patiently. Here is a video where you can see a turtle pees while somebody is holding it: Except for the situation mentioned above, its almost impossible to see a turtle pee, and there are two good reasons for this. So, its best to replace your bulbs every 9 to 12 months, even if theyre still operational. Turtles are commonly incriminated as a cause of Salmonella bacterial infection in children. by leaving a tip. So, how often do red-eared slider turtles pee? A dirty habitat is often the cause of turtles peeing on their owners. 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. The most common reason for your turtle to pee on you is that theyre experiencing stress. Turtle urine can cause brain damage in humans. Cloudy white. This video was supported by KiwiCo. So why did my turtle pee on me? Also, it can cause other health issues if you have a weak immune system. You also might have . 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. The same goes for adult turtles, peeing on you is a defensive move. After all, turtles are strange creatures, so its not surprising that people are curious about their bodily functions. Before purchasing a turtle, check the laws in your municipality regarding legal ownership of pet turtles. Turtles can be very mysterious creatures, so mysterious that even now we dont know that much about their behavior. Dont force ithold a piece of lettuce about six inches away from your pet and wait patiently. Luckily, its possible to make your pet turtle feel more comfortable around you. Already have a myVCA account? We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. 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. How Can You Stop Turtle Peeing on you? It's likely that the way you treated him made it seem like he felt threatened. Having either type 1 or type 2 diabetes can make you need to use the bathroom more often than other people. 96 Continue this thread Use a filter to keep the tank clean and be sure to change the filter regularly. Start gently and gradually. This is the place from where turtles urinate, defecate and lay eggs. Check the shell closely for any signs of abnormalities suggesting disease. So, its best to be careful and keep clean. I love turtles, and I write turtle-related blogs and product reviews. Make a habit of giving your turtle its regular mealtime snack each morning and evening. While drinking a little bit of your own urine probably won't hurt you, it's definitely not as safe as a .